Lifting a Crew Cab
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03-14-2018, 08:58 AM
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Lifting a Crew Cab
Hey all,
After years of searching, I have finally found myself a first gen Ram with a crew cab! Best part is I found it within 5 miles of my house…. Rock solid, never seen winter and completely bone stock. It is a 1983 D350, non-dually, with a 318 auto. Currently the truck is in storage and I cant access it again until some of the snow melts back from the barnyard.
My current driver truck is a 1993 W250 Cummings. My plan is to swap everything across to the crew cab frame, including axles, engine, tranny, t-case, etc. Currently my truck has 2.5” lift skyjacker springs in the front end. In the rear, I have a 4-link suspension riding on air bags. I have 35 inch tires.
My intension is to swap the skyjacker springs onto the D350 frame. My understanding is that I will have to drill the frame for the rear shackles, but my ride height should be pretty close to where it is now on my W250. I was thinking I would then keep the 1-ton springs in the rear end of the D350, and add a block to bring the rear up level to the front. I was then going to add a 1” body lift to get a bit more clearance for the tires. I don’t want to go higher on the suspension lift because I don’t want to get into changing driveshaft length, steering linkages, etc.
My question is mostly to do with the rear end… is there any fundamental difference to how the leaf springs are configured? The D350 sits so low to the ground… is that just a reflection of less factory blocks under the axle? Or do they have spring under the axle?? I just want to make sure my aforementioned plan is achievable, or if I have to change my strategy for desired ride height. My end goal is to clear the 35’s without being too high off the ground. Without the body lift, I currently get some rub at full lock while hitting a bump… so I think 3.5” total will be plenty.
My other option would be to suck it up and pay some money for skyjackers or similar in the rear end… however I am hesitant to do that, since I don’t actually know how high I will have to lift it to level it with the front end. I wasn’t sure if there was any standard to this, or if I have to just install the front, measure the rear and purchase/lift accordingly. I am hoping to get a stock of all the parts I need now so that I can dive right in once spring rolls around.
Thanks
After years of searching, I have finally found myself a first gen Ram with a crew cab! Best part is I found it within 5 miles of my house…. Rock solid, never seen winter and completely bone stock. It is a 1983 D350, non-dually, with a 318 auto. Currently the truck is in storage and I cant access it again until some of the snow melts back from the barnyard.
My current driver truck is a 1993 W250 Cummings. My plan is to swap everything across to the crew cab frame, including axles, engine, tranny, t-case, etc. Currently my truck has 2.5” lift skyjacker springs in the front end. In the rear, I have a 4-link suspension riding on air bags. I have 35 inch tires.
My intension is to swap the skyjacker springs onto the D350 frame. My understanding is that I will have to drill the frame for the rear shackles, but my ride height should be pretty close to where it is now on my W250. I was thinking I would then keep the 1-ton springs in the rear end of the D350, and add a block to bring the rear up level to the front. I was then going to add a 1” body lift to get a bit more clearance for the tires. I don’t want to go higher on the suspension lift because I don’t want to get into changing driveshaft length, steering linkages, etc.
My question is mostly to do with the rear end… is there any fundamental difference to how the leaf springs are configured? The D350 sits so low to the ground… is that just a reflection of less factory blocks under the axle? Or do they have spring under the axle?? I just want to make sure my aforementioned plan is achievable, or if I have to change my strategy for desired ride height. My end goal is to clear the 35’s without being too high off the ground. Without the body lift, I currently get some rub at full lock while hitting a bump… so I think 3.5” total will be plenty.
My other option would be to suck it up and pay some money for skyjackers or similar in the rear end… however I am hesitant to do that, since I don’t actually know how high I will have to lift it to level it with the front end. I wasn’t sure if there was any standard to this, or if I have to just install the front, measure the rear and purchase/lift accordingly. I am hoping to get a stock of all the parts I need now so that I can dive right in once spring rolls around.
Thanks
