What do I do?

[SVT666]

I'm torn because I want the increased off-road traction and ride quality that option #1 would provide, but it's hard to ignore the significant power gains that option #2 offers.

[Tom]

It's not like your truck is starved for power as is.  Infact, it has plenty of power for anything short of racing.  I would definately upgrade the tires and shocks for a better offroad ride.

[SVT666]

Since posting this poll, I've been thinking about it a lot.  This past Saturday I had 3010 lbs in the box and I still had to be careful how much throttle I gave it because it still wanted to accelerate a lot faster then I wanted it to.  I think I've pretty much decided to do the tires and shocks.

[Tom]

Since posting this poll, I've been thinking about it a lot.  This past Saturday I had 3010 lbs in the box and I still had to be careful how much throttle I gave it because it still wanted to accelerate a lot faster then I wanted it to.  I think I've pretty much decided to do the tires and shocks.

Sounds good.  Post pics!

[Tom]

Wait, how did you carry 3010 pounds?

[Raza]

On a truck, I'd probably get the shocks, but I'm not exactly the most qualified person to talk about trucks.  The last thing resembling a truck that I drove was a 1998 Mercury Mountaineer, and I was 12 when I drove it.

[SVT666]

Wait, how did you carry 3010 pounds?

Oops.  Sorry it was actually 3025 lbs that I had in the box.  I loaded fifty five 55lbs bags of concrete mix at the building supply and brought them home.  The truck was riding pretty low but not on the overloads yet.  I bottomed out on two bumps on the way home but for the most part it was fine.  I brought home 3 loads of building supplies and all three loads were close to 3000lbs with one of them being 3025lbs.  It's not something I would do on a regular basis.  

[Tom]

Wait, how did you carry 3010 pounds?

Oops.  Sorry it was actually 3025 lbs that I had in the box.  I loaded fifty five 55lbs bags of concrete mix at the building supply and brought them home.  The truck was riding pretty low but not on the overloads yet.  I bottomed out on two bumps on the way home but for the most part it was fine.  I brought home 3 loads of building supplies and all three loads were close to 3000lbs with one of them being 3025lbs.  It's not something I would do on a regular basis.

That has to be double what your truck is rated to carry :blink:  

[Raghavan]

Good to see someone using their truck as they should.

[mazda6er]

Wait, how did you carry 3010 pounds?

Oops.  Sorry it was actually 3025 lbs that I had in the box.  I loaded fifty five 55lbs bags of concrete mix at the building supply and brought them home.  The truck was riding pretty low but not on the overloads yet.  I bottomed out on two bumps on the way home but for the most part it was fine.  I brought home 3 loads of building supplies and all three loads were close to 3000lbs with one of them being 3025lbs.  It's not something I would do on a regular basis.

That was probably a nice workout, eh? I love doing stuff like that because it means I don't have to bother lifting weights for a day or two.    

[Rupert]

I only voted cause I know you offroad it. That said, yer doing the right thing.

[SVT666]

Wait, how did you carry 3010 pounds?

Oops.  Sorry it was actually 3025 lbs that I had in the box.  I loaded fifty five 55lbs bags of concrete mix at the building supply and brought them home.  The truck was riding pretty low but not on the overloads yet.  I bottomed out on two bumps on the way home but for the most part it was fine.  I brought home 3 loads of building supplies and all three loads were close to 3000lbs with one of them being 3025lbs.  It's not something I would do on a regular basis.

That has to be double what your truck is rated to carry :blink:

Over double actually.  The official rating is 1400 and change.

[SVT666]

Wait, how did you carry 3010 pounds?

Oops.  Sorry it was actually 3025 lbs that I had in the box.  I loaded fifty five 55lbs bags of concrete mix at the building supply and brought them home.  The truck was riding pretty low but not on the overloads yet.  I bottomed out on two bumps on the way home but for the most part it was fine.  I brought home 3 loads of building supplies and all three loads were close to 3000lbs with one of them being 3025lbs.  It's not something I would do on a regular basis.

That was probably a nice workout, eh? I love doing stuff like that because it means I don't have to bother lifting weights for a day or two.  

Every muscle in my body hurts.    

[SVT666]

I only voted cause I know you offroad it. That said, yer doing the right thing.

I think I'll get more use out of the tires and shocks (for their intended purpose) then I will out of the extra power.  I went over the cost of everything and I will probably be able to afford the tires, shocks, and the Magnaflow catback.  The Headers and Y-pipe were $1300 by themselves.

[JYODER240]

I wish I could pick up that much power that easily :blink:  

[SVT666]

I wish I could pick up that much power that easily :blink:

The HEMI is apparently hampered by a fairly restrictive intake and exhaust.  I was on a Dodge truck forum where someone posted an independent dyno test of 5 different aftermarket intakes and the K&N Aircharger provided an increase of 15.4rwhp over stock.  Full exhaust systems (headers, mid-pipe, and catback) are getting around 40hp and 75lbs-ft of torque.  Comp Cams make a Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3 cams for it and the manufacturer claims hp increases of around 65rwhp for the Stage 3.  There is a lot of potential in these engines.  

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[JYODER240]

With a 350Z if I installed a new intake, headers, and exhaust I would pick up maybe 15-20hp.  

[SVT666]

With a 350Z if I installed a new intake, headers, and exhaust I would pick up maybe 15-20hp.

Yes, but it's only a 3.5L V6, so you can't expect much more then that.

[Tom]

I wish I could pick up that much power that easily :blink:

The HEMI is apparently hampered by a fairly restrictive intake and exhaust.  I was on a Dodge truck forum where someone posted an independent dyno test of 5 different aftermarket intakes and the K&N Aircharger provided an increase of 15.4rwhp over stock.  Full exhaust systems (headers, mid-pipe, and catback) are getting around 40hp and 75lbs-ft of torque.  Comp Cams make a Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3 cams for it and the manufacturer claims hp increases of around 65rwhp for the Stage 3.  There is a lot of potential in these engines.  

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And still not as much potential as the Cummins  

[Run Away]

With a 350Z if I installed a new intake, headers, and exhaust I would pick up maybe 15-20hp.

Yes, but it's only a 3.5L V6, so you can't expect much more then that.

Err, no, it's just a somehat efficent design from the factory.

My little 2.0L Honda gains 12 whp (dyno proven) with just the addition of a DC sports header. Stock, the engine dyno's at about 105whp.....

Almost nothing to do with engine size, just the design charateristics (efficiency) of the stock intake and exhaust systems.

[SVT666]

I wish I could pick up that much power that easily :blink:

The HEMI is apparently hampered by a fairly restrictive intake and exhaust.  I was on a Dodge truck forum where someone posted an independent dyno test of 5 different aftermarket intakes and the K&N Aircharger provided an increase of 15.4rwhp over stock.  Full exhaust systems (headers, mid-pipe, and catback) are getting around 40hp and 75lbs-ft of torque.  Comp Cams make a Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3 cams for it and the manufacturer claims hp increases of around 65rwhp for the Stage 3.  There is a lot of potential in these engines.  

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And still not as much potential as the Cummins

Diesels are absolute beasts, unfortunately I can't stand the noise they make.

[JYODER240]

With a 350Z if I installed a new intake, headers, and exhaust I would pick up maybe 15-20hp.

Yes, but it's only a 3.5L V6, so you can't expect much more then that.

Err, no, it's just a somehat efficent design from the factory.

My little 2.0L Honda gains 12 whp (dyno proven) with just the addition of a DC sports header. Stock, the engine dyno's at about 105whp.....

Almost nothing to do with engine size, just the design charateristics (efficiency) of the stock intake and exhaust systems.

Exactly, the 350Z already has a rather free-flowing intake and exhaust from the factory so any mods will produce minimal gains, or atleast thats what I've heard.

[SVT666]

Exactly, the 350Z already has a rather free-flowing intake and exhaust from the factory so any mods will produce minimal gains, or atleast thats what I've heard.

That's no fun.  I think auto makers should always make the intake and exhaust restrictive so that owners get a sense of accomplishment from modding their cars.  Those are reletively cheap mods and are the most common mods.  Then they can make in-house aftermarket parts and sell them at a premium and be able to claim a legitimate 20hp increase with an exhaust system.  I think it would suck to buy a car that when you mod it, it doesn't get any more powerful.

[JYODER240]

Exactly, the 350Z already has a rather free-flowing intake and exhaust from the factory so any mods will produce minimal gains, or atleast thats what I've heard.

That's no fun.  I think auto makers should always make the intake and exhaust restrictive so that owners get a sense of accomplishment from modding their cars.  Those are reletively cheap mods and are the most common mods.  Then they can make in-house aftermarket parts and sell them at a premium and be able to claim a legitimate 20hp increase with an exhaust system.  I think it would suck to buy a car that when you mod it, it doesn't get any more powerful.

Or you can just save you money and not have to mod it at all  

[Raza]

I wish I could pick up that much power that easily :blink:

With a VQ?  Good luck.

[JYODER240]

I wish I could pick up that much power that easily :blink:

With a VQ?  Good luck.

No kidding you almost have to go FI in order to get any noticeable power increases.

[Raza]

I wish I could pick up that much power that easily :blink:

With a VQ?  Good luck.

No kidding you almost have to go FI in order to get any noticeable power increases.

Pretty much FI is what you have to do, and I'm not too keen on aftermarket turbo installations (modifying existing turbo architecture is fine though), so supers are the way to go.

[Run Away]

Pretty much FI is what you have to do, and I'm not too keen on aftermarket turbo installations (modifying existing turbo architecture is fine though), so supers are the way to go.

Can't wait to hear the reasoning behind that...

[Raghavan]

Pretty much FI is what you have to do, and I'm not too keen on aftermarket turbo installations (modifying existing turbo architecture is fine though), so supers are the way to go.

Can't wait to hear the reasoning behind that...

Raza doesn't know shit about modding cars anywho. Don't listen to him.
Not that i know lots about modifying cars either, but i don't go pulling random claims outta my ass.  

[Champ]

I wish I could pick up that much power that easily :blink:

With a VQ?  Good luck.

No kidding you almost have to go FI in order to get any noticeable power increases.

Pretty much FI is what you have to do, and I'm not too keen on aftermarket turbo installations (modifying existing turbo architecture is fine though), so supers are the way to go.

When I worked at infiniti one guy brought a new(er) G35 coupe in with a supercharger on it, license plate said MIG35  it definitely sounded like an airplaine... that thing was LOUD.

That's nice about the Viggen, I can grab that much extra power with a new exhaust, downpipe, and computer upgrade.  Could actually almost get that much with only the computer.  Obviously wise to let it breath a little better though.

P.S. I'd do the shocks + tires too :)