Only 1 Full-Size American Pickup Truck Rides On Rear Coil Springs
Want the best pickup truck suspension setup? It may include rear coil springs. Ford SVT opted for this advanced technology for its F-150 Raptor and Toyota has swapped to rear coil springs for its 2022 Tundra. But the only full-size American pickup truck with rear coils springs standard is the Ram 1500.
When did the Ram 1500 get coil suspension?
Until the 2008 model year, the Ram 1500 rode on rear leaf springs. For the fourth-generation redesign, Ram swapped this setup out for five-link rear suspension, tossing the old leaf springs in favor of rear coils for the 2009 model year.
For the 2014 model year, Ram expanded its new coil spring availability. It replaced the Ram 2500‘s rear leaf springs with heavy-duty coil springs. There is a limit to how much weight a rear coil spring setup can easily handle, so Ram continues to build its 3500 and larger trucks with Hotchkiss leaf springs in the rear.
If you want to upgrade your pickup truck’s suspension, Ram offers several options. You can order a 2022 Ram 1500 with air suspension on all four corners. This setup enables adjustable ride height. In addition, you can order rear air suspension for the Ram 2500 and 3500 which allows for auto-leveling while loaded.
What’s so great about rear coil springs?
According to Consumer Reports, “No other full-size pickup truck rides as comfortably as the Ram.” The publication has “no doubt” that this ride quality is due to the truck’s rear coil springs.
Springs are a critical component of any suspension setup. Leaf springs are a stack of strips of metal, mounted in a bowed shape, that bend as the vehicle’s suspension travels over bumps. A coil spring is a spiral-shaped piece of metal that compresses as a vehicle’s suspension travels over bumps.
Coil springs offer a greater range of movement than leaf springs. For this reason, they are prized for off-roading and performance applications. That said, they are more expensive to manufacture.
Naysayers might say a pickup truck with rear coil springs will be worse at classic pickup truck tasks than a truck with traditional leaf springs. But the Ram 1500’s maximum payload capacity is 2,325 pounds. Compare this to the Ford F-150‘s maximum payload capacity of 2,238 pounds or the Silverado’s max of 2,300 pounds.
What trucks have rear coil springs?
Every new Ram 1500 and Toyota Tundra offers rear coil spring suspension. Ford SVT also upgraded the F-150’s suspension to coil springs for its Raptor. You can order an aftermarket coil spring setup for many more trucks.
While many smaller SUVs have rear coil springs, not all mid-size trucks do. For example, the 2022 Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, and GMC Canyon still uses rear leaf springs.
Check out the best pickup trucks for off roading or see automotive leaf and coil springs in action in the classic video below:
