Frequently Asked Questions About KORE Suspension
KORE offers five performance suspension systems for the
big Dodge Trucks.
Each system offers you:
- 2.5 to 3.5 inches of lift in front and some in the
rear
- Better cornering precision
- Reduced body roll
- Less brake dive
- Low roll center
- More ground clearance
- 50% more available wheel travel to absorb large
impacts
- Much higher speeds when the pavement ends
- Increased stability while hauling and towing
- A more comfortable road ride
- Levels of control you never thought possible
- Protection for your truck’s chassis and drivetrain
- Fitment of 35x12.5 inch off-road tires
- Easy installation with little to no cutting, or
welding
- No fabricating
- Truck can be set back to stock
- Lifetime performance
Q: Is this just another lift kit?
A: Not in the traditional sense. KORE doesn't believe in
the philosophy behind “cosmetic lift kits.” Most Lift kits
are cosmetic - an inexpensive way by which people enhance
the looks of their vehicles. KORE is performance. Instead of
inches of lift, KORE prefers to think in terms of inches of
total articulation – how far the axles are allowed to move
up and down while managing the terrain. And this is not just
a question of terminology; it's a question of function. Many
lift kits violate design parameters engineered into the
vehicle by teams of men and women with PhD’s in physics and
mechanical engineering. The people at the vehicle's
manufacturer generally know what they’re doing. A universal
joint can only move within a very specific range before it
binds or wears prematurely. Wheel caster and camber are
preset at the factory to give the vehicle good handling
characteristics. For the most part, “cosmetic lift kits” do
not increase wheel travel – and sometimes they even reduce
it. “Cosmetic lift kits” raise the vehicle’s center of
gravity which adversely affects handling – especially at the
high speeds KORE suspension permits. Look at any Baja race
vehicle. Do they sit very high off the ground? No, they
don’t. And that’s for a reason.
Q: Well, do KORE systems change the way the vehicle
looks?
A: Yes. KORE systems generally raise the truck 2.0 – 3.5
inches in the front – and about an inch or two the rear.
This removes spring sag, providing the suspension more
available up travel with which to absorb initial impacts.
You will notice that on your stock truck, the space between
the axle and the bump stop is only a couple of inches. The
springs included with KORE suspension systems roughly double
that space, thereby doubling your available up travel. YOUR
truck will also lose that “stink bug” look and have an
aggressive, level stance. In the rear, KORE's optional mini-paks
replace your overload leaf(s) providing a progressive,
controlled spring rate that the factory suspension can't
provide. KORE mini-paks provide up to 50% more effective
wheel travel and, depending on the configuration, do not
significantly change the vehicle height or GVWR.
Q: If the engineers at big manufacturers are so smart,
why didn’t they design their trucks with KORE suspension?
A: The average consumer doesn’t even know that suspension
like this exists, so why would he or she want to own it? The
average consumer is satisfied with 1970’s suspension
technology, so that’s how the big manufacturers equip their
trucks from the factory. Their market research has shown
that people will buy their product anyway – so that’s how
they sell it. KORE is offering something of the highest
quality that the factory won’t offer because people don’t
know just how well their trucks can perform with it
installed. It’s the same reason that people continue to buy
aftermarket “twin-tube” and “gas-charged” shocks from the
“lift kit” companies. These shocks are hardly better than
the OE shocks – and in some cases they are much worse. The
OE shock is at least designed specifically for the intended
vehicle. Many aftermarket companies expect one
compression/rebound formula to perform when installed on
hundreds of different vehicles that each have different
weights, spring rates, shock mounting angles and driving
requirements. Most people just don’t know what good
suspension is, so they’re satisfied with the performance
that is offered.
Q: Some KORE shocks mount by way of “heim joints.” What
is a “heim-joint?”
A: Another name for it is a “spherical bearing.” It’s the
way a racing shock absorber is mounted at each end. That’s
why, for some systems, KORE designed a special tower to
mount the front shocks. A racing shock absorber can
withstand much more “event energy” than an OE shock
absorber. An “event” in suspension terms is the shock
reacting to a bump. When your OE or average aftermarket
shock hits a large bump or hole, it just rushes through its
travel, allowing the axle to slam against the bump stop.
This is called “bottoming out.” A racing shock absorbs event
energy by precisely modulating shaft travel over almost
immeasurably small increments of time. It transforms event
energy into heat which is then dissipated by the hydraulic
fluid. Racing shocks see shaft speeds of up to 300 inches
per second, impacts thousands of times per minute, millions
of times per race. Rubber or urethane mounts absorb some of
this energy instead of transferring it into the shock. Heim
joints don’t flex on the vertical axis, so every bit of up
and down motion goes directly into the shock, where it can
be most precisely controlled.
Q: Won’t a racing shock absorber just make my suspension
stiffer?
A: No. And this is the a very important question because
it is a common misconception that in order to absorb big
bumps, you must have stiff springs and lots of compression
dampening. If we were making the suspension stiffer, then
every little bump would be transmitted into the chassis. The
key is that racing suspension is progressive. It’s very soft
and supple over small bumps. It allows the axles to move
quickly and react to the little imperfections on the highway
and off-road. The first time KORE customers drive their KORE
trucks down a washboard dirt road, they can’t believe how
smooth, quiet and plush the ride is. When a larger bump is
encountered, especially something with a square edge, the
suspension just tightens up – as if it knows ahead of time
what to do. It’s really amazing the first time you
experience it.
Q: What does a remote reservoir do?
A: A remote reservoir has several functions. First, it
allows hydraulic fluid to be displaced as the shock shaft
moves into the shock body. Secondly, an internal floating
piston within the reservoir constantly pushes against the
shock's hydraulic fluid, preventing cavitation – an enemy of
consistent dampening. Thirdly, it permits nitrogen pressure
to help absorb some event energy. Lastly, it adds oil
capacity in order to combat shock fade. Remote reservoirs
are critical to attaining maximum performance.
Q: Why nitrogen? Why not just use air pressure like an
air shock?
A: Although air is mostly nitrogen, pure nitrogen does
not have moisture or “other elements” in it. It is less
prone to large, heat-related changes in volume, thereby
affecting damping. Adding more pressure does not
significantly affect the way the shock works – do not change
the nitrogen pressure.
Q: What are limit straps for?
A: Limit straps are installed to prevent the shocks from
taking the impact of “topping out.” Topping out is the
opposite of “bottoming out.” It happens when the wheels
leave the ground or almost leave the ground. The axle drops
away to the maximum extent of wheel travel and the shock
absorber prevents the axle from traveling any farther. Limit
straps absorb this energy so the shock doesn’t have to.
Topping out KORE shock absorbers will not damage them, but
this phenomenon can be eliminated with the addition of limit
straps.
Q: Why not a “coil-over” for second and third generation
Dodge trucks?
A: KORE feels that coil-over suspension is inappropriate
for a production street vehicle of this size, weight and
GVWR. If a spring, spring retainer, or shock component
breaks in a coil-over system, total loss of vehicle control
may occur. However unlikely, any single component of KORE
system could break and the vehicle would still be
controllable. KORE offers coil-over performance with OE
safety and reliability.
Q: Can I install a KORE suspension system myself?
A: Yes, if you are a competent mechanic who follows
KORE's detailed instructions exactly it will take you
approximately four hours for a Recon Series, five hours for
a Chase, six hours for a Race Series, and at least two full
days for an Unlimited. For Recon through Chase you will need
a high-lift jack, jack stands, a regular set of metric and
standard tools, a drill motor, and a 3/16 drill bit. For
Race you will also need to weld two tabs for limit straps
and have shocks recharged with nitrogen. For the Unlimited
Series you will need to do a little cutting, welding and
grinding as well. After installation you will have to get
the shocks charged with nitrogen. Most modern off-road shops
have the proper equipment to charge Schrader valved shocks.
If you install the system yourself you can charge the shocks
with air in order to drive to the shop with the nitrogen
equipment. It only takes about ten minutes for the nitrogen
procedure. Recon and Chase Series systems can be installed
without bleeding shocks. These shocks come pre-charged and
are no-hassle.
Q: Will it fit my truck?
A: KORE systems will fit all 1994 – 2006 4x4 Dodge Ram
solid axle trucks – gas or diesel. KORE custom tailors each
system to your needs.
Q: Will it void my warranty?
A: That is up to your service department but usually the
answer is, "no." KORE suspension doesn't change the truck
enough to affect your warranty. The new Dodge Power Wagon
comes from the factory with what is essentially KORE
suspension geometry.
Q: How long does KORE Suspension last?
A: For as long as you own your vehicle. Every shock KORE
sells is either guaranteed for life (Bilstein 5100) or
infinitely rebuildable (Fox 2.0 and 2.5's). All seals,
bushings, bearings and fluids can be replaced if they show
signs of wear.
Q: Does KORE Suspension require any maintenance?
A: Not much. KORE recommends an oil change and main seal
replacement at the 100,000 mile point. This ensures optimal
performance and reliability.
Q: Why should I put the highest quality suspension
available on my truck?
A: Look at what you spent on the truck itself. A
nicely-outfitted Dodge truck costs upwards of $50,000.00
these days. That truck will run strongly for a hundred
thousand miles or more. You’re going to own your truck for
many years. YOUR truck’s relationship with the ground, from
transmitting power through the axles, to steering, to giving
feedback to the driver all comes through your suspension.
Besides the engine and transmission, it’s the most important
system there is. The OE suspension is the greatest limiting
factor on an otherwise nearly perfect truck. Why own
substandard, throwaway suspension when everything else on
your truck is top-of-the-line? You buy KORE suspension once,
not every few thousand miles as with the stock suspension.
Every part on the truck also lasts longer and functions
better because KORE suspension isolates it from vibration
and impact. Why not drive a truck with suspension that
provides excellent handling characteristics, never needs
replacement or maintenance and allows you to explore the
outer edges of true race performance?
People routinely spend several thousand dollars at a time
reducing their vehicle’s performance by installing low
technology, low quality lift kits. Their trucks spend most
of their time on the highway, or rolling down the boulevard.
You see them in parking lots, slowing down to carefully roll
over speed bumps. Many 4x4 owners just want their trucks to
look a certain way and that’s all. They don’t care about
performance.
When KORE set out to design KORE suspension systems they
did not have a target price in mind. The 2.5" shock
absorbers in the KORE Race and Unlimited Series systems, by
the time KORE is finished with them, cost over $500.00 each.
KORE parts are designed and stress-analyzed on computers,
then cut from solid billet by $200,000.00 CNC machines. KORE
products are aerospace precise with tight tolerances and
zero failure rates. KORE's goal was to use the finest
materials, the finest components, and the clearest thinking
to create the best product available.
KORE suspension is a bargain because it’s real. Some of
KORE customers, the ones who work their trucks off-road, the
ones who really use their trucks for adventure, have said
that they would have paid double that price to have the
performance we’ve given them.
KORE suspension is engineered to allow the truck to
consistently and reliably attain unbelievable speeds over
some of the roughest terrain on earth. KORE does most of its
testing and R and D on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico where
there are few laws and even fewer ways to be extracted if
you break. Some may be familiar with the road from San
Felipe to Gonzaga Bay running North-South along the cliffs
above the Sea of Cortez. It is nothing but rocky,
continuous, sometimes foot tall washboard with deep,
intermittent, cross-grain washouts for 100 miles. Imagine
driving this road at Level Nine, comfortably and in total
control, while others can barely keep their vehicles
together at a snail's pace. KORE takes performance to an
unimagined realm – all while maintaining OE reliability. No
company has ever done that before. That’s what KORE is proud
of. Although KORE suspension systems give an aggressive,
modern look to your truck, KORE is not really selling
aesthetics. KORE is selling performance. Period. KORE is not
interested in anything else. And neither are the clients who
purchase KORE suspension.
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