Suspension test ride in DFW area around Christmas

[OmahaBravo]

Seriously looking to pull the trigger to upgrade the suspension on my pickup. Already talking with @gmoon about Carli but i'd like to test ride a few before I drop the coin.

I'll be in the DFW area Dec 23-28ish. If any of yall in the area/are going to be in the area and have a 7.3L pickup with a modified suspension (Carli, Icon, Accutune, etc), let me know if you'd be up for letting me test ride.
Ive already hit up @Godzilla/Tremornator. @DTX2023Tremor is your suspension modified? Anyone else, let me know!

 

[Godzilla/Tremornator]

just let me know when & where

 

[trmrzla]

Sorry...still stock with a level

 

[TellurideTremor]

Happy to as schedule allows. I am away for couple days should be in town road right after Christmas

 

[Alpoba]

Smart idea. If i test driven a carli truck before i dropped a coin on their suspension, I’d happily stay stock, which i am now, in my 23. Even compared my 22 pintop to a buddy with his eventure, neither of us could tell much difference. But that’s me, everytime i speak up the carli army comes after me.out

 

[thatdood]

I’m in DFW w/ a ‘24 6.7L Tremor, 5.5 Carli Back Country all options. Might be in town during the 26/27, but not sure yet. I could end up at the deer lease but if I’m around happy to help

 

[OmahaBravo]

Smart idea. If i test driven a carli truck before i dropped a coin on their suspension, I’d happily stay stock, which i am now, in my 23. Even compared my 22 pintop to a buddy with his eventure, neither of us could tell much difference. But that’s me, everytime i speak up the carli army comes after me.out

Yea, i wish i could have gone to big bend. This would have been much easier.

You're saying your 2023 stock suspension is better than your 22 Carli Pintop? That is definitely not something I have heard someone say. FTR - let the haters hate. If your experience wasnt good there aint noone on here gonna convince me your opinion of YOUR experience is incorrect.

I've seen people talk highly about Carli. its either a really good product or everyone that buys it keeps repeating it b/c they dont want to admit they spent $5-9k on a suspension that didnt do much. (or somewhere in between)

My only experience w Carli is with a friend of mine (the one i'm always referring to on here ). He has a 2015 F250 gasser. He has the Backcountry kit (Fox shocks) w/ Full progressive leafs. His pickup rides incredibly good compared to other 3/4t. I should stress that describing the ride of a 3/4 ton pickup as "incredibly good" should ONLY ever be read as relative to OTHER 3/4 ton pickups.

What I am sure of is that my current suspension is very rough (fairly certain shocks are original) and all the kits that claim to make a huge difference are north of my threshold of "lets just buy it and find out".

Appreciate everyone who is offering up. I'll be dm'ing yall once i get better details around my availability and we can go from there.

 

[Wildcat82]

If you find yourself 4ish hours west of DFW, welcome to drive my gasser with Bilsteins on all 4 corners. It is better than my blown stock suspension which may not be saying much.

 

[DTX2023Tremor]

Seriously looking to pull the trigger to upgrade the suspension on my pickup. Already talking with @gmoon about Carli but i'd like to test ride a few before I drop the coin.

I'll be in the DFW area Dec 23-28ish. If any of yall in the area/are going to be in the area and have a 7.3L pickup with a modified suspension (Carli, Icon, Accutune, etc), let me know if you'd be up for letting me test ride.
Ive already hit up @Godzilla/Tremornator. @DTX2023Tremor is your suspension modified? Anyone else, let me know!

I only have the Carli level kit with their "signature" shocks... Pretty much the lowest end shocks in their line-up. There was a marginal improvement in ride. Tire pressure changes make the biggest impact with my current set-up. The upper/lower dual steering stabilizers change handling a bit.

Next year, I'll make some additional suspension mods. Up next is progressive leafs and shackles and moving to 37s. End of year will be the rest of the front end and e-venture kit.

That said, we're around those dates and off of work so let's meet-up!

 

[DTX2023Tremor]

@ZooDad Curious if there's been any progress on the DTE adjustment for the larger fuel tanks.

 

[NightForceFan]

I always end up with Icon suspensions in all my vehicles, not just my trucks, but have been in trucks with the full Carli kits as well as trucks with Kings and others. I honestly was not very impressed with the Carli ride. Admittedly, these have not been long rides or over multiple terrains, but the feeling was the same nonetheless. Just my opinion.

 

[Alpoba]

You're saying your 2023 stock suspension is better than your 22 Carli Pintop?

It is night and day more comfortable to me on paved roads, where i spend 99% of my time. i now love my daily commute, where with carli i hated every moment if it, every bump or minor imperfection i encountered in the road. The truck was a brick, no matter how many times i talked to Dan the man and all the tricks i tried to remedy the ride. Felt like i was sold on 15K of useless heavy metal crap i did not need nor did i enjoy, and all of it came with nothing but headache and problems.

If i ever consider another aftermarket suspension, it would be through the method you’re envisioning; Testing the exact suspension on another truck and then replicating it to mine if i truly like it and feel that it is an upgrade. Never purchasing one just on someone else’s opinion or advice, only on my own subjective feeling of the ride.

 

[Fozzy]

I wish could do a test drive back to back with a bunch of different setups. But when it comes to the Carli kits there is no doubt their stuff is top of the line. But how many are truly hitting the whoops at speed on a constant basis? I have other toys for that and the Tremor gets them there. I just got the BDS kit with the Fox 2.5 PE's because Carli does not make a 5" kit for the gasser. They told me to put on a heavy winch bumper and winch and run the diesel springs. Not for that much money. I will say the 23/24's ride so much better than SD's of the past. I have not installed the kit yet, but might try and make a review thread on it because so many people just blast you if you don't go Carli. If its rides better than stock I will be happy. I will still run the Carli Sway Bar and maybe Deaver rear leafs.

 

[MarshFly]

On any HD truck, the right rated 37s with lower tire pressure is what will make the largest difference in ride from stock since, on the road, most impacts are small and tires are the major "suspension" for those hits. Where the stock suspension will fall short is large bridge ramps, potholes, and curbs. And of course on dirt with washboard and holes.

For these trucks I would 100% go 37s first and inflate them properly. That might give you all the improvement you are looking for. If you need more, THEN look to coils/shocks.

 

[OmahaBravo]

If you find yourself 4ish hours west of DFW, welcome to drive my gasser with Bilsteins on all 4 corners. It is better than my blown stock suspension which may not be saying much.

I've only read a handful of people talking about swapping shocks (going to Bilsteins) but every single one has had good things to say. Its an option I am considering if i cant make up my mind because it would give me shocks i could swap when i need to have whatever shocks i END up with, serviced.
This is my backup plan if i cant find something i think is worth the money.

Up next is progressive leafs and shackles

Progressives and shackles will ABSOLUTELY be happening (even if i go Bilsteins). What i dont know is whether to go with carli shackles or Sulastics. I had Sulastics on my previous truck w/ stock leafs. The change wasnt massive but it was well worth the $400 (pre-covid) i paid for them. Reduced the mule-kick one gets driving unloaded with stock leafs.
Sulastics have gotten expensive so i may just go the Carli route. As long as the ride improves.. i wont know what im missing and ill do my best to keep my mind off 'what might have been

Tire pressure changes make the biggest impact with my current set-up.

On any HD truck, the right rated 37s with lower tire pressure is what will make the largest difference in ride from stock

I'm running the stock size Duratracs on stock wheels right now. I'm running 50-55psi empty and that's helped (i need to chalk and see if i can go lower, need to change forscan too so it quits barking at me too). I am looking to go to a larger size tire but not sure i will until i make a suspension change.
I agree, larger tires should help on-road and will help even more offroad. Plus, i think larger sidewalls look better anyway.

 

[MarshFly]

I'm running the stock size Duratracs on stock wheels right now. I'm running 50-55psi empty and that's helped (i need to chalk and see if i can go lower, need to change forscan too so it quits barking at me too). I am looking to go to a larger size tire but not sure i will until i make a suspension change.
I agree, larger tires should help on-road and will help even more offroad. Plus, i think larger sidewalls look better anyway.

You should be able to run 40F/35R empty if you get one of the 37s that has 128 Load Index at 65psi. Don't screw up and get something that is like 125 at 80psi.

Don't mess with chalk. It might get you close but won't be perfect. Run the truck through a scale and then use this booklet to figure out the right pressure. That's how the manufacturers intend for you to set pressure. BTW even though that is on Toyo's site, those charts are consistent across manufacturers for same size/same Load Index tires.

https://www.toyotires.com/media/pxcjubjs/application_of_load_inflation_tables_20200723.pdf

 

[steve578]

What area of DFW? I’ll be in Plano 12/23-12/26. If you have the revised Lightguards installed, I’d love to check them out.

 

[Godzilla/Tremornator]

What area of DFW? I’ll be in Plano 12/23-12/26. If you have the revised Lightguards installed, I’d love to check them out.

original contact was benbrook area. SW fort worth

I'm west of that.

I'm good on just about anywhere.

so, not sure where we will end up???

 

[DTX2023Tremor]

I'm running the stock size Duratracs on stock wheels right now. I'm running 50-55psi empty and that's helped (i need to chalk and see if i can go lower, need to change forscan too so it quits barking at me too).

I run 52.5 in the front and 50 in the rears. Took them up to 60 to increase fuel economy on a road trip and it while it made a difference of almost 1 mpg the ride was noticably stiffer.

 

[Optimus🤖]

Venture your way to Vegas and I'll have you commute with Carli. She'll take you out in the backcountry, pintop you and level you real good. That's her signature move so be careful; she's a real dominator .