Last month we introduced our '09 Dodge 1/2-ton project truck. This build is a bit different than many of our other projects in that it's going to sort of be a show truck. Yes, we know that is blasphemy around here at 4-Wheel & Off-Road, where hard-core tech and battered bodies rule the roost, but that's why this truck was named Project Black Sheep, because it doesn't really fit into our flock. Now don't throw away this issue just yet, because if you keep reading you'll find that even a flashy 4WOR truck still has the guts to go wheeling. It's just that this one's not gonna get battered up until it's done visiting some shows. It's kind of like mom telling you that you can't get your good clothes dirty until after church.
This Dodge comes from the factory with one of the best-riding suspensions ever found under a pickup truck, but clearing bigger tires and making a "show with go" truck is our goal.
In part one we flew to Detroit to pick up the truck and drive it home (Mar. '09). We had to have the truck ready for our SEMA booth display in roughly 30 days from the day we picked it up. The SEMA show is a giant convention of representatives from the performance aftermarket as well as folks from all the big automotive manufacturers, so the Black Sheep had to be in prime form. As usual this meant sleepless nights trying to hot-rod a truck that was just hitting the scene, so some of our parts were literally prototypes test-fitted to our truck.
Upon arrival in California, we headed to Edelbrock for suspension tuning. Edelbrock is known for its engine upgrades and has long been an icon in the hot-rod scene, but its shock division is also one of the best in the off-road industry. Edelbrock not only makes its own line of parts, but also private labels for many other suspension companies. Edelbrock also has a new line of air shocks and hydraulic air bumps, and we wanted to test-fit some air bumps on this truck.
In addition to the suspension, we also used many of the first Mopar factory-backed aftermarket upgrades. These are components you can order through most any Dodge dealership and either have them dealer-installed or do it yourself. Next month we'll wrap up our show-truck build with even more good-looking trail-capable parts.
Day 10
In the Edelbrock shop we worked with the head shock engineer, Frank Alioto, who quickly surmised from a test-fit that the front bumper had to go. We clearanced the inner fenderwells since we had 37-inch Mickey Thompson Baja MTZs to stuff under it. With no suspension modifications we were able to fit the tires in the wheelwells, but some lift would be required to clear the tires during full stuff.
Day 12
The front independent suspension of the Dodge uses a coilover shock design. Since we didn't want or need to add a bunch of lift to the truck, the Edelbrock crew engineered a new VS-3 shock that would raise the truck for a level ride, or lift the truck 1 3/4 inches to clear bigger tires by moving the mounting location of the coil spring up the shock body. The shocks are tuned to be more aggressive during mid- and high-speed damping, and to help control the heavier tires.
Day 13
The independent front and coil-sprung rear suspension of the '09 Dodge allows the truck to ride smoothly over difficult terrain. Added air bumps help absorb suspension movement when the truck takes an abusive hit during high-speed off-roading. This in turn protects the components while better dissipating the forces between the sprung weight, unsprung weight, and terrain. Mounting the air bumps required different systems front and rear. In the front we used some Poly Performance air-bump cans and mounted them with custom Edelbrock gussets.
Day 13
In addition to the coilover shock, we also went to Blitzkreig Motorsports and had a fabricated upper A-arm built. The upper arm is fitted with a uniball joint to allow for more wheel travel by not binding as quickly as the factory upper ball joint. In fact, we now have the ability to get more wheel travel than the factory axleshafts can handle, but that is a part we'll look to upgrade down the road when we break them.