Hey guys the mystery has finally been solved I think. Talked to a actual Dodge dealer and based on my vin number and numbers off the truck here is what I was told. The truck is actually a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie SLT (or something like that) Sport 4x4. They told me that the Dodge Sport Package on the truck makes it 2" taller then a normal non sport package truck. So finally figured it out I think. Oh and the 33 x 12.50 tires and 16 x 10 wheels fit perfect and dont rub at all. So if anyone also notices that their Ram 1500 4x4 sits higher then others stock it is probably a sport package truck then.

Thanks for you all your help
Bill

 

Yeah ok....its something else making your truck higher, the sport package is for appearances and deals with the truck being color matched in the earlier years

 

Yea the sport package doesn't make your truck any higher. It's the offroad package that makes the truck 1.5"-2" higher and it was only offered on 2000 and 2001 models. You sure you don't have a spacer or aftermarket coils? Or maybe it's stock and just looks higher. 2" isn't much at all so it probably would be fairly hard to tell if it was 2" higher and different tire sizes or even a different brand of tire could make it appear a little higher.

 

Use whatever width wheel the tire calls for. Disregard what anyone told you. If you run a wheel that is wider/narrower then the tire, if you go and try to get it warrantied out for whatever reason, you'll be SOL. Discount tried playing that game with me once saying my 35's were on too narrow of a wheel. It was a pretty nice slap in their face when I made them pull up BFG's website and the tire called for a 8-9in wheel.

 

First of all, I agree with the fact that the Sport model is appearance only. But it is easy to make a "2500" suspension on a 1500 by simply installing the front coils from a 2500 and adding a leaf to the rear. This will give you approx. the same height, but will not legally increase your payload. Also, you can fit a 15x10 Aluminum rim on without having to do any modifications at all. I have Mickey Thompson Classic II's in a 15x10 with no problems at all. As far as clearance on the 35's, I have a 5" suspension lift.

 

Man, I thought maybe it was solved but guess not because the truck accessorie place told me it had 2500 supension but since I dont have 8 lugs I thought maybe that was not it. So then I called a Dodge Dealer and spoke with a guy there and gave him the vin number and numbers off a tag on the truck and he comes back with the sport package thing. Here is a question then, on the back leaf springs how many should there be stock, mine has 5 when I count them. Also I looked where the spring on the front end goes up to the top and it looks like there is a black disc on top of the spring. Maybe this will help on figuring it out then....

Thanks

 

That black disc you speak of is probably a coil spacer or leveling kit. When you say you sit higher than other trucks is that just in the front? Might be cause you have a leveling kit. With a 96 you might also have an add-a-leaf or some other quick trick to bump up a sagging rear end. try adding some picturess and one of the smarter guys on here will be able to id what you have.

 

+1 It sounds like you have a leveling kit and AAL's in the rear.

 

Yeah sounds like the black disk you have in the front is a spacer. This will provide anywhere from 1" to 3" of lift depending on what size you have. You may also have a AAL in the rear. I'm not sure how many leaf springs you should have with or without an AAL on a stock truck of that model. Mine is an offroad so I'm thinking it may have an extra spring, then I have an AAL too so mine isn't the same setup to compare it to.

 

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