2500s and auto level rear air suspension and towing

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bartmoseley

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Thinking about getting a 2016 2500 Mega Cab diesel with "auto level rear suspension" as the dodge website calls it. I was wondering if this mad an appreciable difference while towing a 9,000 or 10,000 lbs trailer or 5th wheel? Seems to be hard to find sitting on a dealer's lot via the website.

On another note is the coil over suspension in the rear make towing difference when compared to leaf springs?
 

MADDOG

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The rear self leveling air system works very well when towing. It's nice to have the system to level things out without having to add an aftermarket airbag system and adding or removing air at either end of the tow cycle.

As far as comparing coils vs. leaf systems on the Rams when towing I can't help you. But I can say the coils ride pretty nicely, loaded or unloaded.
 
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bartmoseley

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Thanks Maddog!
 

BossHogg

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I'll reinforce what maddog said about leveling with the factory system. I have the 3500 and the ride is very smooth when the fiver is sitting on its back.

Ride quality, when empty, is more a result of the quality of roads you travel empty. The 3500 is stiff, but on smooth roads it is fine. Can really compare it to the 2500 since I only have a test drive under my belt.
 

reek

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so far I've found mine to be very convenient. definitely the alternate height button helps. lowers the rear for easier trailer hook up. Between that and the back up camera (and turning off the park assist beeping), hooking up my trailer is a painless, almost lazy one man job.
 

spoon059

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I'm poor, so I have a Tradesman with coils. I tow about 8500 lbs, bumper pull. Rear coils handle great. On shorter trips I don't even use a WDH. Going to Florida in 5 weeks (2000 miles round trip), we will use the WDH bars.
 

Boudreaux

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I went to our only dealer here in lake Charles and none of the trucks on the lot had the auto air leveling system and they were out of HD brochures. Am I correct in that the 2500 and 3500 use a different set up. I know the 3500 drw has leafs I assume the 3500 srw has leafs as well? I am nervous about the amount of sag with coil springs without airbags vs a leaf spring set up without air bags. I would think a coil spring would almost have to have them to not ride on the bump stops.
 

EvanYJ350

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3500s still have leaf springs with airbag assist to level. 2500s with air option have no coils or leafs, just air bags. Allows them to sit more level unloaded and ride softer.
 

BossHogg

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I went to our only dealer here in lake Charles and none of the trucks on the lot had the auto air leveling system and they were out of HD brochures.

When I was looking for a 3500 with the air option, I found a few on dealer web sites but quickly learned they were all customer orders.

You can download the HD brochure from RAM's web site, look under the shopping tools tab.

2016 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Work-Ready Truck
 

OutdoorAddict

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I purchased a new 2014 2500 which was in the first group of trucks with Air Suspension to be released from the factory. I have put 32000 miles on it since May of 2014. I was very concerned ordering the truck, since there was very little information about the system except a little bit of information that RAM put out. So far, other than a software update, the air suspension has operated flawlessly. I have read where people complain that it doesn't have enough adjustable settings, but honestly I like how they kept it simple with less things that can go wrong. The system is a closed system that runs on nitrogen so it is not affected as much by cold or moisture. The system works totally automatic. I hauled a truck camper (about 1800 pounds) for 11,000 miles last summer and when you load the camper on the truck (make sure truck is running), and select trailer mode, the truck bed rails drop down to a level position which makes it easier to back under the camper. When I lower the load on the truck, it auto levels perfect every time. In my opinion, the very best feature of the system is the auto leveling, no matter if I am hauling tile, dirt, trailers, etc..., it auto levels every time. I plan on getting a 5th wheel and I am confident that it will handle the load just fine. I loaded a 6 yard trailer with dirt and a friend came to move it with his F250 that had about 15000 miles on it and he bottomed out the leaf springs and the front of the trailer was sitting on the ground, I guess I had it a little tongue heavy! We managed to get it off his truck and load it on my Ram, and the air suspension lifted the load to within an inch of being level. As far as the ride go it is smoother than any 2500 I have ever ridden in, still an HD, but not the hard jarring of other trucks. I did replace the factory sway bar with a Helwig heavy duty sway bar and it made a world of difference when towing the truck camper. Ram should put those on stock all their HD trucks. So, I give the air suspension a thumbs up, I am very glad I purchased it, I think it is much better than aftermarket products. Hope this helps you out.
 

68PowerWagon

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I went to our only dealer here in lake Charles and none of the trucks on the lot had the auto air leveling system and they were out of HD brochures. Am I correct in that the 2500 and 3500 use a different set up. I know the 3500 drw has leafs I assume the 3500 srw has leafs as well? I am nervous about the amount of sag with coil springs without airbags vs a leaf spring set up without air bags. I would think a coil spring would almost have to have them to not ride on the bump stops.

A lot of people think coil springs are a wimpy suspension for cars only but the next time you see a train roll by look at what springs they use. Far more weight there than a HD truck would ever see. It's all in how they are engineered.
I have been reading on some of these threads that there are guys hauling/towing a considerable amount of weight with the truck only dropping about an inch.
You won't see a bunch of those trucks with the air bag system on the lot because it's an expensive option that is customer specific. From what I have read if you do a lot of towing it is an option well worth the money though.
Hope this helps. There is a wealth of information on this forum so read up & test drive several before you buy to ensure you get exactly what you want.:) I researched for months & finally pulled the trigger 1/2/16. I've got a 2500 Outdoorsman being built any day now.:banana-mario:
 

loveracing1988

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I went to our only dealer here in lake Charles and none of the trucks on the lot had the auto air leveling system and they were out of HD brochures. Am I correct in that the 2500 and 3500 use a different set up. I know the 3500 drw has leafs I assume the 3500 srw has leafs as well? I am nervous about the amount of sag with coil springs without airbags vs a leaf spring set up without air bags. I would think a coil spring would almost have to have them to not ride on the bump stops.
A couple years ago someone posted a thread comparing a 3500 Cummins to a 2500 6.4. Towing the same 5th wheel if I remember right the 3500 dropped an inch and the 2500 dropped 1.5" but don't quote me. The point is the difference wasn't that much.
 

SouthTexan

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I went to our only dealer here in lake Charles and none of the trucks on the lot had the auto air leveling system and they were out of HD brochures. Am I correct in that the 2500 and 3500 use a different set up. I know the 3500 drw has leafs I assume the 3500 srw has leafs as well? I am nervous about the amount of sag with coil springs without airbags vs a leaf spring set up without air bags. I would think a coil spring would almost have to have them to not ride on the bump stops.

42 bags of corn and protein weighing 50 lbs each (2,100 lbs total)plus another 100 lbs of tools in the boxes. Still butt high.
20150905_094019.jpg

Total trailer weight is about 8,000 lbs with the expanded metal and pipe (which you can't see) lying on the floor. Sill butt high.
20160115_111502.jpg


31' foot enclosed weighed in about 11,000 lbs total and was very nose heavy due to the tool box's being in front.
About level.
20151125_090934_resized.jpg

37' ft trailer weighing about 12,000 lbs dry and 13-14,000 lbs as you see it in the picture. About level.
20150419_164805.jpg
 
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wyo2track

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barngal

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This is an old post, but exactly the info I have been looking for.
OutdoorAddict, thanks so much for this post. On the Hellwig, aren't there front and rear sway bars, and if so,which one did you replace?
 
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