Post by: Flyin6 on May 02, 2023, 09:27:38 PM
I buy a different type of oil and the wolves here are gonna be all over me.
I'm a big boy and I can take it
(But not without some firing and banning) ;-)
Yea, so now that I sold my D-Max truck, I'd like to "Personalize my truck some to fit me and my personality.
Duane is texting me three times a day showing me Calri suspension stuff and Method wheels and, well, like an alcoholic in a bar, it's hard to resist it all the time
Well,I do think the stuck can benefit from a few tasteful mods while keeping it trip and tow-ready.
I have started off with a couple of things which I have ordered
Inbound are Aeries folding, electric running boards and a Bak-Flip tonneau cover.
I actually need those two things because oddly enough the stock Ram 3500 is sort of tall
Post by: rpar86 on May 02, 2023, 10:15:46 PM
;)
You know the rule… pics or it didn’t happen.
Post by: Dustoff35 on May 03, 2023, 08:02:00 AM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 03, 2023, 08:28:30 AM
So you started a build thread…Yea, so I'm not gonna call it a build thread. Building is what you are doing to your Power Wagon. I'd more favor the term, "slight modification to increase functionality and improve the driving experience, change things here and there, thread"
Maybe a bit wordy, but, yea, that's it... ;-)
The term "Build thread" to me is kind of a threshold. You don't cross it. Sort of like losing one's virginity. Once it's gone, it's gone! If I build this thing, well, then I'd eventually be pulling and inspecting the oil pump, replacing hundreds of things that don't need replacing and so it goes. I want to "Celebrate" all the great engineering Mopar has packaged here and just polish some things and nudge some others. Naw, not gonna build anything. But personalize it, well, sure!
Post by: TexasRedNeck on May 03, 2023, 09:04:53 AM
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Post by: stlaser on May 03, 2023, 09:09:12 AM
Let’s go to the tape. Not sure who had May as the “over/under”. Shawn?
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Pretty sure you had April and I had May, winner, winner, chicken dinner!!!!
Call it whatever you want Boss, we all know where this is going……
Post by: Dustoff35 on May 03, 2023, 09:35:09 AM
So you started a build thread…Yea, so I'm not gonna call it a build thread...
Which is why you started this conversation in the "Build Threads" section?
Post by: stlaser on May 03, 2023, 09:46:25 AM
Post by: Nate on May 03, 2023, 09:48:22 AM
Let’s go to the tape. Not sure who had May as the “over/under”. Shawn?
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Let’s go to the tape. Not sure who had May as the “over/under”. Shawn?
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Pretty sure you had April and I had May, winner, winner, chicken dinner!!!!
Call it whatever you want Boss, we all know where this is going……
Post by: Sammconn on May 03, 2023, 02:15:30 PM
Let’s go to the tape. Not sure who had May as the “over/under”. Shawn?Shawn yep.
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Boss man lasted longer than I thought…
The build will come. Even as the boss describes.
He’ll get into the nuts and bolts.
Post by: cj7ox on May 03, 2023, 02:18:28 PM
:popcorn:
Post by: KensAuto on May 03, 2023, 03:55:48 PM
Might have to call them for your newer model
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Post by: Flyin6 on May 03, 2023, 04:28:23 PM
Man, this is a great morning for the DOT troops. Making strikes left and right, the old boss man is looking like Swiss cheese….....Yea...
Post by: Flyin6 on May 03, 2023, 04:30:10 PM
I knew you couldn't resist, Big D! Remember the first step to problem resolution is recognizing (and admitting) there's a problem. LOLIt's a problem???
:popcorn:
Man, I thought it was just "good old fun!"
;-)
I'm taking some HEAT rounds here...
Post by: cj7ox on May 03, 2023, 04:33:17 PM
It's a problem???
Man, I thought it was just "good old fun!"
;-)
I'm taking some HEAT rounds here...
Nope. SABOT rounds all the way! LOL
Post by: Flyin6 on May 03, 2023, 04:34:05 PM
https://www.customwheeloffset.com/store/suspension/67884/bds-suspension-6-radius-arm-lift-kit-19-20-ram-2500-4wd-dieselI really don't think I'm going anywhere near that. Not this time
Might have to call them for your newer model
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This truck could be leveled. That would be OK, I think
But I don't see a bunch of high lift, reduced turning radius, and hard to park going on anymore.
Level, Bilstein shocks, AT tires maybe on less offset wheels to widen stance. That makes sense, but no more sky-high trucks other than what I already own.
Post by: oklawall on May 03, 2023, 04:45:37 PM
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Post by: Flyin6 on May 03, 2023, 07:02:29 PM
How is the Mrs. Cadillac doing? Or did that get traded off and I missed itNo, we have it/use it daily
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It's a great car. 3.6 that feels like a V8 and I can get 24mpg or better, sometimes much better on the highway, she averages 20. Our best so far for a tank of gas is 30.6. With the 10-speed it does not lack power, and its AWD.
I'll keep her in it 4 years, then sell it and buy another Caddy.
Post by: Bigdave_185 on May 04, 2023, 01:50:43 PM
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Post by: Flyin6 on May 04, 2023, 03:01:54 PM
Icon from Tate has wheels that match the method wheels. Just sayinWhich ones, Dave cause I'd be looking at these tires:
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285/60R20 which is the stock, 33.5" tall tire
Post by: Nate on May 04, 2023, 06:18:34 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 04, 2023, 09:53:29 PM
https://www.amazon.com/General-Grabber-All-Terrain-Radial-Tire-LT285/dp/B07DCLB7WBNate, that is one excellent suggestion. I ran those for 10 years while in the Army on a couple of Dodge W150's and two F250's
Post by: Bigdave_185 on May 04, 2023, 11:24:41 PM
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Post by: Bigdave_185 on May 04, 2023, 11:24:48 PM
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Post by: Flyin6 on May 05, 2023, 11:08:38 AM
This is a street tow/travel truck.
Just something that would widen the track a little and look good. And maybe I just keep the stock wheel and change out the LBGT tires.
(Firestone Trans-Force)
Seriously, how did Duane and I end up with LBGT tires? :shocked: :facepalm:
Post by: Bigdave_185 on May 05, 2023, 11:17:33 AM
I'm not going to a bead lock, DaveI think the label on the grill or tailgate answers that question lol
This is a street tow/travel truck.
Just something that would widen the track a little and look good. And maybe I just keep the stock wheel and change out the LBGT tires.
(Firestone Trans-Force)
Seriously, how did Duane and I end up with LBGT tires? :shocked: :facepalm:
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Post by: stlaser on May 05, 2023, 12:38:57 PM
I'm not going to a bead lock, DaveI think the label on the grill or tailgate answers that question lol
This is a street tow/travel truck.
Just something that would widen the track a little and look good. And maybe I just keep the stock wheel and change out the LBGT tires.
(Firestone Trans-Force)
Seriously, how did Duane and I end up with LBGT tires? :shocked: :facepalm:
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Ya know……. He might be on to something here!
Post by: Bigdave_185 on May 05, 2023, 02:15:07 PM
You want wider wheels, you want taller tires.
Lift or level since you ordered stairs to get in and out.
Guess I’m not sure what type of wheel you are after?
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Post by: Flyin6 on May 05, 2023, 11:03:33 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 05, 2023, 11:06:00 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 05, 2023, 11:07:35 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 05, 2023, 11:09:08 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 05, 2023, 11:10:46 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 05, 2023, 11:13:28 PM
After that, I attached two drains that drain the channel so the pieces fit, into an access hole in the inner bedside.
Post by: Flyin6 on May 05, 2023, 11:15:16 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 05, 2023, 11:16:37 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 05, 2023, 11:17:17 PM
Post by: Bigdave_185 on May 06, 2023, 01:21:14 AM
Don’t drop any sharp objects on it
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Post by: Dustoff35 on May 06, 2023, 06:20:55 AM
That’s not a solid aluminum cover. It’s thin aluminum sheet with styrofoam in the middle.That is a fact. My Toyota Tundra equipped with a Bakflip tonneau went through a hailstorm in Wyoming 3 years ago. The only damage was to the tonneau cover and my feelings.
Don’t drop any sharp objects on it
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Post by: Dustoff35 on May 06, 2023, 06:22:53 AM
Post by: Sammconn on May 06, 2023, 08:58:54 AM
Have the same one on my work truck.
Front bolts that attach it continually came loose.
Like nuts fell off wiggling around on the box.
The multiple latches kept it onthe box however.
Was bumping the back window as how I noticed most recently.
20k miles only on the truck.
Keep an eye but likely due to the 20 miles of washboard to and from daily.
As a side note I do like it otherwise other the dust it vacuums in off the road.
Post by: Flyin6 on May 06, 2023, 10:25:50 PM
Bed liner: No for now
Post by: TexasRedNeck on May 06, 2023, 10:48:17 PM
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Post by: Bigdave_185 on May 07, 2023, 12:50:46 AM
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Post by: Farmer Jon on May 07, 2023, 07:08:09 AM
Post by: Bigdave_185 on May 07, 2023, 08:41:37 AM
Will there be a gooseneck ball in this truck? If so, you will not like the hard cover.What’s he gonna pull?
I believe all the sxs Hondas are gone, dirt Bike gone, skid steer gone or for sale, dump trailer was a bumper pull idea,
Unless he buys a car trailer for the Pontiac trans am he talked about?
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Post by: Flyin6 on May 07, 2023, 09:54:28 AM
No goosneck in my future, at least not now.Will there be a gooseneck ball in this truck? If so, you will not like the hard cover.What’s he gonna pull?
I believe all the sxs Hondas are gone, dirt Bike gone, skid steer gone or for sale, dump trailer was a bumper pull idea,
Unless he buys a car trailer for the Pontiac trans am he talked about?
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Still have a Honda Talon...Still have my dirt bike, the Kawasaki KLR 650
Skid steer will be sold probably very soon after I put it up for sale, they are hot items...
Dump trailer is a bumper pull and still using it one last time for annual stone/mulch, but then it's gonna be gone
No trans-am in my future, but should the occasion arise a BB Camaro or Chevelle, or a Buick GSX, well, ...
There may be a camper coming, haven't decided. A 3500 solves all your weight problems whereas a 2500 does not always fit. Nevertheless, a 3500 truck will do everything a 1500 truck will do and still do everything a 3500 truck will do as well...And it will be paid off very soon, so how bad is it to be stuck with a brand new paid-off Laramie Ram truck?
Post by: Bigdave_185 on May 07, 2023, 10:17:35 AM
What the talon been doing?
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Post by: Flyin6 on May 07, 2023, 10:55:09 AM
I’m shocked no one scooped up the Xlr. Had almost not miles and a bunch of great upgrades.Well, Dave, someone was going to buy it, but before he came over, I called him and told him, I had changed my mind and decided to keep it. You see, I have been in turmoil with deciding to sell the farm, so before, when I was going to keep it, I was going to slim down and focus on getting us a proper house built there and doing it all with cash.
What the talon been doing?
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Subsequent to placing the ad, Kat make the proclamation that she was not going to go down there to live, it was just too far from everyone. That set me into a tailspin because for years, I had planned to move out of the palace and into a proper house.
That took a few days/week.
Once It settled in, and I felt we may not be going down there, well, there would be no reason to sell anything that wasn't farm related. I pulled the ad and sent the buyer home.
I want to keep that bike. I want to keep the Suburban, I want to keep the camper and some remnants of that season of my life. So, going forward, I'll ride it and bore it, and whatever...Maybe carry it out west to ride with "Little-Don."
The Talon just sits. But I think we are about to list the farm, early as this coming week, so the Talon will be coming home and I'm sure Kathy will be driving it around.
Heck, I'll probably have to clean out the fuel system. Still has its second tank of gas from 2021 in the tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Bigdave_185 on May 07, 2023, 01:56:58 PM
That talon would make great fun for neighbors who already think your to rowdy for the area. Add a street legal kit for it then the most obnoxious exhaust system you can and use it to pick up the mail lol
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Post by: stlaser on May 07, 2023, 04:09:37 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 07, 2023, 05:17:35 PM
So the two post or four post is getting ordered now?Not so fast
We're going through a mammoth change, and it looks like a complete reset.
Phase 1: Sell farm related equipment: 75% complete
Phase 2: List/prep the farm and sell it
Phase 3: Allow the dust to settle for a spell (A little while).
Phase 4: Maybe...Go buy some land close buy outside the expensive Boone county.
Phase 5: Build a reasonable house and metal building on said property.
Phase 6: Sell our existing home
Phase 7: Live a completely debt-free life for how many years I/we have remaining.
I think conditions in six months will be very different than they are today. I think we are going to be in a severe recession or depression by late this fall. Everyone is out of money. FDIC is funded at around 1%. I think there are a bunch of bank failures about to happen. Have heard that many investment banks have been firing or laying off their junior VPs a traditional belt-tightening that comes just before a crash. People are stretched to the max, and so is the government. Taxes are going up, prices are going up, but wages are not keeping pace. The financial mortgage business is flooded with another crop of bad paper just like in 2008, except that there is no government bailout money this time, so certain segments of the economy will likely crash.
When I sell the farm, I am going to go into physical precious metal, and some CD's with 90% of the proceeds. Land which costs $5K an acre now will go for 1/3rd or less, and that is when I will buy a piece.
My reasoning is way more complex than just what I stated, but I am confident enough to push ahead with the above plan. We are listing the property on the MLS this coming week.
And when we build that final place, I'll put in my 2-post lift. ;-)
The big caveat to all this, is, that if the housing market collapses, I may not be selling the castle. No one could afford it!!!
Post by: JR on May 07, 2023, 09:46:28 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 11, 2023, 09:13:07 PM
Additionally, I decided to just level it now, so I bought a slightly degraded leveling kit from Tate, a Carli suspension system. I picked up the basic leveling system, their nitrogen-charged steering stabilizer, the track bar, the front control arms lowering brackets, and the greaseable rear shackles.
And I ordered some Firestone airbags to round out the suspension and steering. I won't need much more except possibly getting the bed lined and swapping the tires out to some decent ATs in the stock size. I'll be using the stock wheels.
Post by: JR on May 11, 2023, 09:58:16 PM
Post by: Dustoff35 on May 12, 2023, 05:55:28 AM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 12, 2023, 11:12:59 AM
I know you said that the steps were on deck, next to be installed. I would consider putting the Carli suspension items in before the steps. You will gain a few more inches of workspace particularly with the radius arm drop bracket. You have to clamp a drilling fixture to the chassis and get a drill in there between the frame and rocker area. I had to work around my fixed HDX steps and it would have been nice to have the extra room.Hmmm...
Post by: dave945 on May 12, 2023, 12:25:29 PM
I think what Duane is saying is that if you get a six inch lift installed first, the step installation would be a piece of cake.I know you said that the steps were on deck, next to be installed. I would consider putting the Carli suspension items in before the steps. You will gain a few more inches of workspace particularly with the radius arm drop bracket. You have to clamp a drilling fixture to the chassis and get a drill in there between the frame and rocker area. I had to work around my fixed HDX steps and it would have been nice to have the extra room.Hmmm...
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Post by: Flyin6 on May 22, 2023, 10:59:51 PM
I ordered the stuff from Tate, but we quickly found out they cannot deliver on the shocks for a minimum of 6-8 weeks.
Tate was good enough to sell me most of the Carli kit I showed earlier, but I had to fend for myself to find the shocks. That was pretty easy, since I am not going to do anything crazy with this truck, I opted for a set of Bilstein 5100 series shocks. Shock Warehouse had them for a front 2.5" lift and a rear 1" lift, which is what the Carli kit would do. So what I will have going on is 90% Carli minus their shock absorbers.
Some stuff has already shown up:
Post by: Flyin6 on May 22, 2023, 11:01:02 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 22, 2023, 11:02:15 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 22, 2023, 11:06:00 PM
After I read through the instructions, then watched an online video, I started with installing the board mounts, three per side. They use existing factory holes where Mopar would have mounted their factory running board. The fit is really good.
Post by: Flyin6 on May 22, 2023, 11:07:31 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 22, 2023, 11:10:27 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 22, 2023, 11:13:26 PM
Next, it was onto the wiring. A power supply cable attaches to the battery, then threads through a hole in the firewall. I have yet to sort that out as time was short and I think that step needs some investigating. I'll pick this up tomorrow.
The instructions did not say which battery to use, so I'll select the driver's side unit.
Post by: JR on May 22, 2023, 11:14:18 PM
Post by: cj7ox on May 23, 2023, 03:13:17 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 07:27:29 PM
Driver side battery should be correct. Unless they changed it from the 5.9, the passenger side is for starting, and driver is for the auxiliaries. FYI, don't jump start anything from the aux battery. ;-)That's interesting. Did not know any of that.
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 07:43:47 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 07:45:28 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 07:48:54 PM
Aeries uses a cool system of a trigger and a fixed-in-place neodymium magnet.
The targets use double-sided tape, the same as the magnets.
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 07:50:35 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 07:51:20 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 07:52:15 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 07:53:38 PM
Here is the open/closed positions:
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 07:54:24 PM
Post by: JR on May 23, 2023, 08:09:11 PM
I like the magnet rip idea. No tapping into the factory harness, right?
Our Dmaxs, well GM just run the batteries in parallel. Think I found my power drain, CD player seems to be cycling all the time.
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 08:22:36 PM
Hmm, so they are steps and running boards.Steps within a step. You have two steps into the cab with these.
I like the magnet rip idea. No tapping into the factory harness, right?
Our Dmaxs, well GM just run the batteries in parallel. Think I found my power drain, CD player seems to be cycling all the time.
No tapping into the factory harness, just uses magnetic triggers. Pretty simple.
Post by: Flyin6 on May 23, 2023, 09:46:04 PM
Out of approximately 300 miles, around 120 were towing around 6500-7000 lbs at various speeds in hilly country.
I'm good with that.
Post by: Flyin6 on May 24, 2023, 09:02:29 PM
The truck does that in spades still delivering pretty good mileage and has a lot of power.
Today, however, I loaded that dump trailer up with 10 scoops or about 8 yards of damp mulch. I estimate I was pulling #18,000.
That was an altogether different towing experience. Overall, the truck did just fine, and I found the ride with this totally stock suspension to be very smooth and controllable. The braking with the exhaust brake in play was very good. I was using a high setting for the trailer brakes which helped as it should.
On one section, I needed to climb a steep winding hill and the truck was floored and all the way down to 1st gear at the top! I don't think I ever experienced something like that before. No complaints, though. When the truck dropped into first on its own, it did not lose any more speed. I kept it floored as I crested that hill and it quickly picked up speed back to around 50mph.
It was the most controlled, and comfortable towing heavy experience I have had in any truck, ever.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 02, 2023, 11:12:38 AM
First, with mostly in-town driving, idling, and pulling a light trailer: 15.5 MPG
Just completed the first road trip of around 500 miles. Cruise speed 71-73 mph 21.0 MPG
That's flipping outstanding. A heavy 1-ton truck running around effortlessly at highway speeds at 21 miles per smiles.
I hear that these motors do not fully break-in, probably due to their low revs, for tens of thousands of miles. So there is potential for even better mileage.
So far, buying this truck is one of the best ideas I have had with respect to a truck purchase, ever.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 02, 2023, 11:13:52 AM
Post by: JR on June 02, 2023, 02:06:17 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 04, 2023, 12:51:21 PM
Getting the stock arms off was more work than I anticipated. Huge bolts and torqued in the hundreds of ft/lbs. range. Additionally, there is no room for an impact wrench, so it is all hand tools...uck!
Today the objective was supposed to complete the installation of the drop bracketry, but there were a lot of tricky little steps that sapped away the time. Additionally, the humidity was up and so was the temperature.
Here is the open box of the stuff I was toiling with.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 04, 2023, 12:52:08 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 04, 2023, 12:53:14 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 04, 2023, 12:54:36 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 04, 2023, 12:56:37 PM
Removing that axle mount/strut or whatever it's called was a living bear!
Post by: Flyin6 on June 04, 2023, 12:59:57 PM
These relocation brackets keep the geometry all the same with the front 2.5" lift. The caster stays in the middle of the range and the coils are not bowed. Carli does things right.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 05, 2023, 09:44:26 AM
OK, so today's post is going to be a short one.
I drilled in the final holes of the Carli bracket and got all those bolts torqued in. Speaking of torque, it is insane. Except for the 1/2" bolt that sees 130 ft lbs, the 3/4" bolts see 230 and 280 depending on whether it has a thick or a thin nut. So that was a trick for sure working from floor stands.
With that done, I moved to the driver, side and tore all that down. Going at it the second time halves the work time but does nothing for the difficulty. These 1-ton Ram trucks have big heavy parts. Nothing light inside the paint of that truck.
I mounted the second drop bracket the same as the first and reconnected the control arm. From there and even with the front axle on the ground the new Carli springs were still too tall. I used a spring compressor to reduce the overall height and slipped them in with the rubber insulator. I gave everything a liberal coating of WD-40 which helps the springs settle into their final position and then raised the front axle with two jacks.
The final step was the installation of the new Bilstein shocks. With that, the front end is nearly complete. Next, I'll install that adjustable track arm in place of the stocker. Dropping the front axle 2.5" would otherwise shove the axle further out on the driver's side. There is something to do with the crossmember, but I cannot figure out what that is at the moment.
Hopefully, today, I will get that done and well into the rear half, if not fully complete and ready for the alignment rack...We'll see.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:06:07 AM
First, let me catch up on what went on (Literally) during day 2.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:10:07 AM
First up today was the installation of a new steering stabilizer bracket. This was a simple R&R. The new Carli piece keeps the stabilizer in the original spot but removes the entire top half of the mount. Ram really builds things in a robust manner. I think the Carli improved track bar needs the space.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:15:53 AM
This was a very specific procedure, where some threads get anti-seize and others get Loctite. Then 200 ft-lbs of torque is applied to the jam nut. They say all that is critical, and I can tell you, that is not easy. Achieving 200 ft-lbs is not easy, but after torquing, everything still needs to remain in alignment, and that is the real issue here.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:17:47 AM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:21:02 AM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:22:54 AM
The next step was just to replace the cross member bolts with the longer bolts that I should have installed two days ago...
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:25:55 AM
Here are the Carli 1" blocks
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:27:22 AM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:28:47 AM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:30:29 AM
I found it to be an easy bolt-in that seems to be well-designed.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:34:21 AM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:35:49 AM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 09:37:34 AM
Post by: Bigdave_185 on June 06, 2023, 10:55:32 AM
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Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 01:59:19 PM
Clean install so far. Looks like Tate’s group is buyin up all the high end stuff!...And we on this site are sure helping them pay the bills! ;-)
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Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 02:17:43 PM
First some better pics of that Carli lowering bracket.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 02:19:28 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 02:20:57 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 02:21:32 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 02:23:19 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 06, 2023, 02:25:22 PM
Post by: JR on June 06, 2023, 11:42:08 PM
Post by: oklawall on June 07, 2023, 08:57:19 AM
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Post by: Flyin6 on June 07, 2023, 05:43:39 PM
Just for my taste those wheels look a little small. Will you drive these until you have to change them or replace them after the alignment?I'm not into the big truck look with this one, so I'll run them for some time. Not in my zone of consideration at the moment. Kat and I were up at Holeman Motors earlier and she says she wants a Cougar or similar fifth wheel. Should that happen I want to be near a stock-size tire for the power.
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I mentioned to her that if the farm sold, I'd give in to getting a Class C or a fifth wheel (And I don't want a Class C). If that did happen, then I would want to keep the fiver small, like no bigger than 28 feet and around 10K max GVW. Thinking about going up hills with all that, I'd want to keep the motor in the power zone so I feel it's best to just hold where I am. The truck is ready to pull or travel by itself. Those Billsteins are not as smooth as I was hoping, though. And it does seem to sit taller (A lot) than before.
I know, sad...Me not modifying everything right out of the gate, but I am thinking, "Change is good."
Post by: stlaser on June 07, 2023, 11:50:10 PM
Post by: Dustoff35 on June 08, 2023, 07:05:25 AM
Post by: TexasRedNeck on June 08, 2023, 07:38:23 AM
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Post by: rpar86 on June 08, 2023, 10:08:56 AM
Look at a keystone alpine or grand design solitude :wink:I second Grand Design.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 08, 2023, 03:44:32 PM
Good job Don. Looks good. If you get a fiver, My guess is you’ll be trading on a dually….Not at all. I plan to keep it small to medium size and that in no way necessitates anything more than what I have. We have looked at a bunch of 25–29-foot units from Cougar, keystone, and some others just to get a feel for what may work. Although the big ones beckon you with all the spacious interior accruements, practicality screams for the smaller units. And this will only occur if/when I sell the farm. If it does not sell, no fifth wheel for me.
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Post by: Flyin6 on June 08, 2023, 03:45:19 PM
Post by: rpar86 on June 08, 2023, 05:53:11 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 08, 2023, 09:38:16 PM
And for the two of you, you don’t need huge. Smaller trailers also open you up to more campground possibilities.My thoughts exactly. She did put a limitation on me if we go this route. She wants a washer/dryer so we can actually stay in it for more than just a few days is we choose. I seem to be finding that at around 28 feet.
Post by: stlaser on June 08, 2023, 11:58:38 PM
I took it down to Bozeman today to see 2 of our 3 kids and get a true break from work. Between shop builds and going to Colorado every 3 weeks on average I needed a break.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 09, 2023, 09:34:04 AM
Ours is the alpine 3220, buddy had an almost identical layout in his grand design. So much so we kind of believe they’re built in same facility. By the 3220 I’d assume it was a 32’ unit but it measures around 37’ and is more than plenty for us. Great kitchen space & has hookups for w&d in the bedroom closet although we’ve yet to purchase a set for it. Bought in June of last year and we spent 6 weeks in it even living out of it for 3+ weeks between homes.Kind of getting off-topic for the Ram 3500 thread, but I would like to know, what do you tow it with? How much does it weigh? What is it like to tow a thing so big? You see, I am nervous about towing something heavy over long distances. Not my cup of tea. I wanted to keep the GWT less than 10,000 with a surge to 11,000 for that reason.
I took it down to Bozeman today to see 2 of our 3 kids and get a true break from work. Between shop builds and going to Colorado every 3 weeks on average I needed a break.
Post by: JR on June 09, 2023, 01:15:20 PM
Get it without a W/D and install yourself, save you $$$$.
Post by: stlaser on June 09, 2023, 02:15:04 PM
Ours is the alpine 3220, buddy had an almost identical layout in his grand design. So much so we kind of believe they’re built in same facility. By the 3220 I’d assume it was a 32’ unit but it measures around 37’ and is more than plenty for us. Great kitchen space & has hookups for w&d in the bedroom closet although we’ve yet to purchase a set for it. Bought in June of last year and we spent 6 weeks in it even living out of it for 3+ weeks between homes.Kind of getting off-topic for the Ram 3500 thread, but I would like to know, what do you tow it with? How much does it weigh? What is it like to tow a thing so big? You see, I am nervous about towing something heavy over long distances. Not my cup of tea. I wanted to keep the GWT less than 10,000 with a surge to 11,000 for that reason.
I took it down to Bozeman today to see 2 of our 3 kids and get a true break from work. Between shop builds and going to Colorado every 3 weeks on average I needed a break.
2018 f250 6.7l 6spd auto, this unit is around 14k and is definitely the most tongue heavy fifth I tow. It handles it just fine w/ bags inflated and the bag on the Reese gooseneck set at 50# (I converted my rv to gn) there really is no issue with these newer diesels and the built in Jake brakes. Like most things, don’t push it and take your time.
We like several things about this setup.
#1 we get our own bed
#2 lots of room inside for two small dogs and us (it will sleep 4)
#3 we don’t have to break camp to go do things as we have the truck
#4 our own shower
#5 full kitchen (although pilot isn’t lighting on the rv atm for fridge)
Not a fan of hotels, starting to become a real flip of the coin in terms of cleanliness and pricing.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 12, 2023, 10:21:15 AM
Post-trip report: Yesterday we went on a relatively short drive/visit to Indiana by way of I-71 and Louisville. The highway has many potholes and repairs which rival King of the hammer's competition hill climbing. Well, that Carli suspension with the Bilstein shocks is absolutely TERRIBLE! I mean it is so bad that you won't want to drive the truck anywhere there is a bridge expansion joint, or a ripple in the asphalt, or a pothole, or anything like that.
I felt several (Many??) times to have lost control as the truck felt like it slammed so hard into things that it jumped completely off the road. I know that it did because several times I had a slight heading change on touchdown and a nasty swerve as it corrected itself.
I have driven in Duane's Carli suspension-equipped truck, although not on any road that bad, and it seems to be firm, but controllable. So I am betting it is not the Carli parts, but the Bilstein shocks. In any case, some of that stuff is coming off immediately or I'll lose the use of the truck. By comparision, having driven hundreds of miles on a trip to eastern Ohio, with the stock suspension, the ride was pleasant. THe ride yesterday was amongst the worse I have ever encountered.
The thing is, I could not have the complete Carli suspension. I could not order either the super expensive 2.5" King shocks they offer or the Fox/Carli lower spec shocks. They were not available and could not be delivered for months. There is some sort of bottleneck there at Carli and they simply cannot fill orders. Same/same with FOX. They have no delivery date, and delivery dates on some products exceed one year.
So I am very unhappy. Having spent a lot of money and having ended up with a junk suspension I almost feel cheated. Cheated on the full experience of what Carli supposedly offers. Because with this Frankenstein Carli/Bilstein suspension the truck is unusable. Oh, and the alignment was good. The tire pressures are factory, and there is but 15 lbs. of air in the rear airbag.
My first course of action will be to buy shock extensions and reinstall the factory shocks to try to get the thing useable again. If that doesn't do it, I am going to strip that Carli stuff back off and go back to stock. Man, what a disappointment!
Post by: stlaser on June 12, 2023, 10:31:46 AM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 12, 2023, 10:41:46 AM
Call up radflo and have them build you custom shocks for it.Sean, sounds expensive!
Look, all I wanted to do here was to level the front. Nothing more, well, that and add air bags for towing. I did not want to spend a bunch of money on the thing. Carli offered Fox/Carli shocks but when I ordered the kit, Tate let me know he could no longer get the Fox shocks and the Carli units were months out. He tried really hard to get me the right shocks. I decided to bolt in the Bilsteins, knowing they were great from past numerous experiences. If I had known it was going to be like this, especially after all that work with the Carli stuff, I would have just left it all stock. Not wanting a built truck here, Want a leveled stock truck with stock-sized tires.
Carli is just not in a place to handle their growing business. They need to either stay small or no longer offer suspension half of a suspension kit without their shocks. At this point, I really do not know if their springs might not be partially at fault. The ride is so bad it has me wondering if the shocks could be doing all that by themselves.
If I can just get some simple shock extensions and bolt back on the stock shocks, maybe that will fix it. At this point, I am not going to throw any more money after what a hard-riding suspension could be. You see, having ridden in Duane's with all their best stuff ($7,000!!!!!!!) I noted it is also pretty firm riding. Like when you hit a bump it is not a soft/supple accommodation of the bump but more of a bounce from a stiff spring. So if his is like that, then it is a combo of the Bilstein/Carli stuff and all of it will have to come back off.
Post by: Atkinsmatt on June 12, 2023, 10:57:01 AM
Post by: stlaser on June 12, 2023, 11:18:16 AM
Call up radflo and have them build you custom shocks for it.Sean, sounds expensive!
Look, all I wanted to do here was to level the front. Nothing more, well, that and add air bags for towing. I did not want to spend a bunch of money on the thing. Carli offered Fox/Carli shocks but when I ordered the kit, Tate let me know he could no longer get the Fox shocks and the Carli units were months out. He tried really hard to get me the right shocks. I decided to bolt in the Bilsteins, knowing they were great from past numerous experiences. If I had known it was going to be like this, especially after all that work with the Carli stuff, I would have just left it all stock. Not wanting a built truck here, Want a leveled stock truck with stock-sized tires.
Carli is just not in a place to handle their growing business. They need to either stay small or no longer offer suspension half of a suspension kit without their shocks. At this point, I really do not know if their springs might not be partially at fault. The ride is so bad it has me wondering if the shocks could be doing all that by themselves.
If I can just get some simple shock extensions and bolt back on the stock shocks, maybe that will fix it. At this point, I am not going to throw any more money after what a hard-riding suspension could be. You see, having ridden in Duane's with all their best stuff ($7,000!!!!!!!) I noted it is also pretty firm riding. Like when you hit a bump it is not a soft/supple accommodation of the bump but more of a bounce from a stiff spring. So if his is like that, then it is a combo of the Bilstein/Carli stuff and all of it will have to come back off.
They’re not cheap Don but they’ll fix that issue. Imo better than a bandaid and reversing everything you just did.
Frankly, it’s a modified truck now as much as you say you wanted to keep it stock that’s just not the reality here. If so you should have done like I did and just thrown bags on it and drove it. There was no need to go this deep. :wink: Best of luck with whatever you do
Post by: oklawall on June 12, 2023, 11:27:59 AM
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Post by: JR on June 12, 2023, 11:46:14 AM
New shocks, are they really that bad? Maybe a little to much air in the rear bags? I don't know but you want the ride back and are looking for an answer.
Could be shocks, to much air in the bags or maybe the tire PSI needs to be tweaked some? You got it aligned after, right?
Throwing stuff out (you should drive kali roads!)
Post by: Flyin6 on June 12, 2023, 01:24:04 PM
So the only thing you changed was the height of the truck. You leveled it, keeping stock suspension geometry. You did however raise the front, which changed the caster angles a little.Yea, all good comments.
New shocks, are they really that bad? Maybe a little to much air in the rear bags? I don't know but you want the ride back and are looking for an answer.
Could be shocks, to much air in the bags or maybe the tire PSI needs to be tweaked some? You got it aligned after, right?
Throwing stuff out (you should drive kali roads!)
Not too much air in the bags, less than 20 psi.
Caster was perfect, factory spec, thanks to the Carli drop brackets that are built to correct all that.
New shocks are super stiff, I think. But those Carli front springs could be stiffer too.
Yea, so all I did was to level the front with a well-engineered Carli kit. Two springs, a Carli track bar, the drop brackets for the control arms and two Bilstein shocks...That's it! Rear got a Carli 1" block, firestone bags and two Bilstein shocks, that's it.
It SHOULD NOT be this way. About the mildest mod I have ever done on a suspension but a world different than the great ride the stock setup gave me.
Post by: JR on June 12, 2023, 07:04:02 PM
20- in the bags empty? Correct me if wrong but the stock springs did OK, so 20psi sounds high unloaded.
Post by: stlaser on June 12, 2023, 10:04:55 PM
Post by: rpar86 on June 12, 2023, 10:49:36 PM
Post by: stlaser on June 12, 2023, 10:57:26 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 13, 2023, 10:01:26 AM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 13, 2023, 12:32:34 PM
Must have a leak somewhere.
So, I'm not fooling around with this. In my view, it's a bunch of bullcrap, buying supposedly great shocks and they turn out to be junk.
I searched everywhere and found a set of FOX 2.0 and ordered them.
Maybe I can sell the Bilstein shocks for half price or something.
But this kit was supposed to come with FOX 2.0 albeit with Carli tuning. I have FOX 2.0's on my Suburban and that truck rides great. I could drive it to the communist state of Kalifornia, and if not arrested for being a conservative, Christian, old white guy, then drive it back to the tuck without any misgivings. Those FOX shocks ride great!
Did I mention I like FOX shocks?
Edit: I meant to add, non-woke, not good with inclusion or LBGTaeiou bull crap, rewriting our history or worshiping criminals because we did that to them nonsense...
Post by: JR on June 13, 2023, 01:22:31 PM
Post by: TexasRedNeck on June 13, 2023, 02:19:09 PM
Gutsy but stupid.
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Post by: JR on June 13, 2023, 02:53:21 PM
Post by: Sammconn on June 13, 2023, 03:42:39 PM
At zero psi the ones I have hammer like a freight train.
Might explain some of the harsh. But don’t think all of it.
Thais is a really unfortunate situation for you.
Post by: EL TATE on June 13, 2023, 05:03:46 PM
Post by: Bigdave_185 on June 13, 2023, 05:40:15 PM
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Post by: EL TATE on June 13, 2023, 06:45:11 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 13, 2023, 07:56:03 PM
After speaking with the boys at Carli, I should not have sold you the individual components without the shocks, as they are all engineered to work around each other like one big happy family. If you found fox 2.0 try them out before throwing in the towel on the system. as they are not carli tuned they may not be as ideal as they were intended but are likely to solve 90% of your issues. He's hard to get on the phone since it's just him, but Tyler over at Carli is a wealth of knowledge. Tyler@carlisusupension.com. just let him know you're working with me on this project.I'll bet the shocks I just purchased are very close in spec to the Carli ones. Doing some more reading on the matter, I found the stock springs are pretty stiff on the ram HD, so the stock shocks are purposely soft-valved. But the new Carli springs are not likely to be stiffer. I'd bet the same rate or slightly softer since the big complaint from Ram owners is the harsh ride.
If I had to bet, I'd wager that the new FOX 2.0's will do the trick.
And, Sam, no my bags do not have the internal jounct bumper. Just a bag of air.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 13, 2023, 07:57:12 PM
well... I kinda, started the 'ol fire there... he,he. thought I'd better help put her out best i could before we lost the barn.We are still well within the "Margin of error" on this one, and the story has not been completely written yet.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 15, 2023, 04:30:27 PM
Today, Duane gave the suspension install the once over. He claims I have the driver's side spring in upside down, and the passenger spring rubber top mount indexed incorrectly. He may be correct, so I'll likely inspect that tomorrow as well, and if it is wrong, then I'll fix all that.
I expect to see good results from FOX 2.0 over the hard-riding Bilstein units.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 15, 2023, 04:32:57 PM
What do you all think of this front bumper?
I had not planned to change the front bumper, but I sort of want to carry around a front winch. I have used it from time to time in the past in the chevy. I may not ever need it, but I am just so used to having one...
Post by: Atkinsmatt on June 15, 2023, 04:54:15 PM
Post by: oklawall on June 15, 2023, 06:47:54 PM
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Post by: JR on June 15, 2023, 06:53:03 PM
Post by: Bigdave_185 on June 15, 2023, 08:04:29 PM
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Post by: JR on June 15, 2023, 08:41:28 PM
Post by: stlaser on June 15, 2023, 09:19:11 PM
Post by: dave945 on June 15, 2023, 09:32:36 PM
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Post by: Dustoff35 on June 16, 2023, 07:30:48 AM
After speaking with the boys at Carli, I should not have sold you the individual components without the shocks, as they are all engineered to work around each other like one big happy family. If you found fox 2.0 try them out before throwing in the towel on the system. as they are not carli tuned they may not be as ideal as they were intended but are likely to solve 90% of your issues. He's hard to get on the phone since it's just him, but Tyler over at Carli is a wealth of knowledge. Tyler@carlisusupension.com. just let him know you're working with me on this project.I couldn't agree more. The Carli suspension is a well-designed, well-engineered and quality-manufactured system. Realize that when you substitute parts, you change the system and alter the proven recipe. The off-the-shelf, non-Carli-tuned Fox shocks are not part of the system. I will be surprised if you get the results you want.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 16, 2023, 10:39:13 AM
I like it but personally would want a deer guard on it. Or in my case, deer, elk, moose etc…..I think you may be correct, S. Digging a bit deeper and I discovered that so-called winch bumper has no winch access from the top!
So how exactly would I flip the clutch lever on my winch?
FAIL!!!
Post by: Flyin6 on June 16, 2023, 11:06:32 AM
Well, did you get the results you wanted?After speaking with the boys at Carli, I should not have sold you the individual components without the shocks, as they are all engineered to work around each other like one big happy family. If you found fox 2.0 try them out before throwing in the towel on the system. as they are not carli tuned they may not be as ideal as they were intended but are likely to solve 90% of your issues. He's hard to get on the phone since it's just him, but Tyler over at Carli is a wealth of knowledge. Tyler@carlisusupension.com. just let him know you're working with me on this project.I couldn't agree more. The Carli suspension is a well-designed, well-engineered and quality-manufactured system. Realize that when you substitute parts, you change the system and alter the proven recipe. The off-the-shelf, non-Carli-tuned Fox shocks are not part of the system. I will be surprised if you get the results you want.
Seems to me your truck rides pretty rough as well. Have you driven the section of highway to/from Louisville, that is the only way you or anyone could access how the Carli setup on your truck managed that particular section of horrible road. And your wife stated there was no change, which is far from scientific but shows that there really is not much of a change in ride quality after the installation of the complete Carli system.
I think the elephant in the room here is the fact that these are full on 1-ton trucks. The bias with respect to design from the engineering side has to be toward hauling heavy weight in lieu of a nice ride. Look at the rear suspension. The 2500 has a coil spring setup whereas the 3500 has wide (3") thick leaves and only four of them. That leaf is designed to carry a lot of weight. If they were shooting for a compliant ride, then the leaf pack would have had many more thinner leaves.
So regardless of how many millimeters of difference there is between an "Off the shelf" Fox shock and a Carli-spec one, the butt calibration is still measuring in feet or yards. I highly doubt there will be any detectable difference between the Fox 2.0 I have and the non-available Carli units. Further, in my defense, who would have known a Bilstein shock (If that is the problem) would have married so poorly with the Carli springs. Because those springs are really the only thing from the Carli system that would/could affect the suspension. The drop brackets only bring the caster back to where it was before the front lift. The track bar only returns the axle back to where it was before lifting. The rear 1" blocks are inconsequential, and as I discovered, there was no air pressure in the Firestone bags due to a leak somewhere.
Therefore, the only factors that could affect the truck this much are the shocks or the springs. Even if one spring is upside down, the rate would be the same, and I am yet to determine if that is the case. It only affects the bowing of the spring according to a vid I just watched on the subject.
Post by: Dustoff35 on June 16, 2023, 12:21:17 PM
[/quote]
I did.
My objectives were simple:
1. Level the truck. Check.
2. Eliminate the harsh "donkey-kick" from the rear when crossing an expansion joint while empty. Check.
3. No towing/payload capacity reduction. Check.
I never expected this truck to ride like a coil-sprung 2500 or 1500. I can say that ride quality IS improved.
The suspension setups ARE different. I have additional components that I believe make a difference. Besides the Carli-tuned, (NON- "Off-the-Shelf" :grin:) King shocks, there is the torsion-type sway bar and the greaseable rear spring shackles. The Carli radius arms would not make a difference regarding ride quality.
Post by: Dustoff35 on June 16, 2023, 12:25:43 PM
Post by: TexasRedNeck on June 16, 2023, 05:50:07 PM
Ride like buttah!
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Post by: Bigdave_185 on June 16, 2023, 10:03:11 PM
https://kelderman.com/shop/air-suspension/stock-height/2019-ram-3500-p-u-4x4-4-link-rear-air-suspensionAnd you no longer need a trailer tongue jack. Drop the bags, back up, pull in, lift n go!!
Ride like buttah!
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Post by: Flyin6 on June 16, 2023, 11:04:41 PM
So, I got after the shock swap, this time using the FOX 2.0's
I guess I thought the Bilstein's were 2" bodies, but the FOX bodies were larger in diameter.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 16, 2023, 11:05:57 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 16, 2023, 11:08:00 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 16, 2023, 11:16:45 PM
The result is a positive one. The Fox shock swap definitely took a lot of the bone-jarring sensations out of the ride. It was not as smooth as the factory, but much better than with the German shocks. I would say it is 50% better than it was and something short of the factory ride. It is now acceptable.
Isn't it amazing that the factory ride quality is better than the high-cost replacement stuff? I would advise not to level the truck just for the sake of leveling if you have a newer truck. If I knew then what I know now, I would have left everything stock for a couple of years and just put up with the nose-low attitude (Which I do not like).
So, it is what it is, although it no longer rides as smoothly as stock, these springs and shocks offer all sorts of an expanded envelope. I'll likely never learn about it, but is done and I am moving on.
Post by: JR on June 17, 2023, 03:10:44 AM
Post by: Dustoff35 on June 17, 2023, 06:51:00 AM
Post by: TexasRedNeck on June 17, 2023, 08:04:09 AM
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Post by: Flyin6 on June 17, 2023, 09:23:48 AM
Did you get those greaseable leaf spring shackles installed?I didn't purchase them...Am stopping here for awhile...
Post by: stlaser on June 17, 2023, 09:28:59 AM
Did you get those greaseable leaf spring shackles installed?I didn't purchase them...Am stopping here for awhile...
Glad you got the issue solved and are taking a break from the full vehicle build you started. :popcorn:
Post by: Flyin6 on June 17, 2023, 09:29:22 AM
Don with those bags you might consider softer leafs if you aren’t going full air ride. More comfortable ride but you have the bags when things get heavy.Maybe, down the road. With us possibly selling the farm and possibly buying a fifth wheel and wanting to travel, I need to see how the future is setting up to look like. Then I can make some good solid decisions about the truck.
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There are some things I can do to it now, however that work in any scenario. Those are the things I will be doing.
Widening the stance may make sense. A better front bumper may make sense. A better A tire may make sense, however, I have taken this truck off road and I have to confess these LBGTires (Firestone "Trans" Force) seem to provide pretty good traction. Duane's suggestion for an aux tank wouldn't hurt either.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 17, 2023, 09:30:57 AM
Not going to do that with this oneDid you get those greaseable leaf spring shackles installed?I didn't purchase them...Am stopping here for awhile...
Glad you got the issue solved and are taking a break from the full vehicle build you started. :popcorn:
I still have the burb for that
and
I keep thinking that would be a cooler truck with an updated interior and a larger motor.
Post by: JR on June 17, 2023, 01:31:50 PM
Put a nice 5thor gooseneck in there. I like gooseneck as it leaves the bed open when not used.
Put a load on it and see how it rides then, isn't that the idea?
Post by: Flyin6 on June 17, 2023, 08:24:03 PM
I like the aux tank idea. Plus you dont loose much with a long bed. With a tool box would be great too, as you will always needs more storage.It's not a long bed. Has a 6'4" box (I think)
Put a nice 5thor gooseneck in there. I like gooseneck as it leaves the bed open when not used.
Put a load on it and see how it rides then, isn't that the idea?
There is plenty of time, I don't need to go rushing into anything just yet.
I'll just drive it for awhile
Post by: EL TATE on June 28, 2023, 01:58:11 PM
I buttoned it all up then went on a test drive. I topped up the fuel tank then hit the interstate headed toward Louisville. I could not avoid hitting many good-sized potholes.
The result is a positive one. The Fox shock swap definitely took a lot of the bone-jarring sensations out of the ride. It was not as smooth as the factory, but much better than with the German shocks. I would say it is 50% better than it was and something short of the factory ride. It is now acceptable.
Isn't it amazing that the factory ride quality is better than the high-cost replacement stuff? I would advise not to level the truck just for the sake of leveling if you have a newer truck. If I knew then what I know now, I would have left everything stock for a couple of years and just put up with the nose-low attitude (Which I do not like).
So, it is what it is, although it no longer rides as smoothly as stock, these springs and shocks offer all sorts of an expanded envelope. I'll likely never learn about it, but is done and I am moving on.
Glad you got a better outcome with these and sad you didn't get a chance to ride the tuned shocks to match the spring rate, but this is better than 2 months wait time for sure. it is really amazing how valving and tuning have an effect on ride quality. if you had bigger heavier tires and wheels, those bilstiens might have been just the ticket.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 28, 2023, 04:25:09 PM
I still have room to grow and get an even better ride.I buttoned it all up then went on a test drive. I topped up the fuel tank then hit the interstate headed toward Louisville. I could not avoid hitting many good-sized potholes.
The result is a positive one. The Fox shock swap definitely took a lot of the bone-jarring sensations out of the ride. It was not as smooth as the factory, but much better than with the German shocks. I would say it is 50% better than it was and something short of the factory ride. It is now acceptable.
Isn't it amazing that the factory ride quality is better than the high-cost replacement stuff? I would advise not to level the truck just for the sake of leveling if you have a newer truck. If I knew then what I know now, I would have left everything stock for a couple of years and just put up with the nose-low attitude (Which I do not like).
So, it is what it is, although it no longer rides as smoothly as stock, these springs and shocks offer all sorts of an expanded envelope. I'll likely never learn about it, but is done and I am moving on.
Glad you got a better outcome with these and sad you didn't get a chance to ride the tuned shocks to match the spring rate, but this is better than 2 months wait time for sure. it is really amazing how valving and tuning have an effect on ride quality. if you had bigger heavier tires and wheels, those bilstiens might have been just the ticket.
I currently have the Mopar supplied 20" rims with a 33.5" tire.
I could most easily switch to an eighteen-inch rim with a slightly larger tire, say a 285/75R18 and get a whole bunch more sidewall to absorb the bumps. That and perhaps reduce the tire pressure by 5-10psi and all in all, I would have what I am looking for.
Post by: Flyin6 on June 28, 2023, 06:46:52 PM
Post by: JR on June 28, 2023, 07:07:22 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 28, 2023, 10:05:34 PM
Whats not to like?Exactly
Except for a 6-week lead time!
Post by: stlaser on June 28, 2023, 10:16:05 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on June 29, 2023, 07:06:51 PM
That’s a reasonable lead time, I think I waited double that a year ago. I like the bumper btw, make sure the powder has some sort of warranty, mine is already compromised in a couple areas.Copy that
I'd buy it plain metal if I could and do the PC here...But, no bueno
So, haven't exactly decided, but It is warming up for me.
Post by: BobbyB on June 29, 2023, 07:40:46 PM
Kind of leaning toward this bumper at the moment:
To me there's too much open unprotected grill. I can foresee a deer or something finding it's way past the perimeter bar into the expensive stuff. But it's my unfounded opinion without any skin in the game.
Post by: Bigdave_185 on June 30, 2023, 12:20:12 AM
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Post by: Flyin6 on June 30, 2023, 08:56:12 AM
I think with out the lift and big tires it won’t look proportionate. But Iv never much liked the off road bumperCould be.
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I think that lift is about like mine, nothing crazy, but I want to say the truck in the pic is running 37's. I'll be at 34.5ish with the next set of tires (35's)
Post by: JR on June 30, 2023, 01:06:30 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on July 08, 2023, 09:00:39 PM
Anyone who owns one of these trucks knows the thing has a pretty significant laggy pedal.
I decided to do something about it!
Post by: Flyin6 on July 08, 2023, 09:02:12 PM
It intercepts the pedal signal coming out of the accelerator pedal module:
Post by: Flyin6 on July 08, 2023, 09:02:59 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on July 08, 2023, 09:06:44 PM
There is a short non-mandatory learning procedure, which I accomplished, then I test-drove the truck.
Sure enough, it made all the difference. Now when I step on the pedal the truck MOVES like right now. I set mine to sport, a step below race and a step above stock. It also has an eco-mode that no self respecting American straight male would ever care about.
Post by: Flyin6 on July 08, 2023, 09:09:18 PM
I added a double mount to the Jeep as well, one for my phone, and one for hers. I fell one mounting arm short for my truck, but I will add it.
Post by: Flyin6 on July 08, 2023, 09:10:12 PM
Post by: Bigdave_185 on July 08, 2023, 10:53:31 PM
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Post by: Flyin6 on July 09, 2023, 02:06:33 PM
How did you choose that brand over edge or Banks?Availability and cost. Thoroughbred diesel likes them...
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Post by: BobbyB on July 12, 2023, 08:03:48 PM
And just like last time, they sent me a useless 30-06 cartridge!
I would say you must repent after such blasphemy, however;
Post by: Flyin6 on July 12, 2023, 08:19:34 PM
Hey, did you look at it closely????And just like last time, they sent me a useless 30-06 cartridge!
I would say you must repent after such blasphemy, however;
Post by: BobbyB on July 12, 2023, 09:52:59 PM
Hey, did you look at it closely????
I did. I know it's a bottle opener, however; I threw a quick quip in the mix, then faded back.
Post by: Flyin6 on October 20, 2023, 03:13:21 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on October 31, 2023, 09:11:33 AM
This is using "top-tier" fuel from Costco.
I know there is extra care and handling as control measures for gasoline. I.E. the additive package is there, whereas sometimes in cheapo gas, it is not. Now pertaining to diesel, I am not all that sure as to what makes it top-tier. Perhaps it is in the filtering, since all the fuel from all the stations and brands likely cones from Ashland Kentucky's refinery. (Yes we have our own refinery in the tuck!)
Nevertheless, this truck is impressive for its big-time abundance of way-down-low torque. I feel it much more than I did in my Duramax. Not saying the Cummins is better, mind you, only that it acts like a straight six and is torquier ;-)
Post by: JR on October 31, 2023, 11:16:49 AM
Great mileage, I have been seeing above 19 for some time now, but all road trips.
Post by: Flyin6 on January 06, 2024, 07:15:27 PM
I have had some problems getting back into my farm property. The first 100+ meters is almost impassible during these wet and rainy months. Because of that, I have had to switch to using only the Suburban to go to/from the place. The Suburban uses premium gas and a lot of it. The farm is 55 miles one way, so 110 for the round trip and the burb is running around 10mpg!
I squeaked two round trips out of it this past week and the refill cost me $77. So it is about $40 just to drive down and back. At 20 MPG, the Ram 3500 would double those numbers for about the same cost, costing me a mere $20 round trip. But I can't get back to the farm unless the ground is frozen.
Therefore, with only 7,000 miles on the truck, I may need to switch to an AT tire, or just leave it parked until summer.
Should I decide to go this route, I think I will keep the 20" rim size because I like how well the truck handles on these twisty roads. But I would like a larger diameter tire since I am constantly driving on rock and boulder-strewn roads with it. Therefore, I am thinking about skipping the 35" and going straight to the 47" fitment.
I've viewed a ton of videos by people who did this and vendors who sell the product. It seems as long as I use a 9" wide wheel with 5.75" Backspace (+18mm offset) the 37" tire/wheel combo goes right on the fifth-gen HD Ram with no issues at all.
Turns out that our very own Tate sells a nice Icon wheel in black to match the factory color scheme at a handsome price and he has some on hand already. I would go with my favorite Kanati Trail Hog AT tires to round out the package. Those Karnatis are a copy of the Goodyear DuraTrac tires.
Post by: Flyin6 on January 06, 2024, 07:17:59 PM
I need a better "After" shot than these...
Post by: Flyin6 on January 06, 2024, 07:19:46 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on January 06, 2024, 07:20:44 PM
It was drizzling outside, hence the blurred photos due to droplets on the lens.
But I did not drop the camera, nor did I back over it, nor did I leave it outside in the downpour.
Good on me!
Post by: JR on January 06, 2024, 08:04:41 PM
Get an orange camera, prime target!
Post by: Flyin6 on January 06, 2024, 08:35:17 PM
Well, you don't need to change wheels, but run what runs you.Actually need to change wheels. Factory ones have a huge negative BS. Can't run over stock size without hitting both the Sway Bar and the control arm! Need a new wheel to space the tire outboard a lot more than where it is now. Ram/Dodge is famous for this.
Get an orange camera, prime target!
Post by: Bigdave_185 on January 07, 2024, 10:59:29 AM
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Post by: Flyin6 on January 07, 2024, 11:54:50 AM
Why not just park the suburban on the other side of your gate and drive through 21mpg truck there ?Actually not a bad idea. But no gate, just an open area next to the road. Once you're five feet off the road you are in 5" deep mud. No place to park anything, and I'm sure when I arrived I'd find a suburban frame stripped bare of anything useable.
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Post by: Flyin6 on January 13, 2024, 05:23:33 PM
37 12.50R20 Kanati Trail Hogs
Sent a message to Tate to order the four new Icon wheels with the correct Back Spacing to fit with little-no rubbing.
I say little rubbing because at my 2.5" lift height and an 18mm backspacing on a 9" wheel and a 37" tire is not supposed to touch anything lock to lock. But then I see a tip of heating and pushing in the wheel liner in one spot to gain clearance.
Have to go watch my son graduate to become an infantryman. I'll do the swap when we get back.
Then I should be G-T-G to use the truck for muddy farm access. If not Tate will be getting another text from me for a grizzly and E-locker for the front.
Post by: JR on January 13, 2024, 08:58:23 PM
Son loves the ICONs, but they cost more than the truck.
Post by: Bigdave_185 on January 14, 2024, 02:49:51 AM
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Post by: Flyin6 on January 14, 2024, 08:49:30 AM
What does that tire set your pocket book back each?They are well priced. Karnatis always are. I paid $1133 for four including shipping and $62 in taxes.
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Post by: Flyin6 on January 14, 2024, 08:54:43 AM
I like the tires, but maybe fix the road too? I mean if you can't drive to say the barn thats not good. May keep some out, but never all. Though you had a nice gate up there?I wanted to dump a load (26 tons) at the entrance over the bad part, but the owner says no and it's a waste. He tells me he still plans to take the entrance down another three feet.
Son loves the ICONs, but they cost more than the truck.
Funny, but he can't even access his property. For almost two weeks now his dually and gooseneck has been parked on the driveway. I have been having to drive around it. He says it is too muddy to get back in to get a load of white oaks he cut a couple of years ago.
No one is getting back there, but eventually, all this will get sorted and we will have a decent gravel topcoat. Frankly, as long as my wife doesn't need to access it in her XT6 Caddy, who cares if it's muddy?
Post by: Flyin6 on January 15, 2024, 03:23:53 PM
wheels are on order as well
Long black splines for the wheels on order
The tire changing facility was notified.
They will remove sensors and place into new wheels so that it all works like a factory.
I will be using balance beads same as every other thing I own except for the Caddy.
Looking to swap next week.
Going to stay at this 2.5" front/1" rear lift height.
The current tire is around 33" tall and the new ones are 36.7" actual OD so the vehicle will sit 1.8" higher which I think is acceptable. With the wider track and the relatively low lift height, I expect to be very stable on cross slopes which I oftentimes see.
Post by: Flyin6 on January 22, 2024, 02:31:56 PM
I usually purchase tires from "Simple Tire." My other go-to for the lowest prices is Walmart. This time Simple Tire got the nod for the fifth set of these excellent Kanati tires. Very similar to the Datatrac's from Goodyear, the siping in these is deeper. Without a giant lift and unnecessary weight and gadgets, I am hoping to get some miles out of these. Whereas I normally swap them out at 1/2 tread depth, I think I will allow these to get down to 4/32nds this time.
37 12.50R20E
I am going with a more street-oriented 20"-wheel fitment to reduce sidewall which will bias the performance more toward cornering with a lot of air pressure. I use tall sidewall tires for off-road meaning a smaller diameter wheel. Stock wheel fitment is 20" on my truck. I am keeping the "E" load rating, and I wanted a narrow tire profile, but no metric equivalent (Narrower) is available so a good old American 12.50" it is.
The factory tire is 33" in diameter. This is a 4" increase. The truck will now sit 2" taller which will affect some things. I anticipate a small reduction in fuel economy and in power. With the great mileage it already delivers I am not concerned on that point. It also has SO MUCH torgue that I am hardly concerned about that either.
I will pick up some module to tune the computer for the new tire size to correct the speedo down the line sometime.
Post by: Flyin6 on January 22, 2024, 02:35:42 PM
These wheels have the +18mm (5.75" B.S.) that keeps everything inside the factory flares and is supposed to require little to no fender well modification to prevent rubbing.
I went with factory satin black colors to match the midnight edition Ram factory color scheme.
Post by: JR on January 22, 2024, 03:42:31 PM
Looking at icons now.
Post by: Flyin6 on January 22, 2024, 06:31:39 PM
Looked at those for my sons S10, but not made for size we want.Icon has the jeep 5x5 pattern...I purchased a set already!
Looking at icons now.
Post by: JR on January 22, 2024, 07:34:23 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on January 24, 2024, 02:55:59 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on January 24, 2024, 02:59:00 PM
They had to pull the old wheels and then break down the top bead to enable access to the pressure monitoring sensors which they removed to reinstall on the new wheels.
And here's a shot of that full floater goodness that makes this truck as bulletproof as it can be in the 1-ton class.
Post by: Flyin6 on January 24, 2024, 03:06:10 PM
I once stated these are my firth set of Kanatis, but I think they are actually my fourth set.
I could just pick up a hint of hum and no wheel shake or vibration at all. I also noted that when I drove through 2"-3" of standing water, in the past the truck got a bit "giggy" as if it was not completely in control. This time, after the tire swap, all that was gone. I plowed through some good puddles, and it just went right through. I want to say there is just more room for water to escape now. I know that from driving the Duramax truck and the Suburban, these tires are just stable all the time. I have driven them now over every conceivable type of terrain, mud, and snow in many states and over the full temperature range from bubbling tar to frozen solid and never, not once have I had a tire-related problem.
And I am happy to report that this fitment, 5.75"/ +18mm and a 37" tire does not rub at all!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Flyin6 on January 24, 2024, 03:08:01 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on January 24, 2024, 03:09:00 PM
I would be remiss without thanking Tate and Randy's worldwide for providing us with a nice discount which made this all possible. THe Icon wheels came from them, and I truly appreciate their service.
Post by: EL TATE on January 24, 2024, 05:03:02 PM
Post by: oklawall on January 24, 2024, 06:28:27 PM
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Post by: Flyin6 on January 24, 2024, 06:47:58 PM
Had the opportunity to drive it at highway speeds
I noticed the Speedo is running slower than I think I am traveling.
There is a slight tire hum but it is well within the acceptable range.
I noticed a bit of loss of power which resulted from essentially a lower final drive ratio, but that's still OK.
The truck does not hunt for the crown of the road as badly as it used to. Just a few inches wider stance fixed that, it seems.
Post by: JR on January 25, 2024, 12:18:11 AM
How much taller are they?
Post by: Flyin6 on January 25, 2024, 11:25:17 AM
Yeah, they look good. Water has a way out vs being stuck in those hwy tires.old = 33"
How much taller are they?
New = 37"
1/2 diameter, truck stands 2" taller now.
Post by: TexasRedNeck on January 26, 2024, 06:43:10 AM
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Post by: Dustoff35 on February 10, 2024, 08:41:15 PM
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Post by: Flyin6 on March 10, 2024, 09:58:09 AM
Story tomorrow.... ;-)
Post by: stlaser on March 10, 2024, 02:45:37 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on March 10, 2024, 07:41:45 PM
Post by: JR on March 10, 2024, 07:44:52 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on March 10, 2024, 07:51:11 PM
You're gunna be surprised...
Post by: Sammconn on March 10, 2024, 08:47:40 PM
Or….
Sold it…?
Gonna get fired again….
Post by: stlaser on March 10, 2024, 10:10:30 PM
Post by: JR on March 10, 2024, 11:24:01 PM
Post by: stlaser on March 11, 2024, 09:27:25 AM
Post by: oklawall on March 11, 2024, 10:42:13 AM
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Post by: Sammconn on March 11, 2024, 12:53:14 PM
:beercheers:
Post by: JR on March 11, 2024, 04:04:38 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on March 11, 2024, 04:06:46 PM
Hint: I changed the fluids...
Post by: JR on March 11, 2024, 04:48:02 PM
Post by: Flyin6 on March 11, 2024, 06:53:00 PM
That could mean anything!!!!Here's what it means JR:
Post by: Flyin6 on March 11, 2024, 06:56:36 PM
I went off the wrong numbers for payload when I purchased my Camper. Then when I checked after the fact, I found a huge (over 1,000 lb. Mistake!)
My old truck with that camper, me and Kat and a full tank of water left me 16 lbs remaining :-(
do you see it? 4027 vs 49xx. What a beginners mistake...
Post by: JR on March 11, 2024, 07:26:49 PM
That will tow your HD stuff way better too.
Post by: Flyin6 on March 11, 2024, 07:38:56 PM
http://real-man-truckworks-and-survival.com/index.php?topic=5496.new#new
Post by: Bigdave_185 on March 11, 2024, 10:21:12 PM
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