Dodge Ram Truck 1500-2500-3500. Manual — part 22

ALIGNMENT LINK/COIL SUSPENSION

Before each alignment reading the vehicle should be
jounced (rear first, then front). Grasp each bumper at
the center and jounce the vehicle up and down sev-
eral times. Always release the bumper in the down
position. Set the front end alignment to specifica-
tions while the vehicle is in its NORMALLY
LOADED CONDITION.

CAMBER: The wheel camber angle is preset and is
not adjustable.

CASTER: Check the caster of the front axle for cor-
rect angle. Be sure the axle is not bent or twisted.
Road test the vehicle and make left and right turn.
Observe the steering wheel return-to-center position.
Low caster will cause poor steering wheel returnability.

Caster can be adjusted by rotating the cams (3) on
the lower suspension arm.

TOE POSITION: The wheel toe position adjustment should be the final adjustment.

1. Start the engine and turn wheels both ways before straightening the wheels. Center and Secure the steering

wheel and turn off engine.

2. Loosen the adjustment sleeve clamp bolts.

3. Adjust the right wheel toe position with the drag link. Turn the sleeve until the right wheel is at the correct TOE-IN

position. Position clamp bolts to their original position and tighten to specifications. Make sure the toe setting
does not change during clamp tightening.

4. Adjust left wheel toe position with tie rod at left knuckle. Turn the sleeve until the left wheel is at the correct

TOE-IN position. Position clamp bolts to their original position and tighten to specifications. Make sure the toe
setting does not change during clamp tightening.

NOTE: Toe setting will change during tightening, Make sure to verify reading after tightening.

5. Verify the right toe setting and a straight steering wheel.

6. Road test the vehicle.

SPECIFICATIONS

ALIGNMENT

NOTE: All alignment specifications are in degrees.

SPECIFICATIONS

DESCRIPTION

SPECIFICATION

VEHICLE

1500

WHEEL BASE

CASTER

(4.0° Min, +.75° Max)

CAMBER

(± .50°)

TOTAL TOE-IN

(± .10°)

4X2

120.5 in

4.0°

.0°

.10°

4X2

140.5 in

4.2°

.0°

.10°

4X2

160.5 in

4.4°

.0°

.10°

VEHICLE

WHEELBASE

CASTER

(±0.5°)

CAMBER

(0.30°)

TOTAL TOE-IN

(±0.16°)

SRT-10

120.5

5.75

.0°

0.24°

2 - 34

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

DR/DH

DESCRIPTION

SPECIFICATION

VEHICLE

1500

WHEEL BASE

CASTER

(4.0° Min, +.75° Max)

CAMBER

(±.50°)

TOTAL TOE-IN

(±.10°)

4X4

120.5 in

4.2°

.0°

.10°

4X4

140.5 in

4.4°

.0°

.10°

4X4

160.5 in

4.6°

.0°

.10°

MAX RT/LT

DIFFERENCE

4X2

1500

—

.40°

.50°

0.06°

MAX RT/LT

DIFFERENCE

4X4

1500

—

.40°

.60°

0.06°

VEHICLE

4X2

2500 & 3500

WHEEL BASE

CASTER

(3.55° Min, +.75°

Max)

CAMBER

(±.50°)

TOTAL TOE-IN

(0.20° ±.10°)

4X2

2500&3500

140

4.0°

0.0°

.10° ± .05°

4X2

2500&3500

160

4.3°

0.0°

.10° ± .05°

MAX RT/LT

DIFFERENCE

4X2

2500&3500

—

±0.4°

±0.6°

0.1°

VEHICLE

4X4

2500&3500

WHEEL BASE

CASTER

(4.0° Min, +.75°

Max)

CAMBER

(.25° ±.5°)

TOTAL TOE-IN

(0.20° ±.10°)

4X4

2500&3500

140

4.5°

.25°

.10° ± .05°

4X4

2500&3500

160

4.7°

.25°

.10° ± .05°

MAX RT/LT

DIFFERENCE

4X4

2500&3500

—

±.5°

±.5°

0.1°

DESCRIPTION

REAR SPECIFICATION

CAMBER

(-.10° ± 0.35°)

TOTAL TOE-IN

(0.30° ± 0.35°)

CAMBER

SRT-10

(0.00° ± -0.25°

TOTAL TOE-IN

SRT-10

(0.30° ± 0.16°)

THRUST ANGLE 0° ± 0.4°

4X2
4X4

1500

THRUST ANGLE -0.2° ± 0.2°

4X2
4X4

2500&3500

THRUST ANGLE 0° ± 0.17°

SRT-10

DR/DH

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

2 - 35

SPECIAL TOOLS

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

2 - 36

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

DR/DH

FRONT - INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

page

page

FRONT - INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION

DESCRIPTION

SUSPENSION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

CONTROL ARMS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

SPECIFICATIONS

TORQUE CHART

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

SPECIAL TOOLS

FRONT SUSPENSION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

BUSHINGS

REMOVAL

LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS - 4WD

(LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

TORSION BAR CROSSMEMBER BUSHING

. 42

LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS - 2WD

(LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

INSTALLATION

LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS - 4WD

(LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

TORSION BAR CROSS MEMBER BUSHING

. 45

LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS - 2WD

(LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

HUB / BEARING

REMOVAL

HUB/BEARING - 4X4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

HUB/BEARING - 4X2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

INSTALLATION

HUB/BEARING - 4X4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

HUB/BEARING - 4X2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

KNUCKLE

DESCRIPTION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

OPERATION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

REMOVAL

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

INSTALLATION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

LOWER BALL JOINT

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING

LOWER BALL JOINT

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

REMOVAL

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

INSTALLATION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

LOWER CONTROL ARM

REMOVAL

LOWER CONTROL ARM - 4X4 (LD)

. . . . . . . . 53

LOWER CONTROL ARM - 4X2

. . . . . . . . . . . 53

INSTALLATION

LOWER CONTROL ARM - 4X4 (LD)

. . . . . . . . 55

LOWER CONTROL ARM - 4X2

. . . . . . . . . . . 55

SPRING

REMOVAL

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

INSTALLATION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

SHOCK

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING

SHOCK

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

REMOVAL

SHOCK - 4X2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

SHOCK - 4X4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

INSTALLATION

SHOCK - 4X2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

SHOCK - 4X4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

STABILIZER BAR

DESCRIPTION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

OPERATION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

REMOVAL

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

INSTALLATION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

STABILIZER LINK

REMOVAL

STABILIZER LINK - 4X4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

STABILIZER LINK - 4X2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

INSTALLATION

STABILIZER LINK - 4X4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

STABILIZER LINK - 4X2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

TORSION BAR

DESCRIPTION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

OPERATION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

REMOVAL

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

INSTALLATION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

UPPER BALL JOINT

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING

UPPER BALL JOINT

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

UPPER CONTROL ARM

REMOVAL

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

INSTALLATION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

FRONT - INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION

DESCRIPTION

SUSPENSION

The front suspension is designed to allow each wheel to adapt to different road surfaces independently. The wheels
are mounted to hub/bearings units bolted to the steering knuckle. The double-row hub bearings are sealed and
lubricated for life. The steering knuckles turn (pivot) on ball joints.

DR/DH

FRONT - INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION

2 - 37