Front Springs

[swordfish]

My 2500 sags in the front, especially when I hook up the plow. I was wondering if I could swap in 3500 springs or should I look to get heavier duty 2500 springs.

 

[BigFun]

Your springs should have a tag on them. I think they should be 039 if I'm not mistaken. That's the number on my one ton. The Cummins is one heavy motor to start with. How much does the plow weigh? Doesn't take a lot of weight to load up the front end.



Bud

 

[DieselDoghouse]

Not here to be much help, just a me too. With my Prozap & M15 winch the front of my '98 has dropped about 2" measuring by the manual. Since I want to restore, NOT raise the front end here's my (possibly flawed??) plan. My truck has 039 & 038 springs (probably yours too) these are 4850 lb/pair, or 1688/1537 respectively. I plan to change to the higher-deflection rate OEM 047 & 046 that are 5200/pair or 2036/1854 respectively - same 12. 875" resting height, 6 coil spring. THEN, I'll redo the trackbar, since the springs & bar will almost certainly change the side thrust of the front axle (where it sits under the frame) and then do an alignment and live happily ever after. I have been quoted about a "buck and change" per spring which given their size I think is reasonable for a Mopar part. Labor will involve freeing all attachments (brakes too) and dropping the front axle to unload the springs. You might want to check Dodgeram.org>Main>Tech index>Specs>Front Spring. This citation implies no affiliation with or compansation by said site, I just found the info there like everybody else!!! Good Luck, but be ready for a 'truck ride' with the new slinkys!!

 

[Snow man]

Swordfish, I plow with my 2000 Ram,all i did was take the 039 from, the drivers side and put in in the pass side(was an 038),and buy one new 046 and put that on the drivers side,this raised the front end about 1 inch empty,and it only sagged on inch with my 980 lb Boss v plow after that change. Before the spring swap it would bottom on gentle dips with the plow on,now it doesnt bottom unless you hit hard,which is hardly ever,see the pics of how my Ram sits with the 980 lb Boss 9'2" plow,this is with no ballast either. if you go that route,and its not enough,then go buy the 047,and slip the o46 in the pass side,and 047 in the drivers side. You wont need i though,and the ride is a little stiffer now with the 046/039,i wouldnt want it to be any stiffer than it is now. My pics are here http://www.angelfire.com/ct/construction/johnd.html

 

[swordfish]

I don't know how much the plow weighs, but the truck drops about one to one and a half inches when I lift the plow. With out the plow on, it still sits lower in the front than I'd like it to. The trucks ride is great and I know that putting in stiffer springs will change the ride a bit but thats o. k. as long as its not like a brick. The number on my springs are 039 & 038. Are the 1 ton and 3/4 ton springs the same size? Will the 1 ton springs fit on my truck? Why is there a difference in the right and left springs? And one more question, will a stiffer spring increase the height higher than the rear? What I'm after is 1 to 2 inches higher and the ability to hold the plow without the truck bottoming out. The input I've gotten so far has been helpful, just looking for a little more.

 

[DieselDoghouse]

Swordfish - my take is that the tags on our springs are absolute ID's - they will work wherever Dodge indicates that spring number, 3/4 or 1 ton. The reason for the stiffer left versus right is the diesels will race Craftsman Truck clockwise - just kidding. Its supposedly intended to compensate for driver and full fuel tank weights all being on left. Keep us posted on how the respringing goes.

 

[swordfish]

Thanks DieselDoghouse, I will.