Coil Springs - Front Pair

This procedure replaces both front coil springs on a 1994-2007 Dodge Ram 2500 4WD with the 5.9L Cummins diesel engine, requiring suspension disassembly and use of a spring compressor.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Front coil spring (left) × 1 — Use OEM specification or heavy-duty aftermarket
• Front coil spring (right) × 1 — Use OEM specification or heavy-duty aftermarket
• Upper ball joint cotter pin × 2 — Standard size for Ram 2500
• Lower ball joint cotter pin × 2 — Standard size for Ram 2500

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level, solid surface and engage parking brake
2. Place wheel chocks behind rear wheels
3. Spray all ball joint nuts, control arm bolts, and sway bar links with penetrating oil
4. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on ground (do not remove)
5. Raise front of vehicle with floor jack at frame crossmember
6. Place jack stands under frame rails behind front axle - ensure vehicle is stable
7. Remove both front wheels completely
8. Verify vehicle is stable on jack stands before proceeding

Procedure

1. 1

   Disconnect sway bar links
   Locate the sway bar end link connecting the sway bar to the front axle bracket on the side being serviced. Use a wrench to hold the stud and remove the lower sway bar link nut. Separate the link from the axle bracket. Repeat for both sides.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
2. 2

   Remove upper ball joint cotter pin and loosen nut
   On the solid-axle Ram 2500 4WD, coil spring removal does NOT require ball joint separation. Instead, support the axle with a jack, disconnect the shock absorber, disconnect the track bar and sway bar end link, and lower the axle to relieve spring tension. Ball joints do not need to be disturbed for coil spring replacement.
   ⚠Do not fully remove the ball joint nut yet - leaving it partially threaded prevents the knuckle from dropping suddenly when the taper releases.
3. 3

   Separate upper ball joint
   Place a ball joint separator or pickle fork between the upper control arm and steering knuckle at the ball joint. Strike the separator with a hammer to break the taper loose. Once the taper releases, remove the castle nut completely and separate the upper ball joint from the knuckle.
   ⚠The knuckle assembly is heavy and will drop when the ball joint separates. Keep hands and feet clear.
4. 4

   Remove lower ball joint cotter pin and loosen nut
   Locate the lower ball joint where it connects to the steering knuckle. Straighten and remove the cotter pin. Loosen the lower ball joint castle nut but leave it threaded on 2-3 turns.
5. 5

   Separate lower ball joint
   Use the ball joint separator to break the taper between the lower ball joint and steering knuckle. Once released, remove the castle nut completely. Carefully swing the knuckle/brake assembly outward and support it with a bungee cord or wire to prevent stress on the brake hose.
   ⚠Do not allow the brake caliper and knuckle assembly to hang by the brake hose. Support it with wire or a bungee cord.
6. 6

   Install spring compressor
   With the axle supported on a jack, slowly lower the axle to relieve tension on the coil spring. On this solid-axle design, the spring is captured between the frame spring bucket and the axle spring seat; controlled lowering of the axle relieves spring load. Do NOT use an internal clamshell spring compressor - it is neither required nor appropriate for this coil-over-axle configuration.
   ⚠️This is the most dangerous step. Verify spring compressor is correctly installed per manufacturer instructions. Compress slowly and evenly. Never place any body part in line with the spring's potential release path.
7. 7

   Disconnect shock absorber lower mount
   Locate the lower shock absorber mounting bolt where it attaches to the front axle mounting bracket. Remove this bolt completely and swing the shock absorber out of the way.
   ℹ️Some models may have the shock mounted differently. Verify your specific mounting configuration before proceeding.
8. 8

   Remove coil spring
   With the spring fully compressed, carefully guide it out from between the upper and lower control arms. The spring should come out easily if properly compressed. If resistance is felt, compress the spring more before continuing. Set the old spring aside in a safe location, keeping the compressor installed.
   ⚠️Keep the spring compressor installed on the old spring until you are ready to transfer it to the new spring or properly release tension.
9. 9

   Prepare new coil spring
   If your spring compressor can be transferred, carefully release tension on the old spring in a controlled manner and transfer the compressor to the new spring. If using a rental compressor, you may need a second compressor. Compress the new spring to approximately the same length as the old compressed spring. Verify the spring compressor is securely engaged.
   ⚠️When releasing the old spring, do so gradually and evenly. Keep all body parts clear of the spring path.
10. 10

    Install new coil spring
    Carefully guide the new coil spring into position between the frame spring bucket and the axle spring seat. Ensure the spring seats and isolators are clean and the spring ends are properly positioned in the upper frame pocket and lower axle seat. Verify correct orientation before proceeding, then raise the axle to seat the spring.
    ⚠Coil springs may have directional orientation. Verify the spring end configurations match the seat pockets.
11. 11

    Reconnect shock absorber
    Reposition the shock absorber to the lower control arm and install the lower mounting bolt. Do not fully torque at this time - hand tighten only.
    Torque spec

    Strut Bolts115 Nm (85 lb-ft)
12. 12

    Release spring compressor
    Very carefully and gradually release the spring compressor, alternating sides evenly. As the spring expands, verify it is seating properly in both upper and lower spring seats. Once all tension is transferred to the control arms and the spring is fully seated, remove the compressor completely.
    ⚠️Release spring tension slowly and evenly. If the spring appears to be seating incorrectly, immediately stop and recompress to reposition.
13. 13

    Reconnect ball joints
    Raise the axle back into position with the jack until the coil spring is fully seated in both spring pockets. Reconnect the track bar to the axle bracket and install its bolt (torque later at ride height). Reconnect the shock absorber lower mount. Verify the coil spring isolators are seated correctly on both sides.read.
    ⚠Always use new cotter pins. If the castle nut slots do not align with the stud hole at proper torque, tighten further to the next slot - never loosen.
14. 14

    Reconnect sway bar links
    Reconnect the sway bar link to the lower control arm. Install the nut and torque to specification while holding the stud with a wrench.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
15. 15

    Repeat for opposite side
    Perform steps 1 through 14 on the opposite side of the vehicle to replace the second coil spring. Ensure both sides are completed before proceeding to final torque specifications.
16. 16

    Install wheels and lower vehicle
    Install both front wheels and hand-tighten lug nuts in a star pattern. Carefully raise the vehicle slightly with the floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle completely to the ground so the suspension is at normal ride height with full vehicle weight on the wheels.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts183 Nm (135 lb-ft)
17. 17

    Final torque specifications
    With the vehicle at normal ride height and weight on the suspension, torque the wheel lug nuts to specification in a star pattern. Torque the shock absorber lower mounting bolts to specification. If any control arm bolts were loosened during the procedure, torque them to specification with vehicle weight on suspension.
    ⚠Control arm bolts and shock bolts must be torqued with vehicle weight on the suspension to prevent premature bushing failure.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts183 Nm (135 lb-ft)

    Strut Bolts115 Nm (85 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. All fasteners must be torqued to specification with vehicle at normal ride height
2. Verify all cotter pins are properly installed and spread on ball joints
3. Confirm sway bar links are properly connected on both sides

Verification

• Test drive the vehicle at low speed in a safe area and verify no unusual noises from front suspension
• Check that steering returns to center normally and there are no vibrations
• Verify no creaking or popping sounds when turning at low speed
• Schedule a professional front-end alignment immediately - this is mandatory after spring replacement
• After 50-100 miles, re-check all fastener torques and verify lug nuts are still properly torqued
• Inspect for any fluid leaks around brake components that may have been disturbed

More procedures for this vehicle