DODGE RAM SUSPENSION: CARLI SUSPENSION TUNING PHILOSOPHY

Now we get to explore the intelligence behind all of this. The smartest part of the Dodge Ram Suspension system is the shocks. They are the only suspension component that responds differently based on input, furthermore they are the only components that you can adjust that response. This is where uber technical meets up with what you feel driving your truck. The entire philosophy behind the Carli Suspension Brand is to offer refined suspension systems that deliver ride quality that covers the entire spectrum of use. All of the exotic components and materials aside, this is where the real value proposition lies... in what you feel.

Shown above is a visualization of the parameters we have to work with. Our research and engineering delivers ride quality where the majority of your vehicle is being used in the spectrum. Realistic speeds and size of terrain that are encountered with aftermarket suspension. So let's talk about that last statement, what the heck does that mean? First we take into consideration the truck, we can safely say that most of our customers don't have a roll cage and axle trusses, which means we start with the real world truck owner and what the vehicle is going to be subject to, on or off-road. Secondly we take into account the customer, not many people bolt on a suspension system, put stickers on their truck and go fire up a desert race course. There are those of us who like to just go hammer in the dirt and we have the answer for that, but that's the next point. As we dissect the first illustration we are exploring real world speeds over realistic consumer recreational terrain. This is where the research time is spent, we can make a truck fast in the dirt in an afternoon, that's not all that challenging, but to make your Dodge ride better than stock -AND- be capable of catching some air and flying over the bumps takes countless hours of development.

So for the sake of argument here, let's tilt the spectrum and look at what a high-speed off-road tune would look like. This is what a couple of our trucks run that are dedicated dirt vehicles where it is at least the 3rd vehicle in the owner's stable, so driving to work, packing up the family and in-town driving isn't a factor. If your truck is used as a daily driver or you like driving it in the city and you wind up with a basher shock tune, you will probably still use your vehicle exactly the same, however you see that where you use it, is half outside the spectrum and the majority of use doesn't even reach the potential of the tune.

Comparing Shock Sizes

One of the biggest questions out there is what is the difference between the King 3.0 and King 2.5? There's certainly a difference in price, so what do you actually get when you go big on the shocks? Simple, you get a bigger tuning range and you can do much more with it. Now we are able to preserve your street ride while pushing the spectrum out even greater with terrain and speed conditions. One simple fact about the King 3.0 is that it is enough shock for even our most aggressive guys in the dirt. Our Dodge Rams that run the Dominator 3.0 system with aggressive shock tunes are faster in the dirt than the people that drive them, for the most part. The second biggest feel-factor here is comfort... you can reach the edges of your driving level with a more comfortable ride. When you step up to the larger diameter race shocks the piston surface area increases dramatically. You gain 2.0 inches in piston surface area by going up 0.5 inches in diameter, which results in a broader tuning range that translates to more comfort in the seat of your pants.

Instrument Assisted Shock Tuning

When you get into bigger compression figures we have to start taking into account what your truck is going to ride like. We dyno test our shocks and aim to lay down transition curves that start at 0 and climb to full compression with a smooth graph. This means that you don't have a harsh ride out of your Dodge Ram. Shown below is an actual dynograph of our research. We are testing shock valving, gas pressure and temperatures in a software assisted lab environment. This allows us to prototype new valve profiles and visualize them for harsh data signatures before we test them on a truck, and sometimes it's vice versa.

We understand our customer and have a Dodge Ram Suspension system and enhancement components that meet real world scenarios and deliver ride quality throughout the spectrum. The first thing you consider is where your majority of use lies within the spectrum of performance and you can easily choose the right system and performance components to deliver what you're looking for. Whether that is 90% highway and 10% dirt roads on a few weekends a year, or you're a Baja nut that needs it all... your truck should ride better than stock, be smooth on concrete freeways and get on top of bumps. The key here is for your truck to perform it's best where you use it the most.