2019+ Ram 1500, REBEL HD Coil Test

Written: Monday, May 23, 2022

We brought in our initial tester, Adam, to revisit his build. It was his truck on which we determined the need for a Rebel-Specific Coil Spring. Since the initial build with the Rebel coils, he added a rack and CVT tent – he estimated these items to total 400lbs. Ironically, he had a couple 45lb. bumper plates in the bed which should’ve made for a clean 500lbs.

Running the Rebel coils, this weight put the truck ever-so-slightly rear low. As it’s difficult to see, I’ve leveled the truck perfectly for the picture and included an indicator line to show the reference of the rear to the front fender well.

NOTE: The picture is high Res, click on it and zoom!

We then installed the Rebel HD coils. This brought the truck to the PERFECT stance. With the HD(s), the truck has a 1/2″ rear-high stance when measured at the fender.

2019+ Ram 1500, REBEL HD Coil Release

Written: Thursday, May 5, 2022

The LONG awaited HD Coil has arrived. In our (seemingly) never-ending pursuit of perfecting the new 1500s, we now have our standard 1500 rear spring, the Rebel Rear Spring and, thanks to this truck, our Rebel HD spring. Below, you’ll see a side-by-side shot of all three springs offered; initial spring rate is orange, secondary spring rate is gray.

This is a basic demonstration but the material is also different among the 3 springs. The Ram 1500 spring uses the thinnest gauge, Rebel steps it up to the next size and again, the HD are thicker wire diameter than the standard Rebel. This increases both spring rates in addition to shifting the rate transition.

NOTE: The picture is high Res, click on it and zoom!

This customer’s Rebel is equipped with BOTH the Multi-Funtion Tailgate and Rambox. These options add a few hundred pounds to the already heavier Rebel platform. With our standard Rebel Springs, the customer sat slightly rear low.

The “HD” Coils were designed with the intent that a Rebel WITHOUT the MFT or Rambox could carry 500lbs of constant cargo (Rack and RTT, tools, etc.) thus, it would only make sense that a Rebel with these options (equating to an additional 300+ lbs) would sit better with the extra spring rate. We installed them and the truck sat perfect! Keep in mind, the customer had around 70lbs in the Ramboxes, as well.

The HD Coils gave this customer 1.25″ more lift and, subsequently, 1.25″ more up-travel than the standard Rebel coils. Measuring at the wheel wells the truck sits about 1/2″ rear high. Asking the customer to comment on the ride after the installation of the new coils, this is what he had to say:

I have about 100 miles on it already. I was surprised at how much I could tell the difference. When taking a big dip on the freeway the back end would squat like it was under sprung (it was!). That is completely gone now. The difference was immediately noticeable in a good way.

I also didn’t think I would be able to tell much difference visually in person. Again, I was surprised with how frequently I notice it when approaching the truck. I’m quite pleased. I’m looking forward to seeing the difference when the truck is loaded down with camping gear offroad or when towing the Patriot Campers trailer.

– Josh

Just for fun, we loaded it with 500lbs. This only dropped the rear 1″.

We accomplished what we set out to achieve; a coil spring for nearly every application. We’re not providing specific metrics for each truck; we’ve done sufficient testing here to demonstrate the capability and suitable application for each offering.

Which spring best suits your build/application should be pretty easy to decipher but, if you have any questions, shoot an email and pictures of the build with estimated weights to info@carlisuspension.com and we’ll be happy to help where we can!

2019+ Ram 1500, REBEL Coil Release

Written: Thursday, February 17, 2022

We’ll save you the spiel – if you want to know the backstory, see the original article under this update. In short, the Rebels need taller rear springs than a standard 1500 – we had some from our standard 1500 project that were deemed too tall; voila, Rebel Coils. As these were prototypes, we ordered two more sets under a “Rebel” part number to confirm the production version would sit as the prototype did. Redundant, yes, but more testing and larger sample sizes never hurt before releasing product into the wild; we’re not a company that beta-tests.

Today, we get our desert first. The Rebel Coils are done and the HD Coil Project has begun!

First truck we called in was Dusty’s – it’s a 2021 Rebel EcoDiesel equipped with our Performance 2.5″ System. As he was an early adopter, he’s running the standard 1500 coils in the rear. Taking measurements at the fender, he sat 3/4″ rear low. We popped in one of the two sets of Rebel coils and BAM, perfect Stance.

The above measurements detail the stance change in the Eco-Diesel Platform; the rear came up about 1″ at the fender, 1/2″ at the pinch weld and 7/8″ measured at the bump stop. The best indicator of suspension height alteration is the bump-stop measurement as it isolates the change in suspension height ONLY. As you can see in the pictures, the stance is perfect.  It’s the ever-so-slight rake we look for to ensure the truck doesn’t appear front-high.

EcoDiesel is in the bag; next up, we needed to check the Hemi to ensure it sat properly with the Rebel Springs.

The second test-truck we called in was Randy’s – a 2022 Rebel, Hemi, in stock form aside from some aftermarket Fuel Wheels onto which Randy swapped the OEM Rebel tires. We struggled to find a local truck with a Hemi, no Multi-Function Tailgate or Ramboxes, that was equipped with our system to make a comparison changing nothing but the springs. Randy was eager to install our parts and we were after the overall stance when built so we brought him in.

We are officially signed off on the Rebel Platform. The Hemi and Ecodiesel sit perfect with the Rebel-specific rear coil springs as detailed in the above measurements. This is, again, with no Multi-Function Tailgate or Ram Boxes. We do not have any accommodation for these options as they complicate each application to which they’re added given their additional heft.

Ram 1500 (non Rebel) could likely install the Rebel springs to accommodate both options, but not one or the other. With this Rebel coil project signed off, we’ve put in a RFQ with our Coil Manufacturer for “Rebel Coils +500lbs of constant load at ride height”. These will be our “HD” springs for the 19+ platform.

These springs are being designed with overlanders, contractors, camper shells/decked users, Rebels with MFT and Ramboxes, etc. There are so many variants of constant loads in these rigs that we’ll list our HD spec and it’ll be up to users to  ensure their application meets the published weight standard.

In closing, the Rebel coils have been ordered as of February 16th, 2022 and carry a 3-4 month lead time. Expect orders to begin shipping May/June of 2022! We’ll keep everyone posted on the HD Project as it progresses.

2019+ Ram 1500, REBEL

Written: Thursday, September 30, 2021

Everyone, us included, is tired of hearing about “COVID” related supply-chain issues. We FINALLY got the Rebel in – why did it take so long? Well, the King Shocks we ordered to test the Rebel took over 9 months to arrive. We won’t bore you with the details; you’ve been delayed enough so… what’s the scoop? First thing  we did was look everything over and compare it to the standard 1500. The truck appears the same as the standard 1500 in configuration but sits approximately 1″ taller in stock form.

The rake from the rear to the front measures almost exactly 2″ rear high, measured at the fender. This is deceiving as the fender openings are not identical and thus, an imperfect place to measure the truck’s actual “stance”. We like to use a common body-line or, in this case, the pinch weld as it’s flat and runs the length of the cab providing more consistency in measuring height alteration.

At the pinch weld, the Rebel actually sits about 1.5″ high in the rear.

This customer opted to run the Performance 2.5 System boasting Carli-spec King 2.5″ Diameter Remote Reservoir front coilovers. To correct the front geometry and ensure full travel range of the coilovers, the system includes Carli Front Control Arms and a set of Carli/Crown Performance Brake Lines.

Out back, matching rear 2.5″ King Piggyback Shocks, dual-rate soft-ride Coil Springs and a set of Extended Sway Bar End-Links round off the package.

According to the above, we’re dead-nuts level at the pinch weld/chassis and slightly rear low, visually, at the fender. This is the perfect example of why we chase the slightly rear-high stance to get the look we’re after. This chassis sits perfectly level BUT appears rear low.

We went scouring through the several coil revisions we did on the 2019+ 1500 platform and found a revision marked “1 inch too tall”. In running the numbers, that’s the perfect spring!

We operate within certain compressed and free height parameters when developing coil springs. Altering the ride height of a spring results from changes in rate via pitch (coil angle), wire diameter (gauge of material used) and placement of the rate transition relative to the coil’s travel. These “dual rate” springs have a very soft first rate and second soft-ride rate. These are both reduced from the factory rate.

The initial rate is NOT a rate you’ll utilize at ride height. Think of it more like a tender-spring on a coilover; at ride height, it’s blocked out. As the rear end extends, the initial rate of the coil spring opens to maintain tension on the spring mounts and keep everything seated through the extended travel stroke of the Carli Spec shock.

On the 1″ taller springs, the rate transition moves higher in the coil spring shortening the initial spring rate and extending the load-bearing (at ride-height) spring rate. These  springs are pictured on the left compared to the standard 1500 springs pictured on the right. Having this additional rate in the spring increases the average overall spring rate of the coil and will sit the rear end higher.

With the 1″ Taller Springs, the truck sat exactly where we wanted it!

Rather than scrapped R&D parts, these 1″ taller rear coils are now being blueprinted for the Rebel. Before hitting the “go-button” on the production of the springs, we’re having a couple sets made to put on local trucks and confirm this wasn’t an anomaly.

Once we confirm these springs, we’re off to the races for those with the Rebel! We’re hoping to see the prototype coils within a few weeks; we’ll check them and, assuming all is well, roll to production which takes 6-8 weeks. All in all, the Rebel threw us a curve ball and – rather than toss on a 1″ spacer for the Rebels as many would do (and you can do in the interim), we’re taking the time to do it correctly! This means early 2022 for the Rebel kits!

The Rebel starts 1″ taller than the standard 1500 BUT, with the 1″ taller Rebel-specific coil springs, they end up in the same spot save for some discrepancy given the differentiation in tire height. The same will be true for the Eco-Diesel variants; subtract 1″ from the stated lift heights for the standard Ram 1500 4×4 Kit and you have your Rebel figures.

As the Rebels require a different coil spring to sit rear-end proper, we’ll need to revisit the “HD” coil option. We offer this for the previous generation 1500 but, seeing as we now have 2 options for rear-springs based on platform, we’ll need to decide on which platform (perhaps both?) we’ll base the “HD” (+500lb constant load) variant.

The 1500s are far more sensitive to weight-added thanks to their lighter springs rates. Adding options like the Multi-Function Tailgate and Ram Box, especially when combined, add 250lbs of static weight to the rear end. This difference in weight has the Rebel sitting nearly 1″ low even with the Rebel Specific springs!

As you can see, this weight difference, all else held constant between the two Rebels tested, has a significant difference in the rear-end height of the vehicle. We’ve not tested these options individually but will be recommending people who option both MFT and Ram-box to purchase our “HD” coils, once available unless the above-pictures stance is acceptable to the customer.

Lastly, there are variables worth mentioning that will deviate the above figures:

• Tire Size and inflation pressure will vary the above measurements.
• Ram-Box and Multi-Function Tailgate Configurations: we’ve not tested these options individually at this time to know how the heavier Ram-Box/MFT configured trucks will sit with our rear springs.
• Off-Road Package: We’re told this sits 1″ taller (same as the Rebel). We would assume this means all Rebel figures apply BUT have not confirmed this.
• Aftermarket bumpers/Constant Bed-loads: We are unable to accommodate these options at this time. The Carli spec coilovers are at their MAX preload when you receive them; they cannot be further preloaded to accommodate aftermarket bumpers. Further, we do not have an “HD” coil spring at this time to accommodate constant bed-loads.