If you're tired of that will nose-down look on your truck, setting up an 06 dodge 2500 leveling kit is probably the very first thing on your to-do list. It's among those modifications that offers an enormous boom for your money without requiring a massive overhaul of your entire suspension system. The majority of us who drive these 3rd Style Rams know specifically what I'm speaking about—the factory "rake" where the top sits significantly less than the rear. Whilst Dodge designed this this way to keep the truck degree when hauling a heavy trailer, it doesn't look great when you're just cruising around town or hitting a few light trails.
Why Leveling Your own Ram Makes Sense
The main cause most people search for an 06 dodge 2500 leveling kit is purely aesthetic. Let's be true: these trucks appear way more aggressive whenever they sit smooth. But it isn't just about the "cool factor. " Obtaining that front-end up a couple associated with inches opens upward a world of possibilities for larger tires. If you've ever tried to stuff 35s on to an investment 2006 Memory 2500, you understand they're likely to rub the wheel well liners or the handle arms the 2nd a person turn the steering wheel. A easy leveling kit creates just enough clearance in order to make those larger tires work.
Beyond the appearance and the car tire clearance, a leveling kit can in fact improve your ground clearance at the top bumper. If you do any kind of off-roading or even even just drive through deep snow, that extra 2 inches can be the difference between clearing an hurdle and scraping your plastic air dam on everything a person pass.
Choosing Between Spacers and Replacement Springs
When you start shopping for a good 06 dodge 2500 leveling kit, you're going to see two main options: coil spacers and full replacement leveling springs. Both have their pros and cons, and your choice really depends on what you want from your truck and how much you're prepared to spend.
The Budget-Friendly Path: Coil Spacers
Spacers are often made of polyurethane, bar stock aluminum, or heavy-duty steel. They sit down right on top of the factory coils springs and actually just "space" the particular body up far from the axle. The greatest advantage here is usually the price. They are incredibly affordable and get the particular job done in the event that you just desire the truck in order to sit level.
However, since you're keeping your stock springs, the ride quality won't change much. If your 06 Ram currently feels like it's riding on stones, spacers won't repair that. They furthermore don't add any kind of suspension travel; they will just shift the range of movement down.
The Performance Route: Leveling Springs
If you've got a little more room in the budget, I'd extremely recommend taking a look at replacement leveling springs. Rather of using a spacer, you change the entire factory coils with a longer, usually "progressive rate" springtime. This can be a game-changer intended for ride quality. These types of springs are developed to be smoother on top of the stroke for small humps but firm upward when things obtain rough.
An 06 dodge 2500 leveling kit that includes fresh springs often results in a truck that will handles better as opposed to the way it did from the factory. It's a bit more work to set up, yet if you program on keeping the particular truck for a long time, it's usually worth the extra investment.
Don't Your investment Shocks
Something that will often gets overlooked when buying a good 06 dodge 2500 leveling kit could be the shock absorbers. Your factory shocks were designed for a particular length. When you lift the front from the truck by two or two-and-a-half inches, those stock shock absorbers are now seated close to the end of their travel.
In case you hit a big pothole, the shock may "top out, " which isn't simply uncomfortable—it can really damage the surprise over time. Some cheaper kits come along with "shock extensions" which are basically little brackets that let you keep your aged shocks. They work, but honestly, if you're already taking the front aside, it's time for you to enhance to some longer, better-performing shocks just like a set of Bilstein 5100s or Fox 2. 0s. Your kidneys will thank you later.
The Reality of Installation
When you're handy with a wrench, installing an 06 dodge 2500 leveling kit is a project you can certainly tackle in your own driveway over a weekend break. You don't require a lift, yet a good ground jack and some high-capacity jack holds are non-negotiable. These types of trucks are weighty, and you don't want to consider any risks whenever you're working below the front-end.
The process generally involves unbolting the shocks, disconnecting the particular sway bar hyperlinks, and dropping front side axle low plenty of to pull the particular coils out. If you're using spacers, you pop all of them in and place the springs back again. If you're carrying out new springs, a person just swap them out.
The trickiest component is usually obtaining the axle in order to drop far more than enough. You might possess to unbolt the brake line mounting brackets or the monitor bar to get that extra inches of clearance. Pro tip: Make use of a spring air compressor if you're feeling nervous, but usually, on a 2500, you can obtain enough "droop" from the axle to find the springs in and out without a single.
Addressing the particular Track Bar Issue
One "hidden" side effect associated with installing an 06 dodge 2500 leveling kit is just how it affects your front axle position. Because the Ram uses a solid top axle with the track bar, because you lift the truck, the track bar pulls the axle slightly towards the driver's side.
On a 2-inch level, the particular shift is pretty small—maybe half a good inch—but for a few people, it's good enough to be annoying. If you're the perfectionist, you may want to appear into an flexible track bar. This particular allows you in order to recenter the axle perfectly under the particular truck. It's not strictly required for a simple level, but it definitely makes intended for a cleaner setup and better steerage feel.
Working with the Famous "Death Wobble"
We can't discuss a 3rd Gen Ram suspension and not mention the "death wobble. " For these who haven't experienced it, it's a violent shaking associated with the front end that always happens right after hitting a bundle at highway rates of speed.
Installing an 06 dodge 2500 leveling kit doesn't cause death move, however it can highlight existing problems. In case your ball joint parts, tie rod finishes, or track bar bushings are already put on out, changing the suspension geometry can be the tipping point. Before you install your kit, give your front end a thorough inspection. Shake the auto tires, check the boots with regard to tears, and make sure everything is definitely tight. It's significantly easier to fix a worn-out tie up rod while you've already got the truck pulled apart for that leveling kit.
What Tire Size Can You Actually Run?
This is the big question everyone asks. Once you've got your 06 dodge 2500 leveling kit installed, what can you match?
In most cases, a 2. 5-inch level will help you to run 35x12. 50 tires . Nevertheless, wheel offset is definitely the real determining factor. If you're keeping your manufacturer wheels, 35s might rub slightly upon the control hands when you change the wheel most the way towards the lock. Most men just live along with it, but in case it bugs you, a set of wheels with a bit more balance will push the tires out plus clear those arms. Just be cautious not to go too crazy with the offset, or you'll start rubbing upon the back of the fender well rather!
Final Ideas and Maintenance
After the kit is on and you've admired the fresh stance, there's one particular last step a person absolutely cannot skip: get an alignment . Even though a leveling kit is a simple mod, it changes the feet and caster of the front wheels. If you skip the positioning, you'll likely chew through a place of expensive tires in just a few thousand miles.
Also, after you've driven about 500 miles, crawl back under there and double-check all your bolts. Things such as shock mounts and track bar mounting bolts can settle plus loosen up following a few heat series and vibrations.
Adding a good 06 dodge 2500 leveling kit has become the most rewarding "first mod" you can do for your pickup truck. It gets rid of that rake, enables you to run beefier tires, and generally the actual pickup truck look the way in which this should have from your factory. Whether you decide to go with simple spacers or a full spring-and-shock upgrade, you're likely to love the way your Ram looks and seems on the street.