Questions About Shocks/Springs Ram 2500

[chet6.7]

I am thinking about going to King 2.5 shocks on the front axle and probably the rear as well.I don't really need to increase the height of the truck,but a small lift on the front is a possibility,I am not going to change the rear springs as the only aftermarket springs I am aware of turn the truck into a 1/2T. I drive a lot of coastal roads,so curves are always there,keeping the center of gravity as low as possible has some benefits in this regard.

I also need to park under a carport so height is an issue,my ARB shell is 39" above the bed rail,including the ladder rack. I could go with a 2" lift but it would likely increase body roll on corners,I like to keep up with the flow of traffic.
I know I could put air bags on the rear but I have seen several posts from people complaining about the ride with airbags,the truck rides nice right now. I have read on CF that if you don't change the springs you will be wasting money going to big shocks.I will post a couple of videos by Don Thuren,one of them is just adding big shocks,no springs.That truck rides better than stock and it is more inline with what I am looking for.I want highway, gravel road,washboard improvemts,but I am not a desert racer,so going 70 on a dirt road is not a requirement.

The other issue is I am going to put an aftermarket front bumper on the truck,I called my closest retailer, they are out of ARB bumpers for the next 30 days or so. I read a post by one of the members here with a Ram ,the ARB lowered his stock springs by 1 1/2" if I remember correctly. What would happen with a 26% lower spring rate of a Thuren lift? Do I need to go 3" to get 1"? I will Call DT next week.Hopefully some of the responses here will help me ask DT better questions. Thanks.

 

[Bayou Boy]

The front axle weight of a stock CTD truck is right at 5000#. Id be very surprised if a winch bumper dropped it by 1.5".
You could easily get someone or a couple of people to stand on the stock from bumper and measure the drop.

Anyway, I have the Thuren 1.75" coils. They ride awesome and my truck still is less than 7ft tall with the 315/70r18s.

 

[chet6.7]

I rechecked what I read the other day.I won't have a winch,but I run a cargo carrier at times,not off pavement.
https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...-family-adventure-vehicle.193342/post-2480181

 

[Explorerinil]

I have the carli backcountry suspension with torsion sway bar and fabricated radius arms on 37’s. I have no body roll, the truck handles awesome, tows great, sits dead level even with whinch and bumper. Truck fits in parking garages and my garage at my house even with the topper, garage is 7foot. I did not want a truck with a high center of gravity and wanted a great handeling truck, I went with carli this go around and am very happy.

I have had 2 thuren suspended rams before and was also very happy.

 

[BigBrokenZJ]

I’ll throw another vote up for the Thuren coils. I have the 2” hemi coils under my 2014, with their trackbar, sway bar, and overland shocks. The ride is nice and smooth and the articulation is better than stock.

Kings are in my future but a relatively low priority.

 

[ttengineer]

It’s almost a waste of money to buy 2.5 kings and use them with stock springs.

The shocks will control those stock springs better giving a slightly more controllable truck, but a good sway bar could have nearly that same affect for half the price.

Airbags in these truck really need the daystar cradles to achieve the best ride.

You can calculate the drop of the springs as long as you know the spring rate.

I can’t remember what Thurens are but for argument sake let’s say they are a 300 lb rate. That means for every 300 lbs the springs will drop 1 inch. If his are 26% softer you then can back calculate the stock spring rate and see how much it will drop on stock springs.

I’d be shocked if an arb bumper and winch dropped a stock spring 1.5 inches.


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[Bayou Boy]

Also, if you aren't running those 315/70r18s at 45F 35R PSI you are missing out on a lot of increased ride quality. That gives you the stock 6000# load capacity in the front and 5000# in the rear. Plenty for most situations.

 

[ttengineer]

That’s also true.

I run my tires at 50 up front and 30 in the rear when I’m not towing or hauling. It makes a difference for sure.


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[Ducky's Dad]

I am not going to change the rear springs as the only aftermarket springs I am aware of turn the truck into a 1/2T.

Have you looked at the Carli diesel spring packs for the rear? I put Carli Hemi packs on my PW and they are an improvement over the factory packs. The diesel packs are higher rate.

 

[chet6.7]

I am not going to change the rear springs as the only aftermarket springs I am aware of turn the truck into a 1/2T.

Have you looked at the Carli diesel spring packs for the rear? I put Carli Hemi packs on my PW and they are an improvement over the factory packs. The diesel packs are higher rate.

The mini pack? I have coils in the back.

 

[chet6.7]

That’s also true.

I run my tires at 50 up front and 30 in the rear when I’m not towing or hauling. It makes a difference for sure.


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I run 50 front and rear,I am going to get the truck weighed,but with my tool box,2 group 31 batteries,and all the other stuff I always carry in the back 50 seems about right.

 

[chet6.7]

Also, if you aren't running those 315/70r18s at 45F 35R PSI you are missing out on a lot of increased ride quality. That gives you the stock 6000# load capacity in the front and 5000# in the rear. Plenty for most situations.

I tried lower pressures,I didn't like the way it cornered.

 

[chet6.7]

It’s almost a waste of money to buy 2.5 kings and use them with stock springs.

The shocks will control those stock springs better giving a slightly more controllable truck, but a good sway bar could have nearly that same affect for half the price.

Airbags in these truck really need the daystar cradles to achieve the best ride.

You can calculate the drop of the springs as long as you know the spring rate.

I can’t remember what Thurens are but for argument sake let’s say they are a 300 lb rate. That means for every 300 lbs the springs will drop 1 inch. If his are 26% softer you then can back calculate the stock spring rate and see how much it will drop on stock springs.

I’d be shocked if an arb bumper and winch dropped a stock spring 1.5 inches.


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The video shows a pretty good difference.I have a Carli anti sway in the front and Thuren's bar in the back,they both helped.Thuren's front springs are 26% lighter,but I don't know what version of the many springs FCA uses he is comparing his against. I do give props to Thuren for making that info available. I asked one of the Carli guys on CF and he said that info was proprietary,as far as I am concerned it is BS.Years ago when I was looking at springs for my Mustang the makers gave the spring rates.The guys I watch from OZ all add higher rated springs as they add weight to the vehicle.I suspect Carli's are not that different,but they don't want to admit it,like I said BS.
On the bumper dropping because of the weight you can follow the link,he was surprised as well.

 

[chet6.7]

I’ll throw another vote up for the Thuren coils. I have the 2” hemi coils under my 2014, with their trackbar, sway bar, and overland shocks. The ride is nice and smooth and the articulation is better than stock.

Kings are in my future but a relatively low priority.

I am just learned the wait times for Thuren's Kings.I may try the Overlands as a last resort, but I am afraid I might cook them if I am able to get out to Death Valley.I am leaning to Thuren coils as he gives me a chouice of different heights,Carli doesn't do that,it's 2.5 or 3 and that's it,there is now waiting though.

 

[chet6.7]

I have the carli backcountry suspension with torsion sway bar and fabricated radius arms on 37’s. I have no body roll, the truck handles awesome, tows great, sits dead level even with whinch and bumper. Truck fits in parking garages and my garage at my house even with the topper, garage is 7foot. I did not want a truck with a high center of gravity and wanted a great handeling truck, I went with carli this go around and am very happy.

I have had 2 thuren suspended rams before and was also very happy.

I am at 95",and I am thinking of going with a Vagabond Drifter,I was thinking of the Callen as well,but the new owner may have folded up shop.That is too bad I had a Callen in the past,it was better than the ARE I have now.
I will have a higher center of gravity because I want to camp and sleep in the back,I run a 315 instead of a 37",I am thinking about a 1" lift but may consider 2".
I just watched the latest CJC video where the put Carli's 2.5 level with 2.5 Kings on the front and 2.5 Kings on the rear stock springs.It is a little higher than I want but what concerns me the most is Carli uses a custom Carli piston in the King shock.I wonder when rebuild time comes around how easy that part is to get? I don't know,when I watch Filthy Motorsports video he mentions he has parts,and can quickly get parts.