Suggestions for improving Dodge dually ride and handling

[hedgehopper]

Last year, we bought a 2002 Dodge 3500 Diesel dually and 2002 Northern Lite 10-2 CD near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and drove home to Denver. The ride and handling did not inspire confidence. So we drove at 55 mph or less and felt safe at those speeds.

This spring, though the Dodge had less than 20k miles, we replaced the shocks with a set of KYB Monomax. This, plus increasing tire pressures (especially the front) resulted in a significant improvement.

However, our new rig does not come close to driving as well as our 2003 Tundra and 2004 Phoenix (1000 lb) popup, which we sold after buying the Dodge and NL. The difference is night and day.

Is this difference to be expected when switching from a lightweight, low-profile rig to a heavy, high-profile one? Or is there something I can do to improve the ride and handling? What has worked for you?

More specifically: when we drive on a smooth highway, all is fine. But when we hit a pothole, the jolt is severe. And a rough roadway causes the shakes. Plus, I find myself avoiding dirt roads altogether, roads that were no problem with our Tundra and Phoenix.

Because we have yet to drive in any severe crosswinds, I don't know if that would be a problem.

Finally, the steering is much too slow to suit me. I realize that probably little can be done to remedy this. But I wanted to mention it nevertheless.

Last year, before buying our present rig, we rented a Northern Lite 8'11 Sportsman on a new Ford 350 diesel SRW. If I recall, that rig handled better in every respect than our present one--except that our DRW I think is more stable side to side than the Ford SRW. Maybe the improvement in the Ford over the Dodge can be attributed to twelve years of truck evolution. I don't want to start a Ford vs Dodge debate. I don't know if the Ford had any suspension upgrades to handle the camper. But I doubt it.

[jmckelvy]

Grit dog wrote:
.......

You'd probably have a heart attack with my camper on my srw truck! Lol. It's like driving a marshmallow!

:B:B

Read the whole thread. This is the best comment of them all. 🙂

OP the steering brace is a definite plus. Also your front tires can contribute to slightly mushy steering as the sidewall stiffness can/will vary between brands. I noticed a slightly "squishy" feeling in the steering with my new Michelin MS2s vs the previous Cooper Discoverer AT3s. Not enough to be a problem and may not be noticed by others. I am anal about stuff like that and pay close attention to everything.

By the way my 06 has 196 thousand miles mostly hauling my AF990, a previous Northstar 8.5 Arrow, and a KZ fifth wheel. This includes two trips to Alaska. Still has original ball joints. I do have the 08.5 steering upgrade and recall and just replaced the steering gear with a Redhead box (which I recommend).

[joe123]

I have a 2001 dodge 1 ton diesel 4x4 with 9'6"bigfoot camper had the same problem went to spring shop to have the rear overload spring purchase adjusted and added one new leaf, the shop told me they all need this right from the factory it resolved my problem. Good luck good truck.

[hedgehopper]

hedgehopper wrote:

hedgehopper wrote:

zcookiemonstar wrote:

hedgehopper wrote:

Who sells the kits to brace the frame and steering box?

I have no experience with them but this is one of those kits.
http://dodgeramsteeringstabilizer.com/

Thanks zcookiemonstar. Do any of you have any experience with this?

I just looked on the Cummins Diesel Forum and half a dozen guys said they installed one of these or something similar and it was worth the money.

DW and I just returned from our first trip since I had one of these installed. The steering is vastly improved: The mushiness is gone. Bumps no longer make the front end shake and bounce. We both feel more confident when driving. With this and the new KYB shocks, we don't feel the need for any additional suspension improvements.

[Vinsil]

hedgehopper wrote:

Vinsil wrote:
I know my setup is rock solid, but it took some decent mods to perform up to my standards and carry my load safely. YMMV, but dig deeper before zeroing in on what you have told or read are issues.

What have you done to your truck to get it to perform to your standards?

Lower stableloads, shocks, airbags, and 19.5" wheels/tires. I also lost all the emissions equipment, had it custom tuned with EFI Live and had the TCM tuned. Got nice boost in mileage and pulls like a train. I had the truck before the camper, used to own a toyhauler. New trucks cost big money, so I invested in this one as it only has 81k on it. I'll keep it another five years at least.

[hedgehopper]

Vinsil wrote:
I know my setup is rock solid, but it took some decent mods to perform up to my standards and carry my load safely. YMMV, but dig deeper before zeroing in on what you have told or read are issues.

What have you done to your truck to get it to perform to your standards?

[Vinsil]

hedgehopper wrote:

Downwindtracker2 wrote:
All front solid axel vehicles can and will experience "death wobble". when a suspension part wears. The looseness will be transmitted to the other side. It will scare the sh** out of you, it certainly did me. But it's maintenance you have to do anyway.

Solid axels will give you more real world ground clearance

For the record: My truck is 2wd, not solid front axle. And I wouldn't expect a lot of front-end wear with less than 20k miles.

I'll dispute that claim anyway, one can experience death wobble without the benefit of worn parts as well.

You've got some good and bad advice here. I know we are strangers to you so weed through the advice and best of luck. I like what gritdog said and it is solid.

[hedgehopper]

Downwindtracker2 wrote:
All front solid axel vehicles can and will experience "death wobble". when a suspension part wears. The looseness will be transmitted to the other side. It will scare the sh** out of you, it certainly did me. But it's maintenance you have to do anyway.

Solid axels will give you more real world ground clearance

For the record: My truck is 2wd, not solid front axle. And I wouldn't expect a lot of front-end wear with less than 20k miles.

[Grit_dog]

Lots of good suggestions here. Don't "throw" any $ at your truck until having it checked out by someone un biased. IE not the mechanics looking to rebuild your front end, sell you a new built trans, big sway bar and an air dog pump to keep from killing your VP.

[Grit_dog]

Beings you are unfamiliar with big vehicles and mechanics and the particulars with different brands and years of trucks, your truck may be and probably is normal, nothing wrong.
First, you likely didn't get death wobble or your post would read "Thought I was going to die!"
Second, 2nd gen Rams are old school in most ways. You got the end of the 2nd gens which were introduced in 1994. You have a new 20 year old truck combined with Dodges being less "refined" than their GM counterparts and certainly mid 2000s Toyotas.
IMO you still got one of the better combinations for your use hauling a camper and hat truck certainly is not overloaded with that camper on it. Even with every suspension mod known to man, it will handle like cr@p compared to a tundra tugging a pop up.
47re, not the best trans, but suitable if maintained and engine left stock or close to stock.
You're right, best to get someone qualified to check it out. Even as simple as finding someone who knows how the truck should perform with and without the weight on it.
Like a friend or someone on this forum from Denver.
Aside from having extremely low mileage and potential issues from sitting a lot over the years, I doubt there is anything really wrong with your truck other than basic setup or your expectation of how it would handle. A 2nd gen Dodge dually 4x4 is one of the rouhgest riding vehicles made.
That's good news.
You'd probably have a heart attack with my camper on my srw truck! Lol. It's like driving a marshmallow!

[Downwindtracke1]

All front solid axel vehicles can and will experience "death wobble". when a suspension part wears. The looseness will be transmitted to the other side. It will scare the sh** out of you, it certainly did me. But it's maintenance you have to do anyway.

Solid axels will give you more real world ground clearance

[jimh406]

Most off-road parts supplies sell both replacements and add on stabilizers including doubles. I think many of the larger trucks have them built in but usually not easy to notice unless you look for them.

[hedgehopper]

Vinsil wrote:
might try a new steering stabilizer

Do you have a link for this?

[billb1]

The automatic transmission in that era of Ram has a tendency for the tongue converter to rapidly unlock/lock at certain speeds due to electrical noise attributed to the alternator. Geno's Garage sells a filter made by BD Power which quite often eliminates the issue. It has worked both on my 2wd 2000 Ram 3500 and my son's 4wd 1999 Ram 2500. Not all Ram's have the problem but it is fairly common.

If the fuel pump is mounted on the engine it may lose pressure and cause the VP44 injector pump to fail. There is a TSB from Dodge recommending the pump be changed for one mounted in the tank which reduces the likelihood of that happening.

If it came with the trailer package and has the upper and lower overload springs and the antiwar bar on the back axle.

I have over 220,000 miles on my truck and have not had any issues with the front end. It has towed a 34ft 5th wheel for 11 years and carried a Truck Camper for 4 years. It is noisy (compared to the new ones) so I never have touch the horn for pedestrians, it is in great shape and I love it.

[hedgehopper]

hedgehopper wrote:

zcookiemonstar wrote:

hedgehopper wrote:

Who sells the kits to brace the frame and steering box?

I have no experience with them but this is one of those kits.
http://dodgeramsteeringstabilizer.com/

Thanks zcookiemonstar. Do any of you have any experience with this?

I just looked on the Cummins Diesel Forum and half a dozen guys said they installed one of these or something similar and it was worth the money.