Ride Quality

[TLadd]

My 1993 Dodge Ram W-350 rides like crap with the stock suspension. I can hit a bump in my truck at 60 mph and I will literally be launched out of the seat and my head will hit the top of the cab. I've seen a couple first gen. one tons with a lift and everybody I've spoke to says a lift will really help the ride quality. So, what amount of lift should I go with; I want to still run a stock wheel and maybe a little larger tire and I was thinking about a 4" or 6" lift all the way round with new leaf spring packs instead of an add-a-leaf. Which route should I take? Now, I currently run a stock wheel and tire, but I don't want so much of a lift that it makes the truck look awkward. Does anyone have any pics of a first gen with a lift kit installed and how they like it?

 

[Don Tanklage]

look under the front of your truck and see how much travel you have before it hits the stops



bet it aint much... mine wasnt



pic of my truck in my sig (with 6" lift and 38. 5's, not advisable if you are under 6')

 

[MMiller]

I'd recommend a 2. 5" skyjacker softride lift springs for the front, make sure when ordering they are for a diesel application. I'm currently running Rancho Adjustable shocks, which offer decent empty/loaded performance.



For the rear there are two options. The more expensive is 2-Bag Rear - 1993 & Older - Dodge - Truck - Air Ride Suspension Systems - Kelderman Manufacturing, which allows you to keep your stock rear springs for load carrying capacity. I've been running there older style single bag for years, and it has worked fine. The other option for the rear is skyjacker softride springs again. If it were me, I'd talk with skyjacker and get there pack that will level out the truck with 2. 5" in the front, and removes the rear blocks in the rear. This will make it ride nicer, and also help control wheel hop that comes from the rear. Just be warned, with this option, you may need to get some Air lift/overload bags for the rear, if you tow heavy. The skyjackers in the rear I've heard will squat pretty good loaded.



Another thing I do when empty is drop the rear tire pressure to about 35 psi, this also helps a bunch with empty ride.



Michael

 

[Don Tanklage]

excellent ideas, all of them



if you go with 2. 5 frt's and no block in the rr i would guess you would have to use their 8" rr spring to have it end up level



those springs are soft and sag a lot loaded



before you spend the 1500 you may want to do a search



there are some issues with the eyes on the spring ends and the bushings



really ticked me off when they said, "oh well, it is what it is"



don

 

[Moab4x4]

I was aware that for the front Skyjacker springs, the same spring is used for gas and diesel operations. IE the 4" Diesel front spring part number had a sticker under it that was for the 6" gas application. I was not aware that the same held for the rear. You learn something every day.

The rear that I have is the 6" rear spring from skyjacker with a 2" block. I have the 4" front spring. This is in effect a leveling kit + 2".

I installed this kit because I already had it in my parts truck. I would have gone the leveling kit with no rear lift if I had to purchase it.

My observations are this... With the 4" lift and greater you also have to replace the pitman arm and shocks. With the 2. 5" front lift you don't.

When you install the rear 6" skyjackers, you get noticably better ride, but like said before there is a load capacity tradeoff without bags. You also lose the rear bump stops when you remove the rear 6" blocks.

With a big bump in the road, I had no bump steer with the stock springs, I do with the 4". I will probably go crossover steering now to take care of that.



All in all I really really like the ride quality and will install overload bags if I ever start to tow really heavy. I am glad I got it installed. Get a set of steps, My wife couldn't get in the truck until I did. :-laf Now she takes my truck.



Search the archives for Skyjacker and you will find good discussion on the spring bushing issues.

 

[Don Tanklage]

With a big bump in the road, I had no bump steer with the stock springs, I do with the 4".

if you think about it your stock springs had probably sagged to the stops



from there to 2" above stock (as in stock new spings) is a long ways, a lot more than 2"



how close to horizontal is the drag link now?



if you make it horizontal you will have minimal bump steer



i know, they are proud of the pitman arm ($$$) but it should stop the bump steer



at 8" you need both, the pitman arm and the drag link. and the drag link comes too long and must be modified to make it work