02 Ram 1500 Quad Cab - unstable in turns

[glock45]

I have a 2002 Ram 1500 Quad Cab 4.7 V8. I love everything about this truck except the suspension. When making turns on level pavement everything is fine. When making turns on uneven pavement the back end has a tendency to "shimmey" and kick out from the turn. I am not doing extreme high speed (15-30mph) cornering so I really would like to resolve this unstable feeling. Anyone have any ideas? I am interested in maybe lifting it 2 or 3 inches and adding some better shocks. All stock parts still in place. I have looked around for some ideas but seems like parts are hard to come by for this year/model...is a 2002 still considered so new that there are limited aftermarket parts for it? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks, Steve

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[356MAGNUM]

The one problem is our trucks have a high center of gravity. I have a '02 reg cab 4X4 and have the same problem. Raising it will only make matters worse. Plus the rear end being so light does'nt help matters either. I have stepped up to 285/75R70 tires which raised the truck just a hair under 1". I have noticed on the tight on-ramps here that there is more body lean. I have been thinking of getting polyurethane bushings. I just wonder if it makes the suspension stiffer. In that case, that is another strike against the shimmy shimmy shakes.

As for the aftermarket parts, the selection is 1000% better than a year ago. If you have a 1500 like mine, dodge in their infinite wisedom decided to go to the IFS (independant front suspension), so now we can't even do the $200 2" front end coil spacers to level out the truckand have to turn to the $1500 systems. There are a number of companies starting to make IFS lifts for the 1500's. With the complex IFS, it takes time for them to get it right. The ones I have been looking at is the 4-4.5" lift from RANCHO. They have 2 kits one for stock tires and one with aftermarket rims. Seems that the tierods are the main problem for using tock rims. It is the only system that I have found that does not require modification of the exhaust Y-pipe. I seen the TV show "TRUCKS!" install a 6" superlift system. It's was pretty easy, all bolt-on. Again the only mod was to the Y-pipe.

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