The layouts at a glance
This table covers 4x4 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups. It describes how the trucks were built at the factory. Any truck that's already been modified may be different, so check underneath before you order anything.
| Model years | Front (2500 & 3500 4x4) | Rear, 2500 | Rear, 3500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-2002 | Solid axle, coil springs, five-link: two control arms per side behind the axle plus a track bar | Leaf springs | Leaf springs |
| 2003-2009 | Same idea: coil springs, five-link | Leaf springs | Leaf springs |
| 2010-2012 | Coil springs, five-link | Leaf springs | Leaf springs |
| 2013 | 2500: still five-link. 3500: new three-link radius-arm front (all 2013 3500 4x4s) | Leaf springs | Leaf springs |
| 2014-2018 | Coil springs, three-link radius arm with track bar | Five-link coil springs standard; optional rear air springs in place of the coils | Leaf springs (optional rear air works alongside the leafs) |
| 2019-on | Three-link radius arm, as above | Five-link coil; optional rear air | Leaf springs (optional rear air works alongside the leafs) |
Every 2013-on Ram 3500 4x4 has the radius-arm front. The 2500 kept the five-link front through 2013 and switched to radius arms for 2014. Every 3500 has a leaf-spring rear, and every 2014-on 2500 has a coil-spring link rear.
The 2019-on row reflects how Ram described the trucks at the 2019 launch. We haven't found a documented layout change since then, but confirm on your own truck. Ram 4500/5500 chassis cabs are outside the scope of this guide.
Front: five-link vs three-link radius arm
Every truck in the table has a solid front axle on coil springs. What changed is how the axle is held in place.
Five-link (1994 to 2012/2013)
Each side has an upper and a lower arm running back from the axle to the frame. Add the track bar and you have five links. Because the four arms pivot separately, you can change their length and angle individually, and that's why this platform has such a big aftermarket for adjustable short arms and long-arm conversions. The factory caster adjustment is in the lower arm mounts.
Three-link radius arm (3500 from 2013, 2500 from 2014)
Each radius arm is one long piece, clamped to the axle at two points and pivoting on a single frame mount. Ram said the change was about roll stiffness, payload and plow and towing capability. The radius arm is a stiff, simple, durable design. The tradeoff for lifting is that the arm and axle work as one unit, so when the axle drops away from the frame, the whole axle rotates, and that changes caster. There's more on that on the arms and caster page.
Rear: leaf, coil or air
Leaf springs (often called Hotchkiss) do two jobs at once: they hold the weight and they keep the axle in place. That makes them simple and good at carrying heavy loads. Their weak spots are axle wrap under hard throttle and side-to-side control. Every Ram 3500 has a leaf-sprung rear, and so does every 2500 through 2013.
Link-coil rear arrived on the 2014 Ram 2500. Ram called it a five-link: four locating links plus a rear track bar, with coil springs carrying the load. Ram's selling points were unloaded ride, articulation and axle control. For you, it means rear lift and leveling on a 2014-on 2500 are about coils, spacers, link lengths and keeping that rear track bar centered, not leaf packs and blocks.
Rear air. From 2014 Ram offered rear air on the 2500, with two air springs replacing the coils and automatic load leveling. A 3500 always keeps its leaf springs; where it has Ram's optional rear air, the air springs work alongside the leafs. Because these trucks level themselves, changing rear ride height on an air truck works differently from a coil or leaf truck. Confirm which system you have before you buy rear parts.
What each layout means for a lift
Five-link front
Lifting pushes the axle down and away from the frame, and the arms swing it rearward. The track bar pulls it toward the driver's side. You correct that with an adjustable track bar and longer or adjustable arms, and at taller heights with a long-arm system.
Radius-arm front
Lifting rotates the whole axle, so caster drops. You can correct it with radius-arm drop brackets, aftermarket radius arms with more caster built in, or by converting to a multi-link or long-arm setup.
Leaf rear
Height comes from leaf packs, add-a-leafs, shackles or lift blocks. More block height means more leverage for axle wrap, which is why traction bars exist.
Coil rear (2014-on 2500)
Height comes from taller coils or spacers, or on air-equipped 2500s from the leveling system. The rear track bar needs to keep the axle centered after the change.
The choosing-a-lift page goes through each option and its tradeoffs.
Identify your truck in 5 minutes
- Model year and model. Check the registration or the door-jamb labels. The door jamb also shows the GVWR and axle ratings, which you'll need for the towing and payload page.
- Look behind the front axle. Two separate arms per side going back to the frame means a link front. One big arm per side, wide at the axle and narrowing to a single frame pivot, means a radius-arm front.
- Look at the rear axle. A stack of leaves clamped under U-bolts is a leaf rear. Coil springs sitting on the axle mean a link-coil rear. Rubber air bellows where the coils would be means a 2500 with factory rear air.
- Check for previous mods. Spacers on top of the coils, blocks under the leafs, aftermarket arms or a non-stock track bar all change your starting point.
- Know your engine. Diesel and gas trucks don't carry the same weight over the front axle, and that affects spring choice. If you're not sure which Cummins a truck has, CumminsBoard's Dodge and Ram identification guide walks through it.
A note on generation names
Ram owners argue about generation numbers, and parts sellers don't always agree either. Dodge Off Road's store groups trucks as 2nd gen (1994-2002), 3rd gen (2003-2009), 4th gen (2010-2012) and 5th gen (2013-up), and some of its product names call 2014-2018 trucks "4.5 gen." Elsewhere you'll see 2019-on trucks called the 5th gen. That's why this site goes by model years and suspension layout rather than nicknames.
Parts by generation at Dodge Off Road
- 2nd Gen trucks, 1994-2002
- 3rd Gen, 2003-2009
- 4th Gen, 2010-2012
- 5th Gen, 2013-up
- Power Wagon 2005-2012 and Power Wagon 2014-up
- Ram 4500/5500
Product pages list their own fitment. Go by those, not by the generation name alone.
Last reviewed 2026-10-19. General information for planning. Follow your service information and parts maker's instructions.