The new Dodge 1/2-ton 1500 trucks were a great departure suspensionwise from the previous-generation Mopars. Gone are the funky front-end parts (albeit the IFS junk) and replaced with a farsuperior coilover suspension, which makes the Dodge a real contender. Of course, lifting it for bigger meats is essential, and BDS was up to the job with its new 1/2-ton offering. We cruised to the plant in Michigan (hence the cold-looking photos) for a closer look.
Few companies in any industry offer an "if you break it, we'll replace it for free" warranty. The folks at BDS Suspension are confident enough because they design their components to take a beating, even on a fullsize truck. Just like everything else they manufacture, this 6-inch '05-'07 Dodge 1/2-ton kit is definitely heavy duty, and bolts on except for one easy slice of a stock differential mount.
The kit is well thought out for ground clearance, and it replaces the knuckles with much heavier-duty units; drops the differential mounts; lowers the control arms, struts, and sway bar; and adds compression struts up front. In the rear there is a choice of standard lift blocks or the new Glide Ride leaf springs. There are also options for steering stabilizers, traction bars, and a shiny stainless steel front skidplate. Although we didn't install any of these, BDS recommends at least the steering stabilizer with this kit.
Our testdrive showed that the truck rode well on the road as well as in the dirt. It's hard to judge the characteristics of a lift kit before it's broken in, but considering the ground was frozen, it was a pretty smooth ride for a lifted vehicle. The rear springs were quite flexible for not being tweaked enough to reach their full potential, and the frontend did impressively for being IFS. Dick Cepek's new DCII wheels and 35-inch Mud Country tires also did well for the conditions, biting into the snow wherever we pointed them. There's even room enough for 36s or even 37s if the stock axle pieces can hack it.
After all of the knuckles,...
After all of the knuckles, control arms, struts, and the differential are out of the way, a cut is made to the original differential mount for clearance of the axlehousing. The rest of the kit is bolt-on and fairly straightforward except for the use of some specialty tools for the strut springs.
Three stout drop brackets...
Three stout drop brackets bolt to the factory holes in the frame and drop the axle into its newfound home. Two brackets locate the actual differential on top and above the pinion. The third locates the passenger side of the housing.
Although the driveshafts don't...
Although the driveshafts don't slip much in these applications, a spacer is used between the driveshaft and the front axle to reuse the factory driveshaft after the axle is dropped.
A strut spacer is installed...
A strut spacer is installed on the top of the spring for a certain amount of preload on the stock spring. This is designed for a more controlled and less bouncy ride. The strut drop bracket is mounted to the top of the strut and the whole assembly is reinstalled in the truck.
The new front and rear crossmembers...
The new front and rear crossmembers have been built with an arch to give maximum ground clearance and strength. They both bolt up to the frame in the original lower control-arm pivots, and a skidplate spans between them for diff protection.
The CV shafts are reinstalled...
The CV shafts are reinstalled and the hub assembly is mounted to the new BDS knuckle. This thing has been beefed up tremendously and weighs about five times more than the stock aluminum unit. The new setup bolts up to the ball joints and tie rods. Sway-bar extensions, brake-line extensions, and ABS lines are hooked up, and the brakes go back together.
Since the suspension has been...
Since the suspension has been lowered, it has more leverage on the frame mounts. Compression struts are added to alleviate any problems that might result in a front impact situation. They bolt up to the new rear crossmember and holes are drilled to mount them to the transmission crossmember.
In the rear you have bumpstop...
In the rear you have bumpstop extensions and a choice of new leaf springs or lift blocks. They also have quite a few shocks to choose from. We opted for the lift springs and the BDS hydraulic shocks.