Why?...

Sean · January 02, 2005, 06:56:20 PM

Saw this setting at a dealership out in the middle of nowhere today. I understand that they are somewhat hard to come by, but why would anybody want something like this in Four Wheel Drive? I think it would look much better slammed...

Crosley.In.AZ · January 02, 2005, 07:12:23 PM

there was one out at a small dealer in Superior Az . Superior is a small town.

the truck would look better a bit lower. I swear the 2wd trucks keep getting higher every year

58 Yeoman · January 02, 2005, 08:00:56 PM

I don't know...I like it. The reason that the trucks keep getting higher, is so they can see as much as the suv'ers. The people driving the cracker boxes don't have a chance in an accident.

moparrodder · January 02, 2005, 10:24:34 PM

I like it too, they're all over around here. Mostly the yellow ones with black stripes. I think what makes them higher is the tall rims and tires they run these days and the shape of the cab looks taller too. My son Chad and a 2000 with the Super Bee package on it, was white with black stripes, off road and towing package but had only 15 inch tires on it and it looked lower to the ground.
The new ones now have the Rumble Bee striping and a Hemi, the older ones had the 360. I like the yellow ones better than the black ones, they're a little more flashier in my opinion. Bill

Carps · January 03, 2005, 08:41:05 AM

I like it!

High clearance lets you drive places that others can't.

DRD57 · January 03, 2005, 11:34:47 AM

I lowered my 2wd RAM 4.5" in the rear and 1.5" in the front and to me it looks like it should have stock.

I still sit high enough to see over most of the traffic.

enjenjo · January 03, 2005, 12:54:00 PM

It still looks 3" too high on both ends to me, no offence to you Don. I think they do it to make the trucks look bigger and more agressive. This also allows them to use the same chassis for both 2x4 and 4x4 trucks.

DRD57 · January 03, 2005, 03:59:36 PM

Quote from: "enjenjo"It still looks 3" too high on both ends to me, no offence to you Don. I think they do it to make the trucks look bigger and more agressive. This also allows them to use the same chassis for both 2x4 and 4x4 trucks.

It looks 3" too high on both ends to me too. Unfortunately, to get it down that far would require some significant frame and suspension mods which I am not willing to do on my daily driver. I've got enough other projects to keep me busy for years.

jaybee · January 03, 2005, 04:44:39 PM

Quote from: "Crosley"I swear the 2wd trucks keep getting higher every year

You're absolutely right. When my brother-in-law bought his current Ram he asked the salesman why it's so much higher than his last Ram. The answer was "People want to have that 4x4 look even if the didn't buy four wheel drive.

Carps is right about ground clearance, even if I'm skeptical about his listed age.

The question is, does it do you any good? In the Outback undoubtedly. If you're a farmer it's also a good thing. I live in the city, I'd rather scrape gum off the tops of the speed bumps!

purplepickup · January 03, 2005, 06:59:22 PM

I guess it depends on what you use a truck for. When I was a kid on the farm our truck was a work vehicle and even tho it was only a 2WD it really got tossed around in the fields and up the lanes between the fields. It's occasional trip to town was just to get a load of something from the mill or lumber yard. Lots of ground clearance was definitely necessary. To me a truck is still supposed to be like that but now that they have become urban vehicles too, it only seems natural to change them to suit our tastes....and rodder's do like to tweak things.

I think most of the Dodge Rumble Bee's will be bought as urban trucks and like Sean, I kind of wonder how many of them will see much off road use too.

Here in Michigan we have a lot of two track roads and back in where my cabin is at even Sue's Honda CRV drags bottom in places. You don't see too many slammed trucks around there. You do see a lot of tall 4WD's with mud thrown up on the hood and roof. I don't have a truck (except purp) but if I did, I doubt if I'd lower it. I like to go where no man has gone before. That's where the fish bite better, the deer have bigger antlers, and the morel mushrooms grow by the bushels

I do know that a slammed truck would never have gotten river1 and me down the roads that Sumner took us down last summer. It looks a lot smoother in the picture than it really was. Most of the time we were hanging on to whatever we could to keep us from banging into things in his jeep. Mucho fun!!

58 Yeoman · January 03, 2005, 07:37:49 PM

George said:

QuoteI think most of the Dodge Rumble Bee's will be bought as urban trucks and like Sean, I kind of wonder how many of them will see much off road use too.

For that matter, how many suv's see off road?

Carps · January 04, 2005, 08:26:59 AM

Quote from: "jaybee"Carps is right about ground clearance, even if I'm skeptical about his listed age.

What? You think I'm too young to be hangin out with a bunch of old farts like you?

QuoteThe question is, does it do you any good?

Sure as heck stops my feet from getting wet!

Carps · January 04, 2005, 08:27:32 AM

Quote from: "jaybee"The question is, does it do you any good?

And makes it fun to play in the puddles.

Carps · January 04, 2005, 08:37:38 AM

Quote from: "58 Yeoman"For that matter, how many suv's see off road?

Mine does, at least once a week!

phat46 · January 04, 2005, 07:18:51 PM

Quote from: "Sean"Saw this setting at a dealership out in the middle of nowhere today. I understand that they are somewhat hard to come by, but why would anybody want something like this in Four Wheel Drive? I think it would look much better slammed...

I have an '02 Dodge truck with those 20" wheels on it. It sits too high for my taste, but I do like being able to see over the traffic. Mine is two wheel drive and it's the worst thing i have ever driven in the snow! Those tires with the 3:91 rear gear with Posi and a really torquey 5.9 motor combine to make the thing very bad on snow, not that that would stop me from driving in it, just makes you have to work at it some; keeps thing interesting. I didn't want the expense of four wheel drive when i bought it and it really doesn't get offroad at all, well maybe when i go hunting in the U.P. There's guys up there that REALLY put their daily driver trucks to the test. They are loggers and they go anywhere in the wood with 'em, I mean anywhere, they don't need no stinkin' trails

I have followed their tracks in the snow while I was on foot and they went places i could barely walk! Tress? HUh... just push 'em over! We drive a tractor with a utility trailer behind it out in the woods, our group of hunters sit on seats in the trailer. This year we got passed on a twotrack logging trail by an '04 Dodge pickup: the guy passed us in the woods!!! They drove old beater jeeps up till a few years ago but now they all drive new pickups.
One guy has bought three Dodge pickups in a row, puts over 200'000 miles on 'em in about four years and trades it in on a new one. That's one of the reasons i bought a Dodge, if they will stand up to these guys, whatever i do to one is nothing!