Air suspension vs. no- major difference on 2021 1500?

[Nashveygus]

Out of curiosity, is there a remarkable difference in air suspension vs. regular suspension for every day driving in mild Tennessee weather, and long trips to the Smokies and the Gulf? I only tow my 21' Harris pontoon a couple times/year (I keep it docked on a lift at Priest Lake) to area lakes here in Middle Tennessee, very little hauling and medium loads on our trips. My 2021 Laramie 4x4 5.7 with standard suspension and stock Bridgestone tires rides smoother and much quieter than Wife's Lexus- all things considered. Just the best truck and vehicle I've ever owned bar none.

I do like the lowering feature and leveling while towing, but did I really miss the boat on air?

Great forum- Cheers!

 

[DILLIGAF]

Its a cheap system with major flaws, Its so bad most guys delete it.

So yes you missed out on wasting money... lol...

 

[DanAR]

It’s very comfortable on my 23 Limited but I don’t have any experience with the standard suspension.

 

[markabby]

my 2020 Limited has it...never had an issue...keeps the truck level when i load the box up or with a trailer.

My only complaint with the truck is it seems like the rear passenger door emits road noise a lot for some reason. It's almost like the window is open slightly or the door isn't closed completely. Someday i'll have to investigate why.

Other than that, it's a quiet comfortable ride.

 

[Dave Haddon]

Rear door noise was a small issue with my Warlock crew cab with the K9's in back..so took the pnaels of and put sound deadener in the rear doors, under the seat and along the back eall. Rides quiet like a bird in flight!

 

[andymax]

Its a cheap system with major flaws, Its so bad most guys delete it.

So yes you missed out on wasting money... lol...

I would have to strongly disagree with this as a general statement. It is well known that the system has issues in extreme cold and some have deleted, but to say "most have deleted' is just not true. I had the air on my last vehicle...not a single issue in over 229K miles. I know for a fact that I am far from alone and in Tennessee you'd have very few, if any issues.

OP...having had both, I'd say the ride is very similar so I don't think you missed anything substantial in that regard. However, there are many conveniences to be had with it...not the least of which is doing a simple oil change without a jack.

 

[mikeru]

Its a cheap system with major flaws, Its so bad most guys delete it.

So yes you missed out on wasting money... lol...

4th gen owner in Canada. I can see why you would have a low opinion of air suspension. The system on 4th gens definitely had its problems, espeically in colder climates. The system in 5th gens was redesigned and hasn't had nearly the same number of problems. Our 2020 Limited has it and it's been working flawlessly. It's nice to have the ability to raise and lower the truck at the press of a switch, especially for things like oil changes and other maintenance, and for some of my shorter passengers to get in and out of the truck easier. And it's nice for towing.

Having said that, I don't think there's much of a difference in ride comfort between the two suspension systems. So if your only reason for considering it is comfort you might as well save your money. I would also say that all air suspension systems will eventually fail long after the warranty expires. So if you're planning to keep it long term you might want to avoid it.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Only experience with the air suspension was from test drives of the Rebel with and without back to back. Not enough difference to be worth the cost and complexity to me, personally. Even over railroad tracks at speed, etc.

If I needed a leveling feature or my knees were more shot so the lowering for easier entry mattered to me, I'd likely be more interested.

 

[CanRebel]

I have it on my 21 Rebel. Live in Canada. I'm not in coldest area. Zero issues so far.

Few likes. Nice when I'm towing a bit heavy. I like the fact I can go from Normal to Aero mode when I want.
As I'm off-roading with my Rebel. Off-Road mode is "OK" A "real" lift would be better. It drops when you go over 30km in Off-Road mode. Very annoying.

I drove same year of Rebel with and without. I noticed no difference.

Sometimes I use exit/enter mode, my youngest is 6 not very tall, she prefers off-road mode so she can jump out.

 

[cdn cj]

My 09 with coils was a smooth comfortable ride. Same with my 14 with air ride. I’d say no difference in those two.
When I deleted the air I opted for the heavier towing coils and cheaped out with Rough Country struts. Definitely rougher (hence the name apparently).

 

[Ramulus]

For about a month, I've been on Bilsteins at 2.1" front and +1" lift springs/Bilstein 5100s rear after being on air ride for 7 years/71K on my 2016. It's not really comparing air suspension to OEM Ram suspension in that regard, but I'll give my thoughts.

I'm sitting higher at normal ride height with Bilsteins than I was with the air suspension. The sports car feel of the air ride is gone, and it definitely feels like more of a truck now. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but the truck doesn't feel as nimble as it was before. I think a lot of that has to do with the front end being higher, and not necessarily the damping of the suspension. As far as damping goes, going over speed bumps and such they are not so different feeling.

I miss the conveniences of the air ride system. Being able to lower it to fit into the garage when needed was nice. I also liked how it lowered at highway speed to get more MPG. I notice a difference in MPG compared to being leveled with Bilsteins.

I only deleted mine because the rear bags gave out and left me sitting on the bump stops while on a road trip. So I spent some time researching threads about the air ride system. A lot of DIY fixes and such. Some great knowledge here and on other forums. A lot of the DIY fixes I've seen didn't last long before they started having problems again. Then, the only reasonably priced parts were remanufactured, and I've not had great luck with reman parts for other vehicles. This is one of those YMMV situations, and I'm sure there are those who have zero issues. I'm sure a lot of owners who only keep their truck 5 years or less never experience issues with the air ride system.

In the end, I decided that when I use my truck I need it to function and not worry about it.

 

[brian42]

Both suspensions ride about the same. The air is a bit firmer IMO, but not much. My dad has a '20 with air and I had a '19 with springs (ORG package) and I think mine was a bit smoother...but I couldn't raise/lower/level the truck at the touch of a button.

 

[mrock]

It probably depends on where you live. I had a 2015 Longhorn and still have a 2016 Longhorn, both with air suspension. I live in the mountains in Colorado. Constant suspension problems with both trucks. On cold mornings it looked like it had a flat tire. After awhile it started happening even in warm weather. Replaced the air with coil after Ram admitted it wasn't working properly but did not know how to fix it.

 

[MSandRebel]

I’ve had my Rebel for about 4 years and just started having issues with leaks at 120km. Thankfully I’am able to fix it at a reasonably low cost, but I’am still considering a swap… idk yet. The long rides, i due notice and appreciate the air ride. Theres a difference it’s smoother. Handles better then i think this truck should for its size. Slow speed with rough roads and off road, no difference.

Lowering for easy entry for some passengers and loading the bed is great. Lowering then raising to hitch up to the trailer is pretty sweet too. Load leveling. (never any rear sag) I’d buy another truck with it again.

 

[MSandRebel]

Also saying these components are cheap, can’t agree with that.
These air suspension components are used in many manufacturers. I just had a new BMW IX apart the other day. It has the same air distribution manifold as my 2017 rebel. The air bag components are made by continental and you’ll find many manufacturers are using their parts. Bmw, Tesla, Porsche, Audi, etc.

It’s a cheap system with major flaws, Its so bad most guys delete it.

So yes you missed out on wasting money... lol...

 

[Jim113]

I've had three RAM Longhorns all with air suspension and never had a problem with any of them ... I've seen a lot of comments on here about problems in cold weather but I have had no issues, and I'm in Canada ... I use my truck mainly for city and highway driving and I did have a boat at one time that I towed without any issues ... I love it on the highway for the comfort and it leans into corners nicely ... It automatically adjusts from exit/entry mode to normal ride height once you're moving and then goes into Aero mode once you hit 60 mph or more ... When your speed drops below 60 in then returns to normal ride height ... Once you park you can hit the dash button twice and it will lower back to exit/entry mode ...

 

[Baoluo]

I have a 2024 Limited with air suspension. Mine rides so smooth. And I love being able to lower it for my aging parents to get in easier. I also tow and it helps when hooking the rv up. Previously I had a 2017 Laramie. I feel the ride is smother for me on the Limited. The air suspension works great for me and I'm very happy to have it. As a silly side note, I sometimes enjoy putting it in Offroad 2, the highest mode, when I park. That way when I'm walking back to the truck I can see it tall and lifted I told you it was silly.

 

[mikeru]

We like to put it in OR2 and deploy the power steps when parking in a public lot. Helps to reduce the number of door dings since most car doors don't clear the steps.

 

[KKBB]

We like to put it in OR2 and deploy the power steps when parking in a public lot. Helps to reduce the number of door dings since most car doors don't clear the steps.

I like to park a long ways away from everyone else!!! It doesn't make my wife happy, but I don't get door dings. I always tell her she has no problem walking around a store for 5 hours, so she shouldn't have a problem with a 3 minute walk to the front door!!!

 

[TestPilot57]

Its a cheap system with major flaws, Its so bad most guys delete it.

I've had it on 2 Rams with 0 problems that I didn't create myself (and they were minor and easily fixed).

"Delete it"? Really? Why would you buy a truck with a $1700 (IIRC) option, then spend another $*** to delete it? If you don't want it, buy a truck without it!

Back to the OP, I guess it's too late now (why do people ask after the fact?!!), but one of the really cool things about the 4CAS is that you can manually change the ride height.

1. Lower the truck to Entry/Exit
2. Back up to the trailer and adjust the jack so you can just go under it.
3. Back under the coupling.
4. Raise to OR 2. This should take the trailer off the jack (4" raise) and engage the coupling. Close the couple, swing your trailer jack to the side and latch it, hitch up safety chains, electric, whatever. Drive off.

When done, reverse the above procedure.

With a backup camera, the whole trailer hookup/disconnect becomes just slightly more than child's play.

But if you want to be a MAN and do it the HARD WAY, be my guest. Note, however, that doing so will not grant you an entrance to the kingdom of heaven.