Ram 1500 at Load Maximum Woes

[jnoflane2]

Everyone knows that the Ram 1500 has very low GVWR. Well I would go a step further after towing with it for four years, when close to the maximum, it is under-sprung and sometimes dangerous.

I did end up adding air bags, but simply wanted a more stable platform, and I am NOT buying a 3/4 or 1 ton that rides rough when empty. I should also say that I have no intentions to exceed the maximum allowed by Ram.... I just want more firmness and stability.

So...... I added HD Progressive Springs and the Air Lift 1000HD.

Here is what our rig normally looks like when leaving for a camping trip.





Here are the pics of what I did.......

The pic of the truck is a little dark and hard to see, but the Billstein's up front raise the truck 1.8" and the TTC-1223VT Springs raise the rear 2". Those are 34's on those 20" rims.

Can't wait to hit the road on our next camping trip. Since I have added the necessary bits and pieces to our camper to make it "Four Seasons", we will take it up to the mountains a couple of times in February and March, as a base camp for a long weekend of skiing.

[pitch]

QCMan wrote:
I didn't see where you upgraded the parts that actually do the work, the axle shafts and bearings. Sorry but I cannot understand how adding more weight to the vehicle can increase the payload. All you are doing is compensating for the overload. Not any safer at all!

OH NANCY NANCY! He did upgrade the parts that are doing the work. He put new springs on. Did he raise the rating of his truck listed on the plaque? No he did not! He did however increase his trucks capabilities and usefulness.
It is highly unlikely that he will ever load or haul heavy enough for his axles or bearings even to notice.

[Huntindog]

jnoflane2 wrote:

Huntindog wrote:
Specifications for the OPs TT

I am not a hater.
I do like to deal with facts though.

I am going to get some popcorn now.:B

Yep... as I said, 450lbs on my hitch.

I actually pay attention to load leveling, especially with a single axle trailer.


.........

437# DRY hitch WT. Add a battery and you are over 450#.

There are only two ways that TT can have 450# hitch WT. 1. You are going camping with an empty TT.
2. You have it loaded heavy in the rear..... Which would explain why you feel it is sometimes dangerous. (TW too light)

[RoyJ]

jnoflane2 wrote:
NOPE.... not overloaded.

Trailer on the hitch is 450lbs, two bikes are 650lbs.

That totals 1,100lbs. I'm actually under.

Thank you for posting the facts.

Folks are quick to jump the gun, and claim overload. As a fellow 1500 owner, I can say the rear would sag if you looked at them wrong...

Some trucks on the other hand, are so stiffly sprung they look "safe" when truly overloaded. My old 2500 V10 at DOUBLE the payload limit, sags less than the 1500 at payload. Looks are deceiving.

[specta]

IdaD wrote:
The main thing is to air down those rear tires a bit when you're not loaded up.

When empty I run 50 psi in the front and 45 psi in the rear.
Its a HUGE improvement in the way it rides.

[specta]

Grit dog wrote:
Jnoflane2, nice work! I’m sure will be a Uuuuge improvement!

PS, don’t mind the haterz...
Interested to hear your take after loading it up on a trip.
Cheers!

Best advise so far.

[specta]

jnoflane2 wrote:
Yeah... nearly all other forums I frequent, auto size pics.... this forum should start doing the same.

That would take an upgrade. Something that will never happen here.

Try Postimages.com It will resize them for you.

[JIMNLIN]

your a brave man coming on rv.net and show how you increased your 1/2 ton any brand trucks rear suspension capability to better control your load. However without any actual scaled rear axle weights I doubt your overloaded with that small single axle TT and two lightweight dirt bikes. GVWR doesn't carry the load in the bed but the trucks RAWR numbers do. Looks like a good rear suspension upgrade.
I added Sumo Springs to the rear suspension on the wifes 1500 chevy crew cab 4wd. Even with a 1140 lb hitch load the truck is still 400 lbs under its 4000 RAWR.
Maybe you can get a mod to size your pictures to the proper scale where we can see what ya got.

[jnoflane2]

Huntindog wrote:
Specifications for the OPs TT

I am not a hater.
I do like to deal with facts though.

I am going to get some popcorn now.:B

Yep... as I said, 450lbs on my hitch.

I actually pay attention to load leveling, especially with a single axle trailer.


.........

[Huntindog]

Specifications for the OPs TT

I am not a hater.
I do like to deal with facts though.

I am going to get some popcorn now.:B

[jnoflane2]

bguy wrote:
Did you get rid of the squishey P tires?
Sorry I did not research.

Yeah, I am sure the haterz will come out of the woodwork on this topic as well.

I am running....

275/65R20's with a 127 weight rating, 10 ply.

When not towing, a full contact patch is achieved at 37psi and the tires ride great. When towing I up the psi to 65 and they do great.

The awesome thing about these tires... I have 43,000 miles on them and not a single flat. I tow this trailer WAY in the backcountry, usually having to engage 4x4 to get to some of the places I enjoy. Tires have been great.

[jnoflane2]

LITEPHIL wrote:
Overloaded. Need a bigger truck to be safe and within numbers. No hate

LITEPHIL wrote:
Overloaded. Need a bigger truck to be safe and within numbers. No hate

NOPE.... not overloaded.

Trailer on the hitch is 450lbs, two bikes are 650lbs.

That totals 1,100lbs. I'm actually under.

TurnThePage wrote:

QCMan wrote:
I didn't see where you upgraded the parts that actually do the work, the axle shafts and bearings. Sorry but I cannot understand how adding more weight to the vehicle can increase the payload. All you are doing is compensating for the overload. Not any safer at all!

I don't think the parts that actually do the work are overloaded. Just the soft springs. That's the case for my similar setup anyhow.

Yeah, the boys above don't understand, but you clearly do. The OEM Ram springs are weak and compress easily with even 1000 lbs in the bed.


........

[jnoflane2]

Grit dog wrote:
Question, since you’ve now used 2 different types of the inside the springs airbags.
How much actual load capacity do you think they provide?
Aka, were the old ones pumped up in the first pic?

I’ve now got a coil spring Ram 2500. Brodozer lookin thing. Don’t really need more suspension capacity for most of what I do but it’s got a 6”/4” lift. The rear coils are OE sitting on 4” spacers and truck is leveled. Being rather cushy for a 2500 it also gets a little Carolina squat just hooking my enclosed trailer. Handles great but looks ghey.

Don’t really want the expense of adding real bags and spacers for what little extra support I need. And these bags may be the ticket if they increase the initial spring rate enough

The first set of bags were the basic 1000lb'ers from Air Lift and they made a HUGE, positive difference on my little 1500, but it still wasn't enough. This second set of airbags are the Air Lift 1000HD's, that supposedly provide additional carrying weight by 2,500lbs. Both air bags are the exact same size and the material looks the same, as well as the thickness, so I don't really know what they have done to make the HD so much stronger.

I really can't answer your question, cause I haven't towed the trailer with a full load yet.

I do think it was important for me to add the HD Progressive springs, as I am not confident that only air bags would have given me the firm foundation I was seeking.

I do think a set of 1000HD's on your truck would definitely eliminate the squat. It did on mine.

[jnoflane2]

Grit dog wrote:
Jnoflane2, nice work! I’m sure will be a Uuuuge improvement!

PS, don’t mind the haterz...
Interested to hear your take after loading it up on a trip.
Cheers!

I also can't wait to load it up to max GVWR, with two bikes in the bed and see how she does.

Yeah... I have way too many years towing and experience to pay attention to the haterz. I know what I need and doing my setup the way I want it.


.......

[jnoflane2]

QCMan wrote:
I didn't see where you upgraded the parts that actually do the work, the axle shafts and bearings. Sorry but I cannot understand how adding more weight to the vehicle can increase the payload. All you are doing is compensating for the overload. Not any safer at all!

I've already said I'm not going to overload the truck.

At lunch today, I picked up the TT out of storage to bring to the house to install heater pads on all three of my tanks, so that we can use the camper for a ski cabin. (It is now a true four season camper.)

Anyway, pulling the camper the 10 miles home was a dream. The truck and the stability and the ride are way, way better.

[jnoflane2]

spoon059 wrote:

jnoflane2 wrote:
I am NOT buying a 3/4 or 1 ton that rides rough when empty.

No comment on what you did, but wanted to address this... Have you driven a modern 3/4 or 1 ton truck? My coil spring 2500 rides very smooth when empty and tires aired down to 65ish. One of the guys that we camp with has a newish Ford F350 dually that rides smooth as glass... it was almost unbelievable how compliant the ride was.

20 years ago there was a huge disparity in ride comfort. You'd be hard pressed to tell a significant difference in ride comfort with modern trucks.

Back to your topic though...

Yeah, I traded in a 2 year old, 2012 Ram 2500 for this 1500, because the rough ride..... My old man worked on cattle ranches until the day he died and all the cowboys wanted one ton trucks... Pop would never drive anything over than a 1/2 ton. Being over 50 now... I understand.