Leveling kits are a cost-effective way to fit larger-than-stock tires, particularly on large-wheelwelled vehicles, like the Dodge Ram. Spring-spacer kits are an easy, at-home way to increase clearance on front-coiled Rams and Super Dutys.
| A mild spring lift effectively gillnets a porpoising highway ride. It also creates more clearance for slightly larger tires if desired. (OE-size LT285/75R16 BFG All-Terrains shown here.)
Although leveling kits help restore ride height to sagging coils, they can't revive springs that are sprung beyond their design parameters. A truck that porpoises down the freeway likely suffers from compromised-rate coils. Spacers might help visually, but they won't fix the ride.
Owners of older diesels, particularly those with heavy winches/bumpers or snowplows, know the spring-has-sprung scenario well. The knee-jerk temptation to add a leveling kit only stalls the inevitable: new coils are called for.
A proactive alternative to stock-replacement coils and a leveling is a mild, front spring lift. This gives some margin-of-sag error, especially on trucks with aftermarket front bumpers/accessories.
| A diesel engine's weight contributes to front spring sag. This '99 200,000-mile Cummins seems like it's always driving downhill.
Superlift is one aftermarket suspension manufacturer that offers mild front spring lifts for many popular diesel pickups. For the second-gen ('94 to '02) Dodge Cummins, Superlift's kit even offers side-specific driver's and passenger's coils-just like the factory. (Dodge engineers assumed these HD trucks wouldn't always have a passenger, causing the trucks to sag faster on the driver's side.) Superlift's driver-side coil is 1/4 inch taller than its mate. This kit's only other components are longer-than-stock urethane bumpstops to combat over-compression.
Options
Full-line suspension companies (as opposed to leveling-only manufacturers) offer options for optimizing the system. From Superlift these upgrades include longer-than-stock front shocks to take advantage of the taller springs' full travel. For the second-gen Cummins, Superlift offers 3/4-inch coil-spacer plates. These can be installed individually to correct side-to-side sag or as pairs to gain additional lift. Superlift also offers an upgraded single steering stabilizer and the TruSpeed speed sensor recalibrator to compensate for taller-than-stock tires. For 2500s with the Dana 44 light-duty front axle, Superlift offers a dual steering stabilizer kit.
| Superlift's '94 to '02 Cummins 2-inch front lift kit consists of springs and bumpstops. Options include spring spacer plates, shocks, and steering stabilizers.
Results
The basic Superlift 2-inch Dodge spring/bumpstop kit is rated an easy 1 rating on the company's 1 to 5 difficultly scale, with estimated pro install time being 1 1/2 hours. The job shown here includes the optional shocks and coil-spacer plates (to compensate for a heavy winch that'll go on later). This adds a couple of hours to the job-even when performed by ultra-pro installer/fabricator Brian
Wallach of American Offroad.
| Some Cummins 2500s have the heavy-duty Dana 60 front axle with 4 5/16-inch-diameter housing tubes. We aren't aware of any aftermarket dual stabilizers for this axle. Superlift offers a dual kit for Ram 2500s that have the light-duty Dana 44 frontend with the 3.5-inch od tubes.
The end result is a slightly stiffer ride than stock: 420 lb-in vs. the OE 402 lb-in. However, the Superlift 2-inch springs cure the undulating highway ride and will easily accept 33x12.50 tires on 8-inch rims. Other front end modifications, like a winch or plow, are now more easily accommodated, and their extra weight softens the ride quality.
A mild spring lift isn't as cheap or easy as a straight leveling kit (which Superlift also offers). For shot springs, though, it's the way to go.
Product Profile:
American Offroad
805/494-9595
Superlift Suspension Systems
800/551-4955
www.superlift.com
