RAM 1500 Suspension Upgrades — Ride Quality and Performance in One Package
The RAM 1500 already has one of the best stock rides in the full-size truck market — its coil-spring front suspension and available rear coil springs (on the 5th-gen DT) deliver a level of comfort that Ford and GM don’t match out of the box. But “best in class stock” and “optimized for how you actually use your truck” are two different things. If you tow, haul, run trails, or just want your RAM to handle like a sports car when the road gets twisty, a suspension upgrade makes your truck do exactly what you need it to do.
At Godspeed Off-Road, we treat suspension as an integrated system. Shocks, springs, control arms, sway bars, and bushings all interact. Upgrading one component while ignoring the others leaves performance on the table — or worse, creates handling quirks that make your truck unpredictable. We spec complete systems that work together.
Shock and Coilover Upgrades
Bilstein 5100 Series: The most popular shock upgrade for the RAM 1500, and for good reason. Bilstein’s monotube design delivers fade-free damping that factory twin-tube shocks simply can’t match. The 5100s are ride-height adjustable (five positions from 0 to 2.5 inches of lift), so you can level your truck with the shock itself — no spacers needed. This is the upgrade we recommend most for daily drivers who want a noticeably better ride without a full suspension overhaul. Front and rear sets available for all RAM 1500 generations.
Fox 2.5 Performance Series with DSC: For owners who want adjustability beyond what Bilstein offers. Fox’s Dual Speed Compression (DSC) adjusters let you independently tune low-speed damping (body roll, brake dive, load leveling) and high-speed damping (bump absorption over rough terrain). The reservoir design keeps oil volume high and temperatures low during extended off-road sessions. These are excellent for RAMs that tow during the week and hit trails on the weekend — one adjustment dial changes the truck’s personality for each task.
Icon Vehicle Dynamics 2.5 Extended Travel: Our premium recommendation. Icon’s 25-click compression/rebound adjustable coilovers offer the widest tuning range we’ve worked with. Their CDC (Compression Damping Control) valve technology provides internal bypass-like performance without the complexity and cost of a true bypass shock. For the RAM 1500’s IFS front end, Icon’s extended-travel coilovers add significant suspension droop — the downward travel that keeps your tires planted over uneven terrain.
King Shocks 2.5 Remote Reservoir: The benchmark for dedicated off-road builds. King’s remote reservoir shocks with finned canisters dissipate heat better than any competitor — critical for sustained high-speed desert running or extended crawling sessions where your shocks are working constantly. King shocks are individually valved and dyno-tested for your specific truck weight and spring rate. This is the investment for owners who demand the absolute best.
Upper Control Arms for the RAM 1500
The RAM 1500’s IFS geometry changes significantly when you lift 2.5 inches or more. The factory upper control arm pushes the ball joint past its designed operating angle, which reduces suspension travel, accelerates ball joint wear, and can cause clunking over bumps. Aftermarket UCAs correct this geometry.
Icon Delta Joint UCAs: Our first choice for most RAM 1500 builds. The Delta Joint — a uniball sealed in a maintenance-free housing — offers exceptional articulation with the longevity of a ball joint. These arms add caster correction and restore full suspension droop travel that the lift took away.
Carli Suspension Control Arms: Carli is a RAM 1500 specialist, and their control arms show it. Designed specifically for the RAM platform with proper geometry corrections, Carli’s arms use high-angle ball joints and reinforced forged construction. If you’re building a Carli-equipped RAM (their leveling and suspension kits are excellent), matching their control arms keeps the system cohesive.
Rear Suspension: Leaf Springs vs. Coil Springs
4th Gen / Classic (Leaf Spring Rear): If your RAM 1500 uses the traditional leaf-spring rear, upgrading to progressive-rate leaf packs from Deaver or National Spring improves both loaded and unloaded ride quality. Add-a-leaf kits from BDS and Rough Country are a budget-friendly way to add 1-2 inches of rear lift and increase load capacity. For towing, Air Lift LoadLifter 5000 airbags install inside the rear coils (or between the leafs) and let you adjust rear height on the fly from inside the cab.
5th Gen DT (Coil Spring Rear): The new-generation RAM’s five-link coil-spring rear is a work of engineering art. Upgrading the rear on this platform typically means new shock absorbers (Fox or Bilstein rear shocks) and potentially upgraded coil springs for heavier loads. The coil-spring rear responds beautifully to quality shocks — the improvement in ride quality over choppy pavement is immediately noticeable.
Sway Bars and Stabilizers
Lifted trucks lean more in corners than stock-height trucks. Upgraded sway bars from Hellwig reduce body roll without making the ride harsh — they only engage during lateral loading, so your straight-line ride quality stays the same. For towing applications, a properly sized rear sway bar dramatically improves trailer stability and reduces the “wagging” feeling that makes towing a lifted truck uncomfortable.
A quality steering stabilizer (we use Fox 2.0 Performance Series or Bilstein units) reduces steering wander with larger, heavier tires. This is an inexpensive upgrade with a big daily-driving impact — your RAM will track straighter with less effort, especially at highway speed.
Suspension upgrades integrate seamlessly with lift kit installations — in fact, many of the components listed here are included in premium lift kits from BDS and Icon. If you’re starting from scratch, a complete custom build lets us spec everything as a system from day one.
Ready to Upgrade Your RAM 1500’s Suspension?
Call us at (941) 706-0071 or visit us at 2858 Clark Road, Sarasota, FL 34231. Whether you want a smoother ride, better towing, or serious off-road capability, we’ll build the suspension system your RAM deserves.