Carli Ram Pintop 2.5" Leveling System, Diesel, 2014-18 & 2019+ 2500 Base Kit

2.5" front lift designed for the customer who refuses to keep the rubber on the tarmac and has an eye for quality and appreciation for bang-for-their-buck.

This system is designed for the customer who refuses to keep the rubber on the tarmac and has an eye for quality and appreciation for bang-for-their-buck. At the heart of this system is a 2.5” lift, Linear Rate Coil Spring paired to matched travel King 2.5” Remote Reservoir Shocks that have been custom tuned, in house, for superior ride quality and handling both on-road and off. In an effort to provide customers with the best product, Carli designed a custom piston to determine proper base flow rates to ensure the shock works well in the heavy duty truck platform; Carli then tuned the shocks around the custom pistons based on the only thing that matters to us, seat-of-the-pants feel. Carli round off ALL Carli's King shocks with shafts machined and polished from a solid piece of 17-4 Stainless. Unlike King’s standard shafts, there is no coating to wear off, weather is far less likely to hurt them and if there is a small chip, you can round the edges with emery cloth to ensure the seal housing isn’t damaged as they’re not brittle like the stock, hardened shafts. The shocks are finished with King oil good to -55* F. Note that all King shocks are built with a plated steel body. If subjected to inclement weather for extended periods, Carli recommend wrapping your shocks in 3M to provide a moisture barrier that’s replaceable.

The rear piggyback reservoir shocks are also included with this system and have been custom tuned to maximize the ride quality of the factory air bags. As the rear bags remain unmodified, load capacity is maintained while on and off-road handling and predictability are massively improved. The included Adjustable track bar centers the axle to the frame. For those that love the way their Ram tows from the factory but don’t want to be limited to a crawl when leaving the pavement, this is the perfect kit.

Carli do not need to deep dive the base kit components, they’ve been sufficiently covered in Carli's other articles covering the coil-spring trucks. Same goes for the shocks, we’ve spent PLENTY of time detailing Carli's tuning process to hone the ride of these HD trucks – the same applies here as these shock packages are all air-ride specific tuning Carli developed during this R&D cycle. If you’d like any further info on this process, hit us at the shop and we’d be happy to chat about Carli's process in as much detail as you’d like!

So let’s look into the rear, starting with the airbag spacers. They’re included because the air-ride trucks have 1" less rear to front rake when compared to a coil sprung truck. Carli's choice was between making a shorter coil and shock combo to a truck already starved for suspension travel or space the rear to match Carli's 2.5" spring; Carli chose the latter to maximize the travel and ride comfort. For the leveling system, this required some engineering as you can’t just throw a 1" spacer on; the length of the factory stud doesn’t facilitate this. Carli designed a 2-piece spacer. Half bolts to the bag, half bolts to the axle – in between, chromoly spacers to support the load, then it all bolts together.

It installs seamlessly. The whole assembly snaps together like an ultra-satisfying adult lego set. The pins pressed into the upper half of the bracket mark the rear and provide a failsafe for the airbag.

The links; what’s to say about the links? The factory links are cheesy polimer ends. This part sees no real load but polimer isn’t Carli's style. Carli machined exact length rods for the 2.5" Systems and 3.25" Systems from aluminum rod then thread the ends to accept Carli's zinc-steel ends. The ends snap into position with authority and are provided with a spring clip keeper for insurance.

Lastly, the bump stop drops. Nothing much to detail here. The Leveling Systems will be provided with a 1-7/8" Bump Stop Drop. These bolt in place of the factory 7/8" bumps providing a 1" total drop over stock to compliment the 1" airbag spacer provided. The bags bump out exactly as they do factory and are essentially shifted down 1". The rear shocks provided with the leveling system maintains the stock rear travel.

This system will NOT be upgradeable to any of the 3" Carli Suspension Systems. It’s designed to be a solution for customers wanting a quality system with minimal lift and part inclusion.

Carli recommend slight eccentric bolt compensation to correct caster after the lift as there are no Radius Arm Drops. For this reason, customers may experience a slight bow in the coil spring. Carli did not experience a coil bow in any of Carli's test trucks but it’s possible at the 2.5” lift height without a Radius Arm Drop Bracket.

Note: Compatible with Factory Rear Air Suspension ONLY

Base Kit:

• CAR-CS-DLRC-14-LVL-D - Leveling Front Coils
• CAR-CS-DPT25SPKG-LVL-14-D-AR - Front and Rear King 2.5" Shocks, Custom Tuned (Air Ride Specific), Reservoir Mounts, Stainless Shafts, Brake Line Tabs
• CAR-CS-DATB-1419 - RAM Adjustable Track Bar, 2014/2019
• CAR-CS-DAR-14-LVL-BLOCK - Airbag Spacer, Leveling Configuration
• CAR-CS-DRBD-1.875 - Rear Bump Stop Drop, 1-7/8"
• CAR-CS-DAR-14-LVL-LINK - 2014+ RAM 2500 Extended Sensor Link, Leveling Configuration

OPTIONS:

Torsion Sway Bar - CS-DTSB3-1419

• Easily the best "bang for the buck" upgrade for ride quality
• Allows front suspension to move freely without giving up control
• Requires removal of electronic sway bar on Power Wagons
• Fitment: 2014+ 2500 4x4
• Fitment: 2013+ 3500 4x4
• Compatible with 2.5"-4" Front Lift
• NOT compatible with Stock wheels, Max 5.75" backspace

Stainless Low Mount Stabilizer, 2014+ - CS-DLMSS-14

• Direct bolt-in replacement
• Corrects left tire pull, adjustable
• Inside the Carli Stainless Stabilizer
• Fitment: 2014+ Ram 2500, 4×4
• Fitment: 2013+ Ram 3500, 4×4

High Mount Stabilizer, 2019+ - CS-DHMSS-19

• Simple, Bolt-in Installation
• Corrects right tire pull, adjustable
• Combines with Low-Mount for opposing stabilization
• Inside the Carli Stainless Stabilizer
• Fitment: 2019+ Ram 2500/3500, 4×4, Including Power Wagon
• Fitment: 2014-18 Ram 2500/3500, 4×4 with 19+ Drag Link

Radius Arm Drop Brackets, 2014-18 - CS-DRAD-14

• Maintains critical geometries with 2.5-4" Front Lift
• Heavy-Duty Construction
• Bolt-On installation, no welding required
• Requires: CS-DCM-20-HK to fit 2020 Rams, NOT Included
• Fitment: 2014-18 Ram 2500, 4×4
• Fitment: 2013-18 Ram 3500, 4×4

Fabricated Radius Arms for Leveling Systems, 10" Limit Straps - CS-DFRA-LVL-14

• Massive Strength Upgrade vs. Stock Arm
• Improved ride quality and control
• Internal X-Bracing & Serviceable 17-4 Stainless Spherical Joints
• 10" Quad Wrap Limit Straps, For 2.5" Leveling Systems
• Fitment: 2014+ Ram 2500, 4×4
• Fitment: 2013+ Ram 3500, 4×4

Front Differential Guard - CS-DFDG-14

• Protection for your Ring-Gear
• Bolts On In Minutes
• 1/4" Wall Cold-Rolled Steel Construction
• Grade 8 Hardware
• Fitment: 2014+ Ram 2500, 4x4
• Fitment: 2013+ Ram 3500, 4x4
• Power Wagons may require modification to the Diff Guard or Lower Diff Housing.

Lifetime Ball Joint Set, 2014 - CS-DBJP-14

• Set of Upper and Lower Ball Joints
• LIFETIME Advanced-Replacement Warranty
• Copper Plated, Carburized and Dry-Lubed
• Includes a tube of Redline CV2 Grease
• Fitment: 2013+ Ram 3500 4x4
• Fitment: 2014+ Ram 2500 4x4