Carli Suspension Dodge 6" Unchained 3.5 System | 2003–2009 Ram 2500/3500 Diesel 4WD

Is This for You?

• You're building a 2003–2009 Ram 2500 or 3500 Cummins for maximum off-road capability — 6" of front lift, 4" rear, King 3.5" Remote Reservoir fronts, King 3.0" 4-Tube Bypass rears, and 11.25" of front travel on a radius arm conversion.
• You have a professional fabrication shop that can bore coil buckets to 4.5", weld rear shock mounts to the frame, and modify the front driveshaft — and you've already sourced the Drop Pitman Arm (CS-PITMAN-6, sold separately) because you know drag link geometry at 6" lift requires it.
• You want the complete system — torsion sway bar, full progressive rear leaf pack, adjustable track bar, extended stainless brake lines — not a partial kit that leaves you sourcing critical components after the truck is already on the lift.

The Result

• 6.0" front lift / 4.0" rear lift — 11.25" front wheel travel / 13.0" rear wheel travel.
• Fabricated radius arm system replaces factory short arms — eliminates bind and caster deviation at 6" lift that factory geometry cannot accommodate.
• King 3.5" Remote Reservoir fronts and King 3.0" 4-Tube Bypass rears — Carli Unchained-spec valving for Cummins diesel platform weight.

At 6" of lift on the 2003–2009 Ram 2500/3500, the factory radius arm geometry reaches the outer limit of its designed arc — caster deviation becomes severe, and the factory coil buckets physically cannot clear a 3.5" shock body without modification. The Carli fabricated radius arm system and crossmember replace the factory geometry entirely, restoring correct caster and allowing the axle to articulate through full travel without bind. Boring the factory coil buckets to 4.5" is mandatory — the King 3.5" shock body diameter requires it, and this step cannot be skipped or substituted with a smaller shock. The King 3.0" 4-Tube Bypass rear shocks use four position-sensitive bypass circuits to deliver a compliant initial stroke on-road and a progressively stiffer rate approaching full compression — the 4-tube configuration provides finer damping resolution than a 3-tube setup and is spec'd by Carli specifically for this platform at this lift height. The full progressive rear leaf spring pack (CS-DFP-R-03) replaces the factory rear springs with a multi-rate pack that matches the rear shock valving — running the King bypass rears against factory rear springs will produce an unbalanced damping ratio. The torsion sway bar (CS-DTSB-6) is included because at 6" of lift with this travel range, a factory sway bar will bind before the suspension reaches full droop, defeating the purpose of the bypass shock travel. The front driveshaft must be lengthened by 2.0" — this is not included and is not optional. The Drop Pitman Arm (CS-PITMAN-6) is sold separately and is mandatory to correct drag link angles at 6" lift.

Audit Table

Kit Contents

• 6" Multi-Rate Front Coil Springs (CS-DMRC6-03-D)
• King 3.5" Front & 3.0" 4-Tube Bypass Rear Shock Package (CS-DUC35SPKG-6-03-D)
• Fabricated Radius Arm System & Crossmember (CS-DRA6-03-L)
• Fabricated Shock Towers (CS-DFST525)
• Adjustable Track Bar (CS-DATB-03)
• Track Bar Drop Bracket (CS-DPRBDROP-6)
• Full Progressive Rear Leaf Spring Pack (CS-DFP-R-03)
• Torsion Sway Bar System (CS-DTSB-6)
• Extended Stainless Brake Lines (CS-D6BBL-03)
• Fabricated Rear Shock Mounts — Weld-On (CS-DRSMKIT-03)

Verified Fitment

✔ 2003–2009 Dodge Ram 2500 4WD — Cummins Diesel SRW
✔ 2003–2009 Dodge Ram 3500 4WD — Cummins Diesel SRW

✘ Does NOT fit: Ram 2500/3500 DRW (Dually) — SRW geometry only
✘ Does NOT fit: Ram 2500/3500 Gas engines — spring rates and shock valving calibrated for Cummins diesel front axle weight
✘ Does NOT fit: 2WD Ram 2500/3500
✘ Does NOT fit: 2010–2026 Ram 2500/3500 — different front suspension architecture; see generation-specific Carli kits
✘ Does NOT fit: Ram 1500 — incompatible platform

Installation Notes

• Front Driveshaft: MUST be lengthened by 2.0" — not included. Failure to modify before installation will cause binding and driveshaft failure at full droop.
• Drop Pitman Arm (CS-PITMAN-6): Mandatory — sold separately. Required to correct drag link angles at 6" lift. Do not install without it.
• Coil Bucket Boring: Factory front coil buckets must be cut and bored to 4.5" to clear King 3.5" shock bodies. Non-reversible fabrication step — professional shop required.
• Rear Shock Mounts: Weld-on installation. CS-DRSMKIT-03 requires professional frame welding — not a bolt-on application.
• Axle Truss: Carli strongly recommends an aftermarket axle truss. At 6" lift with King 3.5" bypass capability, axle tubes are exposed to impact forces beyond factory design tolerances.
• Full front-end alignment mandatory post-installation. Caster correction required at 6" lift — verify final alignment specs with installer before driving.
• Torque all fasteners to Carli specification. Re-torque all suspension fasteners at 500-mile break-in interval.
• Professional installation required throughout — radius arm fabrication, coil bucket boring, driveshaft modification, and weld-on rear mounts are not DIY operations.

⚠️ LTL Freight Notice: This item ships via freight carrier on multiple crates due to size and weight (~480 lbs). Residential delivery is included. Freight carrier will contact you to schedule delivery.

Engineering Question: Have you confirmed your front driveshaft modification plan (+2.0"), Drop Pitman Arm (CS-PITMAN-6) sourcing, coil bucket boring capability, weld-on rear shock mount access, and axle truss plan? This is a fabrication-level build on a specific application window — 2003–2009 Ram 2500/3500 Cummins 4WD SRW only. Confirm your full build plan and shop capabilities before ordering.