LawnDart's Build Thread

[Liquidmantis]

February I'm going to [...] install a radar/laser detector.

Well that's certainly optimistic.

 

[HOJeepster]

How are the Ridge Grapplers handling the snow? Pretty good on hard pack/icy roads?

 

[LawnDart]

How are the Ridge Grapplers handling the snow? Pretty good on hard pack/icy roads?

So far I haven't found a situation where they aren't better than their trail grappler equivalent. They're great so far.

 

[greatape]

Greetings LD...just curious, what rear coil springs are you rocking now?

 

[LawnDart]

Greetings LD...just curious, what rear coil springs are you rocking now?

I think they're the AllPro 3.5"s. Basically the strongest and tallest lift springs they make.

Even then Walt is looking to have an asymetric set made that's slightly longer on the driver side, to help combat the toyota lean. Which as you add more weight and with softer suspension starts becoming more obvious.

Also, I'm getting my first white christmas. It's like Santa got a badass new sleigh!

 

[Trail-AMMO]

Now that you have some miles on the new build what sort of MPG are you Getty after the regear and tires?

 

[LawnDart]

Now that you have some miles on the new build what sort of MPG are you Getty after the regear and tires?

12.5 to 13. But that's according to the computer and remember that my speedo is under reporting my mileage. So it could be higher.

 

[greatape]

:cheers::cheers:

I think they're the AllPro 3.5"s. Basically the strongest and tallest lift springs they make.

Even then Walt is looking to have an asymetric set made that's slightly longer on the driver side, to help combat the toyota lean. Which as you add more weight and with softer suspension starts becoming more obvious.

Also, I'm getting my first white christmas. It's like Santa got a badass new sleigh!

Nice...lol...thanks!

 

[4Running303]

NIce snowy pic!

Now that you've had a little time in some snow/icy road conditions, do you have a brief review on the Nitto Ridge Grapplers performance in winter?
I'm wanting these tires soon, and considering running the Falken AT3W in the winter, Nittos in summer...but if these Nitto's are decent in winter conditions (Toyo RT's were NOT), I'll just run them year around.

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

 

[empty403]

Thank you, Aziz, much better...

Got the Rigids swapped out for BAJA Designs, and damn are they awesome.

LawnDart,
Are your rear lights floods or wide driving and how do you like the rear spread? I just ordered a 40" Hi-Power OnX6, Pair of Squadron Pro and 2 pairs of S2s. The S2s will be for the sides and 2 in the rear. I plan putting the floods in the sides and the wides in the rear. I still can make a change to make the S2s both floods or both wides. Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[Padres86]

Having owned both Icon (stage 5) suspension and a King suspension set up. Is there any advice/preference you could give for a person looking between those two brands for a MT set up? Thanks.


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[LawnDart]

LawnDart,
Are your rear lights floods or wide driving and how do you like the rear spread? I just ordered a 40" Hi-Power OnX6, Pair of Squadron Pro and 2 pairs of S2s. The S2s will be for the sides and 2 in the rear. I plan putting the floods in the sides and the wides in the rear. I still can make a change to make the S2s both floods or both wides. Any suggestions? Thanks

The bumper rears are wide driving (clear) and the top rears on the GOBI rack are flood lights with the amber filter.

The main thing is that this combo tends to throw light as softly and as widely as I need in the rear. The spread is great.

Having owned both Icon (stage 5) suspension and a King suspension set up. Is there any advice/preference you could give for a person looking between those two brands for a MT set up? Thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh man, this is tough, and I know what I write is going to ruffle some feathers. And again please take this feedback as comparing TRD suspension to ICON, and ICON to Long Travel. The Long Travel is so far beyond the ICONs it's not even funny. That said, I wouldn't recommend the ICONs unless you're looking for a turnkey solution, and just want to bolt everything on and your vehicle happens to not be that heavy.

With the ICONs, you're buying a simple and easy to install setup, that works for most situations, but they're certainly not in the same league from a shock design standpoint as Kings or even Foxs. Look at who wins what in the Baja races or even Dakar and you'll see the pedigree at play.

With as much weight as I carry with the build, the ICONs just got overloaded and the ride quality suffered.

If you're at all mechanically inclined the KINGs are going to be far more user servicable, tunable, and just a better shock all around. Especially paired with quality UCA/LCAs/Links like Total Chaos.

I do find that the ICONs require less maintenance with their covered (provided as an additional accessory) ball joint covers. Whereas the Total Chaos UCAs/LCAs are all exposed uniballs. The upside is you can lube them yourself, downside is you have to lube them.

Again the thing to understand is the Kings + TC components are basically race truck components, even in mid-travel. Is the ICON stuff bad? No not at all, but for the money I'd buy once/cry once and go with the Kings/TC config even for mid-travel.

 

[empty403]

The bumper rears are wide driving (clear) and the top rears on the GOBI rack are flood lights with the amber filter.

The main thing is that this combo tends to throw light as softly and as widely as I need in the rear. The spread is great.



Oh man, this is tough, and I know what I write is going to ruffle some feathers. And again please take this feedback as comparing TRD suspension to ICON, and ICON to Long Travel. The Long Travel is so far beyond the ICONs it's not even funny. That said, I wouldn't recommend the ICONs unless you're looking for a turnkey solution, and just want to bolt everything on and your vehicle happens to not be that heavy.

With the ICONs, you're buying a simple and easy to install setup, that works for most situations, but they're certainly not in the same league from a shock design standpoint as Kings or even Foxs. Look at who wins what in the Baja races or even Dakar and you'll see the pedigree at play.

With as much weight as I carry with the build, the ICONs just got overloaded and the ride quality suffered.

If you're at all mechanically inclined the KINGs are going to be far more user servicable, tunable, and just a better shock all around. Especially paired with quality UCA/LCAs/Links like Total Chaos.

I do find that the ICONs require less maintenance with their covered (provided as an additional accessory) ball joint covers. Whereas the Total Chaos UCAs/LCAs are all exposed uniballs. The upside is you can lube them yourself, downside is you have to lube them.

Again the thing to understand is the Kings + TC components are basically race truck components, even in mid-travel. Is the ICON stuff bad? No not at all, but for the money I'd buy once/cry once and go with the Kings/TC config even for mid-travel.

Oh man, I hear the riot coming.

If you compare the Kings OEM performance series (with 1 compression adjustment) vs the ICON with CDVC, I'd say they're pretty comparable just with slightly different valving as a daily driver and slow off-roading. Both can be re-valved (at the factory) depending if you need more or less compression and/or rebound for your vehicle. That's what makes bypass shocks great. They have several adjustments and each one has a wide range.

But I agree with Lawndart, you can beat the Kings bypass shocks! They have both low and high speed adjustments for rebound and compression. However, if you're a person that thinks the high speed adjustment is for high speed mph runs and the low speed for slow mph then stay away, you won't be able to adjust it properly. It does takes awhile to find a base setting. So if you need a shop to tune it for you, you'll be spending a lot. And that's another issue, your mechanic will not drive or have the same "feeling" as you. You can really only tune it while driving on the type of road/track that you will be running on so you or your mechanic will have to be driving it and make changes.

 

[LawnDart]

Oh man, I hear the riot coming.

Gator don't play!

Look, the ICONS are "good" shocks, but for the money if you have to buy the top end CDC versions to equal the base level Kings...yeah...you have an issue.

The Kings and Fox's year after year are on Baja/Dakar winners. I think the ICONs are okay but you're paying for branding.

 

[greatape]

Gator don't play!

Look, the ICONS are "good" shocks, but for the money if you have to buy the top end CDC versions to equal the base level Kings...yeah...you have an issue.

The Kings and Fox's year after year are on Baja/Dakar winners. I think the ICONs are okay but you're paying for branding.

So we all look forward to seeing you racing the Baja or Dakar soon! That's what I'm talking about:deadhorse: lol

 

[LawnDart]

So we all look forward to seeing you racing the Baja or Dakar soon! That's what I'm talking about:deadhorse: lol

I've filmed the Baja 1K many times, I know what my truck is built for and I prefer to support a company with a racing pedigree, especially since Brett King and Nicole from Total Chaos know what they're doing.

kthanx

 

[greatape]

I've filmed the Baja 1K many times, I know what my truck is built for and I prefer to support a company with a racing pedigree, especially since Brett King and Nicole from Total Chaos know what they're doing.

kthanx

Rightly said! we should put that setup on a Volkswagen and let her loose

 

[LawnDart]

Rightly said! we should put that setup on a Volkswagen and let her loose

It wouldn't be the first time:

 

[greatape]

It wouldn't be the first time:

I was thinking a Jetta or something like that...

 

[infirewetrust]

I'll provide a link here as a few other people have asked for a write up on the mount install.

How's this for a blast from the past? Did you ever end up posting the topo iPad wallpaper? I'm on the hunt for one...thanks!