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1 ton Cummins Ramcharger Pop-Top Build Thread...

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New squeaky rear brakes

So far so good...

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You'll have to be careful raising the bumpstops.... it will hit the crossmember, and make you think you broke something!! Which steering setup do you have? That may cause an issue if you let the axle come up too high.... Those rear leaves look like they could use another half leaf to compensate for gear!!

Have you considered a front coil spring conversion? I've been wanting to do that for a long time....

Love the short wheelbase!! The 37s will make it get around like a cat on concrete!!
 
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You'll have to be careful raising the bumpstops.... it will hit the crossmember, and make you think you broke something!! Which steering setup do you have? That may cause an issue if you let the axle come up too high.... Those rear leaves look like they could use another half leaf to compensate for gear!!

Have you considered a front coil spring conversion? I've been wanting to do that for a long time....

Love the short wheelbase!! The 37s will make it get around like a cat on concrete!!

I loaded the front down and flexed it and looks like I still have ~2" until contact with anything, and the one portion it would hit will be easy to clearance if I need anymore.

I have considered a coil conversion. I've done a few of them on over vehicles. They definitely have their advantages and drawbacks. I would kind of like to stay away from coil overs, as I have coilovers on 2 other vehicles (desert truck and a rock crawler) and I want something a little simpler. Thats why I was mentioning 3rd gen coils in the earlier posts. But dodge coils are large diameter, and the distance between the frame and knuckle on a first gen isnt super conducive to that diameter. I have been researching super duty coils and rates. They are a little smaller diameter. I need a rate in the 330-360 range.

I've been weighing the pros/cons.
Option 1: Alcans are ~800$ and you get what you get. Carrier spring will make me 9 leaf 4" front leafs, ~800$ as well. I talked to BDS about their 5" springs, and they are wishy washy. I cant get a rate from them, cant get a solid answer as to the final height with the cummins/bumper/winch, etc. I can go with either of the first 2 options, end up at whatever ride height/ride quality it ends up at, plus another ~400$ for decent shocks. So in the end, ~1200$ for a simple, potentially good riding leaf front end.

Option 2: Super duty coils, radius arms. Brackets, links, joints, coils, etc. Plate, tube, joints etc for the radius arms will wind up in the 400$ range. ~150$ for the track bar. Thats all just heims, nothing fancy like ballistic joints. Still gotta spend ~400$ for shocks, 300$ for some decent coils, plus plate for the coil buckets and what not. So for about the same price (1300$-ish) but a lot more work, trial and error, end up with a nice coil front end.

Option 3: Coilovers and radius arms. ~720$ for a pair of 2.5" FOA's with coils. Then all the same bracketry as option 2, which winds up being a wash price wise.

In the end...all 3 options are similar price range. What you get with the leafs is simplicity, inherent stability, and reliability. Option 2 and 3 gets you more joints to take care of, messing with geometry's, but with a better ride if setup correctly. Also gotta stuff in a track bar, which the 1st gens are already tight on space. If I was keeping it trail only, id go triangulated 4 link and full hydro...but that's not in the plans for this thing!

--Jeff
 
The simplicity of a leaf system is hard to beat.... the best advantage to the coils is the turning radius on a trail rig, IMO... big tires are not cooperative with the leaves, unfortunately.... and I don't like going up. I want it low and centered. As for new leaf spring packs, have you tried Skyjacker? They used to build me whatever I wanted for @ $400. Locally, I've got a company called Champion Spring in Ft. Worth that does good work, albeit expensive. No local spring shops in your area?

I get what you're saying on the four link. I've built several trucks and Heeps over the years, and always wonder why I spend so much money on something I'm gonna try to break.... :rolleyes:
 
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