What did you do to your Ram today???

[clb]

well wrapped up my front end today. only took 5 hours BECAUSE I TRUSTED MATH OVER MY GUT AND I ENDED UP NOT ACHIEVING WHAT I WANT THE FIRST TIME.

Did the math involving spring rates, ride height, preload, spring length, weight, and stuff. 30 minutes of calculation said I just needed to up the preload collar by 0.25" and with the 600lb springs I put in last week I could get it back down from 41" to 40" fender to ground, so I did that instead of going with 0.5" adjustment that my gut was telling me.
This is the result:

Because... I only got 0.5" lower. UCA angle not good still after I torqued down and paint marked everything. I was not happy hence the finger. The thought of "why did I bother to mess with this in the first place" ran rampant in my mind since last weekend, and even more today. Not going to lie, the thoughts of "just drive this to the dealer and trade for a PW" was constantly crossing my mind.

Anyways, redid the work for the 4th time in 4 weeks.

What a headache! Having done the suspendion suspension just yestetday myself redoing the spring compression several times to position it correct was annoying as it is.
It was my first time doing any kind of suspension work so during some stages same thoughts crossed my mind "why bother doing all this work for 1 inch lift?" Lol
At least its Sunday to take a breather and relax

P.s. jealous you have access to a lift xD

 

[wickedmopar]

Yesterday was a good day. Installed bed step, K&N intake, and OEM front tow hook kit.

All easy to do, but man some of those bolts are torqued like WTF. I did remove the air damn to get to the bolts for the tow hooks, made it much easier.

 

[Dogpatch]

Pic. Doesn't do it justice, but I gave her a pretty deep clean and detail then promptly spilled coffee in the cup holder. Love me a sunny day, clean truck, and cruising to some good music.
View attachment 199108

I just cleaned my truck and wife decided we should go look at some future properties and take our two dogs. One of them pee’d and threw up while we were out of the truck for 2 minutes. Nice!
And she wonders why I don’t like bringing the dogs with us.

 

[KINGFUROOK]

I just cleaned my truck and wife decided we should go look at some future properties and take our two dogs. One of them pee’d and threw up while we were out of the truck for 2 minutes. Nice!
And she wonders why I don’t like bringing the dogs with us.

Oh man, that sounds terrible. My daughter just recently grew out of getting car sick and projectile vomiting so the truck has been safe. I've also banned the kids eating in it since the last time I pulled the car seat out. Absolute mess.

 

[mplaramie]

Just changed the cabin filter and went to a K&N. The bad news is i broke the little string on the glove box.

 

[mjfr99]

"One of them pee’d and threw up while we were out of the truck for 2 minutes."

I just spent the last 2 days dog proofing [I hope] the new 1500.
Full seat covers and knock off wall to wall mats.
Tonneau also.
Cheeps from the charlies at amazon.
Amazingingly all fit great.

 

[SolerV_Val]

Hoy fue día de mimos para mi Ram La lavé a fondo, le di cera y revisé la presión de las llantas. Nada como verla brillar bajo el sol después de una buena limpieza.
Además, le instalé unas nuevas luces LED delanteras que mejoran muchísimo la visibilidad y le dan un look más agresivo. ¡Lista para la próxima aventura y con más estilo que nunca! ¿Ustedes qué le hicieron hoy a sus Ram?

 

[grimreefer]

I just cleaned my truck and wife decided we should go look at some future properties and take our two dogs. One of them pee’d and threw up while we were out of the truck for 2 minutes. Nice!
And she wonders why I don’t like bringing the dogs with us.

We recently acquired two American Bull Dog/Mountain Cur puppies and they get car sick. Usually at the end of the trip when we're about to pull into the driveway...

Tried this hard bottom rear seat hammock, but they could get over the screen into the front when they really tried, which wasn't too good for the front seat shoulders by the head rest. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DB8GVJSD?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

Bought this floor hammock and they can't get over the screen. Protects the seats way better as well : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSWDDYQX?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Both cleaned up real easy.

 

[Threesuns1]

Hoy fue día de mimos para mi Ram La lavé a fondo, le di cera y revisé la presión de las llantas. Nada como verla brillar bajo el sol después de una buena limpieza.
Además, le instalé unas nuevas luces LED delanteras que mejoran muchísimo la visibilidad y le dan un look más agresivo. ¡Lista para la próxima aventura y con más estilo que nunca! ¿Ustedes qué le hicieron hoy a sus Ram?

Alguna foto con las nuevas luces?

 

[Davidbt]

Hoy fue día de mimos para mi Ram La lavé a fondo, le di cera y revisé la presión de las llantas. Nada como verla brillar bajo el sol después de una buena limpieza.
Además, le instalé unas nuevas luces LED delanteras que mejoran muchísimo la visibilidad y le dan un look más agresivo. ¡Lista para la próxima aventura y con más estilo que nunca! ¿Ustedes qué le hicieron hoy a sus Ram?

I don't speak Spanish, but welcome from South East Arizona.

 

[boogielander]

What a headache! Having done the suspendion suspension just yestetday myself redoing the spring compression several times to position it correct was annoying as it is.
It was my first time doing any kind of suspension work so during some stages same thoughts crossed my mind "why bother doing all this work for 1 inch lift?" Lol
At least its Sunday to take a breather and relax

P.s. jealous you have access to a lift xD

hahaha im a tech/ mechanic by profession and i work at an offroad shop. im doing my own truck after hours because my friend (also my boss) doesn't mind leaving the lights on and compressor running after hours.
i've done suspension work on the ground before and i will absolutely not do it again.

ngl i had my email all drafted up with PDF of my power wagon build attached in my phone. I was one click away from sending it to Anthony at Mark Dodge lol
man... the things I do when I am finished with the perfect build, enjoyed it, and then got bored with it lol opening cans of worms and headaches for myself.

 

[mplaramie]

hahaha im a tech/ mechanic by profession and i work at an offroad shop. im doing my own truck after hours because my friend (also my boss) doesn't mind leaving the lights on and compressor running after hours.
i've done suspension work on the ground before and i will absolutely not do it again.

ngl i had my email all drafted up with PDF of my power wagon build attached in my phone. I was one click away from sending it to Anthony at Mark Dodge lol

Do it! Get the PW..... You keep getting closer and closer. It's only $$$$.

 

[boogielander]

Do it! Get the PW..... You keep getting closer and closer. It's only $$$$.

2025 order book doesn't have that cement grey open yet... it seems like black is the only color available to go with Lvl 2 package and I don't want black truck.
2024 Lunars are still going for full MSRP, which eats away my GFC and Thuren Predator kit (with sending it out to get the axles trussed) budget lol

 

[mplaramie]

2025 order book doesn't have that cement grey open yet... it seems like black is the only color available to go with Lvl 2 package and I don't want black truck.
2024 Lunars are still going for full MSRP, which eats away my GFC and Thuren Predator kit (with sending it out to get the axles trussed) budget lol

Color is a big deal. I had a my23 that was black. Hated trying to keep it clean. Decided to go granite crystal and ordered a my24. Just wanted what I wanted....

 

[boogielander]

Color is a big deal. I had a my23 that was black. Hated trying to keep it clean. Decided to go granite crystal and ordered a my24. Just wanted what I wanted....

black will not work with what i do with the truck lol
cement grey is perfect, white is fine but that'd be straight disrespect to my friend who has a white 24 because i'd be one upping him since day 1.
red is acceptable but not ideal.

or if they really do away with emission then i'd jump on a cummins rebel with zero emission from factory lol

 

[HSKR R/T]

Replaced my front axle lock actuator harness today due to knocksnin the insulation. Have been getting random service 4wd lights. Took it to dealer last year and they said the wiring was damaged and quoted me a $400+ repair. This was only damage I found. Took my 6 months to finally look up the harness and order it. FWIW, it's a $25 harness. And took less than 5 minutes to replace. There's a guy on YouTube that sells a "repair" kit for the connector that he charges $30 for, where you cut the damaged portion of wire of and crimp new pins on.

There was absolutely zero oil inside the connector from oil changes.

Not sure if this will fix my issue. I think my actuator may be part of issue as well, because the part of actuator the connector is on wiggles. At some point, probably during one of my off-road excursion, something must have gotten past the Vice Design front skid plate and hit the actuator by the connector.

View attachment 199083View attachment 199084View attachment 199085

Well, this did not fix the problem, and it's actually gotten worse. Ordered a new axle lock actuator and fluid. So when I get back home after Easter, wills be replacing the actuator and doing a front diff fluid change. I'm just over 60k miles.

 

[Marine6212]

Installed running boards/steps on my 2021 Ram 1500

 

[Montana_]

Installed running boards/steps on my 2021 Ram 1500View attachment 199240

That dog is thinking "My chauffeur thinks this is his truck."

 

[boogielander]

well wrapped up my front end today. only took 5 hours BECAUSE I TRUSTED MATH OVER MY GUT AND I ENDED UP NOT ACHIEVING WHAT I WANT THE FIRST TIME.

Did the math involving spring rates, ride height, preload, spring length, weight, and stuff. 30 minutes of calculation said I just needed to up the preload collar by 0.25" and with the 600lb springs I put in last week I could get it back down from 41" to 40" fender to ground, so I did that instead of going with 0.5" adjustment that my gut was telling me.
This is the result:
View attachment 199178
Because... I only got 0.5" lower. UCA angle not good still after I torqued down and paint marked everything. I was not happy hence the finger. The thought of "why did I bother to mess with this in the first place" ran rampant in my mind since last weekend, and even more today. Not going to lie, the thoughts of "just drive this to the dealer and trade for a PW" was constantly crossing my mind.
Well I wasn't feeling great since morning. Long story short, contributing factors are:
1. I only slept 5 hours last night
2. Installing Baja Designs on a brand new Ford F150 Raptor 37 ended up not working, checked all my work just in case I missed something only to find out the upfitter switch fuse was broken. BROKEN, not popped. Wasted a good 30 minutes on that under the sun.
Can you believe it? BROKEN FUSE on a brand new car. No sign of fuse burning off or anything. Just broken. If I didn't see the logo I'd think that's some Auxbeam made truck.
View attachment 199181
Anyways, redid the work for the 4th time in 4 weeks. This time I decided if my gut is wrong then i'm not messing with this anymore. I'd email Anthony at Mark Dodge and get my power wagon order in.
View attachment 199180
This is how much preload there is on the passenger side. The driver side has more preload than this, compensating for driver side lean. (1" preload on the driver side, 0.75" preload on the pass side).

View attachment 199182
Well, at 7PM, I was done. 40" fender to ground in the front, 39" in the rear. At this point I'm so done I don't even know if I should chase that 1" in the back. The Clayton Offroad 2.5" JT HD springs are on the way, but I don't even know if they are better than the Carli Rebel HD springs. I like the ride quality in the rear, and I'm only messing with it for aesthetic reasons (going against my own rule: never do things just so it can look good) and hoping to gain a bit of departure angle (going with my own rule: function over form). Theoretically, the 2.5" HD springs should give me a bit more than Carli, since Carli Rebel HD spring is more like 1.5" gain instead. Oh wells I guess we shall see how I feel next week, because to be honest, it looks and rides perfectly fine like this with 885lb constant over rear axle.

So, what have we learned today? We learned:

• The general 1:2 ratio for preload vs ride height is mostly accurate, spring rate used does not affect anything.
• When you've been doing this as a professional, there are things that you just know. Your experience/ gut tells you things that are right. Don't try to get all scientific about it and use math to find the answer, even though this is the first Ram truck that needed spring change (all my other customers are running empty so their spring rates are fine). My gut was telling me adjust 0.5" while math was telling me to adjust 0.25". I could've saved myself round 2 had I listened to my gut. So, experiences trump everything. Listen to experience.
• Don't be buying Ford Wraptors. Those are no good. Sorry @Waterfowler41
• Follow rule number 1: do not do things for aesthetic reasons when functionality is good. Doing things for aesthetic reasons will guarantee headaches to follow.

oh, and for anyone wondering: with 600lb springs, cranking preload collar while coilover is not off the truck (suspension full droop, wheel taken off) will lead to disaster. I tried to do that and the collar jumped and skipped the thread (despite applying lube liberally beforehand). Had to remove the coilover, compressed the spring, and force turn the collar all the way to the top to reseat the collar. Luckily I did not damage any thread.

Took the truck on a long drive today, put about 60 miles on the clock with two double dips that I used to test my suspension.
The 600lb springs with current preload settings ride great on pavement most of the time. Only when pavement gets rough that the ride quality suffers a bit. I can probably turn the low speed compression knob down a few clicks, or even all the way to the least aggressive setting.
When going through the double dips that I simulate as whoops in the desert, the 600lb springs are very supportive. I sent through the first double dip at 30MPH to see how it felt, and it felt like the dip wasn't there at all. So I sent the truck through the second double dip at 50MPH. Normally, when I send it at 40MPH (the speed limit), I would rub the top of fender liner when landing with the DSC running my street setting (no rubbing with trail setting though). WIth the 600lb springs and DSC set at street setting and carrying more speed, there was no rub at all. The spring decompressed as I went through the dip, and compressed to stop the truck from sinking/ rubbing the fender liners as I return to level ground.

The steering and the front end ride quality was good, did not feel stiff at all. It was a bit more firm than 450lb springs that came with Fox, but it's the confidence inducing type of firmness. Compared to the previous preload setting that I had last week, the ride quality is fore sure an improvement.

Overall, aside from the work involved, I'm quite happy with the result of the front end "update" so far. The dirt portion will be tested next weekend when I lead a group run in Death Valley for 3 days.