Ram 3500 Tear Down for Long Arm Install Pt. 4 — Prep, Bracket Removal & Frame Cleanup

Part four of the Ram 3500 build series — tearing down the old suspension, cutting factory brackets, and prepping the frame for a true four-link long arm kit.

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Ram 3500 Tear Down for Long Arm Install Pt. 4 — Prep, Bracket Removal & Frame Cleanup

This is the fourth video in the Ram 3500 build series at Core 4x4, and it is the one Spence has been most excited about. After installing trailing arms in the rear, a track bar and sway bar end links up front, and a full 2-1/2 ton steering upgrade with sector shaft brace, it is finally time for the most significant upgrade on this truck: the Core 4x4 long arm kit for 3rd and 4th gen Ram 2500 and 3500. Before the arms go on, the truck needs a full tear down and frame prep — that is what this guide covers.

Fitment: 2003–2024 Ram 2500 / 3500 (3rd & 4th Gen) | This truck: 5-1/2” Rough Country lift

The Build So Far

Spence at the Core 4x4 shop table with the new Ram 3500 long arm kit including control arms, brackets, and hardware in Illusion Cherry powder coat

If you have not been following the series, here is what has already gone onto this Ram 3500:

Rear trailing arms (weld-on kit) — eliminated wheel hop and axle wrap
Front sway bar end links and track bar — tightened up the front-end feel
2-1/2 ton steering kit with sector shaft brace — completely rebuilt the steering system

The long arm kit is the final piece and, according to Spence, will make the single biggest difference in ride quality, drivability, and flexibility on this truck. With 5-1/2 inches of lift, the factory short arms sit at steep angles that fight suspension travel. Moving to a true four-link long arm kit brings those angles back toward level and lets the axle move the way it was designed to.

What Is in the Long Arm Kit

Spence explaining the long arm kit under the Ram 3500, showing the existing steering and suspension upgrades

The Core 4x4 long arm kit for the 3rd and 4th gen Ram 2500/3500 includes:

Frame brackets (driver and passenger) — engineered to integrate with the factory frame and crossmember for solid mounting points
Lower control arms — built with 2” quarter-wall DOM tubing, Johnny Joints on both ends
Upper control arms — built with 1-3/4” DOM tubing, Johnny Joints on both ends
All new hardware — mounting bolts, jam nuts, and everything needed for a complete install

This kit is 100% bolt-on, which is a major advantage over the weld-on trailing arm kit from earlier in the series. The arms on this build are finished in Illusion Cherry powder coat, but any color on the Core 4x4 site is available, and custom colors can be requested.

Why True Four-Link Over Radius-Style Long Arms?

Close-up of the Core 4x4 long arm kit components on the shop table showing brackets, Johnny Joints, and Illusion Cherry powder-coated control arms

There are plenty of long arm kits on the market for these trucks, but most use a radius-style design where the upper arm pins to the lower. That limits side-to-side articulation because the axle cannot cycle independently in both planes. Core 4x4 designed a true four-link with four independent arms, each with its own frame and axle mounting point. The result is full vertical travel and full off-camber articulation without restriction.

Johnny Joints on these trucks: Core 4x4 found that Johnny Joints perform especially well on the heavier 2500 and 3500 platforms. The weight and load demands of these trucks need a strong, durable joint, and the Johnny Joint delivers that with a rebuildable design and independent crush sleeve.

Tear Down: Removing Old Control Arms and Drop Brackets

Spence working on the long arm kit details, showing the DOM tubing and Johnny Joint construction

The install is split into two videos — this one covers the tear down and prep, and the next covers the full long arm install. Here is the tear down process:

Step 1: Support the Axle

Get the truck on a lift or jack stands. Place jack stands under the axle so it is fully supported and secure before you start removing suspension components.

Step 2: Remove the Old Control Arms

This truck had a Rough Country 5-1/2 inch lift kit with drop brackets and upper control arm relocation brackets. All of that comes off because the long arm kit bolts to the factory mounting points — no relocation brackets or drop brackets needed.

Spence was hoping the lift kit installer had broken all the bolts loose during the original install, but that was not the case. Several bolts were seized — three of them had to be cut.

How to Cut Seized Bolts on Ram 2500/3500 Trucks

Spence under the Ram 3500 explaining the control arm removal process with the axle supported on jack stands

When you hit a seized bolt, here is the technique Spence uses:

Make a gap between the bolt and the crush sleeve by cutting on the bolt side where there is clearance. The bolt is a softer steel than the hardened crush sleeve, so it cuts much faster.
On the head side where the bolt is tight against the bracket, you may not be able to make that gap. In that case, you have to cut through the crush sleeve itself — expect to go through multiple sawzall blades.
Blade count matters: Spence went through three blades on the crush sleeve side of one bolt. The softer bolt side usually cuts with one blade.

This is standard practice on older trucks and Jeeps with seized suspension bolts. Budget the time and the blades — it is part of the job.

The Point of No Return: Cutting Factory Lower Control Arm Mounts

Spence examining the factory lower control arm mounting bracket on the Ram 3500 frame before cutting it off

With the old arms and brackets off, the next step is removing the factory lower control arm mounts from the frame. This is the point of no return — once you cut the factory mounts, you are committed to the long arm kit.

The new lower long arm will run from the crossmember area down to the axle. On a truck with 5-1/2 inches of lift, there may already be enough clearance, but for trucks running 3 inches of lift or less, removing these mounts is necessary to clear the longer arm. Spence removes them regardless to give a clean install.

Cutting Technique

The factory brackets are welded to the frame on multiple sides. Here is how to get them off cleanly:

Use a recessed metal cut-off wheel on your angle grinder. Flat cut-off wheels tend to dig into the frame at an angle. The recessed disc keeps your cut parallel to the frame surface.
Cut the welds, not the frame. Work along each weld seam: front, bottom, and back of the bracket. Stay flush to the frame surface.
Use a sawzall for tight spots. Spence found the sawzall was actually more useful than the grinder for getting into corners and tight areas around the bracket.
Start on the passenger side. If this is your first time cutting brackets off a vehicle, the passenger side is less visible. Your second side will be cleaner.

Blade recommendation: Spence used Diablo metal cut-off blades. The standard Diablo blades work but the heavy-metal version lasts noticeably longer. A 50-pack of standard blades went fast, and the sawzall ate through several as well.

Frame Cleanup and Welding

Cleaned-up Ram 3500 frame rail after factory control arm bracket removal, ready for long arm kit installation

After cutting the brackets off, you will likely have some grooves or low spots in the frame from the grinder. Spence addresses those with a quick weld pass to fill in any deep cuts:

Inspect the frame surface after bracket removal. If you cut deeper than intended (more common on the first side), fill the grooves with weld.
Grind the welds flush with a flap disc to give a smooth, flat mounting surface.
Hit it with rattle-can primer or paint immediately to prevent rust on the bare metal.

The driver-side cuts on this truck were much cleaner than the passenger side because Spence had dialed in the technique. By the time both sides were done, you could not tell the factory mounts had ever been there.

Time Estimates

Here is how the tear down broke down on this Ram 3500:

Task	Time
Remove all control arms, drop brackets, and relocation brackets	~1 hour
Cut off factory lower control arm mounts (per side)	~20–30 minutes
Weld fill, grind smooth, and paint	~15–20 minutes
Total tear down and prep	~2–2.5 hours

Better sawzall blades would have cut that bracket removal time significantly. Budget extra time if your bolts are seized — every truck is different.

Tools Required for Tear Down

Angle grinder with recessed metal cut-off wheels (Diablo heavy-metal recommended)
Sawzall with metal-cutting blades
Socket set (13/16”, 7/8”, 15/16”)
Impact gun
Jack and jack stands or a lift
Welder (for filling grooves in the frame after bracket removal)
Flap disc for grinding welds flush
Rattle-can primer or paint for bare metal
Safety glasses and gloves

What Comes Next: Long Arm Install

Ram 3500 frame after complete tear down and cleanup, with factory control arm mounts removed and frame painted, ready for long arm kit

With the frame prepped and painted, the truck is ready for the long arm kit installation. In the next video, Spence will:

Bolt the new frame brackets to the crossmember
Drill new mounting holes
Install the upper and lower long arms with Johnny Joints
Set arm lengths and torque everything to spec

This series will wrap up with a drive test to show the difference the full build makes — trailing arms, steering, and the long arm kit working together on a truck that came in with a rough-riding 5-1/2 inch lift.

Frequently Asked Questions

The long arm kit itself is 100% bolt-on. The brackets bolt to the factory frame and crossmember mounting points. However, the prep work requires cutting the factory lower control arm mounts off the frame with a grinder and sawzall, and you may need to weld-fill any grooves left in the frame. Once the frame is prepped, the kit installation is entirely bolt-on.

Yes. The Core 4x4 long arm kit uses the factory upper control arm mounting points, so any relocation brackets or drop brackets from a previous lift kit need to come off. The long arm brackets replace all of that and provide a true four-link geometry that does not need the factory mounting points to be relocated.

At higher lift heights like 5-1/2 inches, there may be enough clearance without removing the factory mounts. However, at 3 inches of lift or lower, the factory mounts will interfere with the new lower long arms. Spence recommends removing them regardless for a clean install and to eliminate any potential clearance issues as the suspension cycles.

Cut through the bolt, not the crush sleeve. Make a gap between the bolt and the hardened crush sleeve, then cut on the bolt side where the steel is softer. On the head side where you cannot make a gap, you will have to cut through the crush sleeve — expect to use multiple sawzall blades per bolt. Soak everything in penetrating fluid before you start, but be prepared to cut.

Johnny Joints have an independent crush sleeve that allows torquing at any suspension position without creating preload. They also provide more articulation than polyurethane bushings, which resist rotation and bind under load. On heavier trucks like the Ram 2500 and 3500, the durability and load capacity of the Johnny Joint is a significant advantage over poly bushings. They are also rebuildable when they eventually wear.