1998.5-2002 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Suspension Components

Suspension components on the 1998.5-2002 RAM 5.9L Cummins

This is the parts-level view of the second-gen suspension. On 4x4 trucks the front Dana 60 hangs on coil springs and is located by upper and lower trailing arms plus a single track bar. The rear rides on leaf springs. The usual replacement list for the 24-valve Cummins trucks covers front and rear shocks, air springs, ball joints, control-arm and leaf-spring bushings, sway bar end links and frame bushings, bump stops, and track bars with their rebuild kits. Most of those are wear items, and the front-end pieces work as one system, so a worn part in one place shows up as a steering complaint somewhere else.

What fails and why

The track bar's ball-stud end at the frame is the classic failure. It wears quickly, lets the axle move side to side, and that play shows up as wander and, after a bump, death wobble. The steering damper is a wear item that figures heavily in death wobble too, so check it whenever you check the track bar. Ball joints and tie-rod ends wear past 100,000 miles and cause hunting and cupped tires. Trailing-arm bushings wear and let the axle move fore and aft, which can clunk, and worn leaf-spring bushings can let the rear dog-track.

Stock replacement vs. upgrade

For shocks, the Bilstein B6 4600 Series parts are listed for 1994-2002 5.9L trucks by drivetrain and position, which makes them a straightforward replacement. The B8 5100 Series parts cover 4WD trucks across a wider year range; if your truck has been leveled or lifted, match the shock length on the product page to your ride height. For the track bar, a stock-style bar fixes the play for a while, but TDR writers call the two-eye conversion the cure-all, and BD Diesel's adjustable bar is one of the routes they list. Air springs are the add-on when you haul, since they help keep a loaded truck level. Traction bars are an add-on too, not a repair: they tie the rear axle to the frame so it stays put on its leaf springs under hard pulls.

What we carry

• Air Lift: LoadLifter 5000 helper spring kit and Ultimate Plus stainless upgrades, 2, 4 and 6 inch air spring spacers and angled spacers, a universal cradle, WirelessONE and WirelessAIR compressor systems and tanks, single and dual load controllers, and a replacement onboard compressor.
• Bilstein: B6 4600 Series and B8 5100 Series shocks, front and rear.
• Wehrli Custom Fabrication: 60 and 68 inch traction bars, Dodge/Ford traction bar kits, a bracket and hardware install kit, and bushings and heims.
• BD Diesel: adjustable track bar, replacement bushing kit, sway bar end links and an end link bushing kit.
• BDS Suspension: rear sway bar link kit.
• Fleece Performance Engineering: low-profile shock mounts.

Fitment notes

Read the year range on each part. The BD adjustable track bar is listed for 1994-2002 4WD trucks, while BD's end links and end link bushing kit are listed for 2000-2009, so 1998.5-1999 owners should confirm fit. The BDS rear sway bar link kit is listed for the 2500, and every 3500 of this generation is a long-bed dually. Bilstein shocks are listed by front or rear and 2WD or 4WD. The WCFab bars come in universal 60 and 68 inch lengths with Dodge/Ford bracket kits, so measure or call before you pick a length. 2000-2002 trucks also use different steering tapers than 1994-1999 trucks, so year matters on anything that touches the steering. Verify by VIN when in doubt.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check my track bar for wear?

With the truck on the ground, have a helper saw the steering wheel back and forth while you watch the ball-stud end at the frame. Up-and-down play there means the bar is worn. Constant steering correction on the highway is the other sign.

Why replace the steering damper when chasing death wobble?

The damper is a wear item that figures heavily in death wobble, and Dodge's steering-wander TSB 19-10-97 includes it along with tie rods and end links. Death wobble rarely has one cause, so check the damper whenever you check the track bar.

Do I need traction bars on my 24-valve?

They are not a wear-part replacement. They are an add-on for trucks that tow heavy or launch hard and want the rear axle held in place on its leaf springs. WCFab sells complete kits, bars alone and the bracket hardware, so you can build what your truck needs.

Which Air Lift parts do I need to start?

Start with the LoadLifter 5000 helper spring kit. The spacers and cradle are mounting pieces you add only if your truck's ride height calls for them. The compressor systems and load controllers are optional onboard air.

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.