I have already searched the forums and found some info but nothing concrete, so I figured I would start my own post for this instead os resurecting the older threads.

I am looking for a new (to me) CTD truck, mainly for towing reasons, and a lot of the truck I am finding in my price range with the options I want are already lifted.

I have the choice to spend the money modiying my truck to haul what I need it to haul or get a new one, and my wife thinks the better option is to get the CTD truck, but when we keep seeing these lifted truck I have not idea if it will still be good for towing.

So are guys towing heavy loads (~10K or so) with lifted trucks, any experiances you want to share and things to worry about?

Specifically I am looking at one truck in particular that is a 2500 CTD 6SPD w/6" lift on 37" tires, and really want to make a move on it, but need to know if it is a good move for my purposes.

These things I got from my research through the forums:
•Some kits are better than others, but which ones adn why?
•Shocks should be upgraded if they were not with the lift kit.
•Drop hitch and etc is needed, already researched those and there are choices so that's good.
•The tires may be a little overkill and wobble a bit when towing do to taller side wall, but are already E rated so that shouldn't mater for the load, right?
•Some lift kits just use blocks (which ones) and need to have torque arms (control arms) custom made for the rear to prevent axle wrap/ - which kits need this and are these custom pieces of something that I can just get if the truck doesn't have them?
•I heard lifted trucks eat through U-joints faster when they tow, but is this like 10% faster, or will I be replacing U-joints every year?

My big question are there any kits that I should avoid just due to design or sacrificing weight capacities?

 

some things to mention when looking at a lifted truck...

has the axle been recentered using an adjustable tracbar?
Is the drag link close to parallel with the tracbar?
Estimated condition of the TRE's & ball joints?

Are you aware of the Death Wobble? the higher you go, the more suseptable you are for experiencing it (IMO) if the front end is not setup right... meaning, if it's done wrong, you may have a greater chance of getting the DW.

Its been my personal experience that adding caster to the alignment so that it is set at 5.0 or greater will reduce the DW problem if not eliminate it.

As far as towing goes... make sure you have the E rated tires, 37's may not exisist in a 37 but I dont know for sure. Plenty of guys tow with 35's, there are a few E rated 35's out there that will perform good. (pro comp xtrem at's on my truck are awesome, but are only 33")

hope this answers some of your concerns...

 

Thanks for all the good info, I would think witht he steering stabilizers on there they took care of death wobble issues, but I won't really know until I test drive it.

The Nitto Grapplers on this one I am looking at with 37's has 18" rims so they are D rated, but those tires in 37" are E rated in 17", so there are opttions out there, but I was thinking about swapping out to a less mud terrain style and there are plent of 35's that are less aggresive tread and E rated, but not sure hoe the truck will look with 6" lift and 35's...

Here are some exterior pics of the one I am looking at that made me need to make this post (ignore the 'DIESEL' stickers, this dealership puts those one so people can tell at a glance, Oh and it's dirty because it was just traded in and not detailed yet)...
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3711.JPG
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3716.JPG
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3717.JPG
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3718.JPG
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3719.JPG

 

OK, I just got some more info from the dealership working on this, they said they said it is over at their shop getting some work done before it hits the lot for sale because they need to inspect it and all that and found they need to put exhaust on it. They also said it was a BDS lift kit, and the guy working at the shop they use for thier diesels did the work on this truck and knows the PO, so I will be calling that guy a little later (the line was busy when I last called).

I asked them for pics from under the truck and under the hood and this is what they sent:
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3795.jpg
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3796.jpg
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3797.jpg
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3798.jpg
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3799.jpg
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3800.jpg
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3801.jpg
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3802.jpg
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3803.jpg
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3804.jpg
http://www.pszweb.com/truck/Ram%2025...h/101_3805.jpg

So looking at the BDS web site this looks like their 5" rear block lift setup, but if anyone out there is more familiar please let me know, and also let me know your thoughts on towing with this kit.

John

 

Alright, I just got off a pretty long call fromthe local truck accessory shop that did most of the work on that truck, it sounds pretty promising. The PO was a younger guy (25-26 yo)in a decent job (local power company), he maintained the truck pretty well but got down on his luck and needed money so traded it in with all the goddies, there is an airraid CAI, Banks 6 gun and PDA, the BDS lift, and 18" wheels and 37" tires. From the shop it sounded like the guy was the ype to "do it right" and save up for something and get it done right the first time, and he took good care of it. He said that it's a small town and he is the only accessory shop, so he knows most of the trucks in the area and told me storries about some of the ones that are just abused vs this one that he said he has been telling all his buddies to look at. I kinda asked him to stop doing that because I don't want it sold before I get down there, lol...

 

get it has all the goodies that if you bought one with out that. then you would be buying it later.
you just have to worry about issues is the lift done correctly. death wobble and so on

 

The shop that did the lift said they have done many and have a good reputation in the area, it has been on the truck for over 2 years without issue. At least as stated by the shop guy I spoke with earlier today. But my understanding of the death wobble is that it is easily correctable, just scary as hell when it happens, and just park the truck and order the parts, or am I wrong?

 

I have know idea about death wobble. I don't have a lifted truck. I did a few years ago 74 chevy1/2ton 1ton axles 38s swampers 81 toyota 4.3 v6 700r4 on 35s. with leaf spring all the way around I don't know if you can get it??????? I never heard of death wobble till i got to this site.
but it sounds like a good truck and where is it located at???? lol don't tell me that is a joke....

 

I've been searching for used Dodge Ram 3500 for what seems like forever (I'm really particular about what I want). I currently tow about a 9k lb travel trailer, and I also love lifted trucks. I think the Dodge looks best with 37x13.5x17s (sorry, I don't like the Dubs on 4x4s). Anyway, I'm just trying to qualify myself as having browsed hundreds of these trucks in various states of lift.

Looking at your pics, it almost looks like the lift is only 4"? I say that because there doesn't see to be as much clearance btw fenders and tires as I'm used to seeing with a 6" lift and 37" tire combo. Also, the tires seem to stick out quite a bit (yes, even for being 13.5" wide). This might be an issue of not having quite the right offset. Personnally, from a visual perspective, I think the wheels and tires should be tucked in tighter. But the important thing for you is to check to make sure that a different offset won't affect the structural integrity, especially when towing. If not, then as I said it is just a matter of preference.

Good Luck!

 

Thanks for the feedback Vince, but I picked that truck up yesterday, yes I agree that I do not like the way the wheels/tires stick out, but it tracks fine, feels great on the road (4 + hour trip in it yesterday) and the previous owner towed with it in this configuration and said it did a good job and was actually more stable. I would tend to agree as both during my test drive and the drive home after buying it I hit some clover leaf style on ramps and exits without feeling anything off and it felt better then the 3500 6spd that I also test drove.

As for the lift, I trust them when they say 6" and that is what the shop who did the install told me too, and when I stand next to the truck at the rear I have to tippy toe to look into the bed and I am 5'11" and the same goes for under the hood, steping up into the truck was a real stretch until I took the step bars off my 1500 and put them on this truck right there in the lot at the dealership, I couls then at least get a foot on them and wasn't hopping up into the truck...