Off Roading Quality Leveling Kit - Will it Effect Towing Much?

[Kojack]

So Im looking to get a good quality leveling kit for my 2016 3500 drw. I currently tow a 5th wheel which has a pin weight of about 1800lbs and I mostly do highway miles. I dont want to do too much only about 2 - 3 inches. Will this effect the quality of my towing much? Can anybody recommend something of quality that I can order online?

 

[NIsaacs]

I am not in favor of leveling kits, they look nice empty but loaded they will sag in the rear, looks bad. I tow a lot so I use my factory rake to determine my maximum load. I never go beyond level, that gives me all the hitch weight I want.

Nick

 

[NIsaacs]

opps, duplicate

 

[AEdelheit]

If you do decide to do a leveling kit there are some good 2" coil options out there like Thuren, there is not much weight transferred to the front and the coils will still tow well. With the angled coil buckets spacers are not a good option IMO and as NIsaacs mentioned you will loose that factory rake for towing which may or may not be an issue for you.

 

[SnoKing]

So Im looking to get a good quality leveling kit for my 2016 3500 drw. I currently tow a 5th wheel which has a pin weight of about 1800lbs and I mostly do highway miles. I dont want to do too much only about 2 - 3 inches. Will this effect the quality of my towing much? Can anybody recommend something of quality that I can order online?

I take it that you did not get the factory rear air? Are you concerned about looks or ground clearance? Because towing it will not look good! SNOKING

 

[seafish]

The best way to achieve leveling while maintaining oem tow capacity is to upgrade to one of the supsension kits available from Carli or Thuren. They do maintain oem load capacities while vastly improving suspension performance and handling characteristics of your truck by specifically engineering parts for your truck. The advantage of Carli is that they also offer their long travel airbags which allow the truck to maintain level with different loads in it. Just be prepared to spend a small fortune on the kit…I was lucky enough recently to purchase from a fellow TDR member an extremely low miles, well stored, and impeccably maintained Carli Perfomance 2.5 kit with long travel bags and full rear leaf springs for a very reasonable cost. Cannot wait to get it on my truck this winter and feel the difference!!

 

[Kojack]

Yes my initial concern is the looks but I also don't want to compromise handling while towing and I don't want to sag in the rear when towing.
Thanks Seafish I am gonna look into that suspension kit you mentioned.

 

[seafish]

Yes my initial concern is the looks but I also don't want to compromise handling while towing and I don't want to sag in the rear when towing.
Thanks Seafish I am gonna look into that suspension kit you mentioned.����

The Performance 2.5 is one of the more expensive kits, but do call them or one of their dealers ( I like George at 8lugtruckgear…VERY patient and helpful) and see if one of their lesser kits can still help you in your particular tow situation. Let us know what you choose.

 

[AH64ID]

I used a 2" spacer to level my truck for many years, but since you are looking at springs I won't comment on the front ride while towing just the rear.

To maintain the truck in a decent stance when towing it took 60-80 psi of air in the airbags which was TOO much and the ride was horrible and the handling wasn't as good as it could have been, but I didn't know better since I had the level kit installed prior to delivery of the truck.

A few years back I dropped to a 1" level and the difference was night and day. Now I only need 20-25 psi of air in the airbags for the same RAW and the ride/handling is much better with more weight on the springs and less on the bags.

So regardless of how the front may ride empty/loaded the rear will suffer if you try to maintain a level stance when loaded, or it will just look like you are overloaded when towing and your headlights will be aimed wrong.

 

[SnoKing]

It is kind of funny to me when RAM has worked hard to make these new trucks towing machines, and people still want to mess with them. Should have got'n a V8! OH! I mean rear air suspension. Then it is always level!

Snoking

 

[Regcabguy]

It is kind of funny to me when RAM has worked hard to make these new trucks towing machines, and people still want to mess with them. Should have got'n a V8! OH! I mean rear air suspension. Then it is always level!

Snoking

Ram's springs and shocks were overwhelmed by my 2000# wet popup camper. Axle loads are only 4K# rear and 4.5K# in the rear. I had every intention of leaving the suspension stock. Aftermarket to the rescue.
My '98.5 needed help too. Ram's engineering can be improved upon at times.

 

[seafish]

You know I hand;t noticed that he has a brand new 2016, somehow thought we were talking 3rd gen, which DOES need suspension upgrades even to handle the extra weight of the Cummins that Chrysler CHOSE to put into a truck chassis designed and sprung for a gasser. 3rd gen trucks will always benefit from properly designed and properly installed upgraded suspension parts, whether it is a steering box brace, Bilstein shocks or even Mopars own upgraded steering linkage…lol.

 

[SnoKing]

Ram's springs and shocks were overwhelmed by my 2000# wet popup camper. Axle loads are only 4K# rear and 4.5K# in the rear. Aftermarket to the rescue.
My '98.5 needed help too.

Somehow a post went missing. My 2001.5 2500 4x4 had the camper option and handled 2600-3000 of bed hitch/cargo and pin weight without a problem. That camper option went away in 2003 on 2500. The OP has a new 3500 duallie, so his issues, if he has any, are much different. Starting with MY 2013 for 3500's these trucks are a completely different animal. The 3500 Duallie are built like a 4500 series truck. SNOKING

 

[AEdelheit]

I would suggest hooking up the 5th wheel, seeing how much the rear end sags and then making a decision from there, I don think 1800lbs is going to push the rear end down too much.

 

[SnoKing]

I would suggest hooking up the 5th wheel, seeing how much the rear end sags and then making a decision from there, I don think 1800lbs is going to push the rear end down too much.

Except a lot of people buy a new HD truck and then find that their DW now likes that shinny new much larger trailer! You at that point do not have a leg to stand on, as you got the truck you wanted!!!! SNOKING

 

[AEdelheit]

Except a lot of people buy a new HD truck and then find that their DW now likes that shinny new much larger trailer! You at that point do not have a leg to stand on, as you got the truck you wanted!!!! SNOKING

Well Cant argue with that!!!!!!!

 

[NIsaacs]

Thanks Seafish I am gonna look into that suspension kit you mentioned.

I think you will find your 14k gvw truck will handle anything you want to haul.

Nick

 

[16919]

I may be in the market for a leveling kit too. I'm interested on who has the best one out right now.

 

[photowrite]

The trialer IS the leveling kit.

 

[jwduke]

I may be in the market for a leveling kit too. I'm interested on who has the best one out right now.

It's probably a toss up between Thuren & Carli.... Both are probably the best of the best!