Attention: TDR Forum Junkies I attempted twice to post on "Wheelhop" without success. So I thought I'd try posting a new topic. I read all 24 responses regarding the rough ride on especially Calif. freeways which I experienced the same problems. I have a '97 3500 Dodge with the Cummins. I live close to Disneyland in Orange County and believe me the 91,5, and 57 freeways leave a lot to be desired. When I first got my truck I loved it except for the bouncing on the freeways expecially the expansion joints which caused me to wear the cup of coffee vs. drinking it. At the time, I had to wait for the BFG Velvet ride shackles to be finalized for the Dodge 3500. I finally put these on and it helped a little. I then put on the Rancho 9000 shocks and experimented with the settings from 1 thru 5. I currently are using them on #2 setting on the front and rear. I still needed something else for the ride because this didn't solve my ride problem. I installed a Transfer flow 38 gal. tank where the spare routinely sits, had my bed sprayed with Rhino lining, and put on a cab high metal camper shell which still didn't solve the ride problem. In 1999 at a TDR meeting in Torrance, I pruchased a Model X spring kit from Mr. Bob's Distributing (advertises in the TDR Classified). At first I was a little leary in that to mount this kit required you to remove the factory overload spring just above your rear leaf spring. This kit consists of a coil spring mounted horizontal above the rear leaf spring with an attachment bracket that replaces or goes between the axle and the rear leaf spring and a bracket that goes over the coiled end of the leaf by the shackle. If you have the Velvet ride shackles, you have to cut off abount 1" from the bracket. A small griding wheel can facilitate this cut. I pull a 10,000 lb. boat with a tongue weight of approxmately 800 lbs. depending on load. This kit actually helped the ride, but I needed a little more. Mr. Bob called me last November and said he finally had a prototype heavy duty Model XX kit. We installed this at my home in Placentia. We tried my truck unloaded and with pulling my boat. The ride was unbelieveable. The worst part was we had to take this kit off the same day because he only had one kit and needed to try it on several other trucks. I kept calling him over the past months, and two weeks ago I took delivery of the new Model XX kits. I put them on the night before I left on a 1,000 mile trip in Northern Ca. and down through Reno, Nv. The truck handle great and I experienced a very acceptable ride. The spacing adjustment between the coils was set a . 080 (thickness of a quarter). When I returned, I readjusted the spacing to . 120 using a feelers guage. I think this is where I'm going to leave the adjustment for my vaction to Canada in August. For all of you that have complained about the ride especially on the freeways, I think this kit which cost around $260 is worth every dollar. This kit will work for both the 2500 and 3500 model truck. If your going to carry a heavy camper, I would talk to Mr. Bob on wether he would recommend it.
If you have any questions, post them and I'll attempt to answer them.
Bob
3500 SLT. Automatic, 3. 54 rearend, many aftermarket accessories
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Buckaroo2Bob
If you have any questions, post them and I'll attempt to answer them.
Bob
3500 SLT. Automatic, 3. 54 rearend, many aftermarket accessories
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Buckaroo2Bob
