Want to get a smoother ride form my 2500 Crew Cab

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Eric Racing

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Posts
26
Reaction score
0
Location
Curacao NA / Hollywood, FL
Ram Year
2012 RAM 2500 SLT 4x2
Engine
5.7 Hemi V8
I have a stock 2012 Dodge Ram 2500, 2wd Crew Cab with 5.7 Hemi V8 with 3" lift at the front and 1.5" lift at the back, BUT have a terrible bumpy ride and want a much more softer smooth ride...(and I don't want to buy a Cadillac :))

I never tow/haul anything heavy, I just use it as a daily driver to (office) work.

Could anyone help me out?

I'm willing to put a brand new lift kit in!
 
Last edited:

SmokedRam

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
May 1, 2012
Posts
6,468
Reaction score
453
Location
Zephyrhills, Florida
Ram Year
2005
Engine
4.7
Only thing I could suggest is to run Bilstein shocks...with the 2500 frame being fully boxed, it's going to be super rigid. Then with the added lift, it's just gonna make the ride that more stout. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure shocks are gonna be the only difference maker for you.
 

ramhunter9

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Posts
24,464
Reaction score
974
Ram Year
2012
Engine
P-Star Jeep Wrangler
Swap out the front shocks to a Bilstein adjustable . If needing a price PM me and I will hook ya up .

Welcome to RF
 

Hemi450hp

Moe's Performance
Preferred Vendor
Joined
Jul 17, 2012
Posts
9,421
Reaction score
4,702
Location
Conroe, TX
Ram Year
2014 Ram 1500
Engine
Whipple Supercharged 422" Hemi
Did you lift the front with new springs, or with a spacer? If you used a spacer, then I would consider replacing that with a set of softer coil springs from Carli Suspension or Thuren Fabrication. They both make a 3" spring that will give you a much better ride than factory, and their springs are less than $400.

Shocks would be the next step, but I have yet to find a "cheap" shock that gives any noticable increase in ride quality on the 2500/3500's. I tried the Bilstein 5100's and they were actually a little stiffer than the stock shocks.
 

ramhunter9

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Posts
24,464
Reaction score
974
Ram Year
2012
Engine
P-Star Jeep Wrangler
I am not a fan of "softer" springs as I hate the bounce they give .. I guess pairing them up with a stiff shock might work.
 

Hemi450hp

Moe's Performance
Preferred Vendor
Joined
Jul 17, 2012
Posts
9,421
Reaction score
4,702
Location
Conroe, TX
Ram Year
2014 Ram 1500
Engine
Whipple Supercharged 422" Hemi
They are not necessary softer, they just have different spring rates that absorb bumps better than stock. I am running Thuren's springs right now, and they are soft enough that they did help the ride with stock shocks, but without giving any front end bounce. I am considering trying a set from Carli though because theirs are progressive and they take the initial hit of the bump a little easier, but stiffen up quite a bit on larger bumps. I still feel expansion joints on the road even with Thuren's coils and a $1100 set of resi shocks.

On my 07, even with long arms, 6" progressive rate coils, and progressive leafs out back, the truck was very rough with Bistein 5100's. The 5100's great shocks if you want to beat on your truck a little offroad, but they are not going to give a softer ride on the street...at least not on the 2500/3500's.
 
OP
OP
Eric Racing

Eric Racing

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Posts
26
Reaction score
0
Location
Curacao NA / Hollywood, FL
Ram Year
2012 RAM 2500 SLT 4x2
Engine
5.7 Hemi V8
Woww, great help already!

I lifted it with a 3" spacer, but before I lifted it, I felt way more spring stiffness comparing to my old 2004 Ram 1500. I know it's a 2500 but with the bad roads overhere and driving around with now load, it's a real pain!
The bumpy ride feels like the spring rate indeed.
 

ltr450rider13

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2011
Posts
297
Reaction score
8
Ram Year
2011
Engine
Hemi
I'm having same thoughts, dunno if wanna use stock 2500HD coils w/ spacer, or top gun customz +2. I think the plow pkg has stiffer springs the oem 2500 springs, so maybe I have 3 choices. Heard mine(plow pgk) could be 1000-1500# per inch of compression, TGC think are round 600# per inch of comp.
 

Sagebrush2500

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Posts
1,457
Reaction score
168
Ram Year
2013 2500 Big Horn
Engine
5.7 Hemi
A couple options:

> Suspension changes mentioned above
> Throw a few hundred pounds of something into your bed
> Trade for a 1500

I love the rough n' rigid ride of my 2500... feels like so much more a truck than my 2010 1500.
 
OP
OP
Eric Racing

Eric Racing

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Posts
26
Reaction score
0
Location
Curacao NA / Hollywood, FL
Ram Year
2012 RAM 2500 SLT 4x2
Engine
5.7 Hemi V8
@Sagebrush2500, I like the smoother ride and have already 300lbs lead rolls in the back, but the front is the major problem, there is no suspension at all, and this makes it very unpleasant and unsafe in my opinion.
 

Hemi450hp

Moe's Performance
Preferred Vendor
Joined
Jul 17, 2012
Posts
9,421
Reaction score
4,702
Location
Conroe, TX
Ram Year
2014 Ram 1500
Engine
Whipple Supercharged 422" Hemi
If you are still running the factory tracbar and front stabilizer, then that could also affect your ride. With a 3" lift up front, your axle is most likely a little off center with the factory tracbar.

Another question...is the rear lifted with a 1.5" block or add-a-leaf?

And what size/brand tires are you running and what air pressure in the front/back?

All of these things are going to affect your ride quality.
 
OP
OP
Eric Racing

Eric Racing

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Posts
26
Reaction score
0
Location
Curacao NA / Hollywood, FL
Ram Year
2012 RAM 2500 SLT 4x2
Engine
5.7 Hemi V8
It's all factory, rear 1.5" block and Nitto Mud Grappler 35x12.50-20 50/50psi

6728-2012-09-30-08-58-02.jpg

6727-563932-267512180017823-1943604636-n.jpg
 
Last edited:

ltr450rider13

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2011
Posts
297
Reaction score
8
Ram Year
2011
Engine
Hemi
If you are still running the factory tracbar and front stabilizer, then that could also affect your ride. With a 3" lift up front, your axle is most likely a little off center with the factory tracbar.

Another question...is the rear lifted with a 1.5" block or add-a-leaf?

And what size/brand tires are you running and what air pressure in the front/back?

All of these things are going to affect your ride quality.

Dual bds ss
33x12.50x20 terra grapplers
Only wanna do 2" in front nothing more, stock track should be fine I thought
Lite load setting is 45 in rear 65 in front, I'm running 50R 58F
rear is stock might do fox 2.0's if like front, and have 500# out back

Any thoughts?
 

Wandell

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2012
Posts
988
Reaction score
269
Ram Year
2012
Engine
Cummins 6.7
I agree. I'd suggest a set of Bilstien shocks and play with your air pressure. That can play a huge part. In my area, every tire shop seems to inflate tires to the maximum psi listed on the sidewall. This is always too much for daily driving.
 
OP
OP
Eric Racing

Eric Racing

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Posts
26
Reaction score
0
Location
Curacao NA / Hollywood, FL
Ram Year
2012 RAM 2500 SLT 4x2
Engine
5.7 Hemi V8
It seems to be that Carli Suspension and Thuren Fabrication only make 4x4 and no 4x2 coils with 3"lift
 

Hemi450hp

Moe's Performance
Preferred Vendor
Joined
Jul 17, 2012
Posts
9,421
Reaction score
4,702
Location
Conroe, TX
Ram Year
2014 Ram 1500
Engine
Whipple Supercharged 422" Hemi
I completely missed that your truck was a 2wd on the first post. I will do some digging to see what coils are out there for the 2wd's.
 
Top