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What are the options available for a simple DIY suspension upgrade on an 88 2wd Ram 50 2.0L?

Suspension upgrades...... Like lowering, lifting, stiffening, autocross settings? What kind of direction are you going with?

I just want to improve the overall performance. Nothing extreme. Stock just doesn't ride nice enough for me.

Nice as in harsh? A few members agreed that older s10 shocks bolt up to our trucks but I don't know the years or part numbers. You could always lower the truck and get better shocks. Like aftermarket coil springs and drop blocks. Using the lowering knuckles has a requirement to have a larger then stock rim to clear and rim contact with the ball joints. You could however keep the truck stock height and replace all 4 shocks and check ball joints, steering linkages and bushings for wear. Either way I'd check for wear before I add any parts.

82-93 s10 shocks work on our trucks - also replace the suspension bushings with urethane ones - the lower control arms and strut rod ones are a must. Cut your bump stops in half to get more suspension travel.

Whats the benefit of the s10 shock?

I have drop shocks from Belltech and they ride well, but I dont recommend using them at stock ride height. I imagine if u bought a set of drop coils they would lower your center of gravity as well as ride a little stiffer. The drop coils are supposed to be stiffer since they are not as tall but I have yet to try them for myself. MOOG makes new coils springs for mm/d50 which might help if yours are worn. I agree you should definitely check your whole suspension for weak points and go with some poly bushings. Dont forget to get an alignment if you change ride height or replace worn components.

TurboMax put a rear sway bar from an older F-150 . The rear axle has brackets that wrap around and hold the bar but you have to come up with some way to mount the endlinks to the frame.

crvtec90 wrote:TurboMax put a rear sway bar from an older F-150 . The rear axle has brackets that wrap around and hold the bar but you have to come up with some way to mount the endlinks to the frame.

correct. should bolt right on, just weld some brackets for the endlinks. you may need to move the brake lines out of the way too. measure your rear axle before you go to the yard to make sure it will fit.

I was thinking more along the lines of a simple pre-packaged kit I could purchase and bolt on.

There was a rear bolt on made for the d-50s years ago by suspension techniques - it was a bolt on but not the way you would expect. The center bushings bolted to the frame by drilling 2 holes into the frame, and fishing a square u bolt throught the frame; then the end links bolted to the leaf spring using a flat bar and anouther square u bolt. I bought one of these setups but never got in on the truck because where they wanted the u bolt to go in the frame is triple boxed and the bolt won't swing through the frame. I plan to make brackets like turbomax did for his when I get the time.