Dodge 3500 sag

First topic message reminder :

schrowang wrote:Tom,
How do you like your dually? Must be able handle the Montana very nicely.

FYI EVERYONE, I SPLIT THESE POSTS OFF FROM SCHROWANG'S PRESENTING.... POST CAUSE I DIDNT WANT TO STEAL HIS GLORY ON HIS BEAUTIFUL NEW TRUCK.

Well, my truck sits 58" at the bed rail, with the camper attached, its 53.5". It really looks like its sagging too. Here is a picture:


Notice how the rear end is sitting, and the front end is up in the air.

Now it is sitting on a downhill slant, cause the driveway slants down, but still. I have to take it out this week and look at it on level ground. But a 4.5" drop is a LOT!!!

The hitch is installed in the correct place.

Any thoughts????

oldelmer1 wrote:

Mopar_Earl wrote:
I was just bustin your do hickeys.

Earl

Bust away, at least I get to smile once a day......

I see that you have not purchased your Dodge bug deflector yet. You know the one that fits on the tailgate...

Oh, yeah, the one that keeps the bugs of the FORDS since I an cruising in front of them.

oldelmer1 wrote:Oh, yeah, the one that keeps the bugs of the FORDS since I an cruising in front of them.

Us Ford owners appreciate that very much... It is nice of you to install the bug and debris shield on your tailgate, so as we are pushing you over the mountains, bugs and dodge parts don't hit our grills.

Maxtor
Wishful Thinking on your part. Jim

Stanford wrote:Maxtor
Wishful Thinking on your part. Jim

When Tom comes out West where we have real mountains, we will see how Dodge vs. Ford does.
Just so he has a chance, he can disconnect from the Montana, and we can go head to head with my old decrepit Ford Falcon. Since I am for safety and fair play, when Tom and Sharon get here, we can go to the drag strip, "not on the street, got to think of safety you know" and test Dodge vs Ford.

Maxtor,

Only if you drive in reverse...

oldelmer1 wrote:Maxtor,

Only if you drive in reverse...

You win....

Be done with it and get a Chevy
Sean

Sean wrote:Be done with it and get a Chevy
Sean

Sean wrote:Be done with it and get a Chevy
Sean

The Wife tells me I am to old to be going so fast with our Fords, so she says buy something that is befitting a old senior citizen, so taking her advice I bought the below chevy to slow down and go slow.Our chevy is so slow, I doubt it would keep up with Tom's Dodge. [img][/img]

Tom,

Did you have to buy the 1 ton to pull you new camper? Did you pull the Montanna with you 3/4 ton ?My DW is looking at bigger rig (38 ft) And I was just wondering if my 3/4 ton would have a problem with it. the salesman said not a problem ...but can you trust him on this? the camper she wants has a dry weight of 12,200 with a tounge weight of 2100 ,, but it`s a lot more than the 29rlbs

Hi Danny,

Our old truck was a 2006 F350 diesel 4x2, it pulled the Montana with no problems, but I knew it was there. With our 2006 Wildcat 29RLBS, most of the time I forgot it was there.

2100# is not much for a 38 foot camper, but I would guess that is the empty weight.

There are lots of folks on the OTHER FORUM that I read that have 3/4 ton's and pull bigger Montana's than ours, and most have airbags to bring the rear back to level.

If I remember correctly, the 29RLBS has a pin weight of 1300# empty.

Some Chevy's are considered HD units, is yours? I think that gives you heavier springs than a standard 3/4 ton.

I'm sure other's that have the Chevy will chime in.

I know I have not answered your question, just beating around the bush , but I don't know for sure.

The spring on my chevy have a helper spring just below the main springs. When I hitch up my 30Lsbs the back end drops just under 60mm (nearly 2 1/2inches) there is about 125 lbs of weight already in the load bed (generator and tool chest).
Sean.

Sean ; Does your chevy have the heated rear bumper option? They didn't offer it on the Dodge.

slowtruck wrote:Sean ; Does your chevy have the heated rear bumper option? They didn't offer it on the Dodge.

I have not got a clue, do I have to pour fuel over it then set it alight
Sean

Sean; I thought all chevy owners would have that feacher so your hands don't get cold when you have to push it. I would have bought a good Chevy, but they never made one yet.

I am not saying that Tom's Dodge is slow, but I heard that a snail told him to stop following him or he would call the cops.

Maxtor wrote:I am not saying that Tom's Dodge is slow, but I heard that a snail told him to stop following him or he would call the cops.

I think someone is jealous !!!

slowtruck that name must say it all for your TV
hard all day and not catch up.
Sean
Ps. I love this type of banter it helps keep you on your toes

oldelmer1 wrote:

Maxtor wrote:I am not saying that Tom's Dodge is slow, but I heard that a snail told him to stop following him or he would call the cops.

I think someone is jealous !!!

Ok Tom,,, your dodge against my old chevy,,,, You would probably win...

Maxtor wrote:

Stanford wrote:Maxtor
Wishful Thinking on your part. Jim

When Tom comes out West where we have real mountains, we will see how Dodge vs. Ford does.

Maxtor,

In 2007 when we drove from Durango to Pueblo over Wolf Creek Pass (elevation 10,856') on US-160 my '04.5 Ram 2500 CTD had no problem with the grade or the hairpin turns going up and the Cummins with the Jake Brake to the downhill side in stride. Yup, those were real mountains, yup! We just chugged uphill in 3rd the whole way doing about 35 mph (and 2nd gear on the switchbacks themselves) and the truck just loved it. BTW we passed a Ford Powersmoke sitting in one of the pullouts with and overheated radiator. Tsk, tsk. Wish I'd taken a picture to prove it.

now now kid's. all trucks have a hiccup one day.

schrowang wrote:

Maxtor wrote:

Stanford wrote:Maxtor
Wishful Thinking on your part. Jim

When Tom comes out West where we have real mountains, we will see how Dodge vs. Ford does.

Maxtor,

In 2007 when we drove from Durango to Pueblo over Wolf Creek Pass (elevation 10,856') on US-160 my '04.5 Ram 2500 CTD had no problem with the grade or the hairpin turns going up and the Cummins with the Jake Brake to the downhill side in stride. Yup, those were real mountains, yup! We just chugged uphill in 3rd the whole way doing about 35 mph (and 2nd gear on the switchbacks themselves) and the truck just loved it. BTW we passed a Ford Powersmoke sitting in one of the pullouts with and overheated radiator. Tsk, tsk. Wish I'd taken a picture to prove it.

Ouch...I am sure that he was waiting for you to get to the top...
10,856 ft. is just a knoll. Going through the Eisenhower Tunnel on the way to Denver, the pass is 11,158 ft.

Seriously,,, 10K or 11K are serious mountains. We are all lucky that Ford, Dodge and Chevy have made some very good TV's.

Hi Oldelmer, how many springs do you have on your 3500, I have 7 total on my 2005 2500 I just purchased and was wondering if I should be adding airbags after hearing the Dodge has a week rear end. I havn't put the hitch in yet to see if there is a sag. I will be going camping right after I get the hitch in so I don't want to be sagging on our first trip.

Goethe Usher wrote:Hi Oldelmer, how many springs do you have on your 3500, I have 7 total on my 2005 2500 I just purchased and was wondering if I should be adding airbags after hearing the Dodge has a week rear end. I haven't put the hitch in yet to see if there is a sag. I will be going camping right after I get the hitch in so I don't want to be sagging on our first trip.

I would say Dodge doesn't really have a weak rear end, my pictures are a little misleading. My driveway runs on a downhill angle, so I think the pictures are very misleading. When the truck was on level ground, the sag is almost gone.

If I count every piece of metal under there, there is 10, 6 actual springs, and 4 spacers.

You probably wont have any problems, I'd give it a try first and then go from there.

If you search on "timbrens" you can see more info.

My spring man has changed some over loads on many pickups and mine was one. To much weight on the pin. Needed to add to the overloads to level my Ford out.

Oldelmer1 I think I will put a skid of softener salt in my bed at work that weighs about 2300, that should be a good indicator of how much the bed drops, since my pin is 1500 I think. I have 7 leaf springs but no spacers. I also have a shackle type thing holding the spring bundle together at both ends, I don't see them in your pics, but I don't have spacers either. I will measure the bed height before and after the full skid is in. BTW nice looking clean underside!