Dodge 6″ Pintop 2.5 System, Diesel, 4WD, 2003-2009

Description

The Pintop is the Backcountry on steroids, take the description for the Backcountry and throw an exponent on it. This system is our most popular, all around suspension system. It was tuned and rides best with the Full Progressive Leaf Springs.

The Pintop is a Jack-of-all-trades system from which every Ram owner would benefit. Raising the Ram platform then adding the 2.5” diameter shocks will support the argument that these trucks should come equipped with 2.5” shocks from the factory. The higher end systems will get you more off-road capability, yes, and even a bit more on-road. The premium paid for these systems, however, doesn’t compare to the on and off-road ride quality per dollar spent on the Pintop. For these reasons, it will likely remain our best seller for years to come.

The Details: The Carli 6” Systems are an entirely different animal than the 3” offerings. There is no entry level; every system is equipped with a custom tuned shock package and Radius Arm Conversion. The longer, flatter links cycle more linear travel and offer a superior ride quality over extending a short arm to work with a 6” front lift. Complete with a Driver’s side axle shock, Carli radius arms allow the axle to roll as to not bind during articulation; think of it as the strength of a radius arm and articulation capability of a 4-Link. Further, the drop brackets that affix the radius arms to the frame bolt on with no modification to the existing, factory control arm brackets (ensuring the truck can be returned to stock). The arms themselves boast “X” bracing internal to their gusseted, clam-shell structure and are constructed with 3” Currie Johnny Joints and an internally gusseted, 2-piece Crossmember making them both serviceable and nearly indestructible.

This system boasts Carli specific, blueprinted, King 2.5” shocks on all four corners. In an effort to provide customers with the best product, we designed a custom piston to determine proper base flow rates to ensure the shock works well in the heavy duty truck platform; we then tuned the shocks around the custom pistons based on the only thing that matters to us, seat-of-the-pants feel. We round off ALL our King shocks with shafts machined and polished from a solid piece of 17-4 Stainless. Unlike King’s standard shafts, there is no coating to wear off, weather is far less likely to hurt them and if there is a small chip, you can round the edges with emery cloth to ensure the seal housing isn’t damaged as they’re not brittle like the stock, hardened shafts. The shocks are finished with King oil good to -55* F. Note that all King shocks are built with a plated steel body. If subjected to inclement weather for extended periods, we recommend wrapping your shocks in 3M to provide a moisture barrier that’s replaceable.

Your truck will sit 6” higher in the front with 60% more suspension travel than the factory platform thanks to the taller, lighter rate coil springs. The rear is lifted 4” via the customer’s choice of a Progressive Add-A-Pack/2” Billet Block or Full Progressive Leaf Pack. The Progressive Add-A-Pack replaces the factory overload with a 5-Leaf, progressive pack that changes the final rate of the spring pack keeping the rear planted while increasing traction and predictability. This is then paired with a 2” Billet Carli Block to achieve the 4” rear lift height.

The optional Full Progressive Leaf Pack replaces the entire factory leaf spring assembly increasing travel and drastically increasing comfort throughout the entire usable travel stroke at the cost of a 15% payload reduction from a standard 2500. This payload reduction can be supplemented back to factory capacity with the addition of the Long Travel Airbags (with optional spacer for 6” systems) for the best of both worlds; ride quality and payload capacity/load control. The Full Progressive Leaf Pack requires no block to achieve the 4” rear lift height.

When pairing added travel with the taller ride height, the position of the factory, front sway bar will need to be altered as well. For this, we offer two options; Sway bar Drop Bracket Extended Sway Bar End Links or the Sway Bar Drop Bracket Replacement Torsion Sway Bar. The End links are equipped with ½” FK Rod-Ends and in-house machined 17-4 stainless bodies that are extended over stock to reset the sway bar engagement points. Factory pillow-bushings are re-used to assemble the sway bar to the lengthened link.

Carli’s optional Torsion sway bar removes the entire factory sway bar assembly replacing it with a torsion bar supported by fabricated drop brackets and delrin bushings. Fabricated sway bar arms and dual 5/8” FK heim end links round off the package. This is the single best bang for the buck, ride-quality upgrade offered by Carli Suspension (in close competition with the full progressive leaf spring upgrade).

When lifting a straight axle truck, all linkage, brake lines and bump stops need to be addressed. We include extended stainless brake lines, an adjustable track bar track bar drop bracket, bump stop drop brackets, drop pitman arm, and recommend the purchase of a carrier bearing drop bracket in the rear for those running a 2-piece driveline.

Wheel and Tire: This system will fit up to a 37” tire on wheels no more than 9” wide with 4.5” of backspacing. The more rubber, the better the small bump compliance will be at proper inflation pressures. The ride will firm up as you go larger in wheel diameter. For more details, see our article on wheel and tire selection and tire pressures: