Ram 2500 Complete Overhaul Pt. 1 — Lift Kit & Rear Suspension Install
This is the first half of a full overhaul on a Ram 2500. The goal: 1 inch of lift in the rear, all-new control arms, shocks, track bar, and sway bar end links. Every rubber bushing under the axle gets replaced with 7075 aluminum arms and Rock Jock Johnny Joints. Part two covers the front end with a new radius arm, 3 inches of lift, and new wheels and tires—but today the rear gets the attention. Here is the complete teardown and install.
The Build Plan: What Goes on the Rear
The truck already received the Core 4x4 2.5-ton steering upgrade in a previous session. Now the rear gets a complete refresh. The build target is roughly 3 inches of lift up front and 1 inch in the rear to level the stance, with the option to remove the rear spacer later depending on how everything settles. Here is everything going on today:
- Core 4x4 Aluminum Series Control Arms – upper and lower, built from 2-1/4” OD 7075 aluminum with 1-3/4” 7075 hardware and Rock Jock 3-inch Johnny Joints for a direct bolt-in replacement
- Coil Spacer – 1-inch spacer paired with a Thuren stock-replacement soft-ride coil spring
- Fox Performance Series Shocks – matched to the new ride height
- Core 4x4 Track Bar (Panhard) – adjustable, replacing the factory unit
- Sway Bar End Links – longer replacements to account for the lift
Aluminum Series vs. Steel Series Control Arms
Core 4x4 offers two lines of control arms for the Ram 2500 and 3500. The Aluminum Series uses 7075 aluminum tubes with the Rock Jock 3-inch Johnny Joint. These are a true direct bolt-in—no shims needed. The Steel Series uses the 2-1/2-inch Johnny Joint, which requires shims (included in the kit) but comes in at a lower price point. Both feature double-threaded adjustability and the same independent crush-sleeve design that eliminates bushing preload.
Tools You’ll Need
- 18 mm ratcheting wrench (shocks and end links—highly recommended)
- 30 mm socket (control arm bolts)
- Torque wrench rated to at least 203 ft-lbs
- Pipe wrench with a cheater bar (jam nuts)
- Penetrating fluid
- Jack, jack stands, or a lift
- Ratchet strap (for axle alignment during install)
- Pry bar
- Vice grips
- Paint marker (for jam-nut witness marks)
Step 1: Prep and Teardown
Get the truck in the air and spray every bolt with penetrating fluid before you start. Since you are removing everything that attaches to the rear axle, support the axle on jack stands before unbolting. Removal order:
- Shocks – top bolt is 18 mm. Use a ratcheting wrench to save your knuckles. If you do not want to remove the inner fender liner, you can reach behind the frame to get at the top mount.
- Sway bar end links – also 18 mm.
- Control arms – upper and lower.
- Track bar (panhard) – last to come off.
- Coil springs – with everything else disconnected, the coils lift out.
Watch for Nut Tabs
Ram (and some Jeep) trucks use welded nut tabs on certain bolts. When you impact a nut off, that tab can swing around and slice through your axle breather hose, brake lines, or wiring harness. Before you hit it with the impact, hold the tab with a wrench or vice grips so it cannot rotate. This is an easy thing to overlook and an expensive thing to fix.
On a newer truck with minimal rust, teardown took slightly under an hour. Older trucks with corrosion will take longer—let the penetrating fluid do its job.
Step 2: Set Control Arm Length
Before bolting anything on, set each new arm to match the factory length. Lay the new arm next to the old one, drop a bolt through both ends, and adjust the tube until the bolts align. For a 1-inch lift in the rear, the arm length change from stock is negligible, so factory length is the correct starting point.
Why You Can Torque in the Air
With factory rubber-bushed arms, you must torque the bolts at ride height to avoid preloading the bushings. The Core 4x4 arms use an independent crush sleeve that is not bonded to the joint. That means you can torque every bolt with the suspension fully drooped. When the truck comes back down, the crush sleeve settles to its new neutral position with zero preload and zero premature wear.
Step 3: Install Control Arms
Install order: uppers first, then lowers. The uppers are easier to access when the lowers are not yet in the way, and you need that access because the bolt torque spec is 203 ft-lbs.
- Slide the upper arm into the axle and frame brackets, insert the bolts, and torque to 203 ft-lbs.
- Torque the jam nuts using a pipe wrench and cheater bar. There is no realistic torque spec here—the factory number is around 1,700 ft-lbs, which is unreachable by hand. Get them as tight as you physically can.
- After torquing, both joints will have rotated in the tightening direction. Use a pry bar to center them back in their range. A slightly off-center joint in the bracket is cosmetic, not functional—it does not affect the arm.
- Repeat for the lower arms.
If the Axle Has Shifted
With all four arms and the track bar removed, the rear axle will have shifted on the jack stands. If your last bolt is just a quarter-inch off, use a ratchet strap from the axle to the frame to pull it into position. This gives you more control than prying and less risk of damaging anything.
Step 4: Install Coils, Shocks, End Links, and Track Bar
With the arms torqued, the rest of the rear goes on quickly:
- Coil springs and spacer: Drop the 1-inch spacer into the spring pocket, set the coil on top, and raise the axle into position.
- Shocks: Bottom bolt torques to 100 ft-lbs.
- Sway bar end links: Torque to 80 ft-lbs.
- Track bar (panhard): Torque to 130 ft-lbs. If the axle has shifted laterally, use the ratchet strap again to pull it over before threading the bolt in.
Torque Specs Reference
| Fastener | Torque Spec | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Control arm through-bolts | 203 ft-lbs | Upper and lower, axle and frame side |
| Control arm jam nuts | As tight as possible | Pipe wrench + cheater bar; paint-mark after torquing |
| Rear shock (bottom bolt) | 100 ft-lbs | — |
| Sway bar end links | 80 ft-lbs | — |
| Track bar (panhard) | 130 ft-lbs | Use ratchet strap to align axle if needed |
After 500 miles: Recheck every jam nut. If they have not moved from your paint marks, you are good for the life of the arm. If they have, re-torque and re-mark.
Sway Bar End Link Length
Getting the correct end link length matters more than most people think. With a 1-inch lift, this truck needed a longer end link. At full droop, the end link should still have some angle—if it goes straight or starts to invert the sway bar, you need a longer one. For most 1–3-inch lifts on the Ram 2500, check Core 4x4’s end link options to match your ride height. If you run limiting straps, the risk of inversion at full droop drops, but it is still good practice to run the correct length.
Fitment & Compatibility
- Ram 2500: 2014–present
- Ram 3500: 2013–present
- Aluminum Series (Rock Jock 3” Johnny Joint) – direct bolt-in, no shims
- Steel Series (2-1/2” Johnny Joint) – requires included shims, more budget friendly
- Compatible with factory and aftermarket shocks
- Works at stock height and with lifts up to 4+ inches
- Bolt-on install—no cutting, welding, or drilling
- Install time: approximately 2–3 hours for the full rear end
