4X4 DRW: Why did/does DC do this?

[demodogg]

Why does the truck sit so friggin high? I love the low look as well as it's easier to tow a 5'er without having to remove spacers, flip axles, yada yada yada. Even the Fords are sitting a little bit higher than they used to (although still lower that the Ram IMHO)



Any reasonable explanation?

 

[Matt400]

Any reasonable explanation?

Sure... bigger is better, my truck is bigger than yours kinda thing and while it hurts the usefulness of the truck it accounts for added sales. Same sort of reasoning lifted trucks run around on the street. It simply looks cool.



I may get flamed by the lifted crowd but its just my opinion.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Dodge has made the suspension "compliant" meaning not too stiff. For the weight capacity that is needed, there must be several inches of travel. The solid front axle--which most of us prefer to independent suspension for durability reasons--has to pass under the frame rails. for cost and design reasons, the frame is similar to the 4x2 frame. Two wheel drive spindles don't cross the frame rails so the truck can be a lot lower.

 

[robert4570]

Sure... bigger is better, my truck is bigger than yours kinda thing and while it hurts the usefulness of the truck it accounts for added sales. Same sort of reasoning lifted trucks run around on the street. It simply looks cool.



I may get flamed by the lifted crowd but its just my opinion.

Matt is absolutely correct , here is South Fla there are plenty of F-350 4wd Duallys with 12" of lift just to run Semi wheels . You know those 22-24" Alcoa wheels with the adaptors . Looks cool according to those you ask (why the insane lift?).



This is much more common with the Fords due leaf springs in the front as opossed Dodge's coils. A Ford tech i talked to said that its a great way to ruin a perfectly good truck. Braking ,handling ,acceleration,automatic transmission's life and to mention towing capabilities are all compromised. All that just to look cool . Not all decisions make sense.



:--)

 

[JHardwick]

I have the stem run up as high as I can on my 3 horse with living quarters without possible bed interference.



It still sets back on the rears and makes trailer brakes hard to adjust. If I lighten up the controller so it doesn't lock up the fronts, it's not enough braking for my taste.



At the same time, I'm not going to remove rear spacers and have it sag with a load in the bed and no trailer.



I personally have enough of a load, enough of the time, that I can do without this progressive spring package.

 

[opjohnny]

The truck has to sit high to clear the engine also with the straight axel. That in line six is tall!

 

[barbwire]

My 04 1 tn. 4x2 q cab sits really low. Straight from the factory that way. Did not special order either. As a matter of fact, I do not remember seeing a 3500 sit so low. I am likeing it too.

 

[DDiMarco]

I enjoy the height.......

After eight years of sitting 4 inches off the road with my faithful Honda Civic, you quickly learn to enjoy the height and visibility afforded by the 4X4. Working under the truck is a piece of cake; I have never been able to change oil in any vehicle without jacking it up (except for my John Deere 770). Now if I could get 36 mpg... ... ... .

 

[RustyJC]

That's one of a number of reasons I've always used 4x2 duallies to tow our 5th wheels. (And, no, I've never been stuck. )



Rusty

 

[DPelletier]

Yep, 2wd makes alot of sense for a 5er hauler. I guess I agree with Matt400, I sometimes get people asking me when I'm gonna lift the truck or put bigger tires of it and I just look back at them and ask why the heck I'd want to do that? Makes no sense to me at all. Lifting a truck compromises everything I bought it for;

- harder to load stuff in the bed

- my camper jacks are already at max extension

- higher centre of gravity and increased handling problems

- usually means less capable load range D tires

- increased likelyhood of Death Wobble

- larger tires adversely affect the final drive ratio



I think I'll leave mine as is!



ps. no insult intended to the lifted crowd. And FWIW, the Fords are higher yet. It seems to be a status symbol with the Ford guys.



Dave

 

[Po' Riggity]

I plan on a 2" spacer and 35's on my truck when it needs tires, just because I like the way it looks... but I see what you guys are saying. . There is a guy I work with that drives a 2wd hemi quad cab 1500 short bed, and my 4wd quad cab CTD long bed just looks WAY bigger than his truck. .

Scott

 

[klenger]

I often wish I had ordered a 2WD. I went back and forth on this one item. Living in AZ, I really don't need 4WD, but wanted to be prepared in case I ever ended up back in CO. If I had gotten the 2WD, I would have saved $3000 on the truck, had better fuel economy, fewer gear boxes to service, better handeling, and a lower truck .

 

[demodogg]

Thanks for the insight guys, I appreciate it. Back when I was younger I had me a brand spanking new 1988 F350 4X4 SRW Reg cab. I lfted her 6" and put 40" Fun Countries on. Those days are long over for me. Different truck for different reasons now.