New truck 2500 or 3500?

[NIsaacs]

I didn't say they were the same parts, just that they provided the same amount of upgrades. That is no surprise, they are the same truck. I am offended that you keep hating on the 2500 with claims of massive shortfalls that you say exist. All trucks have shortfalls based on use and opinion. Without experience, knowledge and facts to back up opinion, it is just an opinion. I can't post links on parts for 3500 sway bars, they don't have them, ya gotta buy aftermarket. Why is that? My little ol 2500 has it.

I have had mine for long enough to find issues, there is none, that's a fact.

 

[Jebruns]

As far as ride quality, the 2500 with air suspension is FAR better than a 3500 with air, DRW or SRW. Some good evidence of that is the fact that hitting the "alternate ride height" in an unloaded 3500 will not drop the bed height at all. You have to put 600lbs in there for it to work. On an unloaded 2500, it will drop it a couple of inches. I also test drove some of each before ordering my 22 2500.

As far as load, if I towed heavy, I'd get the 3500.

 

[kthaxton]

I like my 2500. It does what I need it to do...if I was hauling more weight, I'd move up however.....because I already slightly exceed my payload but am under my RAWR.

 

[AEdelheit]

I didn't say they were the same parts, just that they provided the same amount of upgrades.

And another false statement as they make more parts to fix the very real shortfalls of the 2500.

That is no surprise, they are the same truck. I am offended that you keep hating on the 2500 with claims of massive shortfalls that you say exist.

Your offended that someone who spent 8 years based on these trucks, seen people spend thousands and thousands of dollars fixing the massive amount of rear issues that a 10 second Google search can confirm exists? Offended my wife has gotten car sick in a coil sprung 2500 when then the rear is wagging so much with 1200 lbs in the bed? Man you must be offended by alot.....

All trucks have shortfalls based on use and opinion. Without experience, knowledge and facts to back up opinion, it is just an opinion.

Ah yes, that pesky real life experience is pretty useless, your right.......... oh wait, there are those thousands of posts and people with issues but hey just keep telling yourself its all a big conspiracy theory.

I can't post links on parts for 3500 sway bars, they don't have them, ya gotta buy aftermarket. Why is that? My little ol 2500 has it.

Actually its because a 3500 doesn't need them to work right , so there's that....

I have had mine for long enough to find issues, there is none, that's a fact.

Ah yes, you and your false facts , always good for a laugh

Well since you keep repeating the same false information over and over and seem to think that if you dont have any issues then every other person who does is just making it up then its time for me to depart this waste of time. I am glad you are happy with your truck but that doesn't make the issues everyone else has "fake news" as Im sure you love to say when offended by facts.

I spent 8 years on these trucks so the more you post the more I laugh, so keep it up if you want but I have a life and far better things to do then argue with people who are offended by the truth.

Have a fantastic weekend

 

[NIsaacs]

Lol, you are a hoot, the only fact I have seen you post is you are biased (your own admission). That is an immediate disqualification to sit on a panel of judges or a jury anywhere in the world. Yet, you want to judge me and my truck. If I have seen it said once I have seen it said a 100 times, these new trucks don't need anything, just drive them, I agree. You won't dupe me into any silly suspension mods.

Enjoy your weekend.

 

[Cummins12V98]

" hitting the "alternate ride height" in an unloaded 3500 will not drop the bed height at all. You have to put 600lbs"

True but once you have it in ALT it stays. My 15 DRW does, not sure about others.

 

[AH64ID]

" hitting the "alternate ride height" in an unloaded 3500 will not drop the bed height at all. You have to put 600lbs"

True but once you have it in ALT it stays. My 15 DRW does, not sure about others.

As you have been told in numerous other threads this is also not entirely true. On the 15-18 trucks the ALT ride height indicator stays illuminated, but the ride height returns to the normal ride height without sufficient payload. This is because there is a minimum pressure in the bags, and without any payload that minimum pressure puts you at the normal ride heights.

So just because it says ALT on the dash doesn’t mean it’s in ALT mode.

I have found it takes closer to 750lbs of payload to get into ALT. That’s on a 17, 18, and 22.

The 19+ trucks (well sometime between 18 and 22, but 19 was the big software change) won’t stay in alternate height mode without sufficient payload. The ride height doesn’t change, just like the older trucks, but the dash indicator goes away.

 

[Turbo Terry]

Really does suck no sway bar even available from the dealer or factory . After market $950 plus shipping $150 and install my 99 had one and it worked

 

[AH64ID]

Really does suck no sway bar even available from the dealer or factory . After market $950 plus shipping $150 and install my 99 had one and it worked

Your 99 had a different leaf spring setup that was more prone to body roll. The newer trucks use a longer, wider, flatter spring pack that reduces body roll so for most applications an anti-sway bar isn’t needed.

It would be a good factory option thou.

 

[Turbo Terry]

I’m planning a big trip next summer August and half of September . Camper will probably go on early June. Make a couple short trips locally then catch the MV Kennicott from Whitter south to Bellingham. Roadmaster is in Vancouver 50 miles away. Will stop there and they will put me a sway bar on for me. Works for me

 

[NIsaacs]

Really does suck no sway bar even available from the dealer or factory . After market $950 plus shipping $150 and install my 99 had one and it worked

$711 here plus free shipping.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hel-7298/make/ram/model/3500/year/2022

 

[Cummins12V98]

As you have been told in numerous other threads this is also not entirely true. On the 15-18 trucks the ALT ride height indicator stays illuminated, but the ride height returns to the normal ride height without sufficient payload. This is because there is a minimum pressure in the bags, and without any payload that minimum pressure puts you at the normal ride heights.

So just because it says ALT on the dash doesn’t mean it’s in ALT mode.

I have found it takes closer to 750lbs of payload to get into ALT. That’s on a 17, 18, and 22.

The 19+ trucks (well sometime between 18 and 22, but 19 was the big software change) won’t stay in alternate height mode without sufficient payload. The ride height doesn’t change, just like the older trucks, but the dash indicator goes away.

YES and I repeatedly have said MINE stays even without “sufficient load”.

 

[AH64ID]

YES and I repeatedly have said MINE stays even without “sufficient load”.

It’s doubtful yours works different than the rest of them, but anything is possible.

Thou I do recall you measuring your height without a load and in alternate ride height and it was riding like it would in normal, which means it works like the rest of them.

Easiest way to tell is the space between the lower overload bumper and the upper spring. There is a gap in normal, and not one in ALT with a load.

 

[Dl5treez]

Seems personal preference to ride quality and driveability empty or under load varies from person to person.

One person may white knuckle a truck down the road while someone else drives the same truck with one hand, elbow resting on the door, coffee cup in the other.

One person may hate how a truck squats under load, someone else likes the look.

Buy what makes YOU happy.

That said, a 3500 with a set of progressive rear spring packs and nice shocks can give nearly a 2500 ride and the full 3500 capability, albeit with a little squat under load due to the progressive staging.

 

[Cummins12V98]

It’s doubtful yours works different than the rest of them, but anything is possible.

Thou I do recall you measuring your height without a load and in alternate ride height and it was riding like it would in normal, which means it works like the rest of them.

Easiest way to tell is the space between the lower overload bumper and the upper spring. There is a gap in normal, and not one in ALT with a load.

It measures 55” to top of bed at back corner with 6k pin and 55” without the RV.

I accidentally turned off once with a minimal load like 200# in bed turned it on and it didn’t lower. I had three buddy’s get in back hit ALT they got out and it stayed lower.
Who knows it does what it does and I like it.

 

[crazy jerry]

I’ve been running SRW 3500’s since my 2005. I run a mixed bag of farm trailers and a Coachmen 5th wheel. Also a lot of light loads, empty miles. Thinking of a coil spring 2500 with the air system. My thinking is a better ride empty, and then inflate when extra load capacity as needed. My question is will a 2500 give a smoother ride than a 3500 SRW with an empty bed? Or should I just stay with a leaf sprung 3500? Thank you all

i always say ,seeing is believing. go test drive some and see for yourself what you like. or listen to keyboard experts i guess.
heres the thing with a stock 2500. the rear doesnt travel in a vertical up and down like a leaf spring. because its lateraly connected with a trac bar it has a arc range of travel. you can lengthen and flatten the bars angle like how thuren does it , which gives it a more vertical travel range.
ive got a 2500 and it drives great but its not stock and i dont haul heavy loads

 

[Jebruns]

" hitting the "alternate ride height" in an unloaded 3500 will not drop the bed height at all. You have to put 600lbs"

True but once you have it in ALT it stays. My 15 DRW does, not sure about others.

Sure, as long as you leave the 600lbs in the bed.

EDIT: I read the rest of posts after the one I quoted. I understood it was the leaf springs that kept the 3500's from being able to lower in Alt ride height mode, which is why it takes 600+ lbs to get it to respond. So if you then remove the load, the leaf springs would bring it back up.

 

[AH64ID]

Sure, as long as you leave the 600lbs in the bed.

EDIT: I read the rest of posts after the one I quoted. I understood it was the leaf springs that kept the 3500's from being able to lower in Alt ride height mode, which is why it takes 600+ lbs to get it to respond. So if you then remove the load, the leaf springs would bring it back up.

Correct, minimum pressure in the bags means the springs hold the load and are what brings it back to the normal ride height even if ALT is enabled.

Bottom line: if you don’t have sufficient weight to engage ALT then you don’t have sufficient weight to stay in ALT no matter what the selected ride height is.

 

[SnoKing]

Correct, minimum pressure in the bags means the springs hold the load and are what brings it back to the normal ride height even if ALT is enabled.

Bottom line: if you don’t have sufficient weight to engage ALT then you don’t have sufficient weight to stay in ALT no matter what the selected ride height is.

I think that Ron's 2015((first year) has slightly different leaf springs than the later ones. As I recall, they changed something after the first year.

 

[AH64ID]

I think that Ron's 2015((first year) has slightly different leaf springs than the later ones. As I recall, they changed something after the first year.

View attachment 136424

Minor changes to the overloads, but that doesn’t effect the ability to engage alternate ride height since that is dependent on the main leafs.