[Crawdaddy]

I think it has a stronger frame, like the front of the frames by the steering is beefed up and boxed in better. You may not be able to turn a 1500 into a 2500 by swapping parts, but I imagine if you were to weld in frame supports all over the place, you could either make the frame as strong, if not stronger than the factory 2500 frame. I have been wanting to do this same project myself. Probably if your 1500 isn't 4x4 and you'd like it to be, these 2 projects would most likely go hand in hand. Beef the frame up big time while custom fitting the solid front axle in, etc. I have a lot of frame-related work I want to do on my 1500, beef it up, change the IFS to a sold front axle, make supports for an air tank or 2, mount running boards/recovery tool boxes, etc. All that will most likely happen at the same time for the sake of being easier to do "since I'm already under there"

 

[Crawdaddy]

no, you only have a solid front axle if you have 4 wheel drive. I was thinking bout going 100% airbag suspension, but I haven't come up with a good enough "limp-home" method if I blow a bag or line.

 

[Crawdaddy]

the 2500 suspension is rougher, but my 91 1500 suspension is pretty smooth, like a greyhound bus. If you go with airbags, I'd suggest going with them in helper spring configuration. Your ride will probably get a little rougher in that way, but going straight airbags is a big risk. If you blow a bag or a line on a straight air-ride truck, you aren't moving an inch until you can either block the body of the truck up, or get towed/fix it on the spot. Blowing a helper bag you can keep running, you just lose your assitional weight capacity.