Extremely expensive add-on suspension for 3500

[CUMMINZ]

You might love this. The 3500 chassis cab has a completely different set of rear springs than my 3500 DRW pickup. I have included a photo of chassis cab rear spring that shows NO bottom overload. My 3500 has top and bottom overload. This ingenius idea was on drawing board for quite a while. I came up with the idea to purchase 4 expensive solid plastic wood splitting wedges (4 bucks a piece) I slid the wedge into the spring set above the bottom overload. Before placing the wedges I drilled 2 holes completely thru the wedges for 4 heavy duty zip straps. They had to be HD because of the HD 3500. Now with load applied the 3 main springs will contact the overload sooner. I plan to tow the 5er tomorrow for a week long trip and will give it a test. This setup will not break your budget. If I don't like the ride pull out the nippers and cut 8 zip straps and pull them out. Ingenius right? Go ahead and call me an idiot:-{} It also gave me an inch of lift.





3500 DRW pickup rear springs

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[DonTX]

Crazy! But a great and simple solution to a problem I think. By the way, I found on my recent shakedown trip with my fiver, that when the roads got a little rough, pumping up my air bags made a world of difference.

 

[boatpuller]

I would be worried about the main leafs being bent the wrong way under a heavy load, instead of the lower overload spreading weight along the spring the weight will be pushing up on the main leaves in the middle of the long spans rather than in the middle of the spring. Not a very good explanation of what I'm trying to say, but you have a stiff spring on the bottom that is pushing up against the long spring in what is suppsed to be the middle of the span, the main leaves will not be a nice curve but will have bumps in them.



Don't know if this is worth worrying about but the spring packs on the cab and chassis will still be in a nice smooth curve.

 

[CUMMINZ]

I gave consideration to how the main springs might react. The only thing I have changed is they contact the overload 1 inch sooner. Under the load of my 5er the main spring is nearly flat from axle to bolt on clevis to frame. Now I have slight arch in them under load. Today will tell. :-laf

 

[Spooled-up]

Genius!



No one has called you an idiot yet!:-laf

 

[CUMMINZ]

I have now driven 4 - 125 mile trips. One loaded. The loaded ride is great. My rear sits 1" higher When loaded. The mty ride is no different. Wedges do not contact when mty. If you have Timbrens or air bags you probably are not using this bottom overload anyway. What a waste.

 

[HBarlow]

That appears to be a great idea. Simple, inexpensive, and apparently effective. You should patent it and market it.



Harvey

 

[willyslover]

with your 5er in tow over pitted roads did it stop the spring slap and make it a nice transition on to the overlaods ??

 

[CUMMINZ]

I don't have overload slap at all.

 

[BBell]

How long do you figure it will take those plastic wedges to break in half when a load gets put on them, especially in cold weather?

 

[CUMMINZ]

They do not flex enough to give me a breakage problem. . They have worked out great so far.

 

[CumminsBu]

I bet that helps with axle wrap. To bad I don't have my overloads anymore, darn Kore mini paks.

 

[LRutigliano]

CUMMINZ



It truly amazes me what we can come up with when we encounter a problem and spend some energy on it. Your idea rocks!



Paint them flat black and you wont even know they are there.



You might be sitting on a very marketable solution that can make you some serious $$$



Thank you for sharing.



Louis

 

[CUMMINZ]

Wedges from Stihl Saws



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[Grizzly]

What a clever idea. My hats off to you.

 

[puller]

Before you made the change did you have any shudder on start up? I have a shudder when I am loaded and start off.



Puller

 

[Andersonville]

You need an Ultraguard mudflap now

 

[CharlesHoward]

Cumminz,
Is your wedge mod still performing well for you?
I haven't studied my spring performance well enough yet as I just got a 14-15K Lbs Montana Big Sky to tow. The trailer weight does level my 05 Ram 3500 Dually versus the unloaded tail high position.
Thanks!

 

[CUMMINZ]

Seriously,



They are one of the best things I have done to my DRW.



I will say they give me better fuel milage, the DPF filter never gives me any trouble, now I do not need to install a chip. :-laf



That was funnin'



I do really like the wedges.



CUMMINZ

 

[JBallou]

I used your idea for a recent 1000 mile trip with the toyhauler in tow and the extra atv's on the bed rack. Workd very well it kept the rear from sagging to bad that use to cause the headlights to be in everyones eyes. Removed them for the next trip and could see no issues with the wedges at all. . Thanks for the awesome idea, it worked very well for me!



BTW I have a 2500 SRW.