Cabover camper

[stephenking]

Hoping to find a fix I just bought a 2023 ram 2500 4x4 long bed diesel. Upgrade from my 1995 Ford f250 .I had my cab over Lance camper mounted in. When I put it on my new truck the 1st thing I noticed is I had to add about 2 Inches in the bed, ram bed is deeper. I then installed torkslift frame mounted tie downs. Now here is where things got scary. Headed out down the road as I got going faster the whole truck and camer begins to rock back and forth the faster I went the more it rocked. To the point I went home very slow unloaded it and had to put it back o. My old truck to save the camping trip. Has anyone else experienced anything like this and how do I fix it

 

[chopperdog45]

Welcome to the forum. What is the weight of your camper? What is the payload rating for your truck?

 

[crash68]

This has been discussed on the forum before:

Truck camper -> Extreme body roll/sway. Help!

I have a 2016 2500 Mega 6.4L with Thuren front 2" lift springs, track bar and Fox shocks at all 4 corners. I left the rear springs stock. Riding on Toyo AT2 295/65R20 65psi front, 75psi rear. Just drove 150 miles to pick up my new (used) truck camper and was scared to death driving home. As...

www.ramforum.com

Good information starting at post #18

 

[GTyankee]

LOL

I just read your query & noticed that it might be a
night mare & then i saw your User Name

Bags & heavier shocks

 

[dhay13]

As was said, what is the weight of the camper and what is your payload? Pretty good chance you are overloaded with a 2500 CTD. Payload is probably around 2100lbs depending on options. Take the truck as loaded to a CAT scale. If you are over 10,000lbs with everyone in it, including all gear you take with you, then you are overloaded.

 

[stevenP]

Ram 2500's have coil springs in the rear. Your ford had leaf. I too have noticed some body roll, since I downsized to a 2500 from my 3500. I attribute this to the rear coil over suspension.

 

[tron67j]

I looked at Lances for my 2500 with 3k payload capacity. Those run pretty heavy and hard pressed to find a LB unit under 2,400 pounds. I am sure that unit over the truck's capacity, and if there are things like solar panels or awning it is probably top heavy as well.

 

[18CrewDually]

Heres another thread for you to read with info on the topic. I still stand by my posts in this thread below.
Post in thread 'Swaying problems with in-bed camper' https://www.ramforum.com/threads/swaying-problems-with-in-bed-camper.192870/post-2702948

 

[crash68]

Ram 2500's have coil springs in the rear. Your ford had leaf. I too have noticed some body roll, since I downsized to a 2500 from my 3500. I attribute this to the independent rear coil over suspension.

The rear suspension of a 2500 is a not independent coil over suspension, that's what's used on the front of a 1500. If I remember correctly Ram stopped using a coilover suspension design in the front of the HD trucks back in '13.
Only vehicle I can think of right now with a +10K GVWR that has an independent rear suspension was the Hummer H1

 

[zrock]

The rear suspension of a 2500 is a not independent coil over suspension, that's what's used on the front of a 1500. If I remember correctly Ram stopped using a coilover suspension design in the front of the HD trucks back in '13.
Only vehicle I can think of right now with a +10K GVWR that has an independent rear suspension was the Hummer H1

no the rear is not independent coil spring but it is still coil spring. Coils do not give you the same load capacity as a good old leaf spring, From the specs i just looked at the front is a multilink coil suspension.
To the original OP add a set of airbags with a incab controller or bluetooth then you can find the optimum setting and should help allot to take out the sway..

 

[crash68]

Coils do not give you the same load capacity as a good old leaf spring, From the specs i just looked at the front is a multilink coil suspension.

The front suspension of an HD might be multi-link but it's not independent as it uses a solid axle.
As for your theory that coils do not give the same load capacity as leaf springs, well that's completely false. It comes down to the compression rate of the spring itself, Ram chooses a softer rate for the 2500 for better ride characteristics. You don't have to look any further than the 5500 to see the front GAWR is higher(7000 lbs) than the rear axle of the 2500(6500 lbs), guess what kind of springs it uses...wait for it...coil spring. Did you know trains also use coil springs?

 

[stevenP]

My bad, yes it is a solid rear axle, with coil overs. I will still say for sure the rear has a lot of side to side body roll when loaded as compared to my 3500 with the same RV. My unit does the RAMair option too.

 

[ramffml]

The front suspension of an HD might be multi-link but it's not independent as it uses a solid axle.
As for your theory that coils do not give the same load capacity as leaf springs, well that's completely false. It comes down to the compression rate of the spring itself, Ram chooses a softer rate for the 2500 for better ride characteristics. You don't have to look any further than the 5500 to see the front GAWR is higher(7000 lbs) than the rear axle of the 2500(6500 lbs), guess what kind of springs it uses...wait for it...coil spring. Did you know trains also use coil springs?

I agree that it might not be the coils themselves, but what about the placement? Could be wrong but I thought the leaf springs on fords/gms are farther outboard than the coils in the ram, meaning there is less support and more body roll from left to right because the springs are closer to the center of the truck vs the leafs which are farther to the outside.

 

[BadHemi2014]

We had a Lance slide in camper. That thing was 2600lb+ dry. I can't imagine carrying one of those in anything but a dually. Our 1 ton longbed dually carried ours with no sway or other issues.
I swear to a difference between good ol leaf springs vs coils. Maybe the load capacity isn't lessened but they just don't seem to handle a load the same. My lil Dakota had leafs and its payload was at least as much as my Ram. I heavily loaded that truck many times and it handled great. Just a subjective opinion from a nonexpert, but I kinda miss leaf springs. I don't need my truck to handle like a Caddy lol I need it to do stuff.
Notice the OP hasn't been back??

 

[18CrewDually]

It's all clearly explained in the thread link I listed above. Folks, educate yourselves instead of posting guesses that are inaccurate. The article I have linked in the thread above talks all about the 2500 and the inboard coil springs that give it the unstable feeling. Go read!

Heres one of the articles talking about it.

Towing with a Rear Coil Sprung Ram 2500 - Diesel Power Products Blog

Are you debating whether a Ram 2500 with rear coil springs or a Ram 3500 with leaf springs is a better option for you? Check out our comparison!

www.dieselpowerproducts.com

 

[ramffml]

It's all clearly explained in the thread link I listed above. Folks, educate yourselves instead of posting guesses that are inaccurate. The article I have linked in the thread above talks all about the 2500 and the inboard coil springs that give it the unstable feeling. Go read!

Heres one of the articles talking about it.

Towing with a Rear Coil Sprung Ram 2500 - Diesel Power Products Blog

Are you debating whether a Ram 2500 with rear coil springs or a Ram 3500 with leaf springs is a better option for you? Check out our comparison!

www.dieselpowerproducts.com

A quote from the article:

While leaf springs are normally mounted on the outside of the frame almost to the tires, Ram installed the coils on the inside of the frame, giving the springs a narrower stance.

 

[18CrewDually]

A quote from the article:

Yes, exactly. That's the key point of info. That's why a high center of gravity truckbed camper feels tipsy on a stock newer 2500 Ram.

 

[ramffml]

Yes, exactly. That's the key point of info. That's why a high center of gravity truckbed camper feels tipsy on a stock newer 2500 Ram.

I suspect that might be why our 1500's are a little squishy/soggy too compared to the Fords and GMs. It's not the coil vs the leafs, its just the placement.

 

[18CrewDually]

I suspect that might be why our 1500's are a little squishy/soggy too compared to the Fords and GMs. It's not the coil vs the leafs, its just the placement.

The "squishy/soggy" can vary based on the progression rate of the spring that is designed into it. This can be quick or slow (hard/soft) for either spring type.
The issue on the RAM 2500 is the combination of a slow/soft progressive spring that is mounted closer to center (inboard) in comparison to the leaf sprung trucks.

 

[Ramtop]

Add a set of Timbergrove airbags. Not only does it add the ability to adjust your load carrying, they mount outside the frame and widen the load carrying helping with making it more stable.

Air Suspensions, Air Compressors, Air Springs for Trucks in Jim Falls WI | Timber Grove Enterprises, LLC

Air Suspension, Air Springs & Air Compressors for Factory, Lowered or Lifted Trucks

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