Suspension
You drive your Ram over a speed bump and hear a dull clunk under the cab. Or the inspector crawls out from under your truck at the roadworthiness test and shakes his head: play. A Ram 1500 weighs well over 2,000 kg and often tows a trailer on top of that. That weight lands in the control arms, ball joints and bushings every single day, until one of them gives up. Here you’ll find the parts for your Dodge Ram 1500 suspension, in stock in the Netherlands and shipped across Europe. Order before 16:00 and it ships the same day.
Dodge Ram 1500 suspension differs by generation
Not every Ram is the same Ram. Order a control arm based on “Ram 1500” alone and there’s a fair chance it won’t quite fit. From 2002 to 2008 the Ram had leaf springs at the rear. From 2009 it switched to coil springs with a multi link rear suspension, and from 2013 you could order it with air suspension. In 2019 an all new generation arrived, while the old one stayed on sale as the Ram Classic. Two trucks from the same year can have completely different underpinnings. 2WD or 4WD matters too. Not sure? Your model year and VIN are on your registration document. Send us the VIN and we’ll work out what fits.
Control arms, ball joints and bushings: what wears first
The control arm is the skeleton of the suspension. It connects the wheel to the frame and is rarely the weak link. That role goes to the joints and rubber inside it. The ball joint lets your wheel steer while moving up and down with the suspension. Once it develops play, the steering feels vague, you hear a clunk when turning in, or your tyres wear on the inner edge. On a Ram this happens faster than on a car, simply because of the weight it carries. Many of our control arms come with the ball joint and bushings already pressed in. That saves you an afternoon wrestling with a press.
Bushings are the rubber or polyurethane mounts that hold the control arms and sway bar to the frame. Over time they dry out, crack and start squeaking over every bump. The sway bar keeps your Ram flat in corners. When its bushings or end links wear out, you hear rattling over cobblestones and the truck feels unsettled in a quick lane change. Our advice: replace per axle, left and right at the same time. A new ball joint next to a worn one gives uneven handling. And always have the alignment checked after fitting a new control arm, or your new tyres will be worn within a few months.
Air helper springs for heavy towing
A horse trailer, a boat, a caravan or a bed full of tiles. That’s what you bought a Ram for. But when the rear sags, your headlights light up the treetops and the steering goes light. Air helper springs solve that. Air bags fitted alongside the existing springs are inflated through a valve until the truck sits level again. Empty, it rides comfortably. Loaded, it stays stable. If your Ram runs on LPG with the tank in the back, that extra weight pushes in the same direction. One caveat: air helper springs don’t change the maximum permitted weight on your registration. They improve the ride, not the paperwork.
American parts, shipped from inside the EU
Ordering a part straight from the US looks cheap until the parcel is stuck at customs. Shipping costs, import duties, VAT and weeks of waiting while your Ram sits idle on the driveway. And if it doesn’t fit, the hassle really begins. We keep more than 30,000 American parts in stock in the Netherlands, so within the EU there’s no customs to deal with. Can’t find your part? Through our network we can source over 3 million items. Fill in the request form with your VIN and what you’re looking for, and we’ll track it down.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know which suspension my Dodge Ram 1500 has?
Model year and drivetrain (2WD or 4WD) tell you most of it. Both are on your registration document. With your VIN we can look up exactly which parts fit.
Do I need a wheel alignment after replacing a control arm?
Yes. A new control arm or ball joint slightly changes the position of the wheel. Without an alignment your Ram will pull to one side and your tyres will wear unevenly.
Can I replace a ball joint on its own?
That depends on the version. Sometimes you press the joint out of the control arm, sometimes it’s built into the arm and you replace the complete arm. The latter is often the quicker job too.
Can I carry more weight with air helper springs?
No. Your truck stays level and stable, but the maximum permitted weight remains what’s on your registration.
Will play in the suspension fail a roadworthiness test?
Yes. Whether it’s an MOT, a TÜV inspection or a contrôle technique, inspectors check ball joints, bushings and steering parts for play.
Not sure which part your Dodge Ram 1500 suspension needs? Call us on weekdays between 8:00 and 17:00 (CET) with your VIN to hand, and within minutes you’ll know what fits.
