Rear Shocks 3500 with Air Suspension

[DonRam240]

Any fresh updates on how they perform? Especially loaded?

Earl

After about 30 miles of driving with camper loaded on truck, the KYB jounce damping seems to be just about perfect. Do not remember any bottoming, seems to have just enough compliance to use all of the jounce travel while heavily loaded, without hitting the bump stops. Very happy with the results so far. Camping trip coming so will have a few hundred miles of mostly 2 lane state highway experience to report on in a couple of weeks.

 

[EZeis]

After about 30 miles of driving with camper loaded on truck, the KYB jounce damping seems to be just about perfect. Do not remember any bottoming, seems to have just enough compliance to use all of the jounce travel while heavily loaded, without hitting the bump stops. Very happy with the results so far. Camping trip coming so will have a few hundred miles of mostly 2 lane state highway experience to report on in a couple of weeks.

Sweet, thanks for the update! Do you run in normal height or alternate height?

Thanks
Earl

 

[DonRam240]

Sweet, thanks for the update! Do you run in normal height or alternate height?

Thanks
Earl

Normal so far. Have not towed using alt ride height yet. Coming

 

[AH64ID]

Normal so far. Have not towed using alt ride height yet. Coming

Do you normally use NORM or ALT with the camper?

 

[DonRam240]

Do you normally use NORM or ALT with the camper?

Finally drove around town towing 9000 lb loaded race trailer, approx 900-1000 lb tongue weight, with approx. 5 foot hitch extension in SuperHitch, 11 foot Bigfoot camper in bed, with Alternate Trailer Height -- for enough miles to draw conclusions. Definitely seems to hit the bump stops on the "lumpy" parts of streets and county roads, not as bad as with factory shocks but still not comfortable. Putting back to normal ride height cures it as noted in posts previously. The only advantage of the Alt Trl Hgt is s slight increase in tension on the spring bars, which would slightly reduce trailer sway, but I don't have trailer sway problems at the normal ride height anyway. So, question answered, even with the KYB's the bottoming problem happens using Alt Trl Height, so I won't be using it.

 

[EZeis]

Finally drove around town towing 9000 lb loaded race trailer, approx 900-1000 lb tongue weight, with approx. 5 foot hitch extension in SuperHitch, 11 foot Bigfoot camper in bed, with Alternate Trailer Height -- for enough miles to draw conclusions. Definitely seems to hit the bump stops on the "lumpy" parts of streets and county roads, not as bad as with factory shocks but still not comfortable. Putting back to normal ride height cures it as noted in posts previously. The only advantage of the Alt Trl Hgt is s slight increase in tension on the spring bars, which would slightly reduce trailer sway, but I don't have trailer sway problems at the normal ride height anyway. So, question answered, even with the KYB's the bottoming problem happens using Alt Trl Height, so I won't be using it.

Do the shocks take out the float that the OEM shocks don't? Like over bridge joints?

I don't recall seeing bump stops other than on the leaf springs themselves. Are those the ones you're referring to?


Thanks,
Earl

 

[EZeis]

I found these. Never heard of Ion brand shocks but they are supposed to be for rear 3500 with air suspension.

Nevermind, it's saying 2500/3500. I believe they have completely different air suspensions.

https://www.bilsteinlifts.com/shop/...018-ram-2500-3500-air-ride-stock-replacement/


Earl

 

[AH64ID]

Finally drove around town towing 9000 lb loaded race trailer, approx 900-1000 lb tongue weight, with approx. 5 foot hitch extension in SuperHitch, 11 foot Bigfoot camper in bed, with Alternate Trailer Height -- for enough miles to draw conclusions. Definitely seems to hit the bump stops on the "lumpy" parts of streets and county roads, not as bad as with factory shocks but still not comfortable. Putting back to normal ride height cures it as noted in posts previously. The only advantage of the Alt Trl Hgt is s slight increase in tension on the spring bars, which would slightly reduce trailer sway, but I don't have trailer sway problems at the normal ride height anyway. So, question answered, even with the KYB's the bottoming problem happens using Alt Trl Height, so I won't be using it.

Interesting, I only get that bump feeling empty and in normal since the only thing to compress onto is the lower springs. I am not aware of any bump stops in the system, unless they are internal to the airbags. No matter what I seem to hit in ALT I don't bottom out, at least not harsh enough to notice.

The other huge advantage to ALT is the lower springs are utilized, which will have a big effect on truck sway too.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I "ALWAYS" run ALT.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I have always felt a bit of vibration at Highway speeds at my feet, NOT in the steering wheel. When towing it's smooth as glass. I was in WA having my wheel stud recall done and i mentioned to the Service Manager the issue and he said that sounds like the rear shocks could be the issue. They did not have time to check so when I returned to SoCal I decided to have a few things addressed since my 7/100 was about to expire. I mentioned the same to the Service Assistant Mgr and he put it on his list.

Got a call and they are buying me new rear shocks for my factory rear air system!!! I was very "SHOCKED" that they would cover them.

 

[Topzide]

@Cummins12V98, I was told that if you feel in steering wheel, it's something up front and if you feel in brake pedal/floorboard, it was in the rear. That has stuck with me when an old timer helped me with my engine timing in first car. He even had me reverse jumper cables to spin starter faster to hear timing! Seems that the more they change, the same diagnostics apply. Glad to hear that you're getting new rear shocks. What about your front u-joints? Are they binding up and need replaced also? Just a thought since your about to be out of warranty.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Everything else is good.

 

[DonRam240]

Interesting, I only get that bump feeling empty and in normal since the only thing to compress onto is the lower springs. I am not aware of any bump stops in the system, unless they are internal to the airbags. No matter what I seem to hit in ALT I don't bottom out, at least not harsh enough to notice.

The other huge advantage to ALT is the lower springs are utilized, which will have a big effect on truck sway too.

Very late reply to items in the above post:
1. Yes, the bump stops are internal to the airbags. No doubt about it when you hit them.
2. Bottoming I’m talking about is not that hard, just too hard for my particular old spine; for most it would be trivial. It’s well within the travel designed into the bump stops themselves, not “all the way” bottoming.
3. Bet your comment is right about engaging more spring leaves using ALT; I don’t have a sway issue with my dually sufficient to outweigh the bottoming issue for me.
4. I think you would probably find the “float” issue also lessened or stopped by these KYB’s, though that was not a symptom I had noticed particularly before. Believe that would involve similar or lesser suspension velocities, and parts of shock valving, to the low speed “lump bumps” that I had trouble with. I replaced the shocks at only ~12,000 miles, so I may not have had them long enough for that to appear.
5. The empty ride also seems more comfortable to me driving now, just better damped, still very firm as expected, sore back (but less so) after a long drive still, but no pain from hitting bump stops; and you don’t abuse yourself over railroad crossings if you’re paying attention! I had our son in the back bench seat of the crew cab (8 foot bed) for a long ride, more than an hour each way, with the new shocks. His back is not great either, and he said the ride was comfortable. Considering the dually’s unsprung weight and limited leverage of the shocks where mounted, it’s pretty remarkable how well controlled that rear axle seems to be.
Don

 

[Cummins12V98]

Even with my rear shocks testing BAD I have never felt like I have bottomed out. I have hit some hellacious dips with my RV's 6k pin. I am sure I have but it has never felt like it.

I am going to see if my shocks have a different PN than my OE.

 

[Essy]

So!!!!! Has anyone discovered what replacement shock (Not OEM) we are to use with the auto leveling rear suspension?
PS! I have a 2018 Ram 3500 Limited Mega cab DRW with the Auto level rear suspension!

 

[DonRam240]

So!!!!! Has anyone discovered what replacement shock (Not OEM) we are to use with the auto leveling rear suspension?
PS! I have a 2018 Ram 3500 Limited Mega cab DRW with the Auto level rear suspension!

KYB Gas a Just PN 5550006
See previous posts; installed on truck for some time now and very satisfactory improvement for my needs, more details in previous posts on this thread.

 

[Essy]

I was really wanting to go with Bilstein. And I'm thinking of going with the shocks that are listed w/o auto level! The parts supplier that I am going with said that they would replace or refund my purchase.

 

[AH64ID]

Bilstien has a part number for the 19+ auto-level trucks, I wonder how well those would work on the pre-19 auto-level.

24-302302

 

[Essy]

Bilstien has a part number for the 19+ auto-level trucks, I wonder how well those would work on the pre-19 auto-level.

24-302302

That is the 64k question!