1994-1998 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Suspension Components

Suspension components on the 1994-1998 Ram 5.9L Cummins

A second-gen 4x4 holds its solid front axle on coil springs with upper and lower control arms and a track bar, while a 2WD truck uses an independent double-wishbone front. Leaf springs carry the rear on both. The parts that wear on this layout are well known: the track bar, upper and lower ball joints, control-arm bushings, sway-bar end links and shocks.

What wears and how it shows up

The factory track bar wears quickly, enough that Dodge issued TSB 19-05-96 for trucks built before May 15, 1996. Its plastic tension bushing lets go and the axle shifts side to side, which you feel as wander, a clunk and an off-center steering wheel. The weight of the 12-valve Cummins also loads the ball joints and control-arm bushings, so high-mileage trucks show cupped tires and play at the knuckle. When enough of these parts wear at once, usually past 100,000 miles, a bump or road seam can set off death wobble, a violent shake that stops only when you slow down.

Replace or upgrade

Start with the track bar. An adjustable bar is the step up from a stock replacement: the BD adjustable track bar, paired with a third-gen-style bracket retrofit, is the fix credited with ending death wobble on Turbo Diesel Register (TDR) test trucks. Out back, the documented load setup is rear air springs with individual fill lines plus a heavy-duty sway bar and dual-pivot end links. Shocks wear on every truck, and the Bilstein 5100 is the shock in the common second-gen 2-inch leveling setup.

What we carry

• Bilstein B6 4600 Series and B8 5100 Series shocks, front and rear, with separate part numbers by drive type.
• Air Lift LoadLifter 5000 helper springs, the Ultimate Plus stainless steel upgrade, WirelessONE and WirelessAIR compressor systems, tanks, a replacement on-board compressor, air hose, spacers and a universal air spring cradle.
• BD Diesel adjustable track bar for 1994-2002 Cummins 4WD trucks and a replacement bushing kit.
• Wehrli Custom Fabrication universal traction bars in 60-inch and 68-inch lengths, Dodge/Ford traction bar kits, a bracket and hardware install kit, and replacement bushings and heims.
• BDS Suspension rear sway bar link kit.
• Fleece Performance Engineering low-profile shock mounts for 1994-2012 5.9L and 6.7L Cummins trucks.

Fitment notes

Drive type decides most of it. The 4x4 and 2WD front ends share nothing, so track bars, ball joints and leveling parts are built for one or the other. The BD track bar is a 4WD part, the B8 5100 shocks here are listed for 4WD, and the B6 4600 shocks come in separate 2WD and 4WD part numbers for front and rear. Front-end parts changed for 2000-2002, so a 1994-1998 truck takes the early parts. The BDS sway bar link kit is listed for the 2500, so 3500 owners should check by VIN. The WCFab traction bars are universal, so measure your truck before choosing a length.

Frequently asked questions

What should I replace first on a 4x4 that wanders?

The track bar. It is the known early-wear part on these trucks, covered by TSB 19-05-96 for trucks built before May 15, 1996, and a loose bar lets the axle shift side to side. After that, check the ball joints, control-arm bushings and end links.

Is an adjustable track bar better than a stock replacement?

It gives you adjustment a stock bar does not. TDR test trucks stopped death wobble with a third-gen-style bracket retrofit and a BD adjustable track bar, and any lifted second-gen needs a longer or adjustable bar. The BD bar here is listed for 1994-2002 Cummins 4WD trucks.

Do I need a compressor to run Air Lift air springs?

No. The documented second-gen tow setup runs rear air springs on individual fill lines, which you can fill from a regular air source. The WirelessONE and WirelessAIR systems add an on-board compressor and tank, and the 73000EZ WirelessAIR control system is app-only.

Not sure what fits? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell.