Ram 3500 Air Suspension - How Does It Work?

[smooth1]

Hello. Can you guys tell me how this system is controlled via the driver. Are there settings, adjustments, ride height info, etc.

Thinking about this system on a 2015 3500 Ram long bed SRW for a 3500lb non-slide truck camper. Just concerned about the lack of leaf springs and side to side sway. I also can't find any good info on how this system is controlled.

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Beta rider wrote:
I have a 2015 Ram 3500 drw with factory air ride and a Lance truck camper that weighs about 5200lbs when loaded. I've driven it over 3,000 miles so far and am very happy with the suspension. The ride loaded is extremely comfortable. The ride empty is better than the 2015 with just leaf springs. I think the ride empty is better than my 2008 1500 with leaf in the rear. The air ride handles the camper very well in turns and amazing at highway speeds of 65 to 70 and faster. The ride is quiet and composed and has little wind noise even with the camper on it! I will not be changing shocks or any other suspension component. It would be nice to have more control over the ride height when parked for loading, etc. I have had neck and back injuries in the past that make me very sensitive to a harsh ride. This combination is completely comfortable for me and I would buy it all over again for sure.

Thanks for the full review! I had read a couple guys on the Ram forums weren't impressed with the unloaded ride improvement. Glad to hear there are other opinions. Guess when the time comes, I'll have to try it for myself....

[Beta_rider]

I have a 2015 Ram 3500 drw with factory air ride and a Lance truck camper that weighs about 5200lbs when loaded. I've driven it over 3,000 miles so far and am very happy with the suspension. The ride loaded is extremely comfortable. The ride empty is better than the 2015 with just leaf springs. I think the ride empty is better than my 2008 1500 with leaf in the rear. The air ride handles the camper very well in turns and amazing at highway speeds of 65 to 70 and faster. The ride is quiet and composed and has little wind noise even with the camper on it! I will not be changing shocks or any other suspension component. It would be nice to have more control over the ride height when parked for loading, etc. I have had neck and back injuries in the past that make me very sensitive to a harsh ride. This combination is completely comfortable for me and I would buy it all over again for sure.

[45Ricochet]

I would assume it will dump air when off loading the weight be it a FW or TC. Isn't that the point of the system, a better empty ride?

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Cummins12V98 wrote:
No Idea how well it works with a slide in camper.

Here is a pic with over 5K sitting on the rear axle. It will look the same with 6.

Nice! So, is what I've read on the Ram forums true and the truck doesn't ride better unloaded than the same truck without factory air? Unloaded ride improvement would be just as important to me as self leveling.

[C_Schomer]

Those bags look just like my FS bags and I cut off the bottom OLs and greatly improved the ride. Craig

[Cummins12V98]

No Idea how well it works with a slide in camper.

Here is a pic with over 5K sitting on the rear axle. It will look the same with 6.

[ib516]

The Ram 2500 with air suspension has no steel springs, just airbags. The 3500 still uses steel springs but supplements with airbags.

[taken]

Dupe.

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2oldman wrote:
There aren't any springs according to what I see.

Here is a pic of the as delivered system.




The only way to go with a straight air system is to get the Kelderman Air system. Completely replaces the factory suspension with a 4 link air ride suspension.

[Oldme]

Go to ramtrucks.com and you will see the system used.

[2oldman]

There aren't any springs according to what I see.

[taken]

There are still leaf springs. The air bags just supplement them. If you do Google it, you won't find the real system. You will see diagrams of what was proposed and what people were ordering, but not what is being delivered. There was a last second re-design that eliminated the track bar and added half leafs to the front side of the full leaf spring. The Ram forums have more info on this. As for control, it's all automatic. When a load is applied to the truck, the bags inflate to automatically bring the truck back to it's unloaded ride height. It can not be manually controlled.

I was big on this system and considered Ram for my next truck because of it. However, now that it's finally out in the wild, reports say the unloaded ride is no better than the standard leaf spring rear suspension.

[2oldman]

Google 'ram air suspension'