Suggestions on making a 2001 B2500 van ride smoother

[btoups]

After several years of getting bounced around (and my kids getting bounced around unmerciously, I have decided to seriously look into making the ride in my van a bit smoother, but don't really know much about suspensions. My van is equipped with the tow package from the factory, and is a 12 passenger model. I am mostly concerned with the rear end of the vehicle.

I have recently read about the roadmaster active suspension system, and that seems like it might be good, at least for improved handling. I have also recently read about velvet ride shackles. The thing I like about both of these is that they are 'install and forget.' But, I don't really know if one or the other or both would be better, or if there is a better way to approach this. By the way, my van has 130,000 miles and I changed the shocks in the thing a couple of years ago, so I will likely change the shocks at the same time I do the other improvements.

Any suggestions?

[stev]

btoups,

I own the exact Ram Van/Wagon you do. It's a 2001 B2500, 5.2L/318cid Magnum enigne, 3.92 rear gears and it's 12-passenger. The van color is dark green.

And Y-E-S, it has the RoadMaster Active Suspension on the rear axle and the Tibrem front suspension kit.

My next purchase, that is on order, are the Yokohama HTS Geolander G051. These will be installed in about 5 days. The tires will hold up well like an LT tire, but remove the truck feeling and noise problems of being a truck tire. The tires are also rated for 60k miles. The other nicething about these tires is the low roll resistance. Consumer Reports rates them really well for that and the M+S ability. See my thread in the forums here about these tires. A neighbor of mine had these Geolander tires on his VW minivan. They were the best tires he ever owned on that van, so he mentioned.

If your B2500 has the HD suspension like that of the B3500 with the 8-lug rims like mine does, then making it ride more like a conversion Ram Van is going to be somewhat difficult. ;)

I added the RoadMaster Active Suspension Kit since we tow the camper and it greatly helps while on the highway and in the turns.

I'm sure others will chime in here too!

Peace!

Stev

[btoups]

Thanks for your comments and suggestions, Stev. Yes, mine has the HD suspension, too. Did you install the Roadmaster Active Suspension kit yourself? and if so, any pointers on that would be helpful. I can get them here for the installed price of $378. I will look into those tires, as I need to get 2 soon, and those might be a good choice.

Thanks again for your comments.

[btoups]

I've decided to replace the shocks all around and see what improvement that will make. I've decided to go with Bilstein shocks first, check the improvement, then go with the active suspension next. I've consider air bags but I am not sure that they would offer much improvement over the roadmaster active suspension, although if someone has experience with both, I would like to hear about it. I will be receiving the shocks next week and will post the outcome after I get the shocks installed.

[stev]

The RoadMaster Active Suspension is easy to install. I think the hardest part of the job was taking off the wheel lugs! If you have the basic garage tools and a good socket set, you'll be done in no time flat.

On average it takes 30mins per side to put the kit on. It's faster if you have wheel chucks and a hydrolic lift jack.

At first looks, you wonder, Is this thing really going to work? I would highly recommend the MKII-XXF kit since you have the HD suspension and 8-lug wheels. I went that way for that reason and the fact that we tow the RV camper too.

The tires should be in on Wednesday. I got a good price from Monro at $279 installed. for the pair. They beat out three other shops in the area.

[btoups]

About a month ago I sought suggestions on making the ride of my B2500 smoother. I decided to go with the Bilstein shocks, and that turned out to be a very good decision. Those shocks made an immediate and substantial difference. Now I am going to purchase and install the Roadmaster Active Suspension. I will report back the outcome, too, in a couple of weeks.

[stev]

btoups,

Since we have the same and nearly identical 12-passenger 2001 Ram Van, I had just place on the vehicle four Yokohama Geolander HTS G051 tires. Your best be is the 225/75R16 since you may be towing. The ride is awesome and makes the van drive like a good balance SUV vs. a truck.

[btoups]

Yes, I actually bought two of them and put them on the front. They ride good, but I have found them to make a bit of noise. How about you?

[stev]

How long have you had them on the van? And are they the Geolander HTS G051 series?

If you notice my thread here: http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161157


I mention the noise, but in the last 100 miles, the noise has decreased due to the nubbins wearing or falling off. You can see them in the pictures I took.

[btoups]

Hi folks,
I did get the roadmaster active suspension installed (took about 2-3 hours total, most of that in jacking up the vehicle and making it stable with the jacks I have; and thank God for air wrenches).

Within 2 days of installing the active suspension, we loaded up the van full of camping gear(including a receiver hitch carrier loaded with about 300 lbs of camping gear) and 8 of us headed out for a 3000 mile camping trip. The bilstein shocks and the roadmaster suspension did help quite a bit. I would recommend both for anyone trying to improve the truck like rough ride. They will not turn it into a passenger car, but they do help.

The suspension was definately an improvement since it helped make the van much more stable, particularly when making somewhat sharp or sudden turns at higher speeds. I make it up and down a lot of curvy mountain roads, and particularly notice the improvments when traversing high altitude dirt mountain roads full of washboard groves.

I have to say that the active suspension and the shocks were worth the money.

Brad

[stev]

Brad,

For the money, I wasn't sure that the RMAS was worth it. However, a Ford engineer who now works at GM turned me onto to the kit a few years back. I'm glad he did. :)

I really like turning on expressway ramps now without having to drop below the posted yellow speed warning for the ramp. If the ramp says 35mph, I would have had to drop to 25mph with the van. Now the RMAS allows the van to control better with keeping the roll at bay to manage the 35mph without a sweat.

For towing, you'll now enjoy a more stable rear response with the travel trailer.

I went with the timbren kit on the front of the van. The bilstein shocks should be a great improvement too.

What I don't understand is why the OEM's have not installed them as original equipment for the trucks and vans. Instead, R&D money went into computer control costs for active computer stabilzers. This just drives up the costs for the vehicle.

So, how long are you going to keep camping this year? The weather out our way in Niagara Falls is in the low 80's in the daytime and about 58 at night.

[btoups]

Yes, I agree. The reduction in sway is really noticeable when negotiating those entrance and exit ramps, and when passing someone. To me, that is worth it, since I can stay nearer to traffic speeds doing it.

The camping in northern new mexico (Pecos wilderness) and west of crested butte in colorado was outstanding. Mid 80s during the day, lower 40's at nite. On our 10 day trip we only had one day of rain while camping. Really excellent vistas, weather, and solitude (at least when the kids were not carrying on too much!). However, that probably did us in for camping for the rest of this year.

I have been to Niagra Falls, and they are really something to see.