Air Suspension - who knew?

[gwilburn]

So I jumped from a 2014 to a 2024... both have air suspension. I've been noticing that my new truck seems "higher" than the 2014 - I thought it was just due to the lack of side steps. Then I discovered on the 2024 there's actually TWO modes you can drive over the road in.
Normal and Aero.
1. The old truck had ONE mode - Normal, which is not as high as the 2024
2. The old truck would go to Aero mode at 62 mph and come back out when you dropped too far below that

I like the truck in Normal mode because it "levels" the front end compared to the other "normally sprung" Rams in the parking lot at work.
Just thought this was cool.

(and don't start bashing the air suspension... I had it for 10 years. It had quirks in the cold, but always worked itself out)

 

[Stavinksi]

5th gen also should have a switch on the dash to raise to off road heights. 5 user selectable heights from low rider entry exit to off road 2. 4 heights if you have off road group as well.

 

[Bill A]

My 2021 Limited the aero mode kicks in at 65mph and will usually stay there until almost at a stop. I especially like how the air suspension fine tunes my trailer towing attitude and keeps everything level in normal mode.

 

[CanRebel]

My Rebel only has one off-road mode. I can turn off lowering option for aero/normal.
It does lower off-road mode when going over 30-35KM which is annoying.

My truck is almost always in aero mode, unless off-roading.

Zero issues in cold so far.

 

[1stindoor]

My wife's Jeep GC Overland had that...she always thought it was pretty cool.

 

[gwilburn]

Yes... for the most part I liked my air suspension on the 2014. It had the off road 1 and off road 2 settings as well.
It really didn't act up until March of 2020. It sat a week in temps that ranged from 50F down to around 0F. After that episode it was fine until last year. The right side (mostly rear) would "deflate" when sitting for a while.

I really got it for the trailer towing... auto leveling is nice. So is lowering to back in under the hitch.

Looks like they're trying to protect the compressor a bit more than 10 years go.

 

[oe542bob]

I have a 2022 Longhorn with the air ride. It only has the 4 levels because I ordered the “off-road” option. The normal is 1” higher than the normal on the regular non-off road set up. I usually drive around in aero-mode, but when I am feeling big, I usually run in normal!
One thing I found out is, if I’m driving in aero, I can’t move the suspension up to normal if I’m driving at any speed over around 20 mph. But I can put it in normal ( before I drive or if I’m going slow enough), I can drive at any speed with it.
This is my 3rd Ram 1500 with the air ride.

 

[Calicajun]

Interesting information in about the selectable setting for the Air Suspension on the trucks. I have a 2023 Limited Mega Cab with air suspension but have only found one button that only changes the to trailer mode.

 

[TC Retired]

I love the air ride and almost always keep the Aero mode on -- except in deep snow. Love that feature when we get more than a few inches. Especially when the 20+ storms roll through.
By the way, Aero mode will lower to 2 when above 35 mph (I think that's the magic number).

 

[Weebear]

My Rebel only has one off-road mode. I can turn off lowering option for aero/normal.
It does lower off-road mode when going over 30-35KM which is annoying.

My truck is almost always in aero mode, unless off-roading.

Zero issues in cold so far.

Same with my 2019. I can kinda sorta understand why they require the drop in height from "Off-Road" to "Normal" going over about 25 mph (I'm in Virginia), but then again, there are many people with lift kits higher than our Off-Road mode.

I have had zero issues in cold as well (knock on wood), but then again I am in Virginia to cold is a relative (read "mild") term.

 

[gwilburn]

Interesting information in about the selectable setting for the Air Suspension on the trucks. I have a 2023 Limited Mega Cab with air suspension but have only found one button that only changes the to trailer mode.

AFAIK the 2500 and up only have air helpers on the rear. The 1500's have 4-corner air suspension (no coil springs)

 

[needtoknow]

will air suspension give you a much smoother better ride?

 

[gwilburn]

I think it's a smoother ride... but it could all be in my head. I honestly don't think you can tell

 

[oe542bob]

The 2500’s have air bags in the rear only. If it was optioned that way.

 

[SaintlySins]

I've got the '21 1500 Limited EcoDiesel.
I'm also a former rally driver, so I'm tuned in to suspension values. I enjoyed reading your posts, and feel the desire to contribute my 2 cents.

I played with the suspension settings over 6 months and 20K miles during the Pandemic - while everyone stayed home, it made the highways vacant, so I drove all over this incredible Country with the peddle welded to the floor with my right foot. No police, no Foresty Dept, no State Police ... it was a racers dream ... (except of course that the truck can't get over 106 MPH ;- ) ... during this time I monitored every aspect of this truck, it's MPG, different Diesel Additives, Regular DEF and Platinum DEF down to a macro level. Here's my take on the suspension:

I don't like how soft the ride is in Aero or Normal at highway speeds ... of course that's because I like the feedback of a stiff (racing) suspension. At the same time, in the downtown Denver area, I'm grateful for how compliant it is on the never-ending-road-construction, patches and holes that are seat rocking, beverage spilling obstical courses. It really smooths out the ride more than any conventional suspension system I've ever had.

I have found that putting the Tow/Haul mode on will tighten the suspension a touch (wish it was more), at the same time it also changes the Shift and Engine Management to be a little more agressive - an ideal conditon when towing/hauling, even better when not towing/hauling and want to maintain higher speeds in the Rocky Mountain Twisties. Of course I could've gone up to a 2500 or 3500 for an even tighter suspension, but that's a bit of overkill for my needs.

I bounce between Western Denver (Golden) and Breckenridge. Temps got down to -22 a time or two last year and I never had any issues with the suspension adjusting up or down, nor have I seen any air loss or suspension change when it sits for a week to ten days inside a temp controlled garage or out in the fridged, mountain air - after reading a few posts, I consider myself lucky my system is "air tight".

When I do tow (from 1000 lbs to 7800 lbs) ... the self leveling when towing is AMAZING! I've never had a better towing experience in any other vehicle.

As far as the Aero setting ... I appreciate it in straight or mildly curved roads as it does help with MPG over a multi-tank drive, by as much as 30 to 40 miles more per tankful on highways ... especially in the American Flatlands like Nebraska, Kansas, etc.

My 5 suspension levels worth.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Yes... for the most part I liked my air suspension on the 2014. It had the off road 1 and off road 2 settings as well.
It really didn't act up until March of 2020. It sat a week in temps that ranged from 50F down to around 0F. After that episode it was fine until last year. The right side (mostly rear) would "deflate" when sitting for a while.

I really got it for the trailer towing... auto leveling is nice. So is lowering to back in under the hitch.

Looks like they're trying to protect the compressor a bit more than 10 years go.

What exactly does it do to make towing better? I mean other than smooth out the ride a little.

 

[gwilburn]

What exactly does it do to make towing better? I mean other than smooth out the ride a little.

It automatically levels the truck as soon as the trailer is attached (tongue weight). It stiffens the rear suspension to handle the extra load.
I often tow my trailer 800 miles north into the UP of Michigan during January and February. Believe me, when you get on a snowcovered interstate pulling a 28' enclosed trailer (6' tall, 102" wide weighing 6000 lbs), having the load distributed correctly on the truck is a big deal.

 

[Tulecreeper]

It automatically levels the truck as soon as the trailer is attached (tongue weight). It stiffens the rear suspension to handle the extra load.
I often tow my trailer 800 miles north into the UP of Michigan during January and February. Believe me, when you get on a snowcovered interstate pulling a 28' enclosed trailer (6' tall, 102" wide weighing 6000 lbs), having the load distributed correctly on the truck is a big deal.

But pumping up air bags only levels the body, it does little to stiffen the suspension or "redistribute" the load. Your springs/coils are still going to be squished down the same whether or not you use air bags. The only way to take weight off the rear axle and put some back on the front axle is with a WDH.

 

[TestPilot57]

Interesting information in about the selectable setting for the Air Suspension on the trucks. I have a 2023 Limited Mega Cab with air suspension but have only found one button that only changes the to trailer mode.

I believe the 2500/3500s with air suspension is only for the rear. 1500s are a totally different system, which controls both F&R.

 

[crash68]

The only way to take weight off the rear axle and put some back on the front axle is with a WDH.

^^^ this

having the load distributed correctly on the truck is a big deal.

This video shows the difference between a WDH and Airbags:

The Difference Between Using Weight Distribution and Air Bags to Level Your Load

Fastway engineers Jason Harper and Matt Barnes investigate the difference between using either a rear axle air bag system, or a weight distribution hitch to ...

youtu.be