2020 Ram 3500 OEM Rear Air Suspension

[otrfun]

Quote from ramtrucks.com ref the 2020 Ram 3500 rear air suspension:

" . . . automatically adapting to shifting loads and changes in road camber, in addition to providing a parallel hitch between truck and trailer."

Ram has had an optional rear air suspension for a number of years. Is this camber feature new for 2019-2020? Wonder if it has the ability to automatically compensate for an in-bed truck camper that is heavier on one side?

[otrfun]

Bigfoot affair wrote:

otrfun wrote:
Ram 2500 Air

Ram 3500 Air

IDK, I would almost bet that the air systems are the same. Five link with air bags and a mono leaf set up with airbags....

I also thought the air ride on the 3500 was to help with comfort as well?

Honestly I wouldn't want the air system to carry a tall truck camper, the sway would be horrible.

If Ram had put the air bags on their 3500 factory air suspension directly above the leaf springs (more outboard), I probably would have gone with that option. Unfortunately, they're located in the same location as an aftermarket air bag---just inboard of the leaf springs. You're going to have the same propensity for sway as you would with aftermarket airbags---especially when they're highly pressurized. Not particularly a problem while towing a TT or 5r, but certainly an issue (like you mentioned) with a tall, top heavy in-bed camper.

[Cummins12V98]

I run my DRW in ALT ride that has the rear at its lowest setting. Less air in bags makes for a better ride.

[Bigfoot_affair]

otrfun wrote:
Ram 2500 Air

Ram 3500 Air

IDK, I would almost bet that the air systems are the same. Five link with air bags and a mono leaf set up with airbags....

I also thought the air ride on the 3500 was to help with comfort as well?

Honestly I wouldn't want the air system to carry a tall truck camper, the sway would be horrible.

[otrfun]

Ram 2500 Air

Ram 3500 Air

[Me_Again]

Bigfoot affair wrote:

Me Again wrote:

FishOnOne wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I have heard good reports from truck camper owners. I haul 6k pin with ZERO squat. LOVE the system, 5 years with zero issues!

Some do fail and I'll bet as they age more will fail

Link

Your link points to a 2500 2019 RAM rear air system that it different from the 3500 system.

So, you are saying that the 3500 does not use airbags with compressed air to inflate them, what does it use?

I am saying the 2500 and 3500 rear systems are two different systems. The one Fish(who does not like RAMs and goes out of his way to bash them) linked to was 2500 system, which was created for ride quality not load carrying like the 3500 system.

[Bigfoot_affair]

Me Again wrote:

FishOnOne wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I have heard good reports from truck camper owners. I haul 6k pin with ZERO squat. LOVE the system, 5 years with zero issues!

Some do fail and I'll bet as they age more will fail

Link

Your link points to a 2500 2019 RAM rear air system that it different from the 3500 system.

So, you are saying that the 3500 does not use airbags with compressed air to inflate them, what does it use?

[Me_Again]

FishOnOne wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I have heard good reports from truck camper owners. I haul 6k pin with ZERO squat. LOVE the system, 5 years with zero issues!

Some do fail and I'll bet as they age more will fail

Link

Your link points to a 2500 2019 RAM rear air system that it different from the 3500 system.

[Bigfoot_affair]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

FishOnOne wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I have heard good reports from truck camper owners. I haul 6k pin with ZERO squat. LOVE the system, 5 years with zero issues!

Some do fail and I'll bet as they age more will fail

Link

Hauling hay??? How bout what was his RAW???

Did you miss they guy hauling a fifth wheel? He had airbag failure as well. Factory Ram air suspension fail

[Cummins12V98]

FishOnOne wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I have heard good reports from truck camper owners. I haul 6k pin with ZERO squat. LOVE the system, 5 years with zero issues!

Some do fail and I'll bet as they age more will fail

Link

Hauling hay??? How bout what was his RAW???

[Cummins12V98]

FishOnOne wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I have heard good reports from truck camper owners. I haul 6k pin with ZERO squat. LOVE the system, 5 years with zero issues!

Some do fail and I'll bet as they age more will fail

Link

Please give links. I know no one with more pin.

[FishOnOne]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I have heard good reports from truck camper owners. I haul 6k pin with ZERO squat. LOVE the system, 5 years with zero issues!

Some do fail and I'll bet as they age more will fail

Link

[MikeinSA]

We have a '16 megacab dually with the factory air suspension. Hopefully the '20 levels side to side, but ours doesn't. We have probably 50k miles with an Arctic Fox 811 in the back. It's heavier on the passenger side which causes about 1" of difference measured at the airbag locations. Add in normal road camber, and it's a noticeable lean.

The other problem with the factory air and a truck camper is the sway - it's pretty pronounced. Good news is that Hellwig has a new sway bar compatible with factory air, and it's worked great. We have maybe a few thousand miles with this new sway bar and it has really made a noticeable difference.

The big advantage for us with the factory air setup, is that this is also our primary (only) vehicle and it really makes unloaded driving much, much better than conventional suspension.

This is our third truck camper and truck over maybe 20 years. We travel quite a bit and live in them for months at a time, so I guess we're fairly knowledgeable.

If you're primarily driving with the truck camper I probably wouldn't recommend the factory air, and definitely not if it doesn't now level side to side.

[NJRVer]

BurbMan wrote:
I wouldn't see why not, clearly it's got ride height sensors if it can compensate for road camber and hitch squat. What's interesting is that it says it can compensate for "shifting loads" so I bet it's a huge help in controlling side-to-motion on uneven roads with the camper onboard.

I was just shopping 2015-2017 Rams and didn't see a single one with air suspension, so either it wasn't available yet or nobody ordered it....would be interested if anyone here on the forum has it on their truck.

My 2017 has rear air.

[Grit_dog]

Don't everyone get too wrapped around the proverbial wheel here. Fairly certain they're still just ride height sensing linkages. Not going to level your truck up on an off camber trail.