We just got rid of our 2001 Ram 3500 dually and got the 2500 4wd. The other day when towing for the first time, I noticed the rear of the truck felt very loose, compared to the dually. I have new BFG Rugged Trail load range Es on the back in the stock 265/70R17, inflated to 80 PSI, and a matching set on the front. The alignment is good as well. I did notice there is no rear sway bar on the 2500. Can one from a 3500 be fitted, or should I look at rear air springs like Ride Rites or Air Lifts? The truck is stock height and has 173k miles. The trailer is a four horse goose neck with living quarters in the front, 12k GVWR, and was empty.

-Joe

 

I believe Helwig makes an aftermarket swaybar for our 3rd gens. I dont know much about them but may be worth looking into. Also, I just added PacBrake airbags to my '06, install was easy, directions were pretty good. I dont tow a gooseneck, but my 30' travel trailer rode very nice after installing them.

Scott

 

Duallies feel much more planted than SRW trucks when hauling, so I'm not sure if there's anything "wrong" with your setup.

These trucks are setup up to understeer from the factory, so no rear bar. Adding a rear bad increases rear roll stiffness, and may induce more oversteer on slick conditions when you aren't expecting it, especially when unloaded.

My bumper-pull is about 11K lbs all loaded up.
It towed good when stock, but tows much better after I installed airbags.

 

The feeling is very much one of body roll, especially in the rear when loaded. As a precaution, I began shoving the truck side to side with the trailer mounted up, to check for flex in the tire sidewalls. The tires showed no deflection, but I could easily see the rear of the truck rocking.

The drive between Oklahoma and Arizona this week was a bit sketchy with the cross winds in Oklahoma and Texas. Over time, I got used to the feel, but I don't remember our 1995 2500 Club Cab 4wd ever feeling this unstable when loaded and towing.

Speed was not a factor and there was no speed-induced sway. The truck and trailer felt equally loose at 45 mph up to 75 mph. It reminded me of driving a Ford based U-Haul with the "twin traction beam" front end. Slight corrections in steering were required. Anything sudden would upset the balance and could lead to disaster.

I don't want to impair handling when empty, so a rear sway bar may not be the best option. This truck is essentially the wife's driver and will be pulling the trailer about 30% of the time, and more often than not, the trailer will be loaded with horses, so stability is important.

-Joe

 

Sway bars increase spring weight only when there's a difference left to right - like in a corner.

Air bags increase the spring rate all the time.

If spring rate is too high, the ride will be harsh, and the suspension won't have enough compliance to keep the rubber on the road.

If the truck is sagging when loaded and parked, use air bags. If it's pretty level, use a sway bar.

 

I experienced the same feeling when we went from the 95 2500 to the 03 3500. I figured it was due to the longer springs of the 3rd gen. The 95 was a rock towing or not. Sure appreciate the softer ride of the 03 but I am looking forward to getting airbags.

 

Airbags may help you, but as mentioned if you really aren't experiencing any sag when loaded up I don't think the bags are going to help you much.

Is there any weight inside the trailer that is able to roll or transfer while you are traveling? Possibly in the living quarters? I would assume not, but perhaps this would be something else to look at.

 

The living quarters are pretty simple, and very solid, so nothing is shifting around there. The axles on the trailer are rearward, so maybe the last two horses would be over the axles (slant load). Obviously, loaded horses are going to cause more sway, as they are prone to movement, even with dividers in place. I guess the best starting place would be to measure the rear height as it rests, unladen, and then with the weight of the empty trailer in order to get an idea of what sag there is for comparison. The trailer is a CM composition with steel frame and aluminum floors, so it is heavier than a straight aluminum trailer.

-Joe

(notw, thanks for the info on the springs. That explains a lot.)

 

After measuring the difference between no trailer and empty trailer, the "loaded" difference is 2 inches. With no load on the rear of the truck, the ground up to the inside arch of the rear wheel well, at the axle centerline, is 41". With the trailer (empty) mounted on the gooseneck hitch, the same measurement is 39". Obviously, this will change even more with horses in the trailer, maybe down to 37-36". The mesurement is within a half inch side-to-side.

-Joe

 

Did you by chance measure the front? If it is sitting level loaded you wouldn't need to lift it. I would imagine if you are getting two inches just from the trailer it will probably be slightly nose high with the horses and loaded up to travel.

 

Airbags elevate the load. Swaybars do just that,reduce sway. If you're running the stock shocks,throw them away. Get some Bilstein's at the very least.

Nothing like a dually for carrying a slide-in or towing,regardless of how it's setup.

 

I checked the measurements at the front using the same as the system as the rear. The difference between the two was 1/4" higher with the trailer attached. Obviously this will increase with 3,000 pounds of horse ahead of the trailer axles.

Danderson, yes it has the stock shocks. Being 9 years old and 173k miles, they should be replaced anyway. I will add Blisteins to the shopping list.

-Joe