Have a truck - suspension questions
I recently purchased a 2005 Dodge 3500 dually and am wondering what to do about suspension. We are looking for a 2006 or later AF 990 and am going to install Torklift tiedowns. Depending upon which ...
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I’ve been lurking around since we started looking for our camper last year.
Finally a question I can offer input on! We have a 2004.5 QC DRW Cummins and a 2016 AF 996 loaded which is just a bit heavier than what you have, full of water and stuff I have to be pushing close to 5000 lbs. Haven’t weighed it yet to be sure. Truck handles it fine as it was but I made it a bit better by:
Replaced all the shocks since it had about 270,000 miles on them, went with Monomax on the front and the RS 9000 on the back.
Installed airbags, I was told by the dealer this is what they recommend. I wouldn’t bother with this first though.
As the other poster has pictures of I too went with tree wedges, though I drilled a 3/8” hole in that lower spring and through the wedges, ground out part of that hole in the wedge to hot glue a square nut in it and then routed a slot towards the thin end for the clamps to just lay in. They can’t back out with the bolt and if I want to spend the money for Stable Loads it’s drilled already.
I also lowered the bump stop for the upper load springs with 2x2x1/4 inch square tubing.
I blow up the air bags to lift bed and separate the springs and install the wedges with the bolt through the lower spring and clamp, then set the shocks to nine, lower the bags back to 5 psi. I make sure the tires are up on pressure and I’m good to go.
I have been in 40 -50 MPH cross wind with this with no problem, Haven't yet felt the need for a sway bar, but I believe that would be next on my list. I did find that 25 miles on a bumpy dirt road made the “Cheap Camper Dude Stable loads” start pushing out so that was the reason for the holes and bolt.
That said I have had this setup just at one year and I've yet to travel more than 200 miles from home on trips yet. It's amazing what these trucks will do considering the GVWR on the door...
Phil
Finally a question I can offer input on! We have a 2004.5 QC DRW Cummins and a 2016 AF 996 loaded which is just a bit heavier than what you have, full of water and stuff I have to be pushing close to 5000 lbs. Haven’t weighed it yet to be sure. Truck handles it fine as it was but I made it a bit better by:
Replaced all the shocks since it had about 270,000 miles on them, went with Monomax on the front and the RS 9000 on the back.
Installed airbags, I was told by the dealer this is what they recommend. I wouldn’t bother with this first though.
As the other poster has pictures of I too went with tree wedges, though I drilled a 3/8” hole in that lower spring and through the wedges, ground out part of that hole in the wedge to hot glue a square nut in it and then routed a slot towards the thin end for the clamps to just lay in. They can’t back out with the bolt and if I want to spend the money for Stable Loads it’s drilled already.
I also lowered the bump stop for the upper load springs with 2x2x1/4 inch square tubing.
I blow up the air bags to lift bed and separate the springs and install the wedges with the bolt through the lower spring and clamp, then set the shocks to nine, lower the bags back to 5 psi. I make sure the tires are up on pressure and I’m good to go.
I have been in 40 -50 MPH cross wind with this with no problem, Haven't yet felt the need for a sway bar, but I believe that would be next on my list. I did find that 25 miles on a bumpy dirt road made the “Cheap Camper Dude Stable loads” start pushing out so that was the reason for the holes and bolt.
That said I have had this setup just at one year and I've yet to travel more than 200 miles from home on trips yet. It's amazing what these trucks will do considering the GVWR on the door...
Phil
