With the announcement that the ’14 to ’15 Ram 2500 would receive a five-link, coil-sprung rear suspension as standard equipment, Ram fans found one more reason to love their trucks. The coil-spring system has been used to great effect on the light-duty Ram 1500, improving its ride and handling while not sacrificing capability, payload capacity, or off-road readiness. Suitably beefed-up for ¾-ton duty, the coil setup did wonders for the 2500’s ride quality, without compromising its trucking abilities.
Still, many people crave more of these qualities, particularly while towing or hauling heavy loads. For many owners, loading their new Ram 2500s nearly to capacity results in unwanted sway, body roll, and rear-axle sag (as could be expected of any truck, coil springs or not). For people who understand towing a heavy load, extra body motions are unsettling, and they can even spell disaster if left unchecked.
| The Big Wig air spring kit comes with all the parts and hardware needed for an easy installation. Backing plates, brackets, air lines, and hardware are all included.
It’s for those hard-working consumers that Hellwig Products designed its Big Wig air suspension for the new Ram 2500 with coil springs. Unlike the factory-installed air suspension (which is a good option in and of itself), the Big Wig system works in tandem with a 2500’s rear coil springs, providing load-leveling, extra stability, and improved ride comfort.
The benefit to using air springs in conjunction with the factory coils is that neither the airbags nor the coil springs are overtaxed, providing decent ride quality loaded or unloaded. Also, the Big Wig system has some of the largest airbags available from the aftermarket, meaning they can be run with less air pressure, helping preserve ride comfort.
| This is a great example of the heavy loads this Ram gets called upon to haul. The truck-and-trailer combination pushes the combined weight rating to more than 16,000 pounds. While that falls into the middle of what heavy-duty trucks are capable of moving nowadays, it’s nevertheless a lot of weight to have to handle.
In addition to the Big Wig air suspension, the ’14 Ram we’re working with is also being outfitted with the company’s adjustable rear sway bar. The Hellwig bar provides three levels of sway control, making it ideal for trucks that are frequently called upon to carry high-profile loads like slide-in campers, utility beds with high-mounted equipment, or fifth-wheel trailers. Those items can negatively affect a truck’s handling (obviously), but Hellwig’s sway bar can alleviate some of the side effects of towing a big load, while also offering ride and handling benefits when driving empty.
Both the sway bar and Big Wig air suspension are direct bolt-on parts, making that extra peace of mind easy to acquire. To find out more, we followed along with Hot Rod Ranch’s installation and got to see how well this Bright White Laramie drives with the air springs and sway bar fitted. This Ram is being updated for Hot Rod Ranch co-owner Randy Muro’s mother-in-law, so it’s got to be perfect!
Next, studs are installed in the air spring plate using thread locker to keep them securely in place. The studs will slip easily into the holes on the underside of the frame bracket.
