3500 Ram factory air suspension

[Gary3]

Ordered the new 3500 Dodge DRW with the air suspension anyone on here have it on there truck is it user friendly and how happy are you with it. Truck should be by the middle of June.

[work2much]

Helwig says they should have a product/part number in about 2 weeks. Hopefully this will be a very valuable upgrade for our truck.

[work2much]

Gary3 wrote:
Good news for those with sway problems just read on the LOA site Hellwig is near completion on a rear swaybar for the factory air suspension on 3500 Rams.

I just sent them an e-mail again regarding this. Interested to see. I think it would just involve an axle clamp that would be relieved around the factory air lines. Will post if there is a response from HW

[work2much]

Gary3 wrote:
Good news for those with sway problems just read on the LOA site Hellwig is near completion on a rear swaybar for the factory air suspension on 3500 Rams.

Intersted for sure! Link?

[Gary3]

Good news for those with sway problems just read on the LOA site Hellwig is near completion on a rear swaybar for the factory air suspension on 3500 Rams.

[OutdoorAddict]

I have had a 2500 with air and now a 3500 DRW with air. The 3500 is much better than the 2500 because it works with leaf springs. True, currently there are no after market suspension products that you can use with the factory air ride, but I have found no need to upgrade the suspension and I am hauling a AF 1150 and often tow a boat. The Only downside to the air is that you cannot add air to just one bag to offset the additional weight of the slide, I have a very slight list to the side of the slide with TC on truck. I don't think cold weather affects the air bags because the bags work on a closed system and are filled with nitrogen.

[GpnAZ]

Gary3 wrote:
Is the factory air suspension completely auto or do you have to push a on off button when you load the camper.

It's completely auto, there is a button to lower the suspension, but when button is on, it will auto level as soon as you load the rear.

[Grit_dog]

^ Exactly, so it is not of any use in add on airbags unless they are plumbed together and likely not useful for Ram air assist as I believe that is separate lines per side.

[Gary3]

Is the factory air suspension completely auto or do you have to push a on off button when you load the camper.

[noteven]

....

[burningman]

stevenal wrote:
My experience with a factory air suspension was with a '97 light duty F250. They would blow, frequently. And since it was an integrated system, loss of a bag left one with a very harsh ride with the frame sitting on the stops. It got to where I began carrying a spare bag, and ultimately had a spring shop add a few leaves. In my opinion, air bags are better as an aftermarket add on.

That’s like saying “My ‘76 Vega was junk, so, all cars are junk”.
Almost every big truck runs on air bags. They’re extremely reliable.
I’ve had air bags on pickups for decades. My own pickup has an air ride conversion on the rear, plus regular overload-type airbags too. None have ever failed.

Grit dog wrote:


If not air assist, what would you call it? When I think air ride, I think air only , not air over springs.

The springs merely locate the axle. Something has to. The airbags take all the weight.

Donvel valves control the rate air flows through them and work wonders for ride quality, but they only make big-truck stuff as far as I know.

[Gary3]

I would hope from 1997 thru 2018 they would have developed better air bags and you also said light duty compared to heavy.

[Fish_mojo]

camp-n-family wrote:
I’ve read about issues with them in cold climates. Google search it or check the Ram forums.

These issues with the cold climate are from the Light Duty Ram 1500 4 corner air suspension- that is a whole different system. I have not heard any issues of the HD rear air suspension in cold climates.

There is a new youtube on HD Ram and Ford F350 hauling 30,000 pound trailer up the Ike Gauntlet in Colorado. The Ram had the air suspension and had considerably less squat than the ford.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGKnlIAqKJg

[Grit_dog]

noteven wrote:
https://www.ramtrucks.com/ram-3500/capability.html

This is not an “air assist” suspension. The long springs are used to attach the axle to the frame. 2 leveling valves and 2 big air springs.

The long springs allow the same frame to use either air or steel suspension as orders call them out at factory. This is a common setup on over the road class 8 steer axles at 13,000 lbs.

I would use the truck stock first before going into modify mode.

Donvel valves would work in this application.

The best thing I did for sway on my old 3500 SRW was remove the steel springs, Hellwig, Ranchos, Firestone Ride Rite and install a 14,000lb Auto Flex full air suspension.

If not air assist, what would you call it? When I think air ride, I think air only , not air over springs. But semantics
Please explain what the donvel valves do and how they’d benefit the Ram 3500 system and if they have any use in add on air bags on trucks with steel springs.

[stevenal]

My experience with a factory air suspension was with a '97 light duty F250. They would blow, frequently. And since it was an integrated system, loss of a bag left one with a very harsh ride with the frame sitting on the stops. It got to where I began carrying a spare bag, and ultimately had a spring shop add a few leaves. In my opinion, air bags are better as an aftermarket add on.