calinb
Junior Member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2016
- Posts
- 22
- Reaction score
- 11
- Ram Year
- 2004, 2016
- Engine
- 3.7 6-cyl, 6.7 Cummins
I'm posting for help here in the Towing and Hauling forum, because whenever I'm plowing snow, I'm hauling too (weight in back).
This is the forth year that I've been plowing with this rig but the snow has been particularly thick lately in N. Central Idaho and I'd like to do something about a rear wheel hop problem. How might I fix my wheel hop? I don't care about the ride. Only traction performance matters to me.
Even when I'm not hauling or plowing, rear end wheel hop is what usually limits my traction. When it's bad, I typically need to throttle back to stop the hop but then I soon come to a stop--even though had been making good progress when powered-up. Of course the hop degrades traction too. It can develop on a smooth surface too (free of any washboards, etc.) when climbing a hill or pushing snow. I think the hop is more likely to develop when the wheels start to spin, but sometimes at least some spin is necessary to enable progress, depending on conditions.
My setup:
2WD 2004 Ram 1500 with manual transmission. 180,000+ miles.
DK2 88" Summit plow ("consumer grade").
Yukon Duragrip aftermarket limited slip differential.
Commercial grade chains (x4 for help with braking and steering too).
Almost 1000lb of concrete ballist in the rear of the bed for traction and "ballast/balance" of the front plow.
Hellwig 3500 helper springs--originally installed to level my camper. Yeah--3500s are overkill but they are set very loose and my previous light 1500-application Hellwig springs took a sag/set within a year's time so I got the 3500, which don't require much preload. Even though the ride feels normal, with or without a load, being over-sprung might still be the root cause so perhaps heavily damped shocks would help? What about compression to rebound damping ratios?
My pickup still has OEM shocks. They still feel normai when driving under normal street conditions or when doing the shove and wait for a bounce test, but might they still be a good place to start? Any recommendations for shocks brand and model would be very appreciated!
Yeah--I know a 4WD Ram 2500 would be better for the job but they are super expensive these days. Actually, I already have one (a Cummins Big Horn) but it's my hunting/camping rig and I don't want to trash my nice pickup plowing either. If I ever find a gasoline 4WD 2500 at a good price (like pre-COVID price...haha), I'll buy it!
Thanks for any advice!
-Cal
This is the forth year that I've been plowing with this rig but the snow has been particularly thick lately in N. Central Idaho and I'd like to do something about a rear wheel hop problem. How might I fix my wheel hop? I don't care about the ride. Only traction performance matters to me.
Even when I'm not hauling or plowing, rear end wheel hop is what usually limits my traction. When it's bad, I typically need to throttle back to stop the hop but then I soon come to a stop--even though had been making good progress when powered-up. Of course the hop degrades traction too. It can develop on a smooth surface too (free of any washboards, etc.) when climbing a hill or pushing snow. I think the hop is more likely to develop when the wheels start to spin, but sometimes at least some spin is necessary to enable progress, depending on conditions.
My setup:
2WD 2004 Ram 1500 with manual transmission. 180,000+ miles.
DK2 88" Summit plow ("consumer grade").
Yukon Duragrip aftermarket limited slip differential.
Commercial grade chains (x4 for help with braking and steering too).
Almost 1000lb of concrete ballist in the rear of the bed for traction and "ballast/balance" of the front plow.
Hellwig 3500 helper springs--originally installed to level my camper. Yeah--3500s are overkill but they are set very loose and my previous light 1500-application Hellwig springs took a sag/set within a year's time so I got the 3500, which don't require much preload. Even though the ride feels normal, with or without a load, being over-sprung might still be the root cause so perhaps heavily damped shocks would help? What about compression to rebound damping ratios?
My pickup still has OEM shocks. They still feel normai when driving under normal street conditions or when doing the shove and wait for a bounce test, but might they still be a good place to start? Any recommendations for shocks brand and model would be very appreciated!
Yeah--I know a 4WD Ram 2500 would be better for the job but they are super expensive these days. Actually, I already have one (a Cummins Big Horn) but it's my hunting/camping rig and I don't want to trash my nice pickup plowing either. If I ever find a gasoline 4WD 2500 at a good price (like pre-COVID price...haha), I'll buy it!
Thanks for any advice!
-Cal