Dodge Ram suspensions manufacturer from Dodge Off Road today: Dodge Off Road was started by Danny Gaston (known as djgaston on all of the old Dodge truck forums) back in 2005, originally as a forum for off roading Ram owners to discuss their truck builds, without the politics or commercialization of other forums. The forum has died off with the popularity of social media apps, but there is still a wealth of knowledge on our forum and that is how many of our customers find us. Discover more details on Dodge Off Road parts. Everything we do at DOR is based on our own experiences building trucks, Jeeps, and buggies since the late 90’s – this is truly a company built by Ram enthusiasts, for Ram enthusiasts. What started out as a garage-based business with just a few basic tools and a strong forum presence, now we have a fully functioning facility with CNC equipment and in-house powdercoating, all done at our location in Lakeview, Arkansas on Bull Shoals Lake.
For even more firepower, seek the 702-hp Ram 1500 TRX, reviewed separately. Ram’s split-folding tailgate and lockable bed cargo boxes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this half-ton’s cleverness. Ram also offers the 1500 with a giant 12.0-inch infotainment screen for those really looking to show off. With an impressive 12,750-pound max tow rating and a heavy bias for luxury, the Ram 1500 is our favorite full-size pickup available today.
Another unique thing about DOR is that we only sell Dodge Ram parts. We are one of the only companies in the world that strictly specializes in Ram trucks, which is a testament to our loyalty and dedication the brand. The company was not started just to make money off Ram owners – it was started because we love building our trucks. Dodge Off Road continues to grow and be successful because our customers love their DOR-equipped trucks, and we love getting to help build them. Is the 1500 a good value? The Ram 1500’s build quality, at first, feels and looks great, especially in the more upscale trim levels such as Big Horn, Laramie and beyond. However, after spending some extended time in a long-term test truck, we experienced a few part failures, revealing lesser quality than we originally perceived. Ram pricing remains pretty competitive, though.
Ram trucks have had one of the best infotainment systems and connectivity features in the class for a while. That continues in the latest trucks, which have either a responsive 8.4-inch or an optional 12.0-inch touchscreen that is available on all but the base Ram model. Too bad we experienced a lot of glitches with the huge display during the course of our 40,000-mile long-term test. Both systems are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible, and even the larger touchscreen includes a handful of redundant knobs and buttons.
Our passion for Dodge trucks started with a regular cab short bed 4×4 with a 360 2nd gen back in 1995, and we’ve always focused more heavily on the 94-02 models because they are such epic trucks and most companies just don’t support them the way that they should be. The aggressive styling of the 2nd gen truck is what made the later generations successful. 1st gens are awesome trucks too, but all trucks kind of looked the same back then. When Dodge came out with the 2nd gen Ram in 1994, it was a game changer for the entire industry. We are one of the only companies in the world that makes high performance suspension parts specifically for 2nd gen trucks, and nobody knows 2nd gens better than we do. Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th gen offerings are really good but you can tell by the sheer number of products we make for 2nd gens that they are our area of expertise.
How does the 1500 drive? Our test truck had the V8 engine and the eight-speed transmission. They work so well together that we could recommend this truck on that basis alone. It’s strong and it’s easy to drive in just about every situation. The same can largely be said for the EcoDiesel powertrain — especially if you appreciate the pulling power of diesel torque. But there’s much more to the Ram than solid powertrain choices. We’ve tested many Ram configurations, and they all impress us with their steady steering, confident braking and secure handling. Ram’s decade-old decision to walk away from leaf springs and switch to a coil-spring rear suspension continues to pay dividends.
Quality Dodge Ram trucks suspensions store with Dodge Off Road: Our staff has now grown to include nine people, and will continue to expand to meet the demands of our customer base and our dealers. By keeping most parts of the job in our own shop, we are able to save you more money and get custom built parts out faster than other companies. We also test our products religiously to ensure the highest quality and strength. Our on-site 10 acre proving ground and 160 acre private off road park allows us to quickly build, test, modify, and re-test parts in a fraction of the time it would normally take. We also four wheel all over the United States, so if you see us on the trail, please say hello. This isn’t just a job for us – it’s a lifestyle! Some of our favorite trails are in Colorado and Utah, but you might catch us in Southern California and Las Vegas when we need some dirt therapy.
How’s the fuel economy? The Ram’s combined city/highway fuel economy ranges, for the most part, from the high teens to the low 20s depending on the engine and whether you get rear- or four-wheel drive. But the EcoDiesel V6 is the mpg star here. With rear-wheel drive, it posts an EPA-estimated 26 mpg combined. With the optional 33-gallon tank, it can go about 1,000 highway miles on a fill-up. Our 4WD test truck with the diesel returned a 24.2 mpg average over 923 mixed-driving test miles.
