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2500 Auto Level Rear Air Suspension

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SDFK 68083653AB On 2012 Ram w/6.7CTD

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I have a 14 longhorn and have the airbag with auto level. I have a 31ft tt and have been using a wt distributing hitch when towing with the older truck but now with this new one how do I hook it up? What is the proper way. Tire jack mode? Then set bars? I need the proper steps in order to do this because I have never had a truck with this set up "air bags"
 
I have a 14 longhorn and have the airbag with auto level. I have a 31ft tt and have been using a wt distributing hitch when towing with the older truck but now with this new one how do I hook it up? What is the proper way. Tire jack mode? Then set bars? I need the proper steps in order to do this because I have never had a truck with this set up "air bags"

Set it up using measurements off the front wheel to fender.

Take 3 measurements ensuring that the airbags have time to adjust to standard ride height before measuring.

Measurement A: no trailer hooked up

Measurement B: trailer hooked up w/out WD bars

Measurement C: trailer hooked up w/ WD bars

Hook up WD bars. You want Measurement C to be between B and A, preferably at least 50% of the way to A.
 
Do I turn tire jack mode on then pick truck up with trailer to set bars?

Keep it in whatever mode you will be going down the road in while towing. Don't forget to let it adjust to the weight.

What should happen is you will see the rear go up/down with the tongue weight and WDH bars but should level back out. Once it is leveled back out take your front measurements.
 
Well, this is my first diesel. Loving the air ride, and thank you all for the info. I pull a 38' TT, about 9,000 lbs.

I left Colorado Springs with about 300 miles on the truck and drove to Killeen, TX. Speedo set at 75 on the way down I got about 18 mpg. On the way back speedo was set at 65, got right at 12 mpg.

The fella at Crestview RV measured everything out for my WD hitch, then I told him it would auto level. He had never seen an auto leveling system. Then he said I probably didn't even need a weight distribution hitch. What do y'all think?

Does anyone know how much you can pull with the stock hitch? This may not even be the right thread.

AH64ID, ATTACK!
 
Yes you need a WDH. The air suspension doesn't restore any of the tongue weight to the front axle.

Probably too many miles now but don't forget about the break-in for the differential.

IIRC the stock hitch is rated for 1,800lbs TW which means the hitch should also be good for 18,000lbs worth of trailer.
 
I got rid of my weight distribution hitch when we got the new 2015. It has a 2.5 inch receiver that was rated enough to pull our boat without the WD system. Before you ask, yes I had a WD set up on a boat trailer, it worked fantastic.
 
I got rid of my weight distribution hitch when we got the new 2015. It has a 2.5 inch receiver that was rated enough to pull our boat without the WD system. Before you ask, yes I had a WD set up on a boat trailer, it worked fantastic.

I have a receiver rated to tow a lot more than my trailer without WD and I still use WD as it is a MUCH better towing experience.
 
grabinov,

What is the tongue weight on your 5th wheel?

It's about 2,000 pounds including the weight of the hitch itself. I have a 3-axle trailer which, while it creates some other pain-in-the-butt issues, takes some weight off of the hitch.
 
The maximum payload (from the Ram specs) for my configuration of truck is 1,960 pounds. The figure for the same truck, but with the Hemi engine, is 2,890 pounds - 900 pounds more. This has got to be related to GVWR rather than the actual difference in weight on the rear axle. The Cummins weighs more, but it doesn't put 900 extra pounds on the rear axle 15 feet away! Even if it weighs 900 pounds more than the aluminum Hemi, 75% of that weight is on the front axle.

My guess is that the rear suspension would take up to the 2,890 pounds, but that with that payload and the Cummins engine you'd be over the factory GVWR for the truck in total.
 
Since the rear air suspension is for the rear suspension alone I wouldn't bother looking at GVWR but rather focus on RAWR.

The 2500 RAWR is as high as 6,500 lbs so that is the minimum the air suspension is designed to support, regardless of GVWR.

On most models there will be roughly 2500-3000lbs of RAWR remaining above curb weight.
 
I know its an old thread but why not keep it going? On my 2017 I lower the suspension to allow me to back under the goose-neck, then inflate it to normal and it will lift the trailer somewhat so I don't have to fight with all the weight on the jacks. Same when disconnecting. I lower the jacks to the ground, Then deflate the suspension to drive out. Much easier then having to lift a loaded trailer off the hitch.
The way I understand the explanation in my manual was that the air susp will not squat under load (after it self levels), so they give you the option to simulate the squat of a spring suspension truck should your trailer need it.
 
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