Looking to improve ride quality of 2500

[GeneM]

So, I've had my 2016 2500 Outdoorsman now for about a year and for the most part I do like the truck however the one thing that I just hate is how brutally stuff the suspension is.
Looking for some suggestions to improve this issue, the first thing I'm looking at is some better shocks, I've been reading that the Bilstein 5100s make a nice improvement in this area. Second will be to run 50psi in the tires and just live with the TPMS light screaming at me, until I break down and buy the adapter I need to use the AlphaPDB application and change that setting.
The last thing I really want to do is replace the coil springs as I don't really want to change/lower the payload on the truck. If I have to go down that road I've found a place called coilsprings.com out of Ohio that can get me replacement springs that will lower the rate 15/20% but again that's gonna mess with payload and towing which is the whole reason I bought a HD truck and when I go to sell it I don't want to have to swap them out again. Any other suggestions would be great!

 

[LouM]

Have your spring shop make or buy a variable coil spring.

 

[JJEH]

I hear you on the payload issue. I'm considering getting a Carli, but their older Fox system would decrease my load by ~10%, which a 1/5to already has a terrible payload. So I'm not sure on that one, and I still have to read up on their new one that they now make.

They have a nice level system for the 2500 and it's not even that expensive. I'd recommend sending an email to Devon and ask all your questions there

https://www.carlisuspension.com/product-category/dodge/dodge-ram-2500-3500/ram-suspension-systems/2-5-inch/2014-18-ram-2500-4x4-hemi-2-5%e2%80%b3-leveling-systems/

 

[GeneM]

Ya I'm not looking for a leveling system I just want a smoother/plusher ride that's all!

 

[mtnrider]

Throw some weight in the bed. Any kind of softer spring is going to lower the payload so you are defeating the purpose of a HD truck, might as well just buy a 1500 at that point

.

 

[Daw14]

A few hundred pounds can make a night and day difference.
Plus it can be a free trial !

 

[GeneM]

it's still a brick even with dirtbikes in the bed, unfortunately a 1/2 ton can't handle my toy hauler so I have to own an HD truck.. I guess I'll just have to try the new shocks method and see what that does, I'll report back so others will be able to see results of this.

 

[mtnrider]

it's still a brick even with dirtbikes in the bed, unfortunately a 1/2 ton can't handle my toy hauler so I have to own an HD truck.. I guess I'll just have to try the new shocks method and see what that does, I'll report back so others will be able to see results of this.

Shocks are not going to do anything noticeable (unless they are completley worn out) so don't waste your money. Shocks only control compression and rebound damping, it's not going to fix the stiff nature of the HD spring rate

/

 

[rzr6-4]

I did the Eibach level which I think actually made it a little more stiff, so I removed the front sway bar and that helped a lot. Hitting tracks or a seam in the road is still solid but removing the sway bar and the new shocks with that level made a difference on singe side bumps.

New Core 4x4 track bar on the front makes a BIG difference on rough stuff, but makes pretty much no difference on small bumps, so just depends whether that would help.

New Bilsteins on the rear made a difference, not a big one but you can feel the change. My old ones were shot.

I have leaf springs but I am debating the Carli soft ride system as well. I don't tow often but when I do it's heavy so I'm still not sure. From what I've seen though that would be the biggest game changer.

What tire size do you have? My previous set of 35s I ran at 33-35psi and my current 33s at 38psi. The size of the tires will determine what psi you are able to go down to, but if you are thinking of going down to 50 then I'd assume you area at 60-65 now? Dropping that to 40-45 will be a big improvement, and it's free.

Edit to add per mtnrider --- If shocks will help depends on how bad yours are. If yours are "ok" but not terrible then I agree you probly won't see a huge change. My fronts were toast and the rear not much better so I was able to tell, but those may be extreme cases.

 

[GeneM]

Well it's hard to say if my shocks are "shot" normally a worn out shock will causes the vehicle to bounce outta control and not control any kind of dampening at all. My truck has only 66k miles on it so I can't imagine the shocks are "shot" but if they are valved really stiff then shocks with softer valving could help.
I'm running the stock tire size and I've been running 60F / 75R tire pressure as going much lower kicks off the TPMS alert and that drives me nuts. I just lowered to 50/55 but have yet to run it around to see how that is going to help and I'm just going to deal with the TPMS alert for now.

 

[mtnrider]

Well it's hard to say if my shocks are "shot" normally a worn out shock will causes the vehicle to bounce outta control and not control any kind of dampening at all. My truck has only 66k miles on it so I can't imagine the shocks are "shot" but if they are valved really stiff then shocks with softer valving could help.
I'm running the stock tire size and I've been running 60F / 75R tire pressure as going much lower kicks off the TPMS alert and that drives me nuts. I just lowered to 50/55 but have yet to run it around to see how that is going to help and I'm just going to deal with the TPMS alert for now.

75R psi is a big part of your problem. Run them down to ~45, get AlfaOBD and change your thresholds and your warning light will go out. That with a little weight in the bed will help.

At the end of the day it's still a HD truck though.

.

 

[Fake-Account27]

The comments about adding more weight are spot on. It is amazing how much better the drive is when I am towing. I hauled 18, 80lb bags of concrete, once and it drove a lot better then too.

 

[olyelr]

Yea you got basically two choices to help ride quality if you want to keep the stock springs, which is add weight to bed and lower the air pressure. Both will help tremendously.

Shocks wont do diddly for helping with ride quality with the stock springs.

Changing the springs out to something like carli or thuren have would definitely help, but then you will essentially be lowering your payload. My opinion is that is the better option if you are often unloaded, then just addd bags in the rear for when you are hauling. Kinda gives you the best of both worlds…rides much better empty, yet will tow just fine when loaded.

 

[Rustypipes12]

This may seem a little backwards but you can put softer springs in the rear then add Airlift airbags to the springs. When deflated you'll have a softer ride but when you're hooking up the toy hauler you can add about 15# to the bags and the truck will be just as stiff (or more). I added a set of 6500# bags to my old 1500 and pulling a 9000 lb. trailer with a face cord of wood in the bed was no problem. ( I had a 5.7 hemi with 3.92 rear and towing package in a 2009 TRX)

 

[White six four]

Why do you keep your rear tires aired up more then the front unloaded? Keep them lower or the same. Lookup a psi to weight chart for your tires if you're worried about going too low. Or do the chalk test.

Crawl up into the bed of the truck and jump up and down. Depending on how big of a guy you are your suspension is barely going to "cycle" or move. Buying new shocks will do nothing as there's nothing or very little to "rebound".
Almost all of the "rough ride" comes from overinflated tires and no weight in the **** end.

 

[5150Eddie]

My 2016 had mismatched road tires when I bought it and the ride was extremely stiff. I replaced the shocks with the Bilstein 5100's and did Cooper Stronghold RT tires at 50lbs. Ride and handling very much improved. I think the door sticker calls for 80 lbs in the rears. My back won't handle that! It doesn't bother me to have the TPMS light on.

 

[GeneM]

Yes factory states f60/r80 psi which is crazy hard. I've lowered to 48/55 and I'm already seeing improvement. Going to drop reward to 50 as that should help even more and provide better snow traction

 

['06 Ram 2500]

I have leaf springs on my ‘06 2500 and bought the basic Carli System because the rear springs were so stiff the truck would start bouncing on washboard roads. Carli worked great and I lost a little bit of payload but don’t miss it at all. Try Carli or get variable springs.

 

[olyelr]

Yes factory states f60/r80 psi which is crazy hard. I've lowered to 48/55 and I'm already seeing improvement. Going to drop reward to 50 as that should help even more and provide better snow traction

The rear tires can have about 10 pounds less psi than the fronts, when unloaded. Theres just so much less weight on them.

 

[2016 2500]

I did the Eibach level which I think actually made it a little more stiff, so I removed the front sway bar and that helped a lot. Hitting tracks or a seam in the road is still solid but removing the sway bar and the new shocks with that level made a difference on singe side bumps.

New Core 4x4 track bar on the front makes a BIG difference on rough stuff, but makes pretty much no difference on small bumps, so just depends whether that would help.

New Bilsteins on the rear made a difference, not a big one but you can feel the change. My old ones were shot.

I have leaf springs but I am debating the Carli soft ride system as well. I don't tow often but when I do it's heavy so I'm still not sure. From what I've seen though that would be the biggest game changer.

What tire size do you have? My previous set of 35s I ran at 33-35psi and my current 33s at 38psi. The size of the tires will determine what psi you are able to go down to, but if you are thinking of going down to 50 then I'd assume you area at 60-65 now? Dropping that to 40-45 will be a big improvement, and it's free.

Edit to add per mtnrider --- If shocks will help depends on how bad yours are. If yours are "ok" but not terrible then I agree you probly won't see a huge change. My fronts were toast and the rear not much better so I was able to tell, but those may be extreme cases.

Yes factory states f60/r80 psi which is crazy hard. I've lowered to 48/55 and I'm already seeing improvement. Going to drop reward to 50 as that should help even more and provide better snow traction

The tire load rating and the tpms are expecting you to use this for hauling which is why the spec calls for so much weight. always remember to air up before connecting your toy hauler and you will be good to go with the drop in pressure, but do make sure your not under inflating the tires you are on, if the sides start wearing down before the middle it is a classic sign of under pressuring the tire it will wear the tire fast. I have the 2016 ram 2500 I keep alll tires at 65 psi, I have alphaobd and fully recommend it. either android version, like I have or laptop version. that allowed me to lower that tpms level and it is much easier to deal with. I keep the higher pressure because I have load range F tires