Arka Ram Suspension Upgrades

SKU: D197_Susp W W A

The Buckstop Single Wheel Conversion Kit provides every component needed to fully convert from dually to single wheel – no need to shop for additional parts. Each component of the kit is functionally integrated with the next to provide optimal performance in one package. The engineering design parameters are limited by available tire sizes for the weight capacity and OE front and rear axle widths. Buckstop has found the optimal suspension lift to be 3-1/2″ at full weight load, full articulation, and full turning. Front fender flares are roughly 8″ wide to provide coverage over the entire tire similar to OE fender designs. Each Kit includes a 3-1/2” suspension kit, extra wide fender flares are body trim kit, five wheels, five tires mounted and balanced, speedometer calibration and Traction Control/ABS correction module, and an HD winch bumper tying it all together.

Fender Flares and bumper are discussed here

Wheels are discussed here

Stage 1 through 5 Suspension: The difference in packages 1 through 5 is the suspension kit. Each variation is 3-1/2”, but they are progressively more sophisticated and give a better ride.

The Stage 1 kit includes everything necessary lift the truck 3-1/2”. It is a great quality kit including replacement coil springs, radius arms, HD Track Bar Mount, Bump Stop Drops, rear leaf spring blocks, and Premium 35mm shaft, Nitrogen Gas, 10 stage Valve shock absorbers.

The Stage 2 kit is a Premium Kit that replaces essentially every suspension component in the front of the truck. It includes all of the same items as stage one with added components to ensure perfect performance.

• Adjustable Track Bar – this allows the front axle to be adjusted side to side under the truck to be perfectly centered. From the factory, the axle is not centered. Front payload weight also effects this alignment.
• HD Sway Bar – Buckstop exclusive product, the HD sway bar allows full turning radius without any tire rub. It is also heavier duty than stock and provides a more stable ride under sway from wind or hard cornering.
• 2-Stage Soft Stop Springs – Buckstop engineered product, the 2-Stage spring kit adds a second set of springs to the front of the truck as a certain compression level is attained. At extreme levels of compression under typical driving situations, the dual spring pack will halt upward movement of the suspension completely. This does the job of a bump stop, but without the harsh engagement given by the OE rubber stop.

The Stage 3 kit is the same as Stage 2 with the added performance of F550 Tuned Remote Reservoir 2.5" Shaft Performance Shock Absorbers. Under sustained rough terrain or extreme loads, standard shocks can overheat, aerate, and exhibit shock fade and stop working properly. Remote reservoir shocks have an external reservoir that increases fluid capacity and helps lower fluid temperature. Stage 3 includes front and rear reservoir shock absorbers.

Stage 4 includes a revolutionary new Hydraulic Computer Controlled 4-Link rear suspension system. The kit, engineered and built by Liquid Spring, gives a silky-smooth ride and any load condition – full or empty. The Computer communicates with the truck’s control module to adjust the suspension hundreds of times a second for speed, steering, braking, and height (sway, cornering, load, etc.). This system is used in 95% of ambulances across the US and Canada.

At the heart of the system is compressible liquid routed through independent struts and reservoirs. The system adjusts for extra weight, controls sway, and pitching fore and aft. The driver interface allows three ride modes and height control.

Imagine a Brushtruck that could be driven thousands of miles to a location with the comfort of an F150, then be loaded and deliver hundreds of gallons of water to the remotest locations.

Or imagine having a King Ranch F550 flatbed truck that could be used as a daily driver in comfort then loaded with 9,000lbs of camper and gear for off grid adventure!

Stage 5 adds the amazing ride quality provided by the rear Liquid Spring kit to the front of the truck. Computer controlled, hydraulic compressible liquid struts on all four corners.

The ultimate ride technology engineered for your F450 or F550 truck.

Buckstop is very proud to have been chosen by LiquidSpring to co-design the application of its technology to Single Wheel Conversion Ford and Ram trucks. LiquidSpring modeled their kit on foundation elements engineered in the Buckstop design. The resulting Hydraulic kit is completely built by LiquidSpring and comes as a turn-key suspension kit backed by hours of painstaking engineering and Finite Element Analysis. The frame of the truck is greatly enhanced to support the different way that weight is carried from OE leaf springs to the new Strut system.

LiquidSpring automatically and instantaneously changes the spring stiffness and damping at each individual wheel in response to road and driving conditions. When the road’s rough, the ride is soft and smooth. When the vehicle makes sharp turns, corners, or emergency evasive maneuvers, the suspension stiffens to provide superior stability and eliminates roll. The onboard microprocessor makes adjustments without driver intervention for a fluid, seamless experience.

• Provides optimized, soft ride at varying weight conditions – water on board or not, camper on deck or not
• Automatically load levels chassis compensating for imbalance and variations in vehicle payload distribution
• Kneeling and capability to lower stance at stop
• Seamlessly, without driver intervention, automatically, and instantaneously provides a very soft spring or a very stiff spring with associated damping as needed for road and driving conditions
• Pump only operational while load and chassis leveling thereby consuming minimal power
• User-friendly driver interface with graphic display for drive and diagnostic modes to integrate system control and chassis leveling while providing means for troubleshooting system

LiquidSpring uses an optimized 5-link suspension configuration, struts with a compressible fluid as the spring/damping medium, and a sophisticated on‐board microprocessor to monitor driving conditions. This microprocessor acts as the suspension systems’ brain and allows for automatic and instantaneous change of spring stiffness and damping at each individual wheel. This provides the ability to reduce ride harshness while increasing roll and pitch control.

LiquidSpring monitors and processes various vehicle signals and motion at each wheel via its ECU and instructs each corner strut to change its stiffness and damping characteristics as required to minimize power transmitted from the suspension to the chassis while maintaining body control. The strut stiffness and damping characteristics are dependent upon its effective fluid volume.

The front axle on a Dual Rear Wheel truck is roughly 12” wider than the rear axle. A proper Single Wheel Conversion requires that the tires track front to rear, therefore, the wheels or wheel mounts must compensate for the different axle widths.

There are two methods of making up the axle width difference: first, with wheel spacers, and second, with specialty wheels. Wheel spacers are large machined parts that bolt to the wheel studs and extend the width of the axle. The outside face of the spacer has a second set of studs and creates a new wheel mounting surface at a width equal to the front axle. The problem is not only the expense of the spacer, but adding more components and more bolts adds more potential to be out of balance and for failure. The second method of making the front and rear tires track is to use a wheel designed with offsets such that the front can me mounted dished inwards and the same wheel can be mounted on the rear dished outwards. All Buckstop wheel applications are of the second style and do not require wheel spacers.

The optimal solution – SIMPLE. STRONG. SAFE.  These wheels are constructed using a Forging process in which material is heated and compressed under tons of pressure to add strength far and above the original structure.  In a simple cast wheel, molten aluminum is poured into a mold and left to cool. In the process, there is no particular grain strength of the material and a risk of porosity and weak points.  Single Piece design requires NO extra bolt flanges, no wheel spacers, and no additional bolts. It is a simple, effective option for the Single Wheel Conversion. The wheels can be installed dished in or dished out and “flip” from front to rear. Tires can easily be rotated front to rear for even wear without dismounting the tire from the rim.

Offered with bead flange suited to Military tire OR Light Truck tire

The wheel is stamped with 7390lb weight rating and DOT compliance markings.  MADE IN USA.

WEIGHT 54lbs

ALUMINUM DOT Compliant Two-piece Beadlock Wheel

D.O.T. CERTIFIED BEADLOCK – Buckstop is proud to offer the WORLD’S BEST two piece, beadlock aluminum wheel. Hutchinson brand - new, top quality and designed for military and armored vehicle applications around the globe. The internal bead-lock is an integral component of the wheel and tire safety ensuring that the tire will not dismount in the event of a puncture. 

The wheel is stamped with 7830lb weight rating and DOT compliance markings.

This is a top-notch Beadlock wheel – none better.

WEIGHT 90lbs

The Single Wheel Conversion raises the truck a total of 7-1/2” including the tires and suspension.  This makes accessing the cab a challenge!  Buckstop has designed a custom set of Running Board Steps for Conversion trucks that bring the rig back down to earth.  The steps are both broader and lower than standard steps.  After climbing in and out of the truck a few dozen times, drivers will appreciate the extra boost they get from lower steps.  Steps are NFPA compliant using "Fire Tread Plate."

• Off-road, loop style steps can be bought anywhere and have the "look", but they aren't user friendly
• Fatigue reduction: Climbing in and out of the truck, especially when wearing gear or for shorter people is a challenge. The door sill is roughly 35" off the ground without a step.
• Safety: Assuming a step is necessary as noted above, a broad step is safer than a small tube step or loop step. It is also challenging to catch a toe in a loop step while wearing big boots and gear.

Tubing: 2-1/2" diameter
Height from Ground: 25" Approximately
Tread width: 10"
Length: Full Cab Length – Standard Cab, Extended Cab, or Crew Cab

Undercarriage protection is available for Radiator, Transfer Case, and Transmission. Skid Pans are designed to keep branches and debris from damaging the underside of the vehicle.  They are heavy-duty construction and fit tightly to the underside with minimal loss of ground clearance. While these trucks will not be rock crawling and high-centering on boulders, there are many vulnerable components underneath.

• Protection from piercing the radiator with small branches
• Protection from rocks cracking aluminum bodied transmission and transfer case components
• Protection from small braches tearing out wiring surrounding chassis components

Covers the space between the back of the bumper and front axle. Its purpose is to keep branches from getting between the back of the bumper and the radiator.

The two pieces work together and cover the entire bottom of the transmission and span across the frame rails in the aft location to protect the transfer case and extremely vulnerable catalytic converter. The Skid Pans are mounted to the frame and have access holes for draining oil.

Gas and Diesel trucks require different Transmission Skid Pans to compensate for exhaust routing. Both are available.