t-rex

[blake underwood]

Originally posted by kentkroeker

Gents,



If you're the type that _needs_ 500 hp for commuting, then you're probably also the type that _needs_ T. Rex.



Kent

That sounds like me!



High Performance Off Road=Baja On The Farm



I can'twait for T. Rex to get here!

 

[JR2]

That's why our website and all our marketing shows photos of a black 2003 Dodge Ram going 80 mph six feet in the air and not puppy dogs, kittens and infants wearing pastel colors while frolicking around a Volvo station wagon in a grassy meadow.

like when the kid in the $5000 Honda Civic with $20,000 worth of bolt on accessories and an exhaust as big as a coffee can shows up next to you at a red light, revs his motor that sounds like a lawn mower with an blown head gasket, and gives you "the look"...

I don't have a T-rex right now, nor will I have one soon as I have a baby on the way and he is getting all the BOMB $$, but I have to say that the quote's above from Kents post are some of the funniest things I have ever read on the TDR. Keep up the good work Kent.

 

[24V-DSL]

Kent....

Boy Howdy... .



Just post that on your front door, website, voicemail, and any other advertising media you choose..... and go racing.



Damn! Great post... .

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Kent,

Tell us whats really going on in your head?:--)

 

[Doubleclutch]

He forgot the bumper stickers and CA license plate.

Greg

 

[CFast]

Alright, I put my T-Rex bilsteins on monday. Put 110 psi air in them because 1) that's what my air comp had 2) haven't had time to get nitrogen. The ride on the 99 "highway" is worse. I mean alot worse. Took the wife and she agree's. Took it to my dad's in the country over a freshly disced field of clay soil, the faster I went the better it rode, that was cool. Back home down the 99, sucked. At 70mph, it hurts you. Down the asphalt roads, it's cool. Around town, turns and speed bumps, the faster the better. But that freakin 99 highway! Today I took it up to Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon National Park. Lots of curves, I used to drive it with 2 hands, drove it with one. Handles better than my cars. Took it off road, the faster the better. Back to my dad's, put in 300lbs of tractor wheel weights for the drive home down 99. It rode better. I hope someone can give me some insight on how much difference the nitrogen will make in the shocks. Hopefully Friday I'll have time to get it done. My tires are BFG AT's 40psi front 35 rear. I wasn't expecting a BMW ride, just something better than stock on the highway. Maybe my expectations were off. I'm not bashing this product. I read all the posts before buying this, I know it was made for off-road, and in that area it blows away the old stuff. I've had this truck for 6 months, before this i've only had a Dodge Dakota, so that's what I have to compare it to. Not exactly a 3/4 ton truck. Sorry for the long post, just sharing MY experince's so far. (Flame suit on).

 

[CFast]

I had another thought. I got the limiting straps with the kit, didn't ask for them, they were in the box, is that normal? Anyway I put them on and it seems like the travel is really limited, like the straps are too short. I put them in the place's indicated by the pics. I'm wondering if that would make the ride different if I took them off. I don't plan on jumping the truck unless i'm in the dunes.

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

I think the shocks are only supposed to travel to a certain point. then the straps save them from topping out and ruining the piston. As for the ride you are feeling. It is an off-road suspension. Not a bad paved road suspension. I dont think a Cadillac would ride good on that 99. Try charging the shocks to where they are supposed to be. That might help with the low speed compression. Everything has to be set up just right for them to work their best. If all else fails call Kent. He is there today.



Greg

 

[Doubleclutch]

CFast

Well, at 03:58oh'dark thirty this morning, a tiny particle of energy started ricocheting through the vast emptiness of space between my ears and caused me to kick four or five dogs off the bed that I might stumble past the coffee pot and post this reply. I've been on the good 'ole 99 from 46 to Tulare for DEPO... wearing my King T-rex. Not a great ride... but my truck makes unbearable bumps into minor inconveniences. That's good. What's different between your truck and mine... And I'm willing to bet a Coke & Nuts on this, are you running stock(ish) wheels and tires on Jr. ?

Greg

 

[CFast]

my truck is a quad cab, long bed, with 16. 5x10 alcoa wheels, with 33x12. 5 BFG AT's. I have the bilsteins and you have the king shocks. what tires and wheels are you running?

I put the tractor weights in the very back, right up next to the tailgate. Down the 99 again, much better, liveable now infact. I just have to bolt them in. I think altogether they weigh 300lbs. Just need the nitrogen now.

Here's something I don't get, not being a real big suspension guy. If this system is meant for a better ride OFF road, then why doesn't that mean it will be great for ON road. I mean if it's made to go 80mph in the rough dirt in BAJA, why not really smooth out a highway? No sarcasm meant here, I just really want to know. thanks

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

CFast,

From what I understand, To make suspension work on road as good or better than OEM and be able to go 80 MPH off-road is an amazing feat. To make it work on expansion joints or the stutter bumps on a freeway is almost impossible. There are so many variables:

Acceleration

Wheel Base

Speed

Weight

Tires/Pressure

Nitrogen charge pressure

Shock valveing

Pre Load

I could go on but the problem is that the stutter bumps you expierence on 99 only use 1. 5 inches of travel on a system designed to work with 8 inches of travel. As you start to get the shock working in it element, it backs out of its element and starts all over. That is what is causing the rapid bouncing effect or stutter bumps. The weight you add, changes the ride hight of your truck therefor starting at a different spot in the shock travel. That one inch makes a world of difference in the grand scheme of suspension world. As I said before, Call Kent. He is a guru of suspension. When we talk about it, he sounds like he is speaking another language. I have to tell him to say it in laymens terms so I can understand. I hope this helps a little, I am no expert, Just explaining what I have learned from dirt bikes over the years.



Greg

 

[Doubleclutch]

About the same wheels and tires you are, only in 16" (285. 16 BFG All Terrains. ) Shot that hot flash in the butt! Guess I owe a Coke&Nuts. Only difference is I have a standard cab and camper shell. Probably about the same weight as those tractor weights??? When you hit a single bump, do the front and rear feel pretty close to the same? I'm getting the B-rex installed on the new truck and will be interested to see how it turns out. Will see you at DEPO in October and compare notes. My King set-up is firm but not harsh on the road. Much better than stock.

Sorry my simple fix wasn't.

Greg... The other Greg.

 

[CFast]

Greg Boardman, your explanation helped, now I get it. Like a light went on in my head.

It felt like a constant see saw in the truck at certain speeds, and like a straight up and down of the whole truck at other speeds. It let you know exactly where and how much body fat you have.

What is DEPO? Heard about it, still don't know what it is. Thanks

 

[Doubleclutch]

DEPO is a diesel get together at the Tulare Showgrounds, usually held around the middle of October. Vendors, pulls, lots of guys who enjoy their trucks.

The other Greg

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Doubleclutch

You can be just greg too ya know... .

 

[Desert Proven]

I'm convinced that people's impressions of T-REX, and suspension in general, depend greatly on the type of driving they do. I have had the T-REX King system for almost a year now. I live on a dirt road, do a fair amount of off road driving, and go to Baja several times a year. Personally, I love it! I couldn't imagine having anything else on my truck for the type of driving I do.



We just spent several days in Baja with the T-REX group on the Baja Adventure trip, and it was awesome. It is truly amazing the type of terrain that these trucks can now take on and the speeds at which you can safely do it. We followed many sections of the Baja 500 course and, although we weren't going anywhere near as fast as the trophy trucks would, we were going much faster than stock suspension, or a normal "lift kit" would allow. The best part is that after several hundred miles of tough, off road travel, all trucks safely made it back to the highway. No one broke anything... ... ... ... ... ... ... not even a flat tire.



For me, one of the best things about the trip was the fact that my truck was set up with our family camper on the back. I have a Four Wheel camper that I use with my family and I wanted to see how well it would hold up to the rigors of off road travel. I have taken it to Baja several times before, but we have not done as many sustained miles of off road driving with it. I figured that this would be a great opportunity because we had a good group and mechanics in case I broke anything (and if the camper did fall off the back, Scotty could help lift it back up). Picture this, the family truckster, doing 45-50 mph, with all four wheels off the ground. Aside from my co-pilot vomiting from motion sickness (and a little hangover), the camper and truck came away unscathed. Try that in your minivan!!!!



Marek

 

[thejeepdude]

Originally posted by Marek

Picture this, the family truckster, doing 45-50 mph, with all four wheels off the ground.

Did anyone get any pics?!?! I gotta see this flying RV!

 

[Dane]

Better ride on the street

If you want a better ride on the street get the Skyjacker Class II 2. 5" system. Don't go cheap, get the rear leaf springs and loose the lift blocks.



Throw away the junk shocks that come with the lift kit and get Bilstein 5100 shocks.



Get rid of the skinny 265 tires and get some 305's They make a big difference cause the side wall soaks up the bumps too.



I've been running this setup for about a year. It's way better than the stock setup. I can barely feel the freeway expansion joints.



NOW,



If you've ever been down a Baja dirt road you'll understand it's a whole different aninmal than those little ol freeway joints and if you want to fly on down them you'll need something like T-Rex.



It's two completly different setups for two completly different applications.



If you want a Cadillac ride you gotta buy a Cadillac

 

[tpuig]

I was also on the T-Rex trip, but luckily didn't get to see the technicolor yawn produced from a night of indulgence. ;-)

I had Scotty up front and two others in the back seat, and a bunch of fuel/water/tools/gear in the bed. We drove hard and bottomed out HARD repeatedly. I changed the oil 3 days ago and while the truck was on the lift, I checked it out thoroughly.

It's simply amazing that nothing was broken. Nothing dented, nothing cracked, nothing scratched. The T-Rex took it all without a problem. I am, however, looking for a couple donor kidneys... ;-)

TP



p. s. Marek, I'd love to get some of the pics from you guys.

 

[raf2000]

I have a few questions. Received the T-rex kit w/Bilsteins yesterday. I was told in a pre-sale email from Kent that the limit straps were included in the kit, also was told same thing by the young lady when I placed the order by phone. Got the kit, the straps were scratched out on my invoice and no straps. Anyone have the same thing? I emailed Kent, waiting for response.



Second, can you get rubber boots for the Bilsteins? Most off road shocks have boots to cover the shafts to keep dirt and rocks from getting on the shock shaft. My "cheap" Rancho's came with them. .



Last one. The shocks seem pre-charged. There is nothing stating that they are or are not. Dirs say 200 PSI nitrogen. Is this for everyone, is there an acceptable pressure range?



Thanks