Thuren 3.0 KING on 2018 Powerwagon!

[cb1987]

they should use the 275 magna steyr

[DamageWagon]

No need, the Magna Steyr axles are beefy but heavy, expensive and have no aftermarket. The factory 9.25 AAMs are very strong hi-pinion axles. I have never heard someone break a shaft or gears (excluding pulling a heavy load in reverse). The downside is that the new CAD axles bend somewhat easy and ball joints are average. Few hundred bucks and a truss and those axles are good until the ball joints start groaning.

[cb1987]

you would think the new 9.25 would be plenty strong with all the extra ribbing and large tubes but i dont do extreme offroad so i wouldnt know. if ram put a smaller knuckle magna steyr in the 2500 im sure the aftermarket would catch up pretty fast.
if the 2500 capacity increases in 2020 like some rumors have said, then the current axles will probly go out the window anyways. atleast the front axle im sure. but ram likes shift on the fly so i wonder if they will ditch the cad and go back to a full time system. if its a badass truck ill have to trade in my '17 and be in debt another 10yrs

[NickTF]

So all of this is a reason to put overlands on the truck and not kings to keep from the temptation of making "hold my beer" youtube videos..........

[DamageWagon]

So all of this is a reason to put overlands on the truck and not kings to keep from the temptation of making "hold my beer" youtube videos..........

The Kings are worth it. Trussing an axle isn’t that big of a deal, it’s straightforward fab work with a few details to pay attention to. It’s an insurance policy.

[PWJouster]

It's a solid front axle truck. No getting around that. If you bought a PW thinking it would handle and drive like a IFS truck (or your sports car) forget it. The solid front axle is very strong but it's heavy. With the right spring and shock combo it can deal with rough terrain and road conditions but you still have a 3/4 ton truck front and rear axle.

It's not a trophy truck...and will never be. I would like to try those 3.0 kings. Stage 4 front and rear would be perfect.

.

im concerned the 4 front would be too stiff a rest on the slow moving undulations and imperfections of south Florida roads and daily driving in crawling traffic through construction zones.

i will not use this truck as a trophy truck, but i guess i should state im looking for major improvement, but i dont expect this build to get close to a true trophy style fab build.. and im not comparing it to any of my past vehicle experiences.

but it should ride better and take more abuse then a stock raptor and be quieter then a trophy truck yes? "luxury" "prerunner" achieved...once the aftermarket truss and ball joints are added and modified.

clearly we could throw 50-100k at these trucks and actually make it a luxury prerunner. but ill keep it simple for now.

[Reloaderguy]

You bought the wrong truck.

[OffroadTreks]

there is an entrance ramp to the highway that has an incline of about 10% that makes a sharp bank to the right to enter the highway 20 feet above grade.

this is 100% my testing and proving grounds.
i take this entrance ramp 5 days a week, typically free and clear road ahead. 10-20-30-40-45MPH easy. i say easy because i have balls of aluminum and a great sense of when vehicles are unsettled (track and offroad experience)

this entrance ramp is part of construction that will never end(i hope it wont before the install) and has terrible uneven pavement layers and patches and potholes.

the stock truck would get very unsettled at anything over 25MPH. the rear end would wag, and the steering wheel will turn lock to lock with the abruptness of flexing front axles and rear end squirm.(45 MPH and it feels like youve done a corkscrew on a rollercoaster) not everyone has experienced extreme steering wheel input from high speed axle articulation. I almost lost a couple fingers.

clearly this is only one of the many ride improvements ill be evaluating, but i believe it will lead to the biggest sense of overall control ive gained.

the stock goodyears would howl on this ramp and instill a sense of rear end slippage and sidewall flex, but the toyos at the same pressure have already improved the handling of this and helped the truck feel planted. GOODYEARS ARE NOT IDEAL

So, you're saying you are trying to take a construction onramp at like 80mph in your stock truck that is also a corner and wondering why it sucks?

im concerned the 4 front would be too stiff a rest on the slow moving undulations and imperfections of south Florida roads and daily driving in crawling traffic through construction zones.

i will not use this truck as a trophy truck, but i guess i should state im looking for major improvement, but i dont expect this build to get close to a true trophy style fab build.. and im not comparing it to any of my past vehicle experiences.

but it should ride better and take more abuse then a stock raptor and be quieter then a trophy truck yes? "luxury" "prerunner" achieved...once the aftermarket truss and ball joints are added and modified.

clearly we could throw 50-100k at these trucks and actually make it a luxury prerunner. but ill keep it simple for now.

I don't think I even have 12k in my truck yet.



Does anyone understand what he's trying to achieve here?

[DamageWagon]

Thurens valving is top notch. Two weekends ago I rode in a modified stage 3.5 truck through whoops at 70mph and it handled it no problem, and also rode very nicely over rough terrain at low speeds with the tires at street pressure.

A 3.0 shock is going to be softer on the little stuff and provide more force on the big hits, that’s why bigger shocks are used. They’re more comfortable and more capable. The achievable safe output force of a 3.0 is generally, roughly, twice that of a 2.5.

These trucks will never be trophy trucks because they weren’t designed from the ground up to be, but there’s a few trucks out there running some legit bed cage or cantilever setups and coilover/bypass shocks that will make you hoon! It depends on if you want bolt-on and budget or DIY and full party.

[Reloaderguy]

Does anyone understand what he's trying to achieve here?

Flail around and get a lot of attention?

[Reloaderguy]

Thurens valving is top notch. Two weekends ago I rode in a modified stage 3.5 truck through whoops at 70mph and it handled it no problem, and also rode very nicely over rough terrain at low speeds with the tires at street pressure.

A 3.0 shock is going to be softer on the little stuff and provide more force on the big hits, that’s why bigger shocks are used. They’re more comfortable and more capable. The achievable safe output force of a 3.0 is generally, roughly, twice that of a 2.5.

These trucks will never be trophy trucks because they weren’t designed from the ground up to be, but there’s a few trucks out there running some legit bed cage or cantilever setups and coilover/bypass shocks that will make you hoon! It depends on if you want bolt-on and budget or DIY and full party.

Did someone say Hoon? Why yes, those are Kings.

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[Chromolykid]

The bigger shock will help keep temps down, don’t think anybody that works for a living wants to push these trucks to the full valving potential of a 3.0. I’ll sell you a championship-winning racecar for that, along with a trailer and spares (for less than a new PW).

My order with Thuren next month will be 2.5’s, stage 1. Things last longer when you go slow, and you don’t spill your whiskey.

Slightly off-topic, but while waiting to order my shocks, I disconnected both sway bars. Night and day difference, like a whole different truck. Thuren front coils are stiff enough to prevent excessive body roll and the truck responds so much better to uneven freeways and dirt roads. I suspect I will have to put at least one link back in with the Kings, though. Maybe try this OP and see if it helps? I personally hate sway bars, have disconnected or removed them from everything I’ve owned unless I’m towing. Before anybody goes there... Yes, I know it’s dangerous, the internet said so. Luckily every time I’ve barrel rolled from changing lanes, I’ve landed on my tires.

[PWJouster]

haha just tracking my build on forums and im flailing around for attention?


the way the stock truck handles this on ramp is my baseline. i want a baseline at varying speeds, so i have traversed this road section with varying degrees of speed, throttle application, mid apex braking and emergency braking and avoidance.
just so i know where it stands today.

did i say the stock truck sucked? or that im looking for trophy truck ride?

[PWJouster]

this truck is not full party nor is it really bolt on budget.

just looking for an extremely capable and comfortable daily driver and weekend warrior. the caveat is i am an aggressive driver and beat on my daily's way more then most.

i was just jotting down data and ideas on my build, so if a person comes along with the same intent and can follow along for some explanations or experiences, or just my thoughts and outcomes, then they have gained a leg up on their own build.

i only ask for input, or outside experiences. I dont expect anyone to understand my use or ideas, but im not sure what problem you think im trying to solve. isnt it the same as everyone else? performance improvement, not the end all be all.

[PWJouster]

Slightly off-topic, but while waiting to order my shocks, I disconnected both sway bars. Night and day difference, like a whole different truck. Thuren front coils are stiff enough to prevent excessive body roll and the truck responds so much better to uneven freeways and dirt roads. I suspect I will have to put at least one link back in with the Kings, though. Maybe try this OP and see if it helps? I personally hate sway bars, have disconnected or removed them from everything I’ve owned unless I’m towing. Before anybody goes there... Yes, I know it’s dangerous, the internet said so. Luckily every time I’ve barrel rolled from changing lanes, I landed on my tires.

i am still in the middle of the road on sway bar.

going to install the entire suspension kit and evaluate my needs for sway bar and stabilizer upgrades after initial test drives.
i assume the rear can come off no problem, but the front will be a huge decision for me..still looking for a ride along in a thuren sway bar equipped ram in south florida. from what i read, i want it, from what ive been told, it may not work for me.

[Chromolykid]

I didn’t clarify, I’m on stock sway bars. Just pulled a link out front and rear. Only takes a couple wrenches. I keep them in a Rambox and they can be put on in a couple minutes if need be.

[OffroadTreks]

It is night and day on that factory sway bar. I’ve disconnected the front too, and it smooths things out considerably. But only under certain conditions I felt. At speed on the highway I wanted it back on to reduce body roll.

It’s worth experimenting with it IMO.

[Colibri]

I don’t have a newer truck to experiment with, but I’d wager a considerable sum that no rear swaybar and a torsion front would blow every other choice away in terms of comfort and offroad ability

[Reloaderguy]

I don’t have a newer truck to experiment with, but I’d wager a considerable sum that no rear swaybar and a torsion front would blow every other choice away in terms of comfort and offroad ability

Depending on your shock valving it won't be safe at highway speeds with weight in the bed.

[olyelr]

..still looking for a ride along in a thuren sway bar equipped ram in south florida. from what i read, i want it, from what ive been told, it may not work for me.

What have you been told to indicate it may not work for you?

[Colibri]

I don’t have a newer truck to experiment with, but I’d wager a considerable sum that no rear swaybar and a torsion front would blow every other choice away in terms of comfort and offroad ability

Depending on your shock valving it won't be safe at highway speeds with weight in the bed.

Certainly a good point. Most of my thinking is directed towards offroad boogie time. With stage 4+ valving I think it would be tits though

[PWJouster]

..still looking for a ride along in a thuren sway bar equipped ram in south florida. from what i read, i want it, from what ive been told, it may not work for me.

What have you been told to indicate it may not work for you?

my main concern is with my on road driving habits and my Girlfriend.
A. i do not like a girlfriend with a headache
B. i do not like a girlfriend with a headache
C. i give my girlfriend headaches when i drive



i think the thuren suspension ive spec'd with stock sway bar will be perfect for her.

a torsion bar would be perfect for me as body roll doesnt bother me and every minute i drive, i see race lights and checkered flags. i believe a torsion would allow you to better utilize your body weight and saying that, i know the onroad ride would improve substantially for highway and meandering drives, but she will feel the body weight in the turns, and this wont be good for the PW.

thats why i wish i could test it before i buy it. anyways...i need to evaluate the thuren tuned stage 3 3.0s and springs before i can decide.
maybe a stage 4 and torsion will be golden but..trial and error is ok.

body roll is my main concern. it may be unwarranted but i dont have the personal experience.

[OffroadTreks]

I don’t have a newer truck to experiment with, but I’d wager a considerable sum that no rear swaybar and a torsion front would blow every other choice away in terms of comfort and offroad ability

Depending on your shock valving it won't be safe at highway speeds with weight in the bed.

THIS/\ I experimented with this, last year at Power Wagons in Moab. I removed the rear sway bar. The truck gets a little sketchy in the corners. I felt I was more planted in some areas and getting more flex out back.

I might do this again, maybe.... this year now that I have Thuren's King's with the 2 inches of extra travel.

[DamageWagon]

You should be talking with Don about your wants

[PWJouster]

i know i need to start with a 3 front and 2 rear. i had some conversations with don and he says he has it handled..

i will just wait on the incoming order!

im confident i can service these shocks, and wont mind if i need to dig in to get it right.

id rather start soft and work my way up. including the fact my build will get heavier over time.... not lighter