And that is EXACTLY what I was talking about in my earlier post. You have a completely different philosophy for building trucks than 90% of the members here. We aren't building race trucks. We actually want our trucks to be useful as TRUCKS. A bed cage is going to seriously limit that utility. Not to mention the fact that most folks also do not have the knowledge, or skills, to build one. I would be much more concerned about someone's shade tree bed cage than I would someone with a shackle flip, or lift blocks.

As for brakes..... Yeah, larger tires is going to to reduce braking effectiveness. That's a given, and most companies that sell lift kits (or, big tires) will have warnings to that effect on their products. However, I would also point out that there isn't a single company out there that includes upgraded braking components with their lift kit. Many of them do precisely what you are speaking of though, AAL's and blocks in the back, springs and spacers in the front.

And 175 bucks for ONE shock isn't expensive??? When rancho/skyjacker/et al can be had for half that, or less? C'mon man. Get it thru your head, we are NOT building race trucks. We don't have budgets measured in tens of thousands of dollars for just the suspension. We don't have fully equipped shops to work in. (ok, so, maybe I do, but, I am the exception, not the rule.....) We don't build trucks for a living. It's a hobby. The lift kits on the market today, sorta contradict most of the points you have been making, and for street trucks, work at least reasonably well, else, we would see most of the companies that make them gone out of business long ago.

 

ya cause i have seen other trucks with 4" coil spacers on top of coils so i dont know why that would be a problem and with blocks they make all the way up to a 8" block.....ya but i would definitly not run it way to big... no bigger than a 4" for me but i dont know why a shackle lift and stuff would be so bad to put on your truck if 60% off all people with lifted trucks have blocks and such

 

Says who?





A well designed bedcage will use hardly any bedspace at all. Also, to play devils advocate here, a truck with a bedcage and shocks will actually handle load far better then the factory setup, as the valving can be dialed in for the load, nitrogen pressure can be increased, and the rear end is typically trussed. This is far superior for cargo.

Camburg includes Wilwoods as an option for all of their lifts as well as their long travel systems, Autofab gives you the choice of Brembo's or Wilwood with their bent beam kits, Fiberwerx includes house brand brakes for their VW lifts, and the list goes on.



No not at all. FOA is the bottom end of the shock spectrum actually. A king smooth bodies start at 500, and that's a basic emulsion shock w/ no reservoir or bypasses.
Rancho/skyjacker/procomp and the like are all made by the same company. All made overseas and 100% trash. I enjoy throwing out those things when they come into the shop completley blown after only a few thousand miles of use.

I don't need to get anything through my head. I understand that very few on here are interested in the type of trucks I build. However some of the things people want to build on here are simply unsafe. You have to pay to play. That's all I'm saying.

 

I wouldn't mind building rear springs for 2" of lift, more flex, and a better ride. I wouldn't even mind moving the points where they mount to the frame, but I'm not getting into the bad cage. I want a few inches of lift for mud and going over some rocks, but I'm not going to race a 3/4 ton diesel truck. I mostly use the truck as a truck, but want to be able to take it offroad, as a secondary purpose. I'm buying a Ranger or something to make into a race truck

 

You have a valid point there. Big trucks don't go fast without a lot of time work and money put into them. Rangers are great little trucks to build tho.

 

Ya, built a couple of Rangers, but not like the one I'm planning. I was also thinking of doing an Explorer Sport. Basically same thing, but short wheelbase SUV instead of truck.

 

I really don't care to argue this point any more, lets just say you and I disagree, and leave it at that. I could refute most of your points, again..... but, it is a pointless exercise, and I really don't care to indulge in it.

Have a nice day.

 

bigredone yes 175 dollars for a shock is ridiculous, I can pick up a regular shock that will last 100k for $50....less than a 1/3 of the price, plus there is no way on them cages will work with a toolbox and when you loading up your bed with rocks and tossing pallets in there those shocks will be quickly broken and the cages will be bent.

I have not seen a lift kit for a dodge that comes with any brake parts included...then again Im lucky enough to not to live in cali....also judging by the brake systems those lifts seem to be partial too im gonna guess the lift is going to cost close to the worth of the average truck on here.

NOW TO THE OP a custum leaf pack might be a good idea if you dont want to run large blocks, if so find a local place near you and they can put together something that will fit into the stock location and can be made to provide a better ride then stock and give the lift needed.

seems viper rubs off on his friends....

 

Lol dude, relax. The Bilstien blacktop coilovers one of our shop trucks have were over $3000 apiece. $175 is spit in the off road world. What are "them cages" you speak of? Them cages will work with anything you design them to work with. Ever seen a chase truck? Also, you obviously don't know much about the actual construction of a bedcage. The entire chassis cage in my Expediton is 1 3/4 .120 wall tubing. That's stronger then the actual frame of the truck. If you're loading things that DOM tubing can't withstand, you're truck's sheetmetal and frame surely won't support the weight. Come on guy, get real.

 

You missed the entire point. It isn't that it won't support the weight, it is because the cage is there in the first place, you can't mount a tool box. The exposed shocks would preclude any "loose" cargo, sand, dirt, gravel, rocks, ect.

What you seem to be missing here, is that YOU build trucks for COMPLETELY different reasons than anyone else on here. What works for you, and a customer with deep pockets does NOT necessarily work for people here. But, I really don't expect you to grasp that little fact. You enjoy living in your own world there, I am going to stay right here in the real world, where we build trucks that are not single purpose, race-dedicated machines.