Rear Suspension Upgrade

[JB1]

It's been almost a year since I had my 6" BDS suspension installed and decided it was time for a cleanup and a rear suspension upgrade. I have been gathering parts and reading a lot of info here to make sure I bought the correct parts/oil.

Parts List:

1. Mag-Hytec Differential cover P/N D12-9.25
2. Redline Gear oil 75W-140ns
3. Hellwig Rear Sway Bar P/N 7709
4. Core4x4 complete kit, upper/lower control arms, panhard bar and 17" long sway-bar end links
5. Procomp rear box kit P/N 56747B-5
6. Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer
7. Dupli-Color DE1634 Low Gloss Black enamel w/ceramic

I started by cleaning underneath, masking off where needed, then spraying rust reformer on the non-painted areas that had some surface rust (CV's, driveshaft's, rear diff etc.). Then I gave it several coats of paint with Dupli-color DE1634. I have used this color several times on other projects and I like that its not a gloss black, looks more of a factory under hood black.

 

[JB1]

First part too install was the Mag-Hytec rear differential cover, I followed the advice from the thread linked below which made it very easy. I applied anti-sieze to the bolts and torqued to 192 in-lbs., filled with fluid and no leaks. Next I installed the Hellwig rear sway bar and Core4x4 17" end links at the Hellwig end mounting holes. Finally I installed the Core4x4 rear panhard bar adjusted to factory length to complete that phase of the upgrade.

https://www.ramforum.com/threads/differential-oil-change.84221/page-18

 

[JB1]

Next are a few pics of the Procomp rear control arm brackets I got from Nick@GotExhaust. The BDS rear lift kit only raises the upper control arm bracket at the rear differential mount to keep it level and the lower control arm is not relocated. After talking with @S0CAL and @Pull Ya I decided to buy/install the procomp rear brackets which relocate both the upper and lower control arm mount at the frame. This is the only procomp piece I installed, the rest of the rear kit remains BDS which I prefer over the procomp coil spacers (every kit has pros and cons).

The procomp brackets come with a stainless shiny emblem plate which had to go, so I removed the drive screws that held it on, drilled the hole size #29 and tapped it to #8-32UNC-2B. I bought some 1/2" long black socket head screws for these holes. I then designed and 3D printed my own emblems, I printed both the MOPAR and the RAM 4X4 to see which one I liked. I did this in Solidworks 3D so I can change the text easily.

 

[JB1]

Here's where the fun began in the Texas 105 deg heat. Removing the control arms and adding the procomp brackets was kinda tricky. Some of the parts needed some convincing and marine grease to get in place. I had to attach a ratchet strap from the trailer hitch to the axle at each side to keep it from moving forward (not shown in pics). The bolts are 175ft ft-lbs and not easily accessible but I got it done.

 

[JB1]

After several hours I got everything installed and back together. The finished product turned out great., truck drives nice and tight and no wheel hop whatsoever. I accumulated all these parts over several months and total cost was around $1500 ish

 

[Pull Ya]

Damn that looks good. Well worth the time and effort---now that it's all "done". I like your low budget creeper---LOL.
Jay

 

[JB1]

Damn that looks good. Well worth the time and effort---now that it's all "done". I like your low budget creeper---LOL.
Jay

Thanks and ya nothing like good ole cardboard lol

 

[hotrod45]

Looks great. I'm still using my "creeper" that I got from a carton of Borla exhaust from @GotExhaust for the '13 that I had.

 

[Longhorn1500]

Looks great... You painted the Helwig anti-sway bar? Mine is a grey-ish color that I like. Although having everything the same color looks great! Which hole did you use on the Helwig? Most seem to use the middle one. That Mag-HyTec cover might have to be my next upgrade. There is lots of clearance on your anti-sway bar to the cover.

 

[smoothee]

Damn that's sweet! Nice custom touches to those brackets! I've been eyeballing those Procomp brackets as well, just not sure if they'll work with my 4" lift.

 

[JB1]

Looks great... You painted the Helwig anti-sway bar? Mine is a grey-ish color that I like. Although having everything the same color looks great! Which hole did you use on the Helwig? Most seem to use the middle one. That Mag-HyTec cover might have to be my next upgrade. There is lots of clearance on your anti-sway bar to the cover.

I wanted to keep everything black with contrast of satin and gloss. I used the hole at the end for now but might try the middle.

 

[JB1]

Damn that's sweet! Nice custom touches to those brackets! I've been eyeballing those Procomp brackets as well, just not sure if they'll work with my 4" lift.

I’m curious if they would work with a 3” rear lift too. This procomp rear box kit wasn’t expensive, you get the entire rear kit with end links and and everything. Check with Nick for a quote

 

[shadowhawk]

damn nice truck JB.

 

[JB1]

damn nice truck JB.

Thanks, I have been buying parts here and there for months and planning this out, finally had time to get it all installed. I was going to have the core4x4 parts in white but that's just too much upkeep for me.

 

[shadowhawk]

yeah. It's easy to forget how much metal there is on these trucks until you have to clean all of it!

 

[6.7CumminsDrvr]

The brackets should work with a 4” lift assuming it was 3” in the rear. Standard 6” kits are 3” in the rear with 5” as an option and iirc, the brackets come regardless of rear height.

FWIW, my 4” Superlift came with the frame end relocation brackets (reason i liked their kit but unfortunately i don't think the brackets are offered with the 4” kit anymore) so you should be good.

 

[JB1]

The brackets should work with a 4” lift assuming it was 3” in the rear. Standard 6” kits are 3” in the rear with 5” as an option and iirc, the brackets come regardless of rear height.

FWIW, my 4” Superlift came with the frame end relocation brackets (reason i liked their kit but unfortunately i don't think the brackets are offered with the 4” kit anymore) so you should be good.

Correct your kit has them too, not sure why they only come on the 6” kit now. Wonder if they drop the same distance as procomp center to center. I didn’t check their cost.

The procomp rear spacer is 4.5” tall, I would like to see what those brackets look like with a 3” rear coil

 

[smoothee]

I’m curious if they would work with a 3” rear lift too. This procomp rear box kit wasn’t expensive, you get the entire rear kit with end links and and everything. Check with Nick for a quote

It looks like the BDS relocation brackets are the same for both 4" and 6", so the same would probably go for these (even though Procomp doesn't make a 4" kit). Yes I was surprised at the price, so this may get added to the list. Dammit!

The brackets should work with a 4” lift assuming it was 3” in the rear. Standard 6” kits are 3” in the rear with 5” as an option and iirc, the brackets come regardless of rear height.

FWIW, my 4” Superlift came with the frame end relocation brackets (reason i liked their kit but unfortunately i don't think the brackets are offered with the 4” kit anymore) so you should be good.

Ok, good to know. Yes, I do have the 3" rear lift. I was kind of hoping they wouldn't work, seeings how I bought the BDS relocation brackets not too long ago for my RC lift, lol.

 

[JB1]

Only reason I think BDS raises the axel bracket only on the top versus dropping both is to give greater clearance maybe, just a thought

 

[6.7CumminsDrvr]

Id snap a few pics of my truck for reference but its sitting up at the dealership.............