6 Things That Make the Silverado Jackal So Awesome
With the popularity and performance of Ford’s F-150 Raptor, GM was going to have to respond eventually. However, the planned Raptor rival, the Chevrolet Silverado ZRX, won’t debut until 2022. There is the Colorado ZR2, but sometimes a mid-size truck just doesn’t cut it. But if you want a Silverado that can tackle the desert, PaxPower has a truck for you. The Texas-based tuner recently announced the Jackal, a Silverado 1500 they claim can take on the Raptor. Here are some of the awesome details.
Tuned V8 with a Factory Warranty
The first F-150 Raptor may have had a V8, but not the current one. While Ford’s twin-turbo V6 does provide plenty of go, many truck enthusiasts prefer the sound and power delivery of a V8.
Regardless of which of the three Jackal stages you pick, the engine upgrades are the same. PaxPower installs a GM Performance cold air intake, stainless-steel exhaust, and engine recalibration. Together, they boost the 6.2-liter V8 from 420 hp and 460 lb-ft to 442 hp and 475 lb-ft. PaxPower claims this allows the Jackal to match the F-150 Raptor’s 0-60 time of 5.7 seconds. And because the parts are all from GM, customers still get the peace of mind of a factory warranty. You can even order the conversion kits from any Chevrolet dealer.
A Hood with Actual Heat Extraction
Hood scoops and RamAir intakes are nothing new. But all too often, these are all show, and no flow. But the Jackal’s custom hood is actually functional.
Remote-Reservoir Suspension
Even at Stage 1, PaxPower fits remote-reservoir King shocks and coilovers. As a shock absorber moves up and down, the fluid or gas inside gradually heats up. If they’re worked hard enough, they can overheat. Once that happens, the ride gets worse, as does handling. That’s the last thing you want out in the desert.
Remote-reservoir shocks solve this by keeping extra dampening fluid separate from the rest of the shock. The extra fluid not only helps absorb excess heat, but it keeps the shock operating consistently longer.
BajaKits Prerunner Suspension
Part of the upgrade going from Stage 1 to Stage 2 is the BajaKits Prerunner suspension. Stage 2 Jackals still get the King remote-reservoir shocks and
Wide Stance Done Right
The Stage 2 Jackal doesn’t get as high a lift as Stage 1 (4” vs 5”). However, PaxPower trades lift for width: the Stage 2 truck is 6” wider than stock. A wide stance is great for off-road stability, but PaxPower doesn’t just spread the wheels out and call it a day.
The Stage 2 fender flares are wider than the Stage 1’s, to start. But as Motor1 reports, most of the changes are under the skin. Widening the truck requires custom work on the steering and sway bar links, axles, and even brake lines. This is tuning done right.
Internal Bypass Shocks
PaxPower hasn’t released Stage 3 pricing as of this writing. However, serious desert racers will probably drop the cash for some of Stage 3’s upgrades.
The Stage 2 King coilovers are larger-diameter, and internal bypass. Internal bypass shocks offer an increased level of control and tunability, even when compared to the Stage 2 shocks. CarBuzz reports that PaxPower claims these King units are “vastly superior” to the Raptor’s Fox units. The rear suspension gets yet another upgrade, with the leaf springs replaced with progressive-rate versions.
