Newbie Questions on Air Suspension & Aero-mode

[MRector]

My wife and I purchased a 2021 RAM 1500 Limited Crew Cab 4x4 in April (with 54k miles, 5.7L V8 Hemi, 3.92 Rear Axle, Air Suspension & 22" black aluminum factory Rims). Two issues concern / confuse us regarding the Air Suspension and I am looking for member experience / advice:
(1) "AERO MODE": When vehicle suspension lowers to "Aero Mode" (manually or automatically), road ride feels stiff, like bucking bronco (like no shock absorbing activity at all is happening in suspension system). Even the (used car) salesman sitting in back seat admitted feeling nauseating. Found in "settings" where we can disable vehicle from entering "Aero Mode" above certain speed (55mph?). While that "solved" the symptoms, it doesn't explain the cause of brutal ride. Seems like engineers would night try to increase fuel economy at expense of passengers throwing up? Anybody else experience this? Did you find a solution / repair?

(2) "TIRE JACK MODE": When we lower air suspension to lowest ride height setting to assist connecting to trailer, Rear axle Air Suspension goes into "TIRE-JACK MODE", rising to the full est height possible. Obviously not helpful in trying to get UNDERNEATH a trailer coupling mechanism and also dangerous if in the process of connecting / disconnecting to trailer.

Thanks in advance!

 

[cdn cj]

I can’t help with your aero issue but when connecting to a trailer you should have it in tire jack mode before you begin.
Get yourself an electric trailer jack so you don’t have to worry about dropping 2 inches to make it easier.
Back under ,activate tire jack mode then drop trailer to hitch, raise the truck with jack and attach bars to your liking then lower everything down.
The suspension will then make minor adjustments to level your truck.

 

[MRector]

Thanks, I'll check that out.

 

[Pops4163]

As per my experience, I haven't had the rough in aero mode. I honestly can't tell much difference between areo and normal ride height. Was the air ride worth, for me definitely. With 6 back surgery's, yes, it helps, but some bumps in the road are still rough riding, others just float across them. As far as the raising to jack mode I don't have that problem. I drop suspension to entry/exit, back under trailer, then raise suspension back up to hook trailer up. So I'm not sure what's going on with that.

 

[Stavinksi]

My off road group equipped air ride truck Aero=normal as near as I can tell. If I put it in entry/exit it rides like it’s on the bump stops and is awful. It automatically moves up from entry mode if I go over maybe 10-15. Would shake fillings out if it didn’t. Can the ride height fall out of calibration somehow?

 

[archaus]

A former owner swapped the stock air sensor links out for aftermarket ones to lower it. I just did this over the weekend and had the EXACT same experience.

 

[MRector]

My wife and I purchased a 2021 RAM 1500 Limited Crew Cab 4x4 in April (with 54k miles, 5.7L V8 Hemi, 3.92 Rear Axle, Air Suspension & 22" black aluminum factory Rims). Two issues concern / confuse us regarding the Air Suspension and I am looking for member experience / advice:
(1) "AERO MODE": When vehicle suspension lowers to "Aero Mode" (manually or automatically), road ride feels stiff, like bucking bronco (like no shock absorbing activity at all is happening in suspension system). Even the (used car) salesman sitting in back seat admitted feeling nauseating. Found in "settings" where we can disable vehicle from entering "Aero Mode" above certain speed (55mph?). While that "solved" the symptoms, it doesn't explain the cause of brutal ride. Seems like engineers would night try to increase fuel economy at expense of passengers throwing up? Anybody else experience this? Did you find a solution / repair?

(2) "TIRE JACK MODE": When we lower air suspension to lowest ride height setting to assist connecting to trailer, Rear axle Air Suspension goes into "TIRE-JACK MODE", rising to the full est height possible. Obviously not helpful in trying to get UNDERNEATH a trailer coupling mechanism and also dangerous if in the process of connecting / disconnecting to trailer.

Thanks in advance!

*(UPDATE)* Took RAM to dealership. They found previous owner installed aftermarket height sensor for air ride and were set about 1 inch lower than OEM. When Air Suspension was lowered to "Aero Mode", it was effectively lowering truck to rubber "bump stops" And when placing Air Suspension in "Entry/Exit" mode, the truck detected it had hit its bottom limit and responded by raising to TIRE JACK (recovery) mode. Dealership reprogrammed & recalibrated all 4 corner Air Suspension and now all issues resolved (YAY!).

 

[Edward Hands]

*(UPDATE)* Took RAM to dealership. They found previous owner installed aftermarket height sensor for air ride and were set about 1 inch lower than OEM. When Air Suspension was lowered to "Aero Mode", it was effectively lowering truck to rubber "bump stops" And when placing Air Suspension in "Entry/Exit" mode, the truck detected it had hit its bottom limit and responded by raising to TIRE JACK (recovery) mode. Dealership reprogrammed & recalibrated all 4 corner Air Suspension and now all issues resolved (YAY!).

I ran the lowering links for a while and either that or the 80,000 miles I have put on my 2020 Longhorn seemed to take it's toll on the rear shocks.
I just recently installed a pair of Bilstein 24-228848 rear shocks and a Hellwig 7709 rear anti-sway bar. They were highly recommended and the results were that it restored truly "Better than new" ride quality. Not bad for an easy and quick DIY project.