Ok, like we haven't had enough of these threads. Just when I thought I wouldn't see one until spring. There it was!!

My friend lost his cell phone a few days ago. So he picks me up and we head over to get a new one at a singular store in Westland, Mi. We pull into the lot and there it was, I see the "M" plate and start cussing at myself that I wasn't in my Lightning. (I would have waited for him in my L.)

We get out and I look it over. It's a reall one!! I looked at the interior, still cheap and it had the hurst shifter and silver trim around the radio and SRT words in the seats.

We go inside and I start looking for the engineer driving the truck. Too many people, so I wait near the door to catch him when he starts to get in the truck. I do catch him and started to ask a few questions.

He tells me he's a brake engineer at TRW and it was a truck PVO gave them to do brake development. So, he pop's the hood and that V-10 fits in there. Non functional scoop on the hood. He starts it up and it has a nice rumble to the exhaust.

You can really hear the valve train and injectors. NVH wasn't very good. So, I ask if I can look the truck over, He said sure, so I get on the ground and wanted to see what the PVO guys designed to get this baby to hook. Well, It isn't any great engineering feat...

They have five leafs per side banded. They then run a sixth independant leaf from the bottom of the leaf asy where it attaches to the axle. It runs forward and has a shackle that keeps it line with the rest and at the end it has a snubber.

"They are using slapper bar technology" That was it. I crawled under that boy and it sits high. They have a thick rear swaybar under the azz of that boat.

I can tell you this, that set up was week! If you put a set of slicks on that truck, that thin leafs isn't going to stop that axle from binding and wheel hop!

I bet my left nut it doesn't work as efficient as it should. Not like a pair of true slapper bars or Rancho style bars. Well have to see what the owners say about traction. The guy said it was easy to roast the wheels.

I asked if PVO just put a set of 2500 series brakes on it. He said not totaly! The front calipers are true 4-piston with 2500 rotors.

The rear are 2500 calipers and rotors. That's why it stops as well as it does. All in all, the silver looked good. This truck also had a tow hitch for testing.

The engineer said the throw on the shifter was short. He hasn't hit his hand on the dash yet and it "DOES NOT BOG IN FIRST FROM A DEAD STOP WHEN YOU GET ON IT."

I was not impressed with the engineering. I did like the look of the truck in person. There is pleanty of room in the engine well to add a centrifigal supercharger. It's going to be fun for us having the advantage on the road and track when this truck hit's the street!

The owners are not going to like getting beat by slightly moded L's...Not for $45K. I'm still pi$$ed I didn't drive the L...

 

I'm pissed you didn't drive it too

Thanks for the info.

 

Im not defending the Dodge but the majority of your post critisizes the rear suspension, isnt it basically the same as a Lightning ? To say it sucks and say that your flavor is better is 1 thing, but you say it sucks and its the same thing as our trucks.

BTW- Im pissed your didnt drive your Lightning either, I look forward to hearing how we compare to these things.

 

BigFan,

I will be the first to admit that the L has nothing but shocks to dampn wheel hop. PVO did do something, I give them credit. Not that much credit!! With 11 years of being in Ford powertrain Engineering, I can tell you, that one leafe with a snubber isn't going to do much for 500ft.lbs of torque.

We didn't pay $45K for our trucks. I didn't expect Ford to add slapper bars when they were acheiving 5.2 0-60 stock. I could see this set-up working better for our trucks with less torque and HP.

In my opinion, the rear "slapper" sure didn't look like it was going to be as efficient as it should have been. It was a cheap easy fix to get "SOME " traction.

I think it's going to be a good contender and bring some added fun to the track...I too can't wait to see how the owners do in that boy...

I'm still smoking over not driving...

 

Im glad you got to look at it and the dood actually talkted to you. Might have been different if you told him you owned an L though.

 

Was there some sort of 3rd shock or something on the rear side of the diff?

WOT

 

wydopnthrtl,

I didn't see a third shock on the rear...I crawled under the truck from behind the drivers side rear tire. I was able to get a good look at the leaf-springs and the rear sway-bar. The spare tire was blocking the upper portion of the diff. Still got a good look at it. The rear diff. cover was aluminum and finned for cooling also!


Thor.

 

Here is the shot of the rear suspension, borrowed from another forum.




Also, something else I noticed in this picture. What does it say about towing capacity? Overweight Viper with a big trunk maybe?

 

GTPlus,

Thanks!! So, Dudge had to put a $100 shock on that axle? There's why the truck costed $45K. I don't see the efficiency in that set-up. The pinion angles up under acceleration! The slapper leafs will add some resistance yes, the shock will only slow down the hop. Not prevent it....

Ok, I will say that is better and retract the previouse statement of it being a "cheap easy fix." "It's an expensive do little fix" I understand the concept and they should have put an adjustable pre-load bar in it's place. So the guys could adjust for track conditions.

Now let's get these dudges out of storage status, on the trains and get them moving into the dealers from mexico. So we can put the smack on one...

 

Typical Dodge, always 10 years behind in technology. The Gen 1 Lightnings used the same exact setup with the half leaf slapper bar. It didn't work 10 years ago either, they had SERIOUS wheelhop issues.

 

Yuck, I really dont like the looks of those things.

Apparently a dealership here locally as one listed at $47,000.00 PLUS a dealer mark-up of $25,000.00

Thats insanity.

-Dale

 

For what its worth.........

Iam pissed you didn't have your truck too

But at 45K plus a dealer markup, how many do you really think will be available for lunch