Bobandshawn
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Re: Dexter HD Suspension & EZ-Flex Install (long w/ pictures)
minnow wrote: The nuts that come with these kits are not serrated. Is anyone concerned that the replacements nuts will back off the threaded bolt ? Has anyone bought the serrated flange nuts aftermarket and used them instead ? Not really. I got the Mor Ryde big bolt set up which requires longer bolts. I did put some blue loctite on them If you are really concerned you could get lock nuts for them. I don't see a need for cotter pins and castellated nuts in this application.662Views0likes0CommentsRe: RAM/Cummins test drive observations
I have a 6.4 Mega Cab 2500 and love most of it. It has a 2900 cargo capacity due to the lighter engine. But all in all the 2500 and 3500 are the same with the exception of the rear spring rate. The 3500 has leaf springs and the 2500 uses coils. If this will be your daily driver go with the coils. Don't get the auto level as it'll actually limit your cargo capacity. If I were to do it again I'd go without the auto level (Mine has it) and install air bags. Even though it has coils instead of leafs, the axles, axle guts, wheels, bearings, axle shafts, tires are the same between the 2500 and 3500. Air up the bags when you tow and enjoy a really nice ride when you aren't. Being you don't have a 5th wheel the bags probably won't be needed, but should you upgrade to a bigger trailer you'll want them. I love the Mega Cab. The legroom is about the same as the crew cab but the seat reclines and is much more comfy if you haul anyone back there. It is a long truck even though it's a 6'4" bed and a little harder to park and do U-turns with. Even though it has a bigger cab the interior storage is not much more than the crew cab unless you fold down those seats. Once folded down even my big 6'6" frame could sleep back there in a pinch!299Views0likes0CommentsRe: Post your tow vehicle pics here
BarneyS wrote: Has just about all the features possible including the air rear suspension. Have not quite figured that out yet. Barney Just saw this one. Nice truck. I have a white Mega cab with the 6.4 and auto level. The auto level is cool. I normally leave mine in the "alternate trailer height" mode as it drops the rear down a little and basically levels the truck. I see you have a tow behind trailer. When you lift the jack and place the weight on the hitch the truck will level itself back out in about 10 seconds. It makes it sort of weird to adjust the WDH stuff as the bumper will be at the same height as before you hitched up! What I do is to measure the front and rear bumpers before I hitch up while in the "alternate trailer height" mode. After I hitch up I adjust the WDH to drop the front back down. Simple. I am not sure but I think eventually we'll see some folks with the auto level 2500's, especially diesel trucks, have issues with 5th wheel trailers with heavy hitch weights. Once the weight limitation is reached the system complains and goes haywire. I have not heard of this happening on 2500's yet but some with the 1500's have had the problem. Being a 2500 with the CTD has a low cargo capacity it could happen.550Views0likes0CommentsRe: Ram owners; Ram 1500/2500 ownership question
I had a 2009 5.7 1500 RAM Crew cab with the 545RFE trans and 3.90 gears short bed. I towed a 8,000-8,500 lb Keystone with it and it did well but I was always sort of in a state of being maxed out. I now have a 2015 RAM 2500 Mega cab 4X4 with the 6.4 and 66RFE trans, 4.10 gears. It tows like a beast. This truck is a Big Horn with every option except the bed liner and of course the diesel. The price was $45K before tax and tags. Comparisons--- The 2500 tows circles around the 1500, much more power and stability. The 1500 had a slightly better ride on the street but I attribute a lot of that to the 2500's straight front axle. The much shorter wheelbase 1500 was much easier to park and do U turns with. Towing MPG on both trucks is about the same, 9 MPG or so but I tend to tow much faster with the 2500. I think a side by side comparison going down the road at the same speed the 2500 would get better mileage. Empty mileage on the 2500 is worse than the 1500. On long freeway trips my 1500 would get between 21-23 MPG with a best of 24.2. The 2500 gets about 18 mpg with 19.8 being my best trip. I check my mileage via calculator not the evic. I only have 10K miles on the 2500 so I expect mileage to get better. City mileage on my evic for the 1500 was about 12-13. The 2500 gets between 11 and 12. If you go 2500 you can get the auto level air suspension on the rear which is slick, but if you ever decide on a bigger 5th wheel with a dry hitch weight of over 2,000 lbs you may not want the auto level as it could get over taxed quickly. The diesel models cost about 10K more and are not rated to tow most 5th wheel trailers. You see a lot of 2500 Diesel models out there towing big (2,000 lb plus dry hitch weight) 5th wheels but just know they are over the cargo rating with them. The 6.4 has about a 1,000 more cargo rate capacity than the CDT. Of course as we all know the only difference between a 2500 and 3500 is the rear spring rating. They have the same axles, wheels, tires, bearing etc. The 3500 uses leaf springs and the 2500 uses coils. Towing/driving 10-15K miles a year the big Hemi would be a smart choice for a 10K or less weight trailer. It takes a long time to re-coop the extra cost of a diesel and the maintenance cost is much less. The diesel models do have a better trade in value and they do get better mileage though.552Views0likes0CommentsRe: Chairs instead of a dinette
I am 6'6" tall and my Keystone factory dinette was useless for me. I built a table with one leg that mounts to the wall and sits 2-3" taller than the dinette did. I now have chairs. But I still don't like it. Most all trailers give you about 6' to mount a table and chairs. The exception is with the ORV dinettes which are about 7' and very comfortable although still a couple inches too low for me. Next I intend to modify the table I built by narrowing it about 6" and raising it to accommodate tall counter height chairs. This way I'll have much more leg room underneath and a easier time getting under the chair backed up from the table to get in and out.409Views0likes0CommentsRe: Proper placement for stablizer jacks?
I actually moved my scissors jacks towards the center of the trailer about 18" or so front and rear. This was for two reasons. The first was by moving them I received a lot of ground clearance as they were mounted to the hitch A frame up front and the bumper brackets on the rear at the factory. I got an extra 5"-6" clearance which prevents the (rear especially) from dragging on the ground. Secondly moving them inwards makes the span of my long 33" trailer frame much shorter. Think of the trailer like a bridge, the longer the span the more flex in the middle. I also added another set of jacks in front of the front axle. I also use the Steadyfast system. My trailer is pretty solid.301Views0likes0CommentsRe: Dexter HD Suspension & EZ-Flex Install (long w/ pictures)
I don't see a need for any special tools to do bushings. I just banged the old bushings out with a piece of 1/2" shaft and to install the new bushing you can just use an old shackle bolt with flat washers on it so the knurled end don't bugger up the new bushing. A couple hits with a hammer and it's seated. Pretty simple job. My only issue was finding a place to do it and I had my jack go screwing on me.601Views0likes0CommentsRe: Dexter HD Suspension & EZ-Flex Install (long w/ pictures)
stang233 wrote: Shouldn't you not place grease on the brass bushing. The point of that business is to stay in place while the bolt rides on the bushing? Correct. The bushing to spring eye fit should be dry. I watched a video of some guy putting new bronze bushings on an old 2 axle non rv trailer. The nylon bushing were so worn out the spring eye was worn. He was just slipping the new bushing in. If you turned the spring sideways the bushings would fall out. You want a tight fit no grease or oil. Press them in with a C clamp or use an old bushing bolt with flat washers over the knurled end to hammer them in.601Views0likes0Comments
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