Spoken like a normal "lift kit" buyer. You, my friend, are NOT the target customer for AEV. (Don't take it personally, I'm not either, and I know several of the guys at AEV personally...)
AEV's suspension systems are not "Lift Kits", nor are they "Leveling Kits". They are full re-designs of the factory suspension, with many improvements made for ride quality, durability, alignment, tire clearance, etc. Where spring rates are wrong, they are corrected, where geometry is bad from the factory, and it often IS, they correct it. They do ride and handling tuning FAR in excess of what any other "lift kit" company does. Their products have been copied over and over, and that alone should speak volumes about the quality of the work that goes into their systems. And their target customers are willing to pay for that work.
As for the Prospector, I love the front bumper! The suspension re-design on the 2500 (Rear coils) is worthwhile, even though the lift amount is not a lot. (3500 has rear leafs I believe, so not as much done there...) On the front, moving the tire forward (~1.5" I think) is critically important to running large tires with minimal lift. I've ridden in two of the trucks used for design work and they ride really nice. The factory coils are not too stiff, the factory shock tuning just sucks.
I hope this takes off for AEV and they move on to some goodies for Ford and GM trucks, but I'm not holding my breath... With trucks costing more and more, I think we'll see more people wanting to roll things like this into their payment plans. The per month cost of an $1800 dealer installed and warranted lift is $30 for a typical 60mo truck loan, and that's all most people look at these days...
I take nothing personally. Just putting my opinions out there like the rest of us!
I am pretty sure I am exactly AEV's target customer. I own 3 ram trucks, which are used for work, hauling trailers and equipment, as well as pleasure hauling the family and pushed off road as hard as anyone drives a crew cab long bed Ram with a Cummins on hard trails all over the west. I typically invest about $5-7k into the upgrades of my trucks suspension. I typically put the "best" products on all of my stuff. I have fabricated my own "lift kits" including radius arms ect for my more dedicated trail rigs so I am a reasonably well educated consumer.
I respect the engineering, work and quality AEV puts into their products. I own their wheels and bumper for my Ram, and will probably purchase several other of their products in the future. I just think they really missed the mark on their Ram "lift kit". Yes it is a "lift kit", saying it is a "re-engineered suspension" is a stretch at best. They couldn't even figure out what the right spring rates should be, so they kept the factory ones.
I can say from experience that a Thuren or Carli kit drastically improves the off road ride and ability (increased articulation) of a Ram truck. I can also say with confidence that stock springs and Bilsteins are a marginal improvement in the ride of these trucks and the truck has very limited articulation/travel when used off road due to the stiffness of the stock springs. Also, Bilstien 5100's will NOT hold up to hard off road use in a diesel ram. I have destroyed 3 sets of 5100's in 30,000 miles. The rubber bushings are broken, and the seals destroyed from heat cycling. I have my bumpstops properly adjusted so as not to damage the shocks and carefully selected the bilsetins for length/travel of my truck.
There is only so much ride improvement you are ever going to get out of the high rate springs a Ram comes with from the factory by simply controlling them with a better shock. These trucks are stiff, and designed to carry loads. If you are upgrading your suspension to perform better off road you typically do so knowing that you are making a compromise in the trucks "factory" loading capabilities. Not making a half rear-ended attempt to improve the off road ability and retain factory load capacity, which goes out the window anyway when you lift the truck as you change critical design parameters like roll center, and center of gravity. In doing my own analysis of AEV's marketing of their system, I just think it tries to give you two things it can't give you the way it is designed.
As for the Prospector.....lets crunch numbers
Base price: $13,925
Bumper: -$2,300
Lift: -$1,900
Wheels -$880
Tires: -$1,500
Install of above -$1,000 (not sure if this is actually included or not, figured I would give one in AEV's favor)
Warn 16.5 -$1,700
_________________
Balance for stickers and AEV badges = $4,645
That $4,600 gets you:
- AEV windshield banner
- aev hood decal
- aev prospector badges
- aev cluster badge
- fender flares (these are probably worth a bit, but only offer asthetic improvement so I lumped them here)
- aev logo head rests
- aev build plaque
- aev warranty
I try to be smart with my $ and that seems like the most expensive sticker kit I have ever seen. I also speak from experience here as my kids have thousands of stickers in the art drawer at our house.
My summary: if you want to retain factory load carrying capability and spring rates and improve the on road and mild dirt road ride of your truck spend $350 on a set of bilstiens and you will essentially have what AEV is trying to sell you. You can also remove the front sway bar on a 3500 which helps with the ride a bit (not recommended). If you want your truck to look nice with tires and a lift, get a Ready lift, Super lift, Pro Comp, or BDS. If you want your truck to ride well on road, off road, improve off road capability and are ok with compromising the factory load capabilities of your truck, your money is best spent with Carli or Thuren for a Ram or HD Ford.
