21' Hemi 2500 upgrades

[jeepkevin]

21' Hemi Crew 4x4 with Off Road and Snow Plow Package with 4k miles

Installed Power Wagon front springs 68172138AC. Stock height to top of fender opening was 41", after 43". Will go back and re-clock springs similar to BDS instructions to reduce bow. Will measure height afterwards, I have a feeling it will drop ever so slightly. Front axle did push over to driverside about 1". I just received Thuren front track bar. Will install this weekend and recenter steering wheel. It drove well over all but did feel more feedback in steering wheel. I adjusted tow in line with what Thuren wants, basically 0, that really helped. No more feedback. Currently castor is low, will adjust to their 3.5 setting this weekend and see how that does.

Installed 1.5" rear lower steel spacer, stock height top of fender opening 43", after 44.25" but no lower isolator. Spacer not built correctly to allow reuse, I am pulling back apart to modify to allow isolator to be reused. I occasionally hear/feel a slight metallic noise or rattle over sharp bumps. Also have the Rough Country rear adjustable track bar. I liked it because of the OEM style rubber bushings. Rear axle has just a barely visible offset to passenger. This will solve that. Lower control arms are basically flat with ground, upper kicker shock at pretty steep angle. As suspension cycles, shock is forced to move. I don't like that. I have taller power wagon mount ordered and may even make a spacer to get more level. When i pull springs, I'll cycle and make sure we have clearance under bed.

Since truck was new and had the yellow/blue Bilsteins, I added the lower shock extensions in the front. The rear shock length seems just fine for normal street driving. You can tell the front rides softer with the PW springs, rear not much change. I will address shocks, just having fun making small changes and seeing affect.

Purpose of truck is daily driver, tow rock crawler or RZR on occasion. We have motorhome that tows for most trips. This is my 3rd Ram 2500, I just like these truck.

I'll follow up with this weekends changes and see if any improvements are felt.

 

[jeepkevin]

Installed Thuren track bar, out of box it can pre set for their springs and with the Power Wagon springs it seemed just about perfect. I measured frame to wheel and wheel to body. It is so close to perfect I am not going to adjust. I turned the drag link adjustor just a little less than 1/4 of a turn to get toe set to almost 0. I did not measure the stock castor setting before I started but after the lift, I am at 2.8. So I'm a little on the low side but drivability on back roads, rough roads, and highway is tight and crisp. I'll get a few more miles then make a change there.

Really impressed with the track bar. The stock bar has the large rubber bushings in each end, the Thuren has a heim on one and and Delrin at the axle. I was worried that I would get more feed back through the steering but they were spot on by saying that the more robust design actually lessens feedback. It is super close to the OEM frame side track bar bracket, might even just touch under heavy compression. I slight grind on the bracket will solve that. Just a fraction of an inch in one tiny are. No big deal.

Rear Ready lift track bar fit just perfect. I didn't want to deal with loosening and moving exhaust to get frame side bolt out so I just bought a new bolt. I cut the head of the bolt off and slid out bolt. New one installed from other direction. It's nice to be able to adjust bar on vehicle. I cut out the center of the OEM lower spring isolator to fit around the little nub that sticks out of the rear spring spacer. I did add just a fraction to the rear height of truck. I wanted to keep some rake. I do tow and don't like the level look.

Over all, truck sits up just like a Power Wagon, drives slightly better. I really think getting rid of the factory toe in helped a bunch.

I did notice that the rear sway bar is not perfectly symmetrical. Every time I go to hook up the rear end links, it preloads the passenger rear. I thinks this gives the truck a slight lean to the driver side. With a full tank and me in truck, definitely has a small lean. I'm gonna get adjustable extended rear links to dial the truck back in so she sits flat.

 

[jeepkevin]