Dodge trucks suspensions manufacturer with Dodge Off Road right now: Dodge Off Road was started by Danny Gaston (known as djgaston on all of the old Dodge truck forums) back in 2005, originally as a forum for off roading Ram owners to discuss their truck builds, without the politics or commercialization of other forums. The forum has died off with the popularity of social media apps, but there is still a wealth of knowledge on our forum and that is how many of our customers find us. Find additional details at https://www.facebook.com/dodgeoffroad. Everything we do at DOR is based on our own experiences building trucks, Jeeps, and buggies since the late 90’s – this is truly a company built by Ram enthusiasts, for Ram enthusiasts. What started out as a garage-based business with just a few basic tools and a strong forum presence, now we have a fully functioning facility with CNC equipment and in-house powdercoating, all done at our location in Lakeview, Arkansas on Bull Shoals Lake.
Although the 702-hp Ram 1500 TRX (reviewed separately) diminishes the desirability of the Rebel, we still think it’s the half-ton Ram to get. We’d opt for the crew cab with four-wheel drive, and spend the money to get the V-8 over the standard V-6. We’d also add the available air suspension for its selectable ride height. As doing so requires either the Level 1 or Level 2 package, we think the latter’s the way to go, as it includes items such as remote start, a 115-volt power outlet, front and rear parking sensors, power-adjustable pedals, and passive hands-free entry. We’d also nab the 33-gallon fuel tank, which ought to noticeably improve the truck’s driving range (a 26-gallon tank comes standard). The only other options we’d recommend are the Safety and Convenience package (adaptive cruise, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-keeping assist) and the Multifunction Tailgate, which also brings a spray-in bedliner.
Another unique thing about DOR is that we only sell Dodge Ram parts. We are one of the only companies in the world that strictly specializes in Ram trucks, which is a testament to our loyalty and dedication the brand. The company was not started just to make money off Ram owners – it was started because we love building our trucks. Dodge Off Road continues to grow and be successful because our customers love their DOR-equipped trucks, and we love getting to help build them. Is the 1500 a good value? The Ram 1500’s build quality, at first, feels and looks great, especially in the more upscale trim levels such as Big Horn, Laramie and beyond. However, after spending some extended time in a long-term test truck, we experienced a few part failures, revealing lesser quality than we originally perceived. Ram pricing remains pretty competitive, though.
The Ram 1500 can tow up to 12,750 pounds and carry a payload of up to 2320 pounds. Its maximum towing capacity exceeds all but the Ford F-150, which currently tops 13,000 pounds. Rams with the crew cab body style—including the Rebel model—can’t tow as much as those with the extended cab. Nonetheless, the more passenger-friendly 1500 crew cab can still tow north of 11,500 pounds. With hybridized V-6 and V-8 engines, as well as a diesel option, the Ram 1500 lineup has varied fuel economy. The EPA estimates that the most efficient Ram, the rear-drive diesel, nabs a combined fuel economy rating of 26 mpg. The gas V-6 and V-8, meanwhile, top out at 23 and 20 mpg combined, respectively. A 1500 Rebel with the gas V-6 we tested returned 24 mpg on our 75-mph real-world fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen. That’s 6 and 4 mpg better than a V-8 Rebel and a V-8 Laramie, which lacked electric-assist, we tested. For more information about the Ram 1500’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Our passion for Dodge trucks started with a regular cab short bed 4×4 with a 360 2nd gen back in 1995, and we’ve always focused more heavily on the 94-02 models because they are such epic trucks and most companies just don’t support them the way that they should be. The aggressive styling of the 2nd gen truck is what made the later generations successful. 1st gens are awesome trucks too, but all trucks kind of looked the same back then. When Dodge came out with the 2nd gen Ram in 1994, it was a game changer for the entire industry. We are one of the only companies in the world that makes high performance suspension parts specifically for 2nd gen trucks, and nobody knows 2nd gens better than we do. Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th gen offerings are really good but you can tell by the sheer number of products we make for 2nd gens that they are our area of expertise.
What’s it like to live with? One reason we’re such big fans of the Ram 1500 is that we bought one and lived with it for two years and more than 35,000 miles. The crew-cab short-bed Laramie’s 5.7-liter V8 utterly guzzled gas, but aside from an unusual number of minor recalls, the 2019 Ram 1500 proved comfortable, capable and trouble-free. Get all of the details in our Ram 1500 long-term test. The Ram 1500 offers uncommonly smooth driving manners because of its distinct rear suspension design. You also get unique upscale interior highlighted by the optional 12-inch touchscreen display. The V6 and V8 engines are both solid choices, but the second-generation EcoDiesel V6 has even more going for it.
Best Dodge Ram suspensions provider from Dodge Off Road: Our staff has now grown to include nine people, and will continue to expand to meet the demands of our customer base and our dealers. By keeping most parts of the job in our own shop, we are able to save you more money and get custom built parts out faster than other companies. We also test our products religiously to ensure the highest quality and strength. Our on-site 10 acre proving ground and 160 acre private off road park allows us to quickly build, test, modify, and re-test parts in a fraction of the time it would normally take. We also four wheel all over the United States, so if you see us on the trail, please say hello. This isn’t just a job for us – it’s a lifestyle! Some of our favorite trails are in Colorado and Utah, but you might catch us in Southern California and Las Vegas when we need some dirt therapy.
How’s the fuel economy? The Ram’s combined city/highway fuel economy ranges, for the most part, from the high teens to the low 20s depending on the engine and whether you get rear- or four-wheel drive. But the EcoDiesel V6 is the mpg star here. With rear-wheel drive, it posts an EPA-estimated 26 mpg combined. With the optional 33-gallon tank, it can go about 1,000 highway miles on a fill-up. Our 4WD test truck with the diesel returned a 24.2 mpg average over 923 mixed-driving test miles.