Slammed help!!

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.

Jpdyer3.7

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2016
Posts
6
Reaction score
1
Ram Year
2003
Engine
3.7
Ok boys and girls I have a little problem I want to slam my 2wd Dodge Ram 1500 I used to drive a slammed Jetta and I mean slammed could not even put my foot under the bumper soooo I was looking to slam my truck I don't want to lower it if I'm going to do this I need to find a kit that will slam the truck (or as low as I can possibly go) and also find a kit that is reasonably priced please help me out guys post some pics of your rides below too thank you
 

usaf2006

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Posts
4,518
Reaction score
1,572
Location
Augusta, GA
Ram Year
2008
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Slamming it requires bags. Bags require lots of fab work.

You can lower it with a combination of things to get it pretty low. For example, 2" lowering springs, 2" lowering spindles and a flip kit in the rear with a C notch in the frame. a 4/6 on a 2wd sits pretty nice on either stock 17 or 20" rims.

You can go further by trimming the lowering springs to get an extra inch of drop, but that knowledge will come from someone else. It's expensive and complicated.
Good luck!

Oh, don't forget pics of your truck if you do anything!
 

ST-8

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Posts
2,470
Reaction score
989
Ram Year
2004
Engine
5.7
Jesus Christ
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    97.7 KB · Views: 81
Last edited:
OP
OP
J

Jpdyer3.7

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2016
Posts
6
Reaction score
1
Ram Year
2003
Engine
3.7
Slamming it requires bags. Bags require lots of fab work.

You can lower it with a combination of things to get it pretty low. For example, 2" lowering springs, 2" lowering spindles and a flip kit in the rear with a C notch in the frame. a 4/6 on a 2wd sits pretty nice on either stock 17 or 20" rims.

You can go further by trimming the lowering springs to get an extra inch of drop, but that knowledge will come from someone else. It's expensive and complicated.
Good luck!

Oh, don't forget pics of your truck if you do anything!

Now I have seen a 5/7 on google have you seen this before and is it possible
 

ST-8

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Posts
2,470
Reaction score
989
Ram Year
2004
Engine
5.7
Mine is 5/7
 

Bullitt5339

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2015
Posts
920
Reaction score
514
Location
St Pauls, NC
Ram Year
2004
Engine
3.7
Mine is 5.5-6/8, getting ready to be 6/12.

5" is the max that you can go without getting into serious customization in the front and even at that level, you're going to wear the inner fender wells out from rubbing. 5" also induces quite a bit of bumpsteer and some geometry problems. The 7" in the back is also all I would go, I tried to go lower and ended up with massive pinion angle issues. Even at 7", the pinion angle isn't good but it's not dangerous. It's also as low as I would go with a standard c-notch. Any lower and you'll be riding bumpstops and the rear riding on bumpstops is not a good ride.

Of course, if you have money to blow, all of these can be corrected, but then you run into clearance with the ground, especially with the gas tank and crossmember.

I am gathering the parts to do it right now, but my advice would be to start at 5/7. That'll give you a good idea of the issues you'll have going lower pretty quickly. Mine sits a little higher than normal in this picture because I have air in my helper bags, which helps the ride quality a bit.

20151018_165520_zpscs4wnekg.jpg
 

Bullitt5339

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2015
Posts
920
Reaction score
514
Location
St Pauls, NC
Ram Year
2004
Engine
3.7
Jesus Christ

Man, taking my rear bumper and that huge bracket along with the spare tire to put the roll pan on really raised the back of my truck up a lot. Even with no air in the bags, mine sits about the same as yours now. Here's the rear with the bags at the minimum 5psi:

20160620_173214_zpsvu1r5dxk.jpg
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
J

Jpdyer3.7

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2016
Posts
6
Reaction score
1
Ram Year
2003
Engine
3.7
Mine is 5.5-6/8, getting ready to be 6/12.

5" is the max that you can go without getting into serious customization in the front and even at that level, you're going to wear the inner fender wells out from rubbing. 5" also induces quite a bit of bumpsteer and some geometry problems. The 7" in the back is also all I would go, I tried to go lower and ended up with massive pinion angle issues. Even at 7", the pinion angle isn't good but it's not dangerous. It's also as low as I would go with a standard c-notch. Any lower and you'll be riding bumpstops and the rear riding on bumpstops is not a good ride.

Of course, if you have money to blow, all of these can be corrected, but then you run into clearance with the ground, especially with the gas tank and crossmember.

I am gathering the parts to do it right now, but my advice would be to start at 5/7. That'll give you a good idea of the issues you'll have going lower pretty quickly. Mine sits a little higher than normal in this picture because I have air in my helper bags, which helps the ride quality a bit.

20151018_165520_zpscs4wnekg.jpg

That truck looks great man that's what I want to a tee so I was thinking getting a 4/6 and cutting a half coil out of the front and putting maybe a inch or two block in the back
 
OP
OP
J

Jpdyer3.7

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2016
Posts
6
Reaction score
1
Ram Year
2003
Engine
3.7
Man, taking my rear bumper and that huge bracket along with the spare tire to put the roll pan on really raised the back of my truck up a lot. Even with no air in the bags, mine sits about the same as yours now. Here's the rear with the bags at the minimum 5psi:

20160620_173214_zpsvu1r5dxk.jpg
Now how much did it run you for the helper bags how are they mounted up
 

Bullitt5339

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2015
Posts
920
Reaction score
514
Location
St Pauls, NC
Ram Year
2004
Engine
3.7
That truck looks great man that's what I want to a tee so I was thinking getting a 4/6 and cutting a half coil out of the front and putting maybe a inch or two block in the back

Mine is a 4/6 kit with 3/4 of a coil cut out up front and shackles and one leaf removed in the rear, which I do not like at all and I'm going to fix that soon. If you want to go that low, be prepared for hellacious bumpsteer. I'm spending about $600 before welding costs to get the geometry back closer to normal on the front so that it has better manners when you hit a bump at speed.

You'll also get to deal with problems like this, which is caused by bottoming the shock out with normal driving on the shortest Belltech shocks actually made for a Ram. The fix for this is a set of expensive QA1 or similar shocks at a custom length..... Even more money to make it perfect.

20160313_170150_zpshqpjjxth.jpg
20160313_170429_zpses65z4oz.jpg
Now how much did it run you for the helper bags how are they mounted up

They were just over $300 if you want to use an air hose. I spent an additional $200 to have an on-board compressor, which I haven't mounted yet.

Here's a picture of how the bags mount up. They are McGaughy's made for 4.5-6 inch drop. I can't go any lower without using blocks with these because they'll be compressed too much and sitting on the protective plastic rod in the middle. Not good....... The fix for this is to have the brackets cut and moved higher, which is again....... more money to make it right.

20150906_112217_zpsa7gniw0u.jpg
 
Last edited:

Bullitt5339

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2015
Posts
920
Reaction score
514
Location
St Pauls, NC
Ram Year
2004
Engine
3.7
Damn, I just went back and read my post and it seems like I'm trying to talk you out of lowering your truck. I'm definitely not. I love my truck and wouldn't have it any other way. I just don't want anyone to think that you can spend $700 on a lowering kit, cut a coil and buy a $90 set of shackles and have a truck that drives, rides and handles well with no other investment.

I'm all for everyone lowering their trucks how ever much they want, I just want people to understand what all is involved to have a truck that drives, rides and handles in a comfortable, safe and predictable manner on the streets when you go really low.
 

ST-8

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Posts
2,470
Reaction score
989
Ram Year
2004
Engine
5.7
That shock looks real familier...
 
OP
OP
J

Jpdyer3.7

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2016
Posts
6
Reaction score
1
Ram Year
2003
Engine
3.7
Damn, I just went back and read my post and it seems like I'm trying to talk you out of lowering your truck. I'm definitely not. I love my truck and wouldn't have it any other way. I just don't want anyone to think that you can spend $700 on a lowering kit, cut a coil and buy a $90 set of shackles and have a truck that drives, rides and handles well with no other investment.

I'm all for everyone lowering their trucks how ever much they want, I just want people to understand what all is involved to have a truck that drives, rides and handles in a comfortable, safe and predictable manner on the streets when you go really low.
Loving the help man now this may sound dumb but do I really need shocks I'm used to a ****y ride my car was 2.5 inches off the ground it never really bothered me but the kit I am buying does not come with shocks so what do I buy
 

Bullitt5339

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2015
Posts
920
Reaction score
514
Location
St Pauls, NC
Ram Year
2004
Engine
3.7
Loving the help man now this may sound dumb but do I really need shocks I'm used to a ****y ride my car was 2.5 inches off the ground it never really bothered me but the kit I am buying does not come with shocks so what do I buy

My suggestion is the Belltech Street Performance set for lowered Rams. I have them and they're pretty damn good.
 

Demon-HeMi

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Posts
4,346
Reaction score
3,297
Location
Houston
Ram Year
2003, 2003, 2008, & 2013
Engine
(2) 5.7 HEMI, 3.7, & 3.6
5/12 drop, 3" drop coils and drop spindles up front, in the rear custom leafs, flip and shackles, and if your going low you have to notch the frame, not sure if that's been said but it has to be done, oh and since you said your car was just over 2"+ off the ground, I measure out at 2" of clearance and yes I hit bottom in most places I drive
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0030[1].jpg
    IMG_0030[1].jpg
    98.7 KB · Views: 58
OP
OP
J

Jpdyer3.7

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2016
Posts
6
Reaction score
1
Ram Year
2003
Engine
3.7
5/12 drop, 3" drop coils and drop spindles up front, in the rear custom leafs, flip and shackles, and if your going low you have to notch the frame, not sure if that's been said but it has to be done, oh and since you said your car was just over 2"+ off the ground, I measure out at 2" of clearance and yes I hit bottom in most places I drive
12 in the back!!!! Wow that's awesome
 
Top