'09 Ram: All-Coil Suspension

[GoCougs]

... plus a light-duty Cummins diesel V8.

I think that it was about time - full size SUVs based on 1/2-ton chasses have had rear coil suspension for a while now. I predict IRS by the next generation of 1/2-ton trucks (2012-2015 or there abouts).

http://www.leftlanenews.com/dodge-ram-prototype.html

[Soup DeVille]

I'd rather see them go to airbags.

[565]

"While the coil sprung setup means the next Ram won't be able to haul 10,000 pounds ? as the leaf spring setup is more heavy-duty by nature ? it should offer a better ride and handling, with reduced axle hop."

WTF.  If I wanted a better riding and handling vehicle with reduced axle hop that couldn't haul 10,000 pounds, I'd buy something other than a full size truck.  Why are the domestics engineering the truck out of their full size trucks?  If an import maker did this, all the domestic fan boys will be laughing their asses off saying how the Japanese don't know the first thing about trucks.  But I'm willing to be tons of domestic fan boys will crawl out of the woodwork and applaud this move by Dodge as a sensible decision .

Pretty soon the Tundra and Titan will be the only real full size pickup trucks left. 

[sandertheshark]

"While the coil sprung setup means the next Ram won't be able to haul 10,000 pounds ? as the leaf spring setup is more heavy-duty by nature ? it should offer a better ride and handling, with reduced axle hop."

WTF.  If I wanted a better riding and handling vehicle with reduced axle hop that couldn't haul 10,000 pounds, I'd buy something other than a full size truck.  Why are the domestics engineering the truck out of their full size trucks?  If an import maker did this, all the domestic fan boys will be laughing their asses off saying how the Japanese don't know the first thing about trucks.  But I'm willing to be tons of domestic fan boys will crawl out of the woodwork and applaud this move by Dodge as a sensible decision .

Pretty soon the Tundra and Titan will be the only real full size pickup trucks left. 

I agree.  This isn't progress.  It's the dismantling of the American truck.

[SVT666]

"While the coil sprung setup means the next Ram won't be able to haul 10,000 pounds ? as the leaf spring setup is more heavy-duty by nature ? it should offer a better ride and handling, with reduced axle hop."

WTF.  If I wanted a better riding and handling vehicle with reduced axle hop that couldn't haul 10,000 pounds, I'd buy something other than a full size truck.  Why are the domestics engineering the truck out of their full size trucks?  If an import maker did this, all the domestic fan boys will be laughing their asses off saying how the Japanese don't know the first thing about trucks.  But I'm willing to be tons of domestic fan boys will crawl out of the woodwork and applaud this move by Dodge as a sensible decision .

I'm not one of them.  This is stupid.  Although if you are towing 10,000 lbs with a 1/2 ton then you're an idiot anyway.

[JYODER240]

So the Ram is soon going to have a more advanced suspension than a Mustang? 

[565]

I'm not one of them.  This is stupid.  Although if you are towing 10,000 lbs with a 1/2 ton then you're an idiot anyway.

Actually this brings up an interesting question I've had.

Everyone tells me "you shouldn't tow 10,000 pounds with a 1/2 ton."  It seems like some unwritten rule that people only tow 75% or 60% of that rating.  But I have to ask, do the trucks really break if you tow at the limit?  Obviously half ton owners aren't going to be towing 10,000 pounds all the time. But if Toyota and GM rate their trucks to tow 10,000 pounds then I sure as hell expect to be able to tow something close to that at least part of the time without damage to my truck. I've exceeded the gross weight rating of all my cars plently of times (4 people in the Z06, 7 people in the Supra, 8 in the pathfinder) and I've never even considered anything breaking because I know the engineers put down rather conservative estimates.  Did manufacturer's urge to one-up each other do away with those safety margins?  I mean I'd expect a 10,000 pound tow rating to mean that I can safely tow 10,000 pounds with confidence that my truck isn't going to split in half.  If I have no confidence in that, than all these tow ratings are useless because you never know what the true safe amount to tow is.

The more I think about it, the more it makes sense that things like tow rating should have some kind of standardized system like SAE horsepower or crash ratings.

[GoCougs]

I'm surprised a few have stated that this isn't progress, or otherwise isn't a good move. Leafs' advantage, just as with pushrod engines, drum brakes, recirc balls steering, torsion beam axles, etc., is cost. Air bags would be even cooler, however.

No 1/2-ton comes close to "hauling" 10,000 lbs. Perhaps they meant towing. Either way, the blurb stated that the Ram will lose neither payload nor towing capacity versus the current model.

Towing capacities will be greatly revisited once the new SAE towing spec comes into effect. 1/2-tons are overbuilt (relative to how the vast majority are used) as it is anywho.

I say it again: the truck market will eventually go the way of the van market:  Traditional trucks in the 1/2-ton and compact markets will be taken over by Ridgeline-type "trucks," with the traditional BoF/live axle throw-backs relegated to commerical use.

[Secret Chimp]

Most 1/2 ton buyers probably barely haul more than what a station wagon could.

[565]

I say it again: the truck market will eventually go the way of the van market:  Traditional trucks in the 1/2-ton and compact markets will be taken over by Ridgeline-type "trucks," with the traditional BoF/live axle throw-backs relegated to commerical use.

That's what I am afraid of. The Van market used to be domestic dominated, now Ford and GM have basically pulled out and only the Chrysler product is left in a market overrun by imports. When full size pickups lose their huge consumer popularity and imports dominate with their Ridgeline type things, it'll be apocalypse for the domestic automakers.

[Soup DeVille]

Most 1/2 ton buyers probably barely haul more than what a station wagon could.

If you took a look at a real station wagon: like a '71 Vista Cruiser, or a Country Squire: you'd know that most of those station wagons could probably outhaul most 1/2 ton pick-ups.

[Tave]

I say it again: the truck market will eventually go the way of the van market:  Traditional trucks in the 1/2-ton and compact markets will be taken over by Ridgeline-type "trucks," with the traditional BoF/live axle throw-backs relegated to commerical use.

I hope not. There's still a big demand for private work-trucks. And I want to own a vehicle one day that I can cruise dirt in. Jeep'll be around awhile, so at least I got that.




Since this is my first post in some time in the Big Guy forum, I'll break out the good news:


My Uncle just bought a Wrangler. Black on Black, stick shift, two-door, removable hard top, satellite radio, cd, and factory soundsystem (including a sub). I want to buy it after he's done with it.

[Secret Chimp]

If you took a look at a real station wagon: like a '71 Vista Cruiser, or a Country Squire: you'd know that most of those station wagons could probably outhaul most 1/2 ton pick-ups.

You could get some Chevy or Olds wagons with 454s, couldn't you? hoooo boy

[Soup DeVille]

You could get some Chevy or Olds wagons with 454s, couldn't you? hoooo boy

The Olds and Buicks could come with 455s.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Light duty Cummins V8 FTW.
Coil springs FTW.
1/2 ton trucks don't need leafs.

[Soup DeVille]

Light duty Cummins V8 FTW.
Coil springs FTW.
1/2 ton trucks don't need leafs.

Railroad cars ride on coil springs.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Railroad cars ride on coil springs.

They also ride on rails.

[omicron]

[Eye of the Tiger]

 

[omicron]

[280Z Turbo]

Can someone explain to me why a coil spring is worse than a leaf spring. If the rates are the same, why would the coil spring be worse?

[Soup DeVille]

Can someone explain to me why a coil spring is worse than a leaf spring. If the rates are the same, why would the coil spring be worse?

Umm, duh- don't you get it "Real Amurikin trucks" use leaf springs by-golly. Coil springs are something those dad-gummed furriners dreamed up hold up their sissy mobiles because they don't want to curdle their goat milk.

Why everybody knows you cain't haul didly squat wth them silly things, anything heavier than a goat and a french whore will twist 'em up like pretzels!

[Tave]

Umm, duh- don't you get it "Real Amurikin trucks" use leaf springs by-golly. Coil springs are something those dad-gummed furriners dreamed up hold up their sissy mobiles because they don't want to curdle their goat milk.

Why everybody knows you cain't haul didly squat wth them silly things, anything heavier than a goat and a french whore will twist 'em up like pretzels!

Then again some people do use the trucks, and max payload means something different when you're bouncin over the tops of two-tracks...

[the Teuton]

I just don't like how low and girly these trucks are all becoming.  I remember in 1999 when I had to jump to get into a Ram 2500 at the auto show and subsequently climb into it.  My mom with two bad hips could get in and drive that Ram.

[280Z Turbo]

At least they won't be able to drive over your Subaru.

[the Teuton]

At least they won't be able to drive over your Subaru.

Very good point, but they're no longer badass enough to make me almost want a truck.

[GoCougs]

The Humvee, HMTT, and Abrams M1A1 main battle tank also use coil springs.

[JYODER240]

I just don't like how low and girly these trucks are all becoming.  I remember in 1999 when I had to jump to get into a Ram 2500 at the auto show and subsequently climb into it.  My mom with two bad hips could get in and drive that Ram.

Weren't you a lot shorter then?

[Tave]

The Humvee, HMTT, and Abrams M1A1 main battle tank also use coil springs.

I'll remember that the next time I have a million dollars to burn.

[Tave]

Light duty Cummins V8 FTW.
Coil springs FTW.
1/2 ton trucks don't need leafs.

I guess that's why we always break our front coils at work, but the rear suspension never has a problem.