I bought my third Dodge Ram last October...a loaded 2003 Hemi Quad-Cab. I've got about 3500 miles on it now, and there's just one thing I don't like about it.

On some of the highways here in CA, the seams in the concrete pavement (that are perpendicular to my direction of travel) are about 10 to 12 feet apart. When I'm traveling between 65 and 75 miles an hour, the truck's suspension seems to "interact" with the seams that the truck is rolling over, setting up a "bounce" or an oscillation in the truck's frame that is highly uncomfortable and highly annoying. I've tested my theory on the same exact stretch of highway, and if I drop my speed to below 60 mph, the oscillation just about goes away, as it does at speeds above 75 miles an hour. Also, I noticed that when I'm carrying a load in the bed (the load I had was about 320 pounds placed near the tailgate), the oscillation doesn't occur.

This anomaly doesn't occur in my wife's Durango or in my old single-cab Ram, either.

Has anyone else had this issue with the new Quad-Cab Rams? I'm thinking it's related to the length of the truck's frame and the distance between the wheels/suspension causing the frame to flex in the middle slightly. Aside from adding permanent weight (which would drastically decrease my gas mileage in a state where gas is now topping $2 a gallon), is there anything I can do to easily stiffen the frame and keep the oscillations from occurring?

I really don't want to hold up traffic at speeds below 65 mph, and I don't want speeding tickets either, just to keep this annoying problem at bay. Any information or suggestions that you all may have would be greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,

Glenn

 

A quick and inexpensive way to get that hop out of the back end is to buy leaf spring clamps. $10 at Autozone. 15 min to put them on. Put them on the front side of your rear leafs and it stiffens/firm up the ride. It takes alot of the bounce out. I have them on mine and it handles better now.

 

Will I lose the otherwise smooth ride by clamping the leaf-springs?

 

Absolutely not, it will infact ride smoother than before. It also hugs the road better.

 

Sounds like I've got a project ahead of me next week, then.

Thanks!

PS...what's the significance of your screen-name? Are you in aviation, too?

 

Kinda, I jump out of perfectly good airplanes at 13,000 feet...

 

So...WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, MAN!?!?!

Ahh well...risk your life if you like. It just means more job-security for ME!

Fall safely, and thanks again for the info.

 

skygod2,

I have the same problem and thank goodness you have a solution for me too here in California....I wonder if RJCaptain and I are driving the same freeways!

Anyways...I have attached a picture of the procedure and PLEASE tell me if this is in the wrong position. I placed on the front of the rear spring leafs yet, wondering the whole time....does it make a difference WHERE on the front of the rear leaf spring?

So, I just picked the middle...and here in the picture I am about in the middle of bolting down all the way...should I keep it where it is or move it back closer to the axle or up closer to then end of the leaf the drops.

Please advice...thank you!

[IMG]local://upfiles/986/Ge941557295.jpg[/IMG]

 

Mike, that's about right. The closer you get to the front end of the leaf, the better.. Mine is about 2 inches from the front of the bottom leaf. Let me know how you like it.

 

Thanks again Skygod,

That is actually as far as I could hit it forward because the bottom leaf protrudes to one side
slightly.

Now, today I have to get a long 3/4" Socket....I only had a short one...I am assuming this needs
to be tightened down so the bottom leaf is flush with the other leafs? Or I will just tighten as
best possible!

Thanks again.