Post
by 04Ram2500Hemi » Wed Feb 24, 2016 9:17 am
We can sit here all day and debate who/what makes a better mouse trap when it comes to the Power Wagon. The problem with the Power Wagon is right from the factory it's a compromise, and finding a lift of any sort is going to be the same thing. What makes the Power Wagon from the factory as great as it is compared to other factory vehicles in the off road department is the same thing that hinders it. We all knew going into the initial purchase that the Power Wagon was going to be better at some things, but not as good at other things. It can flex like a beast, it's comfortable going down the road, has a few extra off road goodies, but it also doesn't tow as much as a standard HD Ram with the Hemi. It all comes down to what each of us needs. I still contend that AEV makes a good product for the Ram, but if you're looking for something else, then it isn't the right mouse trap from you.
There was actually a question thrown up on the AEV forum about AEV versus Icon, and here is Dave's response. I think he did a pretty good job of explaining the differences between those two. I know it's not a Carli/AEV debate, but I thought the response was worth sharing.
"Better" is always a subjective term and also limited to a set of circumstances. If you build a suspension to excel in one type of terrain, it will inherently be limited in others unless its changed to suit that new terrain.
As for the AEV kit riding "better": All I can say is that its made to ride and drive like a stock truck, we tune the shocks differently than the OE for increased off-road performance, but I would say the biggest difference in ride actually comes from the tires. Going from a E Rated tire at 85psi to a D rated tire at 50 will make the most noticeable difference and frankly that's what most people notice. AEV Rams ride very well, noticeably softer than the stock trucks and that comes from not ruining or messing up geometry and doing things the right way for how we intend our trucks to be used, but the biggest difference in customer perceived ride quality is definitely the tires.
I can't say I know a lot about the Icon kit, traditionally they are more of a So-cal go fast type of suspension, and given they have actual race experience probably do a fine job with it, their shocks are certainly very good looking. If you compare the 4.5" kit to our 3" kit since both are set up for 37s you'll see a number of differences immediately.
ICON uses a spring, we change the spring mount on the axle and reuse the existing spring. This is not a "whats right and whats wrong", its more of a what suits your needs. You can design a spring to be more effective at one type of terrain which is what I'll assume they did, however I have no idea what type of terrain. AEV chose to reuse the existing spring because it was the optimal solution for all types of terrain and loads the ram would see designed by the OEM. The stock springs (there is 44 front springs alone!) are frequency tuned front to rear for your particular truck, meaning engine, cab, wheelbase etc. There is no way to frequency tune springs to different wheelbases and configurations without providing different springs. SO if an aftermarket spring is tuned utilizing the exact same configuration of truck you happen to have, no problem, it not, then you will not be getting the best function. I have yet to see any aftermarket companies offer multiple springs other than "gas or diesel", this is typical as most aftermarket companies to not frequency tune.
ICON does not have a steering kit. As with most aftermarket Ram kits, there is no way to address the steering and a big part of why lifted Ram's traditionally go through steering components relatively quickly. AEV's kit includes a new forged draglink and a new trackbar and mounting kit to raise the roll center and provide an additional inch of uptravel, bringing it to 5" of uptravel in the front.
I can't tell from the pictures, but it looks like the front bumpstop brackets are 3-4" tall, so they might also have 5" of uptravel, hard to tell from the pics.
They claim decreased body roll, but in the photos, there is no provision to raise the roll centers like the AEV kit. If it does have decreased body roll, that must be achieved trough slow speed shock valving which is not as good as correcting the geometry for obvious reasons, you're giving up slow speed tuning.
Hope that helps, looks like two very different kits. If you have SCORE Stock Full Class inspirations, maybe the ICON kit is for you. If you are more of an all around user, I think the AEV kit has much more to offer.
dh
Here's a couple of pictures of the AEV Power Wagon flexing. I still think it looks pretty capable.
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Gone but Never Forgotten
2012 Ram Power Wagon: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=107
Truxedo Deuce Bed Cover with Bed Lights, Black Line-X Rocker Panel, Custom Built Rock Rails Sprayed with Line-X, Front & Rear Bumper and Grill sprayed with Line-X, Husky Mud Flaps, Husky Floor Mats, Four VisionX Xmitter Low Pro Prime XP LED Light Bars Behind the Grill, LED Lights Mounted in the Rear Bumper, Heated Seats, Interior LED Lighting, NAV-TV, Camera Mounted in Front Grill, Custom Headache Rack, AEV Raised Air Intake, AEV Salta HD Wheels in Onyx, 285/75/17 Cooper Discoverer AT3
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