315s and rubbing - need the voice of experience...

[DGStrate]

Hi Everyone!

This is my first post, even though I have been an owner since Dec. 2000 (2001. 5 Cummins) and a TDR member since Feb. 2004.



I recently (March 2004) ordered a 2004. 5 Cummins 600 equipped RAM 2500 SLT 4x4 QC long bed. I have had it now for about a week and it is a GREAT truck. I have since taken it for the obligatory rustproofing, purchased wheel well liners, and swapped the stock meats for 315/70/17 BFG AT KOs on the factory aluminum wheels.



Here is the problem... On the driver's side, I could fit a 37" tire, no problem. The passenger side is a different story. I get rubbing on the upper control arm when turning right (close to lock) and I get rubbing on the track bar when turning left (close to lock).



Any suggestions? Is there any adjustments I can make to move the suspension a hair so I do not rub? I would prefer not to have to put a leveling kit in it, and am not sure it would even help the problem if I did... ?



I know this problem has been covered a fair amount, and I have searched those replies and forums but have not come up with a solution.



Any advice/experience/pointers will be greatly appreciated!



Thanks In Advance!

-DGStrate

 

[Yo Hoot]

Must be the rims. My H2 tires never touch... same tires no susp mods.

 

[bighammer]

Ditto what Yo Hoot said. Mine rubbed at full lock with the factory alloys so I put another set of 315's on H2 rims and no more rubbing. I never really did look to see exactly where it was rubbing, but the H2 rims put the tires out and away about another inch or more. Of course I then had to put flares on the truck )

 

[DGStrate]

Yo Hoot and bighammer...



Thanks for the replies...



If I recall correctly, the H2 rims had to be lathed out in order to fit over the center of the Dodge hub, right?



Yo Hoot - what are those center caps you have on your truck?



I may need to check into some H2 or aftermarket wheels for the big grey beast.



(Flares must look SWEET, bighammer! Where'd you get yours?)



Anyone care to chime in about the factory steel/chromed wheels?



Thanks again!

-DGStrate

 

[XJSuperman]

Mine actually do not rub at all. . and I have the same rims as you (stock aluminum).

 

[nickleinonen]

i have my 315's on stock aluminum rims and i do not have any rubbing either... ?

 

[bighammer]

I guess you could look at the knuckles and axle ends and lay a bead of weld on 'em to close up the clearances a bit.

 

[DGStrate]

Originally posted by nickleinonen

i have my 315's on stock aluminum rims and i do not have any rubbing either... ?

nickleinonen,

I notice that you have a short bed, which by factory spec is . 7" taller than my long bed... I wonder if that makes any difference?



XJSuperman,

Is yours a long bed? Hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like it.

If you get a chance, can you measure the height from the ground to the tallest point of your wheel well arch (under the fender)?



I would like to compare with my truck to see if that is the diff...



Thanks to all for the replies - I will get this figured out yet...

(even if I have to break down and do a leveling kit). :-O

 

[XJSuperman]

DGStrate... mine is a short bed. I measured from the ground to the center of the fender and it sits at 40. 5".



I also measured (with the wheels straight) the distance between the tire and the closest point to it at the front and rear of the fender... both measured out at 2. 5".



What doesn't make sense to me is why you rub one side... but not the other. Also... you said you're rubbing the track bar... you sure it's not the sway bar?



Also... I would think the fronts of our trucks should be very similar if not the same as for heights... I would expect the rear on yours to sit a little lower with it being longer.

 

[DGStrate]

Originally posted by XJSuperman

DGStrate... mine is a short bed. I measured from the ground to the center of the fender and it sits at 40. 5".



I also measured (with the wheels straight) the distance between the tire and the closest point to it at the front and rear of the fender... both measured out at 2. 5".



What doesn't make sense to me is why you rub one side... but not the other. Also... you said you're rubbing the track bar... you sure it's not the sway bar?



Also... I would think the fronts of our trucks should be very similar if not the same as for heights... I would expect the rear on yours to sit a little lower with it being longer.

XJSuperman,



Thanks for the measurements - I will check mine later tonite and report back in...



As I mentioned, I do know that the short beds are . 7" taller overall height) than the long beds, per Dodge Specs.



You are right - it is the sway bar in the front ... my bad!



I really did not expect to rub, much less rub on the UPPER link arm. Like yourself, I am baffled as to why it rubs on the passenger side and not the driver's side - can tolerances be off that far?!?!?!



Thanks again for the feedback - I will measure tonite and post what I find.



-Derek

DGStrate

 

[XJSuperman]

Only thing I can think of is if you have a bad shock on the pass. side and it's allowing the suspension to compress more in a turn than the other side... . thus rubbing?? Granted at parking lot speeds you're not leaning too much though.



Truthfully... unless it's rubbing very hard it won't hurt anything other than to be an aggrevation.

 

[Yo Hoot]

Originally posted by DGStrate

Yo Hoot and bighammer...



Thanks for the replies...



If I recall correctly, the H2 rims had to be lathed out in order to fit over the center of the Dodge hub, right?



Yo Hoot - what are those center caps you have on your truck?



I may need to check into some H2 or aftermarket wheels for the big grey beast.



(Flares must look SWEET, bighammer! Where'd you get yours?)



Anyone care to chime in about the factory steel/chromed wheels?



Thanks again!

-DGStrate

Yes you have to open them up to 4. 774" if I recall correctly. But they are cheap to aquire on ebay. Those are the same hubcaps as stock but had to remove like . 900" off the flange and mod the clips slightly. When finished it's perfect.



#ad

 

[lawdog]

Mine rub the control arms on full lock but just lightly, Drive it and have fun,

 

[lawdog1]

I've got no rub on mine on the stock steel wheels. However, I did the Daystar 2inch poly spacer in the front... I went with the bushwhacker extend-a-flares painted factory patriot blue, looks awesome!

 

[VStahl]

never rubbed

I drove my truck for nearly 10,000 miles with 315's at stock heighth with chrome/steel wheels and never had any rubbing,,, even when offroading while hunting. I only put the lifted coils up front cause I wanted the higher look, not cause I needed the clearance.

 

[DGStrate]

Originally posted by Yo Hoot

Yes you have to open them up to 4. 774" if I recall correctly. But they are cheap to aquire on ebay. Those are the same hubcaps as stock but had to remove like . 900" off the flange and mod the clips slightly. When finished it's perfect.



#ad

Yo Hoot,



They do look nice!!

Thanks for the info!

 

[DGStrate]

Originally posted by XJSuperman

DGStrate... mine is a short bed. I measured from the ground to the center of the fender and it sits at 40. 5".



I also measured (with the wheels straight) the distance between the tire and the closest point to it at the front and rear of the fender... both measured out at 2. 5".



What doesn't make sense to me is why you rub one side... but not the other. Also... you said you're rubbing the track bar... you sure it's not the sway bar?



Also... I would think the fronts of our trucks should be very similar if not the same as for heights... I would expect the rear on yours to sit a little lower with it being longer.

XJSuperman,



I measured out at 2. 75 inches to the closest point on the front and rear of the fenders.



Height wise - we may be on to something... I have a 3/4" difference from the driver's side to the passenger side of the truck. hmmm?!!?!? AND - the passenger side is lower! Maybe why it gets a rub? I will investigate more with my dealer...



For the record, I do get a SLIGHT rub on the driver's side, but no where near as much as on the passenger side.



Thanks also to lawdog and lawdog1 and VStahl for feedback...



I will probably just drive it for now and see what happens.

It is not a huge rub, but bugs me none the less.



I may explore a 2" level kit in the future, depending on if I can find some nice H2 takeoffs



-Derek

 

[DGFoster]

This thread came just in time for me,ive been thinking of just putting 315s on the stock rims.

 

[Yo Hoot]

Re: never rubbed

Originally posted by VStahl

I drove my truck for nearly 10,000 miles with 315's at stock heighth with chrome/steel wheels and never had any rubbing,,, even when offroading while hunting. I only put the lifted coils up front cause I wanted the higher look, not cause I needed the clearance.

What lift kit did you use?

 

[XJSuperman]

DGSTrate... if there is that much of a difference side to side... there may be something wrong. Nothing bad but I wonder if that spring may be sagging? I know... sounds silly considering how stiff these springs are to be able to hold up an 1100 lb motor... but I've seen it happen in other vehicles.



Something simple to try... jack up the truck on the "shorter" side from the frame... right behind the wheel well. Get it as high as you can allowing full 'droop' with the suspension on that side. Then set it back down nice and easy. Measure again before and after driving it to see if that levels it out. I've had problems with coil springs on jeeps when we try to wedge them in we wedge a little too hard and they're slightly compressed making it sit unlevel so we made the suspension cycle as fully as possible and it sometimes corrects the issue.



OR





If it's not hard for you to do the work... or if the dealer will do it as an experiment... switch sides with the front springs. If the height difference switches sides there's the problem.

Don't measure the springs if/when they're off the truck as they will most likely not show the difference (if one is sagging) with no weight on them.