2WD - raise front end???

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Is there any way to raise the front end on my '90 Ram250 2WD, so the front height is equal to the rear height? Right now it sits quite a bit lower, and my front tires rub turning into some parking lots and driveways, etc... . PLUS I like the look of a level sitting truck.

BH



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WDW
'90 W250 Daily Driver
'72 Valiant Pro Street Supercharged 383

 

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Try to get in touch with Big Don. He tried a lot of things because his D250 was leaning. You may also look through the archives for leaning dodge. Good luck.

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90 W250, 5-speed, isspro gauges, 16 cm2, K&N, Borgeson shaft, JRE 3" exhaust

 

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Look for "Moog" brand heavy duty replacement
front coil springs. They were about $80/pair
@ O'Reilly's. Check your ball joints and upper/lower control arm bushings while your
at it. The front suspension of any vehicle with over 100k should be checked over carefully, but these diesels have so much more weight for the front end to carry that it changes should to must. (imho) Moog HD coils are supposed to be about 10% stiffer in
spring rate(according to a Moog tech) and their HD Ball Joints are supposed to last longer than OEM. A tdr member posted a list
of Moog part #'s that you should be able to find with the search feature. Good Luck

 

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I agree with the replies. The diesel is heavy and takes its toll on the front suspension. I can tell you that Ol' Blue sits pretty low in the front, but she has sat like that since we brought her home. I can remember when I first gave her a bath, I could barely fit the sponge between the front tires and the fender. I don't think she sags anymore than she used too, but I did have her leaning down on the driver's side for a while (twisted/tweaked frame). The local shop straightened that right out. Do NOT install the big rubber block that Chrysler offer to "correct a leaning condition" it will provide very little if any help. I would first make sure the truck is sitting level from side to side to ensure the frame is straight (eyeball it) then if it just needs to come up in the front I'd inspect all the parts i. e. ball joints (had to replace mine at 120,000) and bushings. I have some great guys here locally who run a tire shop. They like my old truck about as much as I do, so when it goes in for rotation or balancing they always check her out and let me know if there are any problems. They know I do my own work. They are very helpful guys. Then if everything looks fine, get the HD springs MOOG.

Have you jacked the truck up and let the front tires droop down. The biggest problem I have with the factory setup is that (on my truck) Dodge decided to use the shocks for travel restrictors. It is like the shock are too short. I have always wondered if the short shocks keeps the front end low. If I jack my truck up so the front wheels dangle the suspension travel is very little. I have double checked the shocks and they are what Dodge recommends... ... . but.

good luck
Don


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Ol' Blue "First of the first gens: 1989 D 250 Ice blue met. 5 spd 3. 54, 155,000, Banks stage III powerpack, 3. 5" straight exhaust, pump adjustments, "'Ol Blue Special" injectors.
1999 3500 4x4 Chassis cab Emerald green ISB 5 spd 4. 10 K&N Filter straight exhaust 9 ft flatbed WARN fenderflares,Let, 275hp injectors installed, boost and pyro gages, VA plug'n power and Practical Solutions boost module. Jacobs E brake. Getting ready to install Banks Power Pack TLC!!
May buy another one in 2009!!

 

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I had the same problem with my 1992 D250. I installed a set of TRW springs about 2 years ago. I used part number CS7226 which is the listed replacement for the D250 with the IFS4000 front suspension. By the way, any time you are looking for front end parts specify that your truck is a diesel and that it does have the 4000# front end. There is considerable difference in the upper ball joint as opposed to the lighter front end.
My truck has now sagged back down. I wish now that I had installed the HD springs, part number CS7226S.
The specs for these springs (from the TRW catalog):

CS7226
Inside diameter 3. 99"
Material diameter . 906"
Installed height 13. 13"
Rated load 1725#
Pound per inch rate 1065#
Free height 14. 65"

CS7226S
Inside diameter 4. 060"
Material diameter . 906"
Installed height 13. 12"
Rated load 2224#
Pounds per inch rate 1133#
Free height 15. 09"

There is another heavier spring that is used on some D350 models:
CS5716
Inside diameter 4. 060"
Material diameter . 937"
Installed height 12. 75"
Rated load 2750#
Pounds per inch rate 1429#
Free height 14. 69"

This last spring is also used on some 96 and later Chevrolet trucks.

Hope this info will be of help.

Not to be critisizing, but your signature indicates that your truck is a W250 and the W designation indicates that it is a 4WD instead of a 2WD.


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92 D250 Auto Trans-Currently stock except for TCI special torque convertor. Now adding 16cm turbo housing, complete 4" exhaust, tachometer, pyrometer, and transmission temperature gauge. Injectors in the near future.
Also have 1984 Volvo D260 with inline 6 diesel made by Volkswagen.

 

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Thanks for the replies here, I'm going to check into those HD springs and have my front end checked out by a good shop. I know the 2WD trucks are supposed to sit a little lower in the front anyway I guess, everyone I've owned has but this is too much I think, especially when the tires are rubbing.

I put the truck on a flat road (flat enough) and measuring from the ground to the bottom of the wheelwell trim here is what I got:

Passenger side front-33 in.
Driver side front-32 in.
Passenger side rear-34. 5 in.
Driver side rear-33. 3 in.

An inch or so off side to side is nothing to worry about I wouldn't think, you can't really tell eyeballing it. I don't think it's bad enough the frame may be twisted. . just suspension sag w/ 170k miles.

Thanks for the correction on the signature... fixed it now!

BH

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Wes Walden
'90 D250 5. 9TD 170k
The daily driver
'69 Chrysler Newport 383 "SS MOPAR"
'72 Valiant Pro Street Supercharged 383

 

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Hey Wes,
Different subject but how good does that Valiant run?

Stan

[This message has been edited by paccool (edited 12-30-2000). ]

 

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I replaced my springs on my D350 with the heavy duty springs two years ago, and it brought my front end up about three inches. My truck now measures about 35 inches to the wheel-well trim. The front is higher than the rear. I thought that the front would settle a bit and match the rear, but now I think that I am going to have to have the rear springs re-arched.

Good luck,

Bruce