Coil vs leaf springs for off-road.
Comparing the newer Ram 2500 with coil springs vs the 3500 with leaf springs. I know the 3500 has a higher payload and because the 2500 coils are mounted in board it’s not ideal for a heavy TC. B...
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kohidad hit a good point about location of the springs, this especially applies if you add air bags too. The suspension should be under the frame, or outside of it. Never put airbags inside of the frame as this will support the truck in a more narrow stance and make it more likely to sway and lean.
The leaf springs are preferred because they are robust and stout side-to-side, where coils springs give no lateral stability. Leaf springs are an attachment point, but coils require linkage to hold the truck to the axles.
In 4Low you might get "axle wrap" where the leaf springs allow the axle* to rotate, pushing the leaf down in front of the axle, up behind the axle, but otherwise the leafs do a good job connecting the truck to the axle all by themselves. Your leaf truck still might have some linkage to help, but that is for help and not a primary support.
Thus, is a big reason to use leafs for TC.
* when I say "axle" rotate, I am really meaning the housing the axle is in, the part you can see attached to the differential; the axle itself always rotates of course ;)
The leaf springs are preferred because they are robust and stout side-to-side, where coils springs give no lateral stability. Leaf springs are an attachment point, but coils require linkage to hold the truck to the axles.
In 4Low you might get "axle wrap" where the leaf springs allow the axle* to rotate, pushing the leaf down in front of the axle, up behind the axle, but otherwise the leafs do a good job connecting the truck to the axle all by themselves. Your leaf truck still might have some linkage to help, but that is for help and not a primary support.
Thus, is a big reason to use leafs for TC.
* when I say "axle" rotate, I am really meaning the housing the axle is in, the part you can see attached to the differential; the axle itself always rotates of course ;)
