No worries...I just want to make sure some folks are aware that there is more then one KORE kit. Mine was the weakest and cheapest T-Rex and its perfect for my truck and uses. After running BAJA with a truck that has a kit 2 levels up from mine, I did learn that those kits are for running FAST...50-90 mph is what we were doing. I did not buy my truck to do that though.

Congrats on the races...I will watch for you on TV.

We had no time and I was joking because my off roading has left a few people nervous.

Best experience I ever had was in Baja...it was not my truck. hint hint.

Scotty

 

Lightman,how does your truck handle the roads now with the stock suspension?
Just wondering since my truck with the stock suspension was pretty darn good.Of course I was use to the leaf spring front ends on Fords. If I didn't travel to Mexico I would not have installed the KORE system.How do people like the KORE stabalizer? I guess I should of ask that question first before I ordered mine.I was so impressed with the suspension that I just figured the stabalizer had to help also.

 

Suspension travel is USUALLY not much more than stock with most cheap lifts. This is because they use cheap springs. If they allowed the suspension to actually MOVE thoughout the range made available by the lift, then the springs would be ruined as they cycle past the "set point"-- the point where the metal will has exceeded its elastic limit and will not return to its previous shape.

Thus, the cheap lift use shenanigans like long bumps tops to limit suspension movement as a workaround for their cheap springs and cheap shocks that can't control the springs. Because the shocks can't dampen as well, they have to use stiff springs, which limits movement and hurts ride quality.

The "bump stops" that KORE uses are in fact longer, but serve a totally different purpose. They are not "bump stops" so much as they are "frame cushions". Rather than limiting travel, they are soft and protect the frame from damage if you happen to use your newfound suspension travel a little too aggressively for its setup.

Limit straps limit movement by a tiny amount, and they do this only to keep the shocks from having to take the abuse of a hard top out, like if you jumped it. The effect on overall travel is neglible if setup properly.

Compare the pix of the cheapo D25s in my gallery to a KORe spring on their website. The D25s use thin wire, and the coils are far apart. Bad deal. The KORE springs uses BEEFY wire, and has more windings. This allows for a more supple spring for a given load rating-- they are also stronger.

Still in doubt? Call Kent and he'll explain further.

JLH

 

Ok, so after readin through this for a few days and looking over their site tonight... I'm begining to think that instead of a lift, the KORE suspensions are really just upgraded suspension setups? The only numbers I saw were 2.5" which is really just a leveling kit and with the upgraded suspension you're able to run some bigger meats... but not a lift kit to run 37's or so. Is that right?

 

Gray ghost - my stock suspension was totally liveable when I lived in FL. Now that I'm in OH, it's a totally different situation. Living in SoCal, you probably don't have any roads like we do here, with the constant freezing and salt in the winters. They are awful. The stock suspension has me bouncing all over the place, slowing down and avoiding certain bumps/potholes/cracks. Anyway I'd like to be able to clear the bigger tires and have a more comfortable ride over rough roads.

Bubba you're pretty much accurate. Performance suspension upgrade that allows you to clear larger tires.

 

Kent did a great deal of R&D to achieve a suspension that performs in the harshest atmoshpere without lifting it but did want a level, responsive and controllable ride. He is in the Baja testing and breaking stuff more then anyone I know. I think its real cool how he sought out a very limited niche to show that these trucks can take the beating of Baja without a big lift kit and still be a daily driver. Kind of like the guys that go sled pulling or drag racing and then drive home in the same truck...very versatile. Its not 'just' a suspension. I have learned that over the past year on my truck.

Driving here on the paved roads is an embarassment due to the gumbo, shifting ground, weather and poor road construction. Hauling the exact same load with the truck stock on some of these roads was like what Lightman described...almost a puckered feeling when approaching the pot holes or hitting a bump. With the T-Rex, now KORE suspension, I just go about my business. It eats up the stuff the factory stuff and the Rancho 9000's put thru the truck.

6K is a lot of money but if I planned on running a truck in Baja or some serious off roading like Baja, I would gladly drop the money to do it on my 50K plus truck. A fraction of the initial investment.

Scotty

 

Ok, so maybe saying it's just a suspension is a bit much... but I was comparing it to a lift kit, in which case it is an upgraded stock ride height suspension. Unfortunatly, I do not see me taking my truck across BAJA so it's hard to justify that kind of $$$ for the ride height I have now.

 

The kore setup is 2.5" higher in the front and 1" in the back.. Not exactly stock but not exactly jacked up either..

 

Lightman,if your roads are that bad than I think you made the the right decision in the KORE setup.I guess us southern California guys are a bit spoiled and actually have to look for bad roads.Heated seats, mirrors,block heaters,fuel heaters,yeah were spoiled.

 

Cheapy lifts have to limit suspension travel to maintain the geometery needed to keep your truck under control. Kore suspension travels up to 10" in the front. I would infact bet that a cheapy lift and a crappy shock will not travel that much. Most "lift kits" include Drop down bump stop brackets to keep you from killing a weak spring. The red stuff and the yellow stuff is most notable for that. My truck has a full 12" of rear wheel travel and 10+" in the front. It does work great in the slow as well as the fast.
Cquestad,
maybe we might cross pats somday. you should really ride in my truck!!! You will need diapers. !!!
Most hard core off roaders cannot believe what these KORE trucks are capable of. Scotty knows!!! I am still amazed on what it will do day in and day out. As for the rough roads in Cali, come on down to the desert proving grounds and take it for a spin. You will pray for Ohio roads again.... Just kidding Lightman, I guess the desert trails I take on a daily basis aren't really roads at all.

Thanks for the props on the jumpin' Cq!!!

Greg Boardman
DRC

 

It's all been said here before, but I would go the same setup on a new truck. My driving is pretty darn good NorCal highways, Fire roads and some mild local off-roading, terrible pot-holed San Francisco streets, and Baja. The T-Rex Fox setup does well on all of them. I recently test drove a stock HO '04 and forgot how nice the KORE upgrade really is. The Toyo's are absolutely awesome, and I don't give the Welds a second thought since they're designed for the Dodge.

And Scotty, you didn't steal my truck in Baja when I wasn't looking did you? ;-)
TP


"Best experience I ever had was in Baja...it was not my truck. hint hint."
Scotty

 

I was wondering if you were reading or not. I took the truck when you were sound asleep from those CD;'s we had playing. Yeah Yeah thats it. I do know for sure, if we took my truck, the fenders and outside duals would be gone on the first stretch of road.


Scotty

 

Lightman...a picture of a broken shock tower by itself does not make any point at all.

My truck hase more than 10" of front travel...

I ride my bike when I feel like going 100 mph over 4' deep sand whoops.

Done with this one...my point was missed.

 

CQ, I can understand your point about having a suspension that's designed for a different set of terrain. I'm sure a hard core rock crawling setup, or a straight mud setup is different than a kore setup. I know some folks seem to think it does everything including tie your shoes for ya. I'm still buying a chase system

Anyway that aside, I still like the billet shock towers. A broken shock tower pic to me means that they are breakable - I'm sure Kent didn't just whack it with a sledgehammer in his shop for the pic...

 

It is a rear shock mount ripped off in testing.