CS-D3-COM-CS-94-D | Carli Suspension Commuter System 2.75 Inch Lift Kit With Carli Spec 2.0" IFP Shocks For Ram 2500/3500 4WD (1994-1998) | Diesel

The Commuter 2.0 system is designed for people seeking the best on-road ride quality on a budget. 

A “Base Kit” SKU must be accompanied by the SKU of a Sway Bar and Leaf Spring option to form a complete system.

Front Lift: 3.00" /  Rear Lift: 1"-2" / Front Travel: 10" /  RearTravel: 11.3" / Shock Type: 2.0" / Tire Fitment: 37" x 12.5"

In Short: The Commuter 2.0 system is designed for people seeking the best on-road ride quality on a budget. The mono-tube, internal reservoir, Carli SPEC 2.0 boasts 6063 Aluminum construction, anodized body for corrosion resistance, 5/8″ hardened steel chrome plated shaft, full serviceability & rebuildability and are built with 1-peice bushings in the 6061 billet rod-ends. These shocks are spec’d with a premium 5WT oil to balance lubricity, consistent damping and the widest available range in temperature variation. We back these with a 1-year warranty, serviced by Carli. More details on these shocks can be found HERE.

The Details: Your truck will sit 2.5”-3” higher in the front (year/cab configuration dependent) with 50% more suspension travel than the factory platform thanks to the taller, lighter rate coil springs. For the 2nd Gen Platform, these coils are Multi-Rate and Side Specific.

The rear is lifted 1”-2” via the customer’s choice of a Progressive Add-A-Pack or Full Progressive Leaf Pack. The Progressive Add-A-Pack replaces the factory overload with a 5-Leaf, progressive pack that changes the final rate of the spring pack keeping the rear planted while increasing traction and predictability. The optional Full Progressive Leaf Pack is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as it’s with what this system was tuned. This spring pack replaces the entire factory leaf spring assembly increasing travel and drastically increasing comfort throughout the entire usable travel stroke at the cost of a 15% payload reduction from a standard 2500.

When pairing added down-travel with the taller ride height, the position of the factory, front sway bar will need to be altered as well. For this, we offer extended, Sway Bar End Links. The End links are equipped with ½” FK Rod-Ends and in-house machined 17-4 stainless bodies that are extended over stock to reset the sway bar engagement points. Factory pillow-bushings are re-used to assemble the sway bar to the lengthened link.

When lifting the front end of a straight axle truck, the front axle is pulled off-center unless the proper linkages are addressed. Three inches of front lift equates to an axle shifted toward the driver’s side ¾” and back toward the cab ½”. Although this is perfectly operable, we recommend the purchase of an adjustable track bar to shift the axle back toward the passenger side and provide a stronger link with less deflection for the lifted application, and a set of extended control arms to shift the axle forward to its new center of travel. Unfortunately, we do not offer an adjustable track bar for the 1994-2002 platform at this time.

NOTE: the 1994-02 Ram 2500/3500 trucks are notorious for a driver’s side lean up to 1.5″ (lower on the driver’s side than the passenger’s side). Carli Coil Springs and Leaf Springs for the 1994-02 are designed side-specific to lift the Driver’s side more than the Passenger’s side to lessen/eliminate this common lean. However, we’ve had trucks require the taller spring be installed on the passenger’s side to achieve a level stance and trucks that require the same height springs be installed on both sides to achieve a leveled stance. These trucks are not an exact science and were designed long before CAD programs and design standardization. For this reason, we cannot guarantee the truck will sit level side to side nor is the corrective action a “warranty”. Our choice was either discontinue the product line OR present the customer with the design oddities so they know what they’re getting into. As there are not many performance options for the 2nd gen trucks, we elected to keep the product line as the side to side correction can be alleviated with the use of small spring spacers with NO performance degradation.

Wheel and Tire:

This system will fit up to a 35” tire with Extended Control Arms – We recommend wheels with 5.75-6” of backspacing. The more rubber, the better the small bump compliance will be at proper inflation pressures. The ride will firm up as you go larger in wheel diameter. For more details, see our article on wheel and tire selection and tire pressures:

Customization Information

Sway Bar

*REQUIRED* - When pairing added down-travel with the taller ride height, the position of the factory sway bar will need to be altered. For this, we offer extended Sway Bar End Links equipped with ½” FK Rod-Ends and in-house machined 17-4 stainless bodies that are extended over stock to reset the sway bar engagement point. Factory pillow-bushings are re-used to assemble the sway bar to the lengthened link.

94-98 RAM 2500/3500 4X4 EXTENDED SWAY BAR END LINKS

SKU: CS-DEL-94
- Machined out of 17-4 Stainless Steel
- FK Bearing, Chromoly Rod-End
- Used on 1994-1998 trucks ("Cobra" style), 0-3" lift

98.5-09 RAM 2500/3500 4X4 EXTENDED SWAY BAR END LINKS

SKU: CS-DEL-985
- In-house machined 17-4 Stainless Steel
- 1/2" FK Chromoly Rod-End
- For trucks with 0-3" of front lift - 1998.5-2009

Rear Leaf Options

*REQUIRED* - The Commuter System has been optimized for use with the Full Progressive Leaf Springs. This system is also compatible with the Progressive Add-a-Packs but there will be a notable ride quality difference on and off-road. Selecting "NO Rear Leaf Spring Selection" will result in an unknown ride quality and height result as all Carli Systems are optimized to either the Add-a-Pack or Progressive Leaf Springs.

RAM 2500/3500 4X4 DIESEL FULL PROGRESSIVE LEAF SPRING KIT - 1" LIFT

SKU: CS-DFSP-94
- 2" rear lift maintains slight rear-hight stance with Carli 3" Systems
- Softens initial spring rate at ride height
- Eliminates Factory Block; Minimizes Axle Wrap/Wheel Hop
- Reduces payload to "light" 3/4-ton capacity
- Capable of 15" of suspension travel with factory shackle
- REQUIRES BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE - 5" Bump Stop Drop Bracket (Or Timbren PN: DR1525H4)

RAM 2500/3500 4X4 PROGRESSIVE ADD-A-PACK, 1" LIFT

SKU: CS-DPAP-94
- Replaces lower overload spring
- More predictability and Spring Progression Keeps Tires Planted
- 1" lift matches to our 3" front systems
- Includes U-Bolts and Center Pins
- Fitment: 1994-02 Ram 2500/3500 4x4, Diesel 

Control Arms

*OPTIONAL* - We offer two sets of control arms, identical in construction but differing in bolt size to accommodate the year split in the 2nd Gens. Pushing the axle to the new, centered position in the wheel-well following the lift - these allow for up to a 35" tire with minor trimming. +18mm Offset is recommended for optimal tire fitment.

94-98 RAM 2500/3500 4X4 RAM EXTENDED CONTROL ARMS

SKU: CS-CA-MS14-94
- Includes 4 Arms Pictured, 2 Upper, 2 Lower
- Re-centers front axle on 3" Suspension Systems
- Box 0.120" wall mild steel construction
- Arm centers welded off-center for tire clearance
- 35" Tire Fitment (9" Wide Wheel, 5.75" BS)
- Fits 12mm upper/14mm lower hardware - Factory bolt shank diameter
- MUST measure control arm bolts on truck to ensure correction selection

98.5-02 RAM 2500/3500 4X4 RAM EXTENDED CONTROL ARMS

SKU: CS-CA-MS16-94
- Includes 4 Arms Pictured, 2 Upper, 2 Lower
- Re-centers front axle on 3" Suspension Systems
- Box 0.120" wall mild steel construction
- Arm centers welded off-center for tire clearance
- 35" Tire Fitment (9" Wide Wheel, 5.75" BS)
- Fits 14mm upper/16mm lower hardware - Factory bolt shank diameter
- MUST measure control arm bolts on truck to ensure correction selection