Anyone tried the Ram air ride yet on a 3500/TC combo?

Grit dog wrote:
Good to know. A 1150 AF has gotta be over 5klb loaded up right? Sounds like a dream setup for heavy haulers.
How's it handle the sway and roll with that big camper?

I just spoke with a new AF990 owner that weighs in a 5100 lbs when fully loaded. I expected about 500 lbs heavier than my AF811 and was surprised to find it 1100 lbs more. I didn't inquire what was packed in the TC - Maybe they like cast iron pots and skillets?

Most of the people I have talked with that own an AF1150 are around 5500 lbs when loaded up.

It handles great. I went to the knob creek MG shoot a month ago and It was extra heavy. I had 16k rds of ammo with me and 4 belt feds. Had a great time and came home lighter. Very little sway or anything. I have had this TC on 3 trucks and this one is the best.

Good to know. A 1150 AF has gotta be over 5klb loaded up right? Sounds like a dream setup for heavy haulers.
How's it handle the sway and roll with that big camper?

My RAM still has springs and over load springs if I were to lose air. These seem like normal air bags just to level the load. But they have a couple settings on them. I run it in alt mode all the time.

My guess is that protect mode does something like that - too bad Ram won't say.

On the Ram, does anyone know what happens if air pressure is lost? On the 3500 it just seems to be an airbag assist like an aftermarket system, so I imagine it settles onto the bump stops and you drive slowly to the dealer?

I MIGHT have explanation of protection mode base on my experience with Mercedes air suspension.
As we all should know- air compressor is a piece of machinery that wears out with the time and drops the performance.
Let's say your suspension need 100 psi to raise empty truck, but 150 psi to raise it loaded.
You drive it empty for a year, so don't even notice that compressor no longer can deliver 150 psi.
So you load the truck and compressor work and work and work and will never raise the truck. That would lead to compressor motor burn out and other problems, so computer will shut off the compressor after about 2 minutes and keep it off for few minutes to cool down.
Than makes another attempt and another. After few attempts computer assumes something is badly wrong with the system and puts it in protect mode.
Again, this is how it work on Mercedes, so might loosely apply do Dodge.
Aftermarket compressor ring for rebuild sells for $17, so it is not big cost for DIY, but dealers want to put whole new unit for about $700 total.

HMS Beagle wrote:

Steve_in_29 wrote:

HMS Beagle wrote:
What is protect mode?

I'm about to air ride my Ford, trying to understand the lingo..

"Protect mode" is not applicable to your situation.

The air bags the OP is asking about are part of the Ram's factory suspension that take the place of most of the rear spring and not an aftermarket add-on.

That didn't quite explain what protect mode is.

What I am doing to the Ford will remove ALL of the rear spring, not just most of it. Not air bag assists. I assume protect mode has something to do with a blown bag or no air pressure, and I would be interested to know what Ram does.

Since "protect mode" is most likely a Ram specific factory feature as I said it isn't applicable. Plus from what hbski posted it sounds like it simply stops the system from constantly running as it tries to level the load that won't level.

Since you are going with a full replacement air-ride suspension I suggest you contact the manufacturer of that specific setup for what their system is programed to do.

Huh.

There's some odd things in the manual (such as having to start the vehicle and let it idle for 60 seconds every 24 hours if it has air suspension) but while "protect mode" is mentioned a number of times, never does it describe what "protect mode" does. Limit pressure? Turn off self leveling? blow the bags completely? It's a secret I guess.

From the owners manual:

Protection Mode
In order to “protect” the air suspension system, the
vehicle will enter Protection Mode when load leveling
cannot be achieved.

Steve_in_29 wrote:

HMS Beagle wrote:
What is protect mode?

I'm about to air ride my Ford, trying to understand the lingo..

"Protect mode" is not applicable to your situation.

The air bags the OP is asking about are part of the Ram's factory suspension that take the place of most of the rear spring and not an aftermarket add-on.

That didn't quite explain what protect mode is.

What I am doing to the Ford will remove ALL of the rear spring, not just most of it. Not air bag assists. I assume protect mode has something to do with a blown bag or no air pressure, and I would be interested to know what Ram does.