AEV Ram!

[olyelr]

[


According to aev dave, moving the axle forward was one of the keys of allowing for an extra inch of uptravel. The trackbar may also be part of it.

And its 3" in the front. 2" in the back.

Didn't gather that from his post, might be reading it wrong:

http://forum.aev-conversions.com/showth ... 335&page=6

The way I understand that is the track bar along with moving the axle forward made it possible for more up-travel.

Where I remember reading that originally (long ago) was not on AEV forum, though, it was one cummins forum or something like that.

[olyelr]

The track bar bracket can only contact the coil bucket if the track bar is too long. Under standard movement, you can contact the bumpstops with the stock track bar.

Yeah, I'm sure that is true. The new track bar is bent to allow for the new placement of the axle 1" forward, im guessing, not because there is an issue with the stock one in the stock configuration.

The stock suspension does not have 1" of spring compression left over when the axle contacts the bump stops.

Nope. When it hits the bumpstops its all over. But, apparently the springs have room for more compression, according to AEV, so they used it up. That is one thing they tote about their kit anyway.

[olyelr]

Yep exactly. The spacer is 3", so my guess is the bumpstop drop is only 2". Apparently the coils could allow for more uptravel, but the axle had to be moved forward an inch along with the arched trackbar.

Front 3", rear 2.5" on lift. I was wrong. I'll measure my bumps tonight and report back. Also have a stock and aev trackbar off the truck I can compare and send photo.

According to their website, it has 2" coil spacers in the rear (or 2" blocks for the leaf spring trucks).

[laramieskibum]

Just measured. 2" in the rear. 1.5" bump stops extensions.

Front measures around 3" with bump stops extensions hard to measure but around 1.5".

Here is my spare aev track bar against my stock 2500 trackbar.

[olyelr]

Do you not have the kit installed yet, or did you take pictures before the install?

[laramieskibum]

I had trackbar recall bracket installed from ram dealer, nutsert on the new bracket fubard my bushing by torquing the whole trackbar for about 1,000 miles before it displayed itself as a thump, ordered new bar to replace original AEV one (new bushings not in stock yet for a few more months, else i would have done bushings). Left pull got to the point where I couldn't stand it. Have been running the lift since spring of '15. Had recall done spring of '16. Made a complaint to the dealer (an AEV dealer, but has only ever sold 1 Ram, many jeeps), no response yet. Tech never would have seen it unless he looked really hard. the Fiat track bar bracket fix is cheezy at best...

AEV track bar geometry is different and NOT compatible with the recall bracket unless you run w/ one bolt out. No way to predict that since recall came nearly 1 year after lift came on market.

Plan on keeping truck a long time, so going to collect trackbar bushings, new drag bar, probably shocks, rest are OEM parts so really don't have to worry about tracking them down. Just going to collect them abit at a time and build myself some spares (see what happen to the TJ folks once AEV discontinued parts). Its going to happen, at some point it won't make sense for them to make parts, and worst case I can pawn off the parts if I switch trucks. Love to have a wagon someday, but towing at altitude every weekend really loving the diesel.

recall does not affect wagons

Installed the kit in my drive way over a few days, beers, and calls out to work.

edit: I know I'm a fan boy but has anyone else thought of some of what AEV has addressed with this kit?

-drive line shims for the long wheel base trucks to combat vibrations*
-front drive shaft spacer*
-new brake line extensions*
-new power hop bracket for rear axle (G56 and powerwagon trucks)*
-RAISED the roll center, rather than lower it*
-Fixed the steering geometery (have you guys seen the angles on a carli truck? I have on instagram only...really want to drive one)*
-beefy trackbar that allows for 1" more uptravel
-stability tested and compatible with computer antiroll program*
-includes a bracket for the parking brakes for long wheel base trucks (mega cab, long bed)*
-the 'procal' computer comes with it so you can program new diff ratios and tire sizes*

*never heard of carli or thuren supplying these, maybe they do.
no doubt the other companys have some awesome stuff, but if one of you has a fancy truck with a carli kit on it (do they even make non-diesel springs?) or the thuran springs I would love to drive it and compare, on the hardroad and off road. Being as mine is a diesel and not a wagon to begin with not really a comparison, but really that was the point for me, get me 90% of the capability of the wagaon while maintaining 100% of the towing and range while towing.

[laramieskibum]

The track bar bracket can only contact the coil bucket if the track bar is too long. Under standard movement, you can contact the bumpstops with the stock track bar.

Yeah, I'm sure that is true. The new track bar is bent to allow for the new placement of the axle 1" forward, im guessing, not because there is an issue with the stock one in the stock configuration.

Multiple CTD folks are hitting the diff cover on the track bar. Stock. True story. Mine didn't but I had a crap leveling kit from dealer on it. Bought used. Rode bad enough wife wanted truck gone.mbut now even with three back surgeries we fight over who gets to drive and she's comfortable for hours at a time while towing.



It's not so much that the track bar is contacting the coil bucket as it is hitting the frame of the truck if you didn't have the bump stops set. Coil buckets remain very close to original location with aev kit since the spacers are angled. Bump stops seem to be much less than the lift (i.e. 1/2 or more). Allowing more up travel if you have an appropriately bent track bar. But I could be talking out my ass again.

I remember the cumminsforum posts and you are right on moving it forward. It was both.
http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/4wd-s ... ift-4.html

[Reloaderguy]

I have a Thuren Gas kit, it is 1.5" taller than my stock PW, call it 3" springs. The back Thuren springs are the same height as a stock PW. The kit came with e-brake cable bracket. The rest of what you mentioned besides the Procal really isn't needed for a 3" lift. I would like a Procal, it's one of the products I think is a functional improvement but AEV won't sell aftermarket.

The track bar bracket on the frame runs into the driver's side coil bucket if the track bar is longer than 39 1/8". The stock PW track par is 39 1/8"; 1/8" longer than a stock Cummins 2500. I have never heard of 14+ 2500 track bars running into the diff cover, I don't think on my truck it is possible even with the larger diameter Thuren track bar.

[laramieskibum]

I have a Thuren Gas kit, it is 1.5" taller than my stock PW, call it 3" springs. The back Thuren springs are the same height as a stock PW. The kit came with e-brake cable bracket. The rest of what you mentioned besides the Procal really isn't needed for a 3" lift. I would like a Procal, it's one of the products I think is a functional improvement but AEV won't sell aftermarket.

The track bar bracket on the frame runs into the driver's side coil bucket if the track bar is longer than 39 1/8". The stock PW track par is 39 1/8"; 1/8" longer than a stock Cummins 2500. I have never heard of 14+ 2500 track bars running into the diff cover, I don't think on my truck it is possible even with the larger diameter Thuren track bar.

Yea, can't find thread on the track bar hitting diffs, so bs until I find it.

I see what you mean on coil bucket.

Edit: found it. Sounds like there was an update, result of the Trackbar recall. I'm just going to quit posting for a few weeks...http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/2013- ... a-106.html

[olyelr]

The track bar bracket can only contact the coil bucket if the track bar is too long. Under standard movement, you can contact the bumpstops with the stock track bar.

Yeah, I'm sure that is true. The new track bar is bent to allow for the new placement of the axle 1" forward, im guessing, not because there is an issue with the stock one in the stock configuration.

Multiple CTD folks are hitting the diff cover on the track bar. Stock. True story. Mine didn't but I had a crap leveling kit from dealer on it. Bought used. Rode bad enough wife wanted truck gone.mbut now even with three back surgeries we fight over who gets to drive and she's comfortable for hours at a time while towing.



It's not so much that the track bar is contacting the coil bucket as it is hitting the frame of the truck if you didn't have the bump stops set. Coil buckets remain very close to original location with aev kit since the spacers are angled. Bump stops seem to be much less than the lift (i.e. 1/2 or more). Allowing more up travel if you have an appropriately bent track bar. But I could be talking out my ass again.

I remember the cumminsforum posts and you are right on moving it forward. It was both.
http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/4wd-s ... ift-4.html

Yea that is the thread that i was thinking of. I always found it weird that aev dave just up and quit posting in it.

[MoparToYou]

And this crappy under exposed poorly lit cell phone picture is the best picture I've seen of an AEV Prospector on the net so far, ... because its the one in my garage.



I'll take another picture in the sunlight when I get a chance. Loving the truck so far, the diesel is a beast, suspension rides nice, and the Mega Cab is great. I've got my large tool bag, my large first aid kit, all of my winch recovery gear such as snatch blocks, clevis', gloves, etc, a shovel, an axe, a tow strap, and a tree saver strap, behind the seat in the cab, completely out of sight. And I still have all the room under the seat where I can put things like a small lithium battery powered chain saw, tree branch cutters, etc,. All of that crap used to be on the floor in front of the seat, or on the seat with the seat folded down. Now you open the door and just see the back seat of the truck, and have no clue that all of my stuff is in there, hidden from sight.

[laramieskibum]

What tire pressures you running? Big difference if you do some background and run lower. Bet those tires are maxed out right now from the factory.

[04Ram2500Hemi]

And this crappy under exposed poorly lit cell phone picture is the best picture I've seen of an AEV Prospector on the net so far, ... because its the one in my garage.



I'll take another picture in the sunlight when I get a chance. Loving the truck so far, the diesel is a beast, suspension rides nice, and the Mega Cab is great. I've got my large tool bag, my large first aid kit, all of my winch recovery gear such as snatch blocks, clevis', gloves, etc, a shovel, an axe, a tow strap, and a tree saver strap, behind the seat in the cab, completely out of sight. And I still have all the room under the seat where I can put things like a small lithium battery powered chain saw, tree branch cutters, etc,. All of that crap used to be on the floor in front of the seat, or on the seat with the seat folded down. Now you open the door and just see the back seat of the truck, and have no clue that all of my stuff is in there, hidden from sight.

WOW- that's sharp!!!

[Will]

I tried.....

[MoparToYou]

Here are the daylight pictures I promised. I spent the day doing recon work in the hunting unit I drew out on with the Elk hunt. The hunt will be November 21st till December 4th, and I want to get to know the area better. So I spent the day looking around with the AEV Prospector. The day started out nice, but a big storm moved in, and at 10,000 ft elevation the weather turned bad in a hurry. Snow, on the 31st of July!









I'm enjoying the truck so far, particularly the Cummins engine. Day one drove the truck 150 miles home from the dealership (14 mpg at 80 mph on the interstate). Day two the truck got used to haul a load of trash to the dump. Day three the truck got used to haul a whole pallet of cement landscaping blocks home from Home Depot (made the 3500 squat a fair amount with that one). Day 4 took the truck back country exploring (15 mpg).

[laramieskibum]

awesome.

You'll see a bit better mileage in 20k or so i bet (some of us have).

[OffroadTreks]

I'm probably one of the few on this forum who has seen the AEV Ram's up close (both the 37" and 40" tire setup), or had a chance to ride in one (it was the 40" concept truck). Living in Missoula and being to the AEV shop multiple times I've learned a lot and been able to ask a lot of questions. I honestly think AEV makes quality products that you can buy through a dealership that won't void the factory warranty. That doesn't mean it's better or worse than Carli, but AEV understands its customer base and who they are marketing to. There are a lot of guys on this forum who are more extreme, and they are obviously not the market AEV is after. Honestly, I'm the kind of customer AEV is after because I want a little more ground clearance for my truck without compromising the factory ride. 95% of the time my truck is my daily driver, and rarely do I see anything more extreme than washboard dirt roads. If AEV supported the suspension for my 2012 I'd probably be running that setup with 37" tires right now. It all comes down to what your needs are, and AEV might not be for you.

It's still a great looking truck. I love everything about them even if the performance isn't there and the price tag is also up there. Whoever is their product designer is really skilled. No one else is putting that level of effort into industrial design.

[ramv]

I like the idea of sliding the axle forward and moving the panhard bars for the higher roll center. I have bought more into the Thuren line of thinking on spring rates (especially as a PW wagon owner, and seeing how well this thing rides/handles chop compared to most 3/4 tons.) Overall, some good ideas. I think their parts are stylish for the most part as well. However, for a gas powered truck, I think the PW wins on value.

[04Ram2500Hemi]

The AEV Prospector XL is now available. There's something awesome looking about a Mega Cab on 40" tires.

http://www.aev-conversions.com/vehicles/prospectorxl

[Will]

A regular cab long bed would be awesome.

[04Ram2500Hemi]

I'm probably one of the few on this forum who has seen the AEV Ram's up close (both the 37" and 40" tire setup), or had a chance to ride in one (it was the 40" concept truck). Living in Missoula and being to the AEV shop multiple times I've learned a lot and been able to ask a lot of questions. I honestly think AEV makes quality products that you can buy through a dealership that won't void the factory warranty. That doesn't mean it's better or worse than Carli, but AEV understands its customer base and who they are marketing to. There are a lot of guys on this forum who are more extreme, and they are obviously not the market AEV is after. Honestly, I'm the kind of customer AEV is after because I want a little more ground clearance for my truck without compromising the factory ride. 95% of the time my truck is my daily driver, and rarely do I see anything more extreme than washboard dirt roads. If AEV supported the suspension for my 2012 I'd probably be running that setup with 37" tires right now. It all comes down to what your needs are, and AEV might not be for you.

So basically AEV's customers are posers who want to look like they have a badass truck, but it's not really that much more capable. Gotcha.


It's still a great looking truck. I love everything about them even if the performance isn't there and the price tag is also up there. Whoever is their product designer is really skilled. No one else is putting that level of effort into industrial design.

Did you just call me a "poser?"

[RustyPW]

I'm probably one of the few on this forum who has seen the AEV Ram's up close (both the 37" and 40" tire setup), or had a chance to ride in one (it was the 40" concept truck). Living in Missoula and being to the AEV shop multiple times I've learned a lot and been able to ask a lot of questions. I honestly think AEV makes quality products that you can buy through a dealership that won't void the factory warranty. That doesn't mean it's better or worse than Carli, but AEV understands its customer base and who they are marketing to. There are a lot of guys on this forum who are more extreme, and they are obviously not the market AEV is after. Honestly, I'm the kind of customer AEV is after because I want a little more ground clearance for my truck without compromising the factory ride. 95% of the time my truck is my daily driver, and rarely do I see anything more extreme than washboard dirt roads. If AEV supported the suspension for my 2012 I'd probably be running that setup with 37" tires right now. It all comes down to what your needs are, and AEV might not be for you.

So basically AEV's customers are posers who want to look like they have a badass truck, but it's not really that much more capable. Gotcha.


It's still a great looking truck. I love everything about them even if the performance isn't there and the price tag is also up there. Whoever is their product designer is really skilled. No one else is putting that level of effort into industrial design.

Did you just call me a "poser?"

A little slow on the up-take? Took you a month to see it.

I just priced out one for giggles. $26,000 on top of the truck price. My pockets ain't that deep.

[Reloaderguy]

A little slow on the up-take? Took you a month to see it.

I just priced out one for giggles. $26.000 on top of the truck price. My pockets ain't that deep.

You have to pay full price for the base vehicle too.

[RustyPW]

A little slow on the up-take? Took you a month to see it.

I just priced out one for giggles. $26.000 on top of the truck price. My pockets ain't that deep.

You have to pay full price for the base vehicle too.

That's what I said.

[Reloaderguy]

A little slow on the up-take? Took you a month to see it.

I just priced out one for giggles. $26.000 on top of the truck price. My pockets ain't that deep.

You have to pay full price for the base vehicle too.

That's what I said.

That means in my case I would pay $39k in addition to my truck to get an AEV Prospector. I can buy all of the parts for $10K and pay someone 2K to do every bit of the installation. I must be slow, I don't get it.