Street tires/wheels DOT compliant

[CID]

Quick question on the unrelated point. Is it true you currently have a weller set up and you are going back for a further refinement? If so, have you ever had the opportunity to compare your setup to the internal bypass stuff? I believe your riding style and ours is very similar, your opinion would be highly regarded. At 10,000 miles plus, my shocks are about 5000 miles past due for a rebuild but at $1000 or so for a seal kit and different srings "I" would consider the $5000 ibp if it was a significant improvement. We routinely do 6-8 hours a ride, plush and comfy is good but i do have a fire breathing dragon guarding my checkbook

It was my intent to be back in AZ in November or December for my Weller upgrade but I didn't get home from my 5 week fall trip until December. Having burnt the candle at both ends all summer, I used winter for a much needed rewind. This is why it's so hard for me to make appointments or reservations, I never know when I'll be where. 🤔

I 'hope' to be out of here before the end of the month and ride my way down to AZ and Weller but I won't know when that is until I'm leaving the driveway.

My stock shocks have 6k miles and still feel 'pretty good', I'll expect the Weller setup to last as long. #fingerscrossed I did install Weller's overload springs in the rear, my tenders were sacked out, preload was maxxed out (no more threads on the shock body) and the 14" spec'd ground clearance was 10" because of 2 rear spares and a full TSC box in the bed.

@Lil_Steve upgraded his shocks (not sure if IBP) but the numbers match so he might want to give a ride report on them. When we switched rides, he still had the Shock Therapy setup (clickers) and he needed to find what worked better for him. He can take it from there.

I had a fire breathing dragon guarding my checkbook until she divorced me and I've been living fiscally irresponsibly ever since. I haven't lost the house yet so ... close enough.

 

[Dankathy]

It was my intent to be back in AZ in November or December for my Weller upgrade but I didn't get home from my 5 week fall trip until December. Having burnt the candle at both ends all summer, I used winter for a much needed rewind. This is why it's so hard for me to make appointments or reservations, I never know when I'll be where. 🤔

I 'hope' to be out of here before the end of the month and ride my way down to AZ and Weller but I won't know when that is until I'm leaving the driveway.

My stock shocks have 6k miles and still feel 'pretty good', I'll expect the Weller setup to last as long. #fingerscrossed I did install Weller's overload springs in the rear, my tenders were sacked out, preload was maxxed out (no more threads on the shock body) and the 14" spec'd ground clearance was 10" because of 2 rear spares and a full TSC box in the bed.

@Lil_Steve upgraded his shocks (not sure if IBP) but the numbers match so he might want to give a ride report on them. When we switched rides, he still had the Shock Therapy setup (clickers) and he needed to find what worked better for him. He can take it from there.

I had a fire breathing dragon guarding my checkbook until she divorced me and I've been living fiscally irresponsibly ever since. I haven't lost the house yet so ... close enough.

Thanks for the feedback, i've thought about ditching my dragon but she makes real good cookies too.

 

[KenThompson]

Thanks for the feedback, i've thought about ditching my dragon but she makes real good cookies too.

You can buy cookies cheaper than the dragon

 

[Lil_Steve]

@Lil_Steve upgraded his shocks (not sure if IBP) but the numbers match so he might want to give a ride report on them. When we switched rides, he still had the Shock Therapy setup (clickers) and he needed to find what worked better for him. He can take it from there.

Yes, I upgraded to the FOX IBP shocks. With the increased weight of the DRF tailgate/spare carrier/fuel can and second spare tire, I decided to fully upgrade my shocks instead of getting it re-sprung. They have way more adjustment range than the stock shocks and the rear shock body is 3" vs the stock 2.5"
My riding style can be pretty aggressive at times, I've had to have my rear frame/sway bar mount fixed/reinforced due to cracks/breaks.
It's not trophy truck plush, not sure that's even possible with the stock geometry on a Talon, but it is vastly improved over my previous set up. The ability to adjust low/high speed compression damping (25 click range each) as well as rebound damping makes them so much more versatile over different terrain and speed.
The downside is the price, $5k. Tough pill to swallow but I'd do it again for how/where I ride.

 

[Dankathy]

Yes, I upgraded to the FOX IBP shocks. With the increased weight of the DRF tailgate/spare carrier/fuel can and second spare tire, I decided to fully upgrade my shocks instead of getting it re-sprung. They have way more adjustment range than the stock shocks and the rear shock body is 3" vs the stock 2.5"
My riding style can be pretty aggressive at times, I've had to have my rear frame/sway bar mount fixed/reinforced due to cracks/breaks.
It's not trophy truck plush, not sure that's even possible with the stock geometry on a Talon, but it is vastly improved over my previous set up. The ability to adjust low/high speed compression damping (25 click range each) as well as rebound damping makes them so much more versatile over different terrain and speed.
The downside is the price, $5k. Tough pill to swallow but I'd do it again for how/where I ride.

As i remember, your previous setup was shock therapy valving and springs? I would think that should compare to what weller did for me. I'm at the same place you were at, need a rebuild due to mileage and a respring due to added weight. Plush and comfy is our goal

 

[Lil_Steve]

As i remember, your previous setup was shock therapy valving and springs? I would think that should compare to what weller did for me. I'm at the same place you were at, need a rebuild due to mileage and a respring due to added weight. Plush and comfy is our goal

Correct, I purchased my Talon this way (ST valving and springs) so I never had a comparison to stock suspension.

@Boundertom would be the guy to ask about the Weller - Shock Therapy comparison, he ran my former ST set up for several hundred miles before getting the Weller set up.

My current IBP set up is definitely more comfy than what I had, but I cant call it plush.

I'll be more than happy to let you drive my Talon for a comparison if you're down in the Phoenix area. I wish I could say I'm heading to Utah sometime soon but traveling will be difficult for me for the foreseeable future.

 

[KenThompson]

Since I don't ride in much mud or sand, I'm trying the 30" K02 BFGoodrich All-Terrain TAs, mostly for name recognition. If they're good enough to win desert races, they outta work for me. I'm hoping for more mileage than the 5700 I got out of 6 STI Chicane RX's (2 fronts, 4 rears). I loved the handling of the RX's though. I'm not plated, 😢 so all dirt miles, lots of desert and rocky high country.

View attachment 314267

View attachment 314268

Since those TA’s are for a truck and have a weight rating of almost 2000 pounds, and a utv tire is around 1200 pounds, don’t they ride rough?

 

[Remington]

Since those TA’s are for a truck and have a weight rating of almost 2000 pounds, and a utv tire is around 1200 pounds, don’t they ride rough?

There like my LT’s Ive had on for 3 yrs. Nope, they ride nicer than Utv tires especially on a road

 

[CID]

Since those TA’s are for a truck and have a weight rating of almost 2000 pounds, and a utv tire is around 1200 pounds, don’t they ride rough?

No worse than the 30" 8 ply Chicane RX that I just replaced. Running both at 10 lbs. Load rated at 1985 and 50 lbs max inflation, for the curious.

 

[Dankathy]

Correct, I purchased my Talon this way (ST valving and springs) so I never had a comparison to stock suspension.

@Boundertom would be the guy to ask about the Weller - Shock Therapy comparison, he ran my former ST set up for several hundred miles before getting the Weller set up.

My current IBP set up is definitely more comfy than what I had, but I cant call it plush.

I'll be more than happy to let you drive my Talon for a comparison if you're down in the Phoenix area. I wish I could say I'm heading to Utah sometime soon but traveling will be difficult for me for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for the reply, i now understand your setup. Hope boundertom weighs in

 

[stellarpod]

Thanks for the reply, i now understand your setup. Hope boundertom weighs in

I watch the dialog between you guys re: suspension upgrades and honestly, my mouth falls agape 😲. $4000-6000 for suspension work is about as attainable for this 66-year old retiree as a trip to the moon. I'm blessed to have had the resources to purchase my Talon, and fund improvements here and there, but I do not have the resources to spend that kind of coin on shocks, and likely never will. I wonder what real improvements are available in the $500-1000 range, particularly in the way of beefing up rear suspension to accommodate carrying heavier loads for my light trail duty? You'll never see my rig in King Of The Hammer. 😁

Steve

 

[Dankathy]

I watch the dialog between you guys re: suspension upgrades and honestly, my mouth falls agape 😲. $4000-6000 for suspension work is about as attainable for this 66-year old retiree as a trip to the moon. I'm blessed to have had the resources to purchase my Talon, and fund improvements here and there, but I do not have the resources to spend that kind of coin on shocks, and likely never will. I wonder what real improvements are available in the $500-1000 range, particularly in the way of beefing up rear suspension to accommodate carrying heavier loads for my light trail duty? You'll never see my rig in King Of The Hammer. 😁

Steve

I understand and completely agree. Our position is we sold our sandcar and jeep, talon is what we do. We do about 10,000 miles a year, comfort is important. We very much like our weller setup ($1400), it was a tremendous improvement in every way, but if i could be convinced the ipb is a quantum leap beyond that i would consider it seriously. As everyone knows, this subject is all based on personal opinion with no "right" answer- the dollar figure makes me very hesitant

 

[CID]

Thanks for the reply, i now understand your setup. Hope boundertom weighs in

@Boundertom

It's not that I can't, it's that I won't, spend 25% of the cost of my Talon on a shock upgrade; that ain't happenin'. The PooPoo, Canned Ham and KRX all have better suspensions than the Talon but they don't have the DCT, a deal breaker for me (recently retired, 50 year dirt bike rider). I enjoy the mechanics of the dual range, 6 speed, paddle shiftin' dirt kart so much, I'll put up with the suspension. The only way I'd spend that money is if riding in another Talon showed me that that ride quality was actually obtainable. As long as my aging body holds up, I'll be in a Talon.

Disclaimer - things would be completely different if there was a lady in my life and I'd do whatever necessary to help her enjoy this lifestyle.

 

[stellarpod]

@Boundertom

Disclaimer - things would be completely different if there was a lady in my life and I'd do whatever necessary to help her enjoy this lifestyle.

The "lady in my life" is already raising a skeptical eyebrow about the cash I've shelled out for the wheels/tires and the DRF tailgate that will [hopefully] be coming in May.

Steve

 

[CID]

The "lady in my life" is already raising a skeptical eyebrow about the cash I've shelled out for the wheels/tires and the DRF tailgate that will [hopefully] be coming in May.

Steve

There's still time to have him add the spare tire carrier, IF you decide that that cantilevered weight is OK. I've ridden at some 'enthusiastic' speeds through the AZ desert rocks, chasing @Lil_Steve and haven't had any problems with that weight waaaaay back there. Please understand - I know that this is your Talon to build as you want; I'm just offering up information to use as you'd like, options are good. It's easier to remove that bracketry than to add it later.

Best pic I have of the mount -

 

[stellarpod]

There's still time to have him add the spare tire carrier, IF you decide that that cantilevered weight is OK. I've ridden at some 'enthusiastic' speeds through the AZ desert rocks, chasing @Lil_Steve and haven't had any problems with that weight waaaaay back there. Please understand - I know that this is your Talon to build as you want; I'm just offering up information to use as you'd like, options are good. It's easier to remove that bracketry than to add it later.

Best pic I have of the mount -
View attachment 322786

Thanks, CID. I have certainly been mulling it over. Another question that comes to mind is, IF I opt to include a spare carrier, should I mount it high (as yours is) or low? I know that from an exit angle standpoint, high would be better. But I like the thought of the lower mounting position allowing better visibility behind me via the mirror. Your thoughts?

On another note: One rather minor aspect that I want to address is adding a receiver hitch. I currently have a Honda rear bumper and receiver hitches have not been available that would allow such with the Honda bumper. Since DRF says its design allows the mounting of a Dragonfire receiver hitch, I was resigned to removing my rear bumper. Otherwise, I'd order the DRF fitted to attach to my existing bumper. But... ALAS! I see that CA Technologies now offers a receiver hitch that WILL fit with the Honda bumper. So, I'll likely have the DRF reconfigured to mount to my bumper. And that's a good thing.

Steve

 

[KenThompson]

@Boundertom

It's not that I can't, it's that I won't, spend 25% of the cost of my Talon on a shock upgrade; that ain't happenin'. The PooPoo, Canned Ham and KRX all have better suspensions than the Talon but they don't have the DCT, a deal breaker for me (recently retired, 50 year dirt bike rider). I enjoy the mechanics of the dual range, 6 speed, paddle shiftin' dirt kart so much, I'll put up with the suspension. The only way I'd spend that money is if riding in another Talon showed me that that ride quality was actually obtainable. As long as my aging body holds up, I'll be in a Talon. View attachment 322785 Disclaimer - things would be completely different if there was a lady in my life and I'd do whatever necessary to help her enjoy this lifestyle.

I too was skeptical on spending that much on suspension. besides the fact you can’t adjust the rebound, the stock Talon shocks weren’t adjudtable enough for me. I want to hammer thru 3’ whoops, as well as some rock crawling, and mountain driving. Although they were way more than I wanted to spend, I got the Elka stage 5 shocks. They are totally adjustable for everywhere I go. I do have to hide purchases like that, the turbo, and other expensive upgrades. She has become pretty much numb on what I buy for it now. She just rolls her eyes. She does really like the radiator relocate to the rear and the 4” fans sucking air at the front of the car into the cockpit so it isn’t hot anymore. She doesn’t know what it cost either though.

 

[stellarpod]

I too was skeptical on spending that much on suspension. besides the fact you can’t adjust the rebound, the stock Talon shocks weren’t adjudtable enough for me. I want to hammer thru 3’ whoops, as well as some rock crawling, and mountain driving. Although they were way more than I wanted to spend, I got the Elka stage 5 shocks. They are totally adjustable for everywhere I go. I do have to hide purchases like that, the turbo, and other expensive upgrades. She has become pretty much numb on what I buy for it now. She just rolls her eyes. She does really like the radiator relocate to the rear and the 4” fans sucking air at the front of the car into the cockpit so it isn’t hot anymore. She doesn’t know what it cost either though.

KenThomspon: Do you have any pics of your rig?

Steve

 

[CID]

I too was skeptical on spending that much on suspension. besides the fact you can’t adjust the rebound, the stock Talon shocks weren’t adjudtable enough for me. I want to hammer thru 3’ whoops, as well as some rock crawling, and mountain driving. Although they were way more than I wanted to spend, I got the Elka stage 5 shocks. They are totally adjustable for everywhere I go. I do have to hide purchases like that, the turbo, and other expensive upgrades. She has become pretty much numb on what I buy for it now. She just rolls her eyes. She does really like the radiator relocate to the rear and the 4” fans sucking air at the front of the car into the cockpit so it isn’t hot anymore. She doesn’t know what it cost either though.

Elka's haven't been talked about much for the Talon in the two years I've been here, thanks for bringing them up. Care to give us a price for reference?

 

[CID]

Thanks, CID. I have certainly been mulling it over. Another question that comes to mind is, IF I opt to include a spare carrier, should I mount it high (as yours is) or low? I know that from an exit angle standpoint, high would be better. But I like the thought of the lower mounting position allowing better visibility behind me via the mirror. Your thoughts?

On another note: One rather minor aspect that I want to address is adding a receiver hitch. I currently have a Honda rear bumper and receiver hitches have not been available that would allow such with the Honda bumper. Since DRF says its design allows the mounting of a Dragonfire receiver hitch, I was resigned to removing my rear bumper. Otherwise, I'd order the DRF fitted to attach to my existing bumper. But... ALAS! I see that CA Technologies now offers a receiver hitch that WILL fit with the Honda bumper. So, I'll likely have the DRF reconfigured to mount to my bumper. And that's a good thing.

Steve

I have the high mount, strictly for angle of departure because I had no point of reference. @Lil_Steve got the low mount so he could actually see out the back. He has a great photo of me tryin' to keep up in the rear view mirror if he can find it. I don't have a rear view mirror because the over bed spare pretty much blocks that view completely. I don't know what the answer is.

Glad you found an option to use your bumper with the DRF and a receiver hitch. When DRF was able to point me to the Dragon Fire (with part number), I placed my order (no rear bumper though).

The large blob that looks like a huge rear view mirror is the over bed tire. And that's the DRF high spare.