Air Suspension on 3500

[JBob Diesel]

The Auto Leveling Rear Air Suspension is available to order on the Ram 3500 as of today! My question is will it improve the ride quality when empty?

 

[Cummins12V98]

Geeze now what I do??????? Sort of resigned my self to sticking with my trusty 11.

 

[Ozymandias]

The Auto Leveling Rear Air Suspension is available to order on the Ram 3500 as of today! My question is will it improve the ride quality when empty?

I think so, air suspension is always great for ride quality.

It could be problematic if you use a huge camper cabin with I high point of gravity, for that it isn't build from factory.
Would need a real heavy sway bar then.

 

[Cliffman]

Just picked up my 2018 with the rear air assist and the ride is WORSE than my 2001 3500 dually. I test drove a 3500 without the air assist and it was smoother. I'm hoping theres something wrong with the air bag system.

 

[jgillott]

Check the rear tire air pressure, I've heard of them being delivered at max pressure.

 

[Cliffman]

Did that last night. They were over inflated to 85-90. Lowered to 80. That's what I run in my 01 as it's not a daily driver just for pulling my RV and weekend local runs to the hardware store. There was a very slight improvment but apples to apples my 01 is still smoother.

 

[Ram4Sam]

80 lbs in the back will make your truck ride like an old freight wagon on the Ponderosa........lower them to 60 and go for a ride, you will be surprised.


The 4th gen trucks are a completely different animal than the 2nd gen trucks.

Sam

 

[Cliffman]

80 lbs in the back will make your truck ride like an old freight wagon on the Ponderosa........lower them to 60 and go for a ride, you will be surprised.


The 4th gen trucks are a completely different animal than the 2nd gen trucks.

Sam

I used to lower my rears to 55psi running unloaded but got tired of having to air them up before I go on a trip pilling my 5er or I would plain forget. LOL

 

[AH64ID]

Is your 18 a SRW or DRW?

80 psi is too much for your 01 even with a 5er attached, unless your pin weight is 8K lbs. 55 psi is enough for a rear axle weight of 8,500 lbs, or about 5K lbs of pin weight/cargo.

Even then the 4th gen has a MUCH stiffer frame than the 2nd gen, and the suspension is much more robust. The only OEM rating the 2nd Gen DRW has higher than a 4th Gen SRW is RAWR and that's only 500 lbs.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Did that last night. They were over inflated to 85-90. Lowered to 80. That's what I run in my 01 as it's not a daily driver just for pulling my RV and weekend local runs to the hardware store. There was a very slight improvment but apples to apples my 01 is still smoother.

Run the rears at 35psi solo. 65 when towing up to RAWR. ALWAYS run 80 fronts.

 

[SnoKing]

I run my SRW 3500 at around 40 bobtail and 80 with the fifth wheel in tow.

 

[Cliffman]

Is your 18 a SRW or DRW?

80 psi is too much for your 01 even with a 5er attached, unless your pin weight is 8K lbs. 55 psi is enough for a rear axle weight of 8,500 lbs, or about 5K lbs of pin weight/cargo.

Even then the 4th gen has a MUCH stiffer frame than the 2nd gen, and the suspension is much more robust. The only OEM rating the 2nd Gen DRW has higher than a 4th Gen SRW is RAWR and that's only 500 lbs.

Its a Dually...

 

[AH64ID]

Its a Dually...

Then I recommend the pressures that Cummins12V98 posted. 80 psi is ludacris for the rear tires on a dually. That’s pressure for a RAW of 11,340 lbs and more than the axle/frame/suspension are designed for.

35 psi gives you air for a RAW of 6,580 lbs which is enough for 2,500 lbs of cargo.
65 psi gives you air for a RAW of 9,880 lbs which is just above the RAWR and all the air you should ever need. If you need more you need a bigger truck.

 

[gsbrockman]

Then I recommend the pressures that Cummins12V98 posted. 80 psi is ludacris for the rear tires on a dually. That’s pressure for a RAW of 11,340 lbs and more than the axle/frame/suspension are designed for.

35 psi gives you air for a RAW of 6,580 lbs which is enough for 2,500 lbs of cargo.
65 psi gives you air for a RAW of 9,880 lbs which is just above the RAWR and all the air you should ever need. If you need more you need a bigger truck.

So refreshing to see someone actually quote accurate information (not opinions) based on load & inflation tables, front axle curb weights, and rear axle curb weights, along with max pin weights.

 

[Cliffman]

Run the rears at 35psi solo. 65 when towing up to RAWR. ALWAYS run 80 fronts.

Why 80 in the fronts? I know that 6.7 weighs more than my 5.9.

 

[SnoKing]

Why 80 in the fronts? I know that 6.7 weighs more than my 5.9.

Front axle is going to weigh in at a little over 5K and tires are rated to 3085 each single. The duallies tend to wear out the fronts and Cummins12V98 has found in a lot of miles in two 4th gen duallies that 80 pounds inflation works the best up front. Also he recommends setting tow in to 1/32" vs the factory 1/4" for duallies.

He just did eastern Texas to Dessert Hot Springs in three days towing heavy, trust what he says.

 

[gsbrockman]

80 psi (fronts) has worked great in all of my previous tires.....especially my latest, the Bridgestone R500 HDs. They now have 116,415 miles on them and still have usable tread depth remaining.

 

[Cummins12V98]

So refreshing to see someone actually quote accurate information (not opinions) based on load & inflation tables, front axle curb weights, and rear axle curb weights, along with max pin weights.

HEY if "I" said it you KNOW it's accurate as just proven!

 

[Cummins12V98]

Why 80 in the fronts? I know that 6.7 weighs more than my 5.9.

Engine is not that much heavier but EVERYTHING else is heavier on the newer trucks. Just look at the front suspension. AISIN and BW T case are also heavier.

 

[PT02063]

I think so, air suspension is always great for ride quality.

I respectfully beg to differ as the ride of my rear air 2017 2500 is not near as soft riding my son's 2017 2500 without rear air. Granted, when towing mine handles the load better from a leveling perspective and the ride is the same for both trucks once you get enough weight on the tongue but the ride empty is worse with rear air. P.S. I had a 1999 Lincoln Continental with rear air ride...it rode like a cloud but that was a totally difference setup and never used for pulling an 11,000 pound load.