Ski Pro 3
Placerville area
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Joined: 06/15/2012
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Grit dog wrote:FYI, I started a thread on the felling wedge stable loads on the tow rig forum just recently for anyone looking at doing that.
Can you post a link to it? I looked over the past couple pages in "Tow Vehicles" forum and couldn't find it.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Joined: 05/06/2013
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Homemade Stableloads
Here you go.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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jefe 4x4
West Slope, Northern Sierra Nevada
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Joined: 01/21/2004
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d3500ram,
I like your idea. Cheap and fits the space between the bottom two springs, spreading out the stress. However, I find using anything in conjunction with the lower actual overload spring makes the ride Oh-so stiff. Why? Do you actually think that thick lower spring has any flex? I think not. It's an end of travel support block. It's just the last stop on an out of control freight train. Further, when the lower overload is bottomed out the physics of frame twisting starts to take over. The stiffer the spring pack, the more twist transferred to the frame or the front springs if not equally stiffened. Maybe I'm paranoid about this, but I found out on some off-road style trucks, especially older Ford frames that flex at will, that you want to maximize the spring flexing to minimize the frame flexing. Something has to flex somewhere when you get the axles all twisted up and it might as well be the springs not the frame, especially with a TC on board.
As a historical footnote, Jeeps (capital J) starting with the WWII Willys/Ford had many thin leaves with good flexibility off-road and allowing little frame flexing. By about the CJ era in the 1950's to 1986 the springs were stiffer and transferred some of the twist to the frame, which by this time was more robust than the MB era. But the cross members, spring hangers and body bushings took it in the shorts. The YJ model in 1987 went back to a more playable spring set and there was even less frame flexing with a stiffer yet frame.
I have thought about this a lot and appreciate the Dodge front coil springs as they take over much of the suspension travel from the much stiffened suspension on the rear axle.
Oh, lots to consider. I still like the simplicity of your idea. Maybe because I have a lot of brightly colored plastic wedges laying in my chainsaw kit.
jefe
'01.5 Dodge 2500 4x4, CTD, Qcab, SB, NV5600, 241HD, 4.10's, Dana 70/TruTrac; Dana 80/ TruTrac, Spintec hub conversion, H.D. susp, 315/75R16's on 7.5" and 10" wide steel wheels, Vulcan big line, Warn M15K winch '98 Lance Lite 165s, 8' 6" X-cab, 200w Solar
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d3500ram
Colorado
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Joined: 07/31/2006
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Jefe- good observations. Your explanation makes logical sense... and yea, I do not envision that bottom overload having any movement to it. I will admit that my set-up unladen rides stiff but it sure rides nice and level when I am loaded up... wet camping weight is about 4000# and handles fantastic.
I think I will probably take the felling wedges out as most of my driving right now is without camper. In fact, I did both of these add-ons at the same time... I might need to try it without the wedges this fall when I put the camper back on.
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wfs989
Cle Elum, Wa. 98922
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Thanks for all the information so far. I think I will go with the stable loads as I can disengage them easily when the camper is not on the truck, and probably add the BigWig sway bay, after I look at the OEM sway bar. Several of you have the AF 950 - do you like it and would you choose it again. I am also looking at a Eagle Cap 990 which looks about the same - but is lighter.
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wfs989
Cle Elum, Wa. 98922
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In both cases of the campers, the AF 990 and the EC 950, I am looking for used campers from about 2005 - 2012.
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joe123
home
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I have a 2001 dodge dully 1 ton 4x4 most likely the same truck as you only older, I took my truck to spring shop and had the overload purchase adjusted to load the overload faster also had one more leaf added to overload, I have carried a camper for over ten years on this truck with no problems, spring shop told me all dodges the same spring purchase wrong spacing right from the factory.Good luck and fun camping.
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tkcrawford
Edmonton, Alberta
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Joined: 05/30/2009
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wfs989 wrote:I recently purchased a 2005 Dodge 3500 dually and am wondering what to do about suspension. We are looking for a 2006 or later AF 990 and am going to install Torklift tiedowns. Depending upon which AF 990 year we get, dry weight will be around 3,500 pounds. My question is what would you recommend ? I have read on the forum and mfg's websites about Torklift stable loads, Timbrins, Big Wig sway bar, and airbags.
Any personal suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help. We live in the middle of Washington state.
My truck is identical to yours, only a year older and I carry an EC995. Total weight, ready to roll, is around 4200 lbs. To the truck I've added air bags, Stable Loads, Big Wig and Rancho 9000's. It doesn't handle like a sports car but it is acceptable. I will say, however, the truck doesn't want any more load. It's maxed out.
* This post was
edited 06/12/16 09:21am by tkcrawford *
2017 Ram Laramie 3500 SRW, CTD 385/900, Aisin. Crew Cab, 4x4
2019 Wildcat Maxx 28RKX
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tkcrawford
Edmonton, Alberta
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Duplicate post
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msiminoff
Silicon Valley, CA
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wfs989 wrote:I think I will go with the stable loads as I can disengage them easily when the camper is not on the truck, and probably add the BigWig sway bay, after I look at the OEM sway bar.
Hi WFS,
I also have a '05 Ram 3500. I strongly suggest that you consider the Roadmaster anti-sway bar instead of the Helwig... it's a superior product for our trucks.
I also recommend that you start with airbags (I have a preference for PacBrake), upper TorkLift StableLoads, and aftermarket shock absorbers (Rancho RS9000 or Bilstein).
Is your truck 4-wheel or 2-wheel drive?? The front suspension of the 4WD trucks need lots of work to get them to work well with a large TC.
Cheers,
-Mark
'04 Alpenlite Saratoga 935, 328W of solar, 300Ah Odyssey batt's, Trimetric, Prosine 2.0
05 Ram3500, Cummins,Vision 19.5 w/M729F's, Dynatrac Hubs, RR airbags w/ping tanks, Superhitch, Roadmaster Swaybar, Rancho RS9000XL
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