Love/hate new truck

[Dutch & Di]

Well now that I have your attention, I will post more on the title when I can complete the list BUT I do have a question and am hoping someone here has done this and can let us know how they handled it.



At the time we took delivery we found out that our brand new 2014 2 wheel drive Ram sits as high as a 4 wheel drive giving us only 5" of clearance at the bed of the truck which is not enough. As tall as we are, we had to have running boards installed just to get into and out of the truck.

Dutch is investigating the different bolt patterns on our Mor/Ryde IS which would allow us to raise it, but according to MR, gain only 1". He is also investigating another way to gain more clearance by using steel tubing between the chassis and the IS. That should give us 2inches or more of clearance. This would be very extensive and expensive work.

Has anyone out there done anything other than these 2 options? If so, what did you do? 1996 Carriage Conestoga triple axle.

We had to leave Montana to beat the snow & cold so until we can get this taken care of, we are making sure we are on as level ground as possible when we make a turn.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Hugs, Di

 

[DAN V]

axle flip

I have heard of people having the axles flipped on the trailer. I do not know how much this would cost or if it is safe. I have seen 1 or 2 5ers done this way but they are fairly tall. JMHO.

 

[slingshot383]

Have you looked into doing a reverse level with the rear suspension? Take the two spacer blocks off the bottom of the spring stack and put them on the top. Will lower rear of truck 2".

 

[wyosteve]

I had the axles flipped on my Arctic Fox when I took delivery. It cost $375 in the Phoenix area. I have around 10" of bed rail clearance and the trailer rides level.

 

[RustyJC]

The MorRyde independent suspension makes the axle-flipping option a non-starter. Doesn't apply here.

I'm not that familiar with the 2014 suspension, but I'd investigate lowering the truck versus raising the 5th wheel as my first option.

Rusty

 

[AEdelheit]

IIRC the 2014 3500's have tension shackles, if so longer shackles will also lower the back of the truck.

 

[Dutch & Di]

Will check out the shackles but still trying to get an honest answer on changing anything in the truck vs voiding warranty. Dutch will try to get more info but he just went and looked and doesn't think it will work.
Yep-got rid of axles and added Mor/Ryde so nothing to flip. Dutch has already looked & we can move to the lower bolt pattern on the 5th wheel. It will give us 1". IF he decides to do it himself which at 82 I would rather he didn't do, that means I'll be crawling around on the ground with him. :{ Any volunteers?????:-laf
Unfortunately, we don't have spacer blocks under the springs {there is a very thick about 1" leaf under the main spring}so that's out. Will have to check further when we hook up on Monday but he is thinking about removing that heavy spring and putting air bags on. We opted against air bags at time of purchase as we didn't need them BUT if we take this heavy spring out, we may have to compensate with an air bags.
Thanks for all the replies so far. Hugs, Di

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

How much clearance do you want? Can you get taller trailer tires?

 

[S.Morris]

If you can gain 1" at pinbox and 1" at trailer suspension, then your trailer will sit level (if it is now) only 1" higher. This would give you 6" up from your 5" and is all that I have ever run and been ok on reasonable ground. Maybe you can lift your 5th wheel 1" by redrilling and not going the usual 2".

 

[Dutch & Di]

I would really like 7". It took 16 years but we did catch out truck once while making a slight uphill turn and that was with 6" clearance. Have an appointment in Vegas next week but it is just to get their opinion and cost. I'm pretty sure Dutch is going to do the job himself which means dragging me into the job with him but that's life in the fast lane. Still investigating any options to lower our truck but ain't gonna void the brand new warranty fer sure!!! Hugs, Di

 

[slingshot383]

The spacers look like a short leaf, about 1" thick, but too short to really be a leaf, so that may be what you saw.

 

[AH64ID]

I would not remove that lower leaf, the leaf is used for both weight control and axle wrap.

I would also guess that as you get a few miles on the truck it will settle a little, but the distance from the bed to the camper will not be effected at the pin and only the tailgate.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

i would not remove that lower leaf, the leaf is used for both weight control and axle wrap.

I would also guess that as you get a few miles on the truck it will settle a little, but the distance from the bed to the camper will not be effected at the pin and only the tailgate.

^^^this^^^

 

[Dutch & Di]

We do agree with what you said about the lower leaf

We now have just 1,850 miles on her so far but even if she does "settle in", 5" of clearance is just not enough for us. One turn into a gas station that has a slight uphill grade will cause the 5th wheel to hit the truck. Hugs, Di

I would not remove that lower leaf, the leaf is used for both weight control and axle wrap.



I would also guess that as you get a few miles on the truck it will settle a little, but the distance from the bed to the camper will not be effected at the pin and only the tailgate.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

She???? Rams are male wild sheep, not female. lol

 

[AH64ID]

But all quality vehicles have female names, just how it works.

Eleanor is exhibit 1.

 

[Wertles]

She???? Rams are male wild sheep, not female. lol

Well my Ram had very curvy, child-bearing hips. Her name is RAMona.

 

[Gonzo 1066]

I tow a horse trailer and had to lift the trailer and because we drive off road a lot of miles also installed a flatbed on both our 04 and the 2013. Solved ALL the clearence problems and we LOVE the flatbed.



My 04 is named "Duke" The quiet powerful kind. , New truck is as of today still unnamed.

 

[Grizzly]

Dutch & Di,



A truck has no gender, It's just a truck.



Aside from the clearence issue and the fact that you had to install running boards, how do you like the truck?



george

 

[sag2]

As has been mentioned every year at May Madness by the Chrysler factory reps, making a change on any new vehicle does not in itself void any warranty. In your case if you decided to remove part of the springs, about the only thing I could see you would have an issue with as far as warranty is if you then complained of launch shudder (caused by altering ride height) or complained of ride or handling problems. Even the warranty book included with your new truck says modifications do not automatically void any warranty. Use common sense and you should be fine.