Do airbags effect rear brake proportioning when used while carrying a heavy load?

[Scooby]

Please check out this thread for those to carry heavy loads...





https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=492943#post492943

 

[bighammer]

I'm not sure, but I would guess the ABS adjusts the braking. (it's gona brake untill it slips, basically) I don't think load or height would matter. I don't recall anything about a sensor for load or height.



Of course, I could be wrong (again )

 

[Steve Campbell]

Yes!!!

I made mine adjustable.

 

[SWC]

I have a 01. 5 3500 and have looked all over the rear suspension to find some kind of proportioner but I can't find anything. What am I missing? I assumed the proportioner would be somehow involved in the ABS system.

I would ask the five star dealer but I am sure I would get the deer caught in the headlights look!!!

Stan

 

[Thomas]

The Dave Fritz Site shows changes for model year 2000. Here is one of the changes:

On 2500 and 3500 Series Pickups with EBC 325 four-wheel antilock brakes, the brake proportioning valve has been deleted. Brake proportioning is now handled electronically by the controller antilock brake, or GAB

Brake proportioning was still used on Ram 2500s with RWAB.

 

[Scooby]

Very interesting... My truck is a 2001 (and I do have 4 wheel anti-lock brakes), yet I recall reading in either the owner's manual or the shop manual about this leveling sensor. I wonder if the manual I read it in doesn't match my model year truck. Come to think about it, that wouldn't surprise me...



Steve, your '99 truck, does it have rear wheel anti-lock brakes only?

 

[Reddog1]

Steve



How did you do that, and does the same method work on the '96?





Wayne

 

[Steve Campbell]

Long story Reddog 1...

I lowered the rear of my 99 2" about 6 months after I got the truck. I saw the brake proportioning valve (left side frame... just behind rear axle) and felt that without changing the length of the connecting rod, my truck would "think" it was loaded all of the time. I marked the angle of of the arm before I started the "ride height" modification. My last step in the "modification" was to put a turnbuckle on the connecting rod to "reset" the valve back to the factory angle.



Since that time, I have "fine tuned" (so to speak) the length of that rod for winter vs. summer driving. (I use two different setting. ) Well this is my typical "farmered-up version.



I have been thinking that a cleaner setup would be a "verneer-throttle" type setup, mounted either in the cab or somewhere in the rear, so that I would not have to "get dirty". Actually, what I have is real easy to adjust (and it does not take much to make quite a difference). Like the old saying "Speed cost money! How fast do you want to go?"



I guess I chose to "trot"!!!!



One final word of caution in attempting all of this. Disc brakes tend to hold "better" the hotter they get, thereby destroying themselves and saving the rig and its passengers. Drum brakes, on the other hand, tend to fade as they get hot, thereby saving themselves at the expense of the vehicle and its passengers. So be please careful in any modifications you are considering to the factory setup.



This should work on a 96. I believe you have the same valve setup as I do Reddog 1.

 

[Reddog1]

Steve



After reading your post, it sounds very straightforward to me.



I have a slide in camper (about 2500 lbs. ) with air bags. I would think that I need to load the camper with no air in the bags, measure the angle of the arm, air up the bags, and install a connecting rod to position the arm at the loaded angle.



Do I understand correctly?





Wayne

 

[Steve Campbell]

Right on...Reddog!!!

You said... "install a connecting rod to position the arm at the loaded angle. "



You might consider either two connecting rods (with and without camper) or an adjustable length rod.



Please take careful note of my warning at the end of my previous post!!!! I really do not want to get anyone in trouble.