This is a follow up thread to post my results.

I did it!! I changed the coil springs and isolators today. It is great!!! No more bouncy, bottoming out, drink spilling, speed bump fells like a wreck driving truck. I'm very impressed and had better results than expected.

Guys, it even leveled my truck. Right now, I gained 1.75 " in the front. I'm expected to lose .5" due to the settling in the rubber isolators. The truck handles awesome!

What I did, replaced the old coil springs with new heavy duty oem coil springs with higher weight capacity. Basically put cab chassis springs in a 2500. 3500s could be the same as 2500, depending on plow package etc.

Driver Side:
Before, 039 After 048 (part# 52039048)


Passenger Side
Before 038 After 047 (part# 52039047)
I also replaced the sway bar bushings at the axle with Energy Suspension.

I highly reccommend this for a better riding and handling truck. I do have bilsteins shocks in front and crappy monroes in the back.

In the past, 2500 and 3500 Diesels came with any of the following combination of springs:

Driver Pass typical options, but trucks vary widely Spring Specs Page

038 038 2500 regular cab w/ automatic - Grrr... IMHO the 038 spring is undersized for the diesel!!!
039 038 2500 regular cab w/ manual, automatic with tow package
039 039 2500 & 3500 reg cab w/ manual or automatic, plus tow &/or camper package
039 039 2500 & 3500 Club Cab or Quad Cab w/ manual or automatic
046 039 2500 &3500 reg cab manual w/ tow package and snowplow prep
046 039 2500& 3500 Club Cab or Quad Cab w/ manual and tow package
047 046 2500 QC 6 speed w/ tow, camper, and snowplow prep 2001
048 047 '98 3500 ISB Chassis Cab w/ tow, aux rear springs, plow prep, manual

037 038 2500HD 4x4 with 360 snowplow prep AT From: Bill A <walleg01@snet.net>

Another source:
http://www.turbodieselregister.com/f...ngs-print.html

Another source:http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/springs.htm

Another source:
http://www.plowsite.com/archive/index.php/t-29423.html

Email, post, or send me a private message if you have any questions or need more information

 

Great Info... pm'ed you.

RJ

 

Guys I'm loving it!! My wife can't believe it's the same truck. She also likes the truck sitting more level. I wish I had pictures before and after.

 

Why is it that the drivers side increases so much while the passenger side stays the same?

 

Sounds awesome. Im dreading my front end rebuild coming up.

 

xtoyz17, the driver side needs to handle more weight because of the driver, steering components, brake booster, gas tank, etc. is all on the driver side of the truck. The stiffer spring compensates for the extra load to create a balance of weight distribution.

 

Well I understand that, but most of them are *close* to having the same ratings as each other while these two I quoted have a huge difference in the numbers from side to side?

 

Good question, but I have no explanation???????

 

IMO The are compensating for the plow prep on the reg cab quoted and on the cc/qc they are compensating for the heavier cab configuraion.

 

They're only compensating one side of the truck though. That makes for an unbalanced suspension last I checked?

 

I have never worked on a truck that had a balanced suspension. The springs have always been different right to left. Although the OP states there are trucks out there with the same spring right to left I have not seen it. The most common I have seen are 039/038 and 046/039 so I just assumed they we're all unbalanced.

 

Well unbalanced to some degree is expected. I think they change the spring rates side to side a bit to actually "balance" the truck a bit since side to side weight won't be evenly distributed. They should be pretty close, though. I guess I'm curious what the actual spring rate is in comparison to the dealers numbers for the springs.

 

Most of the rates listed on the DodgeRam site only vary 150-200 lbs right to left. This seems reasonable IMO

 

Wouldn't the heaver chassis/cab springs make the ride more jarring though?

 

I am replacing a worn out 038/039 combo with 046/047. I am sure the ride with be stiffer but sometimes a stiffer ride is better and safer, especially with the plow on the front.