Difference in ride between 2500 And 3500?

[ECappleman]

I found a used dsl 04 3500 4x4 short bed (are these common?), north of town.

I have driven the 2500 and found the ride to be nice. How much harsher is the ride of a 3500? What is the difference in suspension and can it be adjusted?

Would like to know before I drive a good distance.



Thanks

 

[GCross]

My 3500 was good except for freeways with raised expansion joints so I took of the the top and bottom overloads and installed the Kore-Pace system, and soon will install Firestone Ride-Rite bags. I don't see any difference in the 2500 and 3500 except for the top overloads.



-George-

 

[ECappleman]

Can anyone tell me also what the main difference between the two are?

Besides GVWR.



Thanks

 

[Bertram65]

Can anyone tell me also what the main difference between the two are?

Besides GVWR.



Thanks

Everyone agrees that the differences between the 2500 and 3500 are the overloads on the rear springs, marker lights on the roof, and the door sticker. Some people have stated the rear brakes are bigger, but there is some debate about that.

 

[robertyoke]

2500 vs. 3500

rear overload springs on 3500
cab lights standard on 3500 opt. on 2500
rear caliper on 3500 larger???
cant think of anything more.
-robert

 

[Hercules130]

i believe the rear brakes are bigger on the dually

 

[JRhinehart]

I have an 04 3500 short bed SRW witht he air bags and the ride is pretty rough. I have not had it long and have not checked the air pressure in the bags yet. I did tow my 32' tag with it last week and the ride was wonderful, so the bags are probably too full unloaded. There was quite a bit of sway though, so I need to invest in a weight distributing hitch with sway control.

 

[Wayne M.]

I think for a 1 ton truck mine rides real well- better than the Ford F250 SD's I have on the job. Comparison I've done between my 3500 and a bud's 2500 show only the overload's as a difference. The overloads are a pain since they "slap" over big bumps and dips, creating a loud thunk from the back. I am thinking about taking mine out.

I wanted a 2500, but was shown this truck because there weren't any hand shakers around last summer. I almost had a problem registering it due to the GVW, but BS'd my way through and got the plates I wanted.

 

[CPG]

A truck is a truck. I have two associates that have 4 door 3500's. Around town they ride the same as my Reg. cab 04-2500. We have very harsh freeways here in Cal. with the expansion joints. All three of our trucks bounce on these except when hauling our trailers. Not sure of the larger brakes on my friends 3500's but the springs are somewhat more progressive on the two 3500's. The 3500 of course has the heavier GVW over my 2500. More heft for towing. Mine is the HD and the springs are quite stiff. One of the 3500's has duals and the other SRW's. If you haul heavy, you cannot go wrong with more muscle. They both have a 3:73 RE ratio as well as mine.



Chuck

 

[CTD 600]

Rough Ride

I found a used dsl 04 3500 4x4 short bed (are these common?), north of town.

I have driven the 2500 and found the ride to be nice. How much harsher is the ride of a 3500? What is the difference in suspension and can it be adjusted?

Would like to know before I drive a good distance.



Thanks

If the roads in Texas are anything like they are in California, the ride will be rough. I find when I have appx 1000lbs in the back the ride is much smoother. Towing a trailer also helps alot. The freeways are so bumpy in California I have to go 75-80mph to help smooth out the ride becuase of repitive humps on the freeway. How much are they selling the 04' for?? and why?

 

[klenger]

I have no complaints with my 3500. I've never noticed any overload slap as mentioned above.

 

[ECappleman]

How much are they selling the 04' for?? and why?

$27880, Laramie pkg.



So if i took out the overload springs, the ride should be the same as the 2500?

 

[juicedcummins]

The ride will be the same as the 2500 the way it is when empty. When I loaded mine up last week I needed around 1600lbs on the bumper to just hit the overloads.

 

[QWaller]

I could be wrong, but I believe the spring rate is a little different in the two, not just the overloads. The 3500 do appear to sit just a little higher in the rear as well.

 

[scootergmc]

I have a 2500 SRW, my friend has the the same truck except 3500. The only time I notice any difference is on the freeway. His has a little more stiffness, not much. Parked next to each other they look identical, except for the clearance lights of course. Hope it helps.

 

[PJ]

I owned a 04 2500 4x4 for 10 months. My wife came home one day with a pallet full of large rocks for a landscaping project. I was in shock to see my truck sitting so low in the rear. The rocks weighed aprox 2400 pounds. By the time we were ready for our next load, i had traded off the truck for my 3500 4x4 and picked up the next load. All I can say is WOW, what a difference. Once it hit the overloads, it didnt go down any farther. As for the everyday "ride", I feel no difference. I should have bought the 1 ton to begain with! $27k is well worth it. I say go for it.

 

[GCross]

I have no complaints with my 3500. I've never noticed any overload slap as mentioned above.

Maybe in Arizona they use black-top or concrete laid in the direction of travel. Around the L. A. area the older freeways were built with 10' strips of concrete going across the lanes, these are the bouncy ones. When I picked up my truck in Idaho and started home, I thought this is great, just the same as my 1500, until I got to the Grapevine, and for the rest of the way it was pretty bad. With the Kore-Pace system it's improved.



-George-

 

[Jengle]

Before I got my 04 3500, I test drove both the 2500 and 3500 back to back. They were both equipped the same, and I drove both on the same stretch of road. Neither I or my father riding with me, could tell any difference. I am glad I got the 3500, more capacity with no sacrifice in ride quality and about $200 difference when I bought it, made it an easy decision.

 

[gthiessen]

I have checked the part numbers for the front springs on the 2500 and the 3500's and they are the same part number. Also the rotors on the brakes are the same size 13. 9 for 2500 and 3500. The only difference between the two are the rear overloads in the rear and the cab lights. Hope this helps



Greg Thiessen

Fleet Manager

TS&S

Bend ,Oregon

 

[LightmanE300]

We have very harsh freeways here in Cal. with the expansion joints. Chuck

:-laf :-laf :-laf