Air ride suspension or not?

[Fowlthing]

I am currently towing with a F350 and don't have air ride suspension.. seem to have got along ok.. it squats a little bit with the 5ver Solitude 375res...

I am considering a Ram 3500 should I get the air ride or not??

Thanks

[Justa5th]

I don’t have an answer for you but am considering it on a new ram also. Pros seem to be nicer unloaded ride and autolevel when hitched. Only real con I see is longevity. I’m really on the fence about it.

[CorbinCTO]

We're new to 5th wheel towing, but we're pulling our 385GK-R with a 2020 RAM 3500 DRW with air suspension. Only pulled 10 times or so, but very comfortable experience. One of those pulls was with 25mph sustained winds gusting over 30. Didn't notice the breeze even when passing the poor guy delivering a TT. He was using 2 lanes, violently. Unfortunately it was his lane and 1/2 of the lanes on either side. Good times.

[JMCFAN]

I towed with my 2013 F350 a bunch ( 372 WB)... and did fine. I added Airlift bags and compressor.... much improved!! Overall the ride was much nicer. Just purchased a 2021 F350.... added bags before I have towed...

[BARRY K]

I have mixed emotions with my air ride suspension... Factory ordered a fully loaded 2020 3500 SRW Limited (which wasn't cheap!). The ride was great until I towed my new Reflection home. After I unhooked, the ride seemed very stiff almost to the point of uncomfortable and it still rides that way. Took it to the dealer about a month after the ride went rough and they said everything checked out as good, however it is not.

I thought maybe I had a shock issue so upon crawling under the truck I noticed that the bump stop on the rear of the driver side assist leaf spring is almost touching the primary leaf spring. The forward and the right side all have @ 3/8" to a 1/2" of travel available and the gaps are about equal. Took it back and showed the dealer what I believe the issue was since it truly feels like it's loading up on the right rear way to quick. They contacted Ram and ran a more detailed inspection. Conclusion was that everything was within spec however the left air bag with no load is sitting at 129 psi (side with what I believe has a weak leaf spring) and the right is sitting at 49 psi. With this much of a psi difference between the two sides I just can't buy that this is normal and believe that the much higher pressure in the left air bag is compensating for a weak leaf spring.

The truck rides great with a load since all 4 points (bumpstops) on the assist springs are in contact with the main leaf but I need to find a competent dealer in the DFW area to take another look at it or find a good suspension shop because i'm just not happy with the ride with no load on the suspension.

[BARRY K]

Also, it appears there are no aftermarket performance shocks for the Ram with air suspension so that limits any shock performance upgrades to enhance the ride. I assume this is due to a different dampening rate then a non air suspension Ram.

[JMCFAN]

I have mixed emotions with my air ride suspension... Factory ordered a fully loaded 2020 3500 SRW Limited (which wasn't cheap!). The ride was great until I towed my new Reflection home. After I unhooked, the ride seemed very stiff almost to the point of uncomfortable and it still rides that way. Took it to the dealer about a month after the ride went rough and they said everything checked out as good, however it is not.

I thought maybe I had a shock issue so upon crawling under the truck I noticed that the bump stop on the rear of the driver side assist leaf spring is almost touching the primary leaf spring. The forward and the right side all have @ 3/8" to a 1/2" of travel available and the gaps are about equal. Took it back and showed the dealer what I believe the issue was since it truly feels like it's loading up on the right rear way to quick. They contacted Ram and ran a more detailed inspection. Conclusion was that everything was within spec however the left air bag with no load is sitting at 129 psi (side with what I believe has a weak leaf spring) and the right is sitting at 49 psi. With this much of a psi difference between the two sides I just can't buy that this is normal and believe that the much higher pressure in the left air bag is compensating for a weak leaf spring.

The truck rides great with a load since all 4 points (bumpstops) on the assist springs are in contact with the main leaf but I need to find a competent dealer in the DFW area to take another look at it or find a good suspension shop because i'm just not happy with the ride with no load on the suspension.

Confused.... your truck cam with Air ride suspension? 49lb on one side...and 129 on the other...wow.. I run with 5lbs when unloaded...and 45 with my Solitude..both sides equal. much heavier then the Reflection...

[BARRY K]

Confused.... your truck cam with Air ride suspension? 49lb on one side...and 129 on the other...wow.. I run with 5lbs when unloaded...and 45 with my Solitude.. both sides equal. much heavier then the Reflection...

Yes. You cannot adjust the air pressure with the Ram 3500 factory air suspension. Only can set it to normal ride height, alt ride height, or fully lowered. The latter two will only work with a load. Otherwise the suspension is too stiff to achieve anything less than a normal ride height.

With my old 2009 RAM with aftermarket air bags i ran similar pressures to what you are running unloaded and loaded..

[JMCFAN]

Yes. You cannot adjust the air pressure with the Ram 3500 factory air suspension. Only can set it to normal ride height, alt ride height, or fully lowered. The latter two will only work with a load. Otherwise the suspension is too stiff to achieve anything less than a normal ride height.

With my old 2009 RAM with aftermarket air bags i ran similar pressures to what you are running unloaded and loaded..

Well with that delta side to side....something is broke....

[BARRY K]

Well with that delta side to side....something is broke....

Agreed! I would conclude that the air bag with the higher pressure is compensating for a weak leaf spring. However, according to RAM's 5 Star engineering group (i believe that's what the dealer called them) everything is within spec... NOT BUYING IT!