air suspension-convert or go to coils-towing a camper

[offersjr]

I have a 2013 1500 ram that came with air suspension and has towing capacity of 10,150 lbs. if I go to coil conversion kit, was told the rear of truck would sag(strutmasters). I tow a camper and need the towing capacity that came with the truck using air suspension. How can I convert to coils with same towing capacity and no sag in the rear?

 

[Quick_Shifter]

I have a 2013 1500 ram that came with air suspension and has towing capacity of 10,150 lbs. if I go to coil conversion kit, was told the rear of truck would sag(strutmasters). I tow a camper and need the towing capacity that came with the truck using air suspension. How can I convert to coils with same towing capacity and no sag in the rear?

They make heavier rear coil springs. Or you can do a coil spring conversion and then an airbag from air lift that replaces your bump stop

 

[mtofell]

10,150 lbs.

This is only part of the story.... and the part that is usually less important. What's your payload?

 

[offersjr]

payload can be a max of 1500lbs

 

[mtofell]

payload can be a max of 1500lbs

What's your door sticker say? Brochure weight doesn't take into account the options on your truck. You'll likely be limited far more by payload than max tow weight. Towing 10K+ with a half-ton within specs is rare. The 10K rating can only be achieved with literally nothing in the truck taking off payload.

 

[offersjr]

i was giving the specs. the travel trailer is around 6800lbs loaded.

 

[mtofell]

i was giving the specs. the travel trailer is around 6800lbs loaded.

Still easy to be over payload with that trailer depending on what you put in the turck and what your door sticker says. I had a buddy with your truck and a 1070# payload. Four people in the truck and a couple pieces of firewood in the bed and hes was over payload before hitching up his similar weight trailer. Adding bags and suspension upgrades can help sag but aren't going to reverse the laws of physics..... and the capabilities of your truck.

 

[offersjr]

so keep with air suspension?

 

[mtofell]

so keep with air suspension?

What's the payload on your door jamb?????????

Here's my point..... this is from another thread that I posted on that may fit your situation:

The 1396# payload is usually the most important number as you run out of that pretty early on. That is how much you can put in (people, stuff in the bed) and on (trailer tongue weight) the truck. Since that # was derived as the truck was being driven off the factory line you might want to hit a scale to see what it really is. Every floor mat, aftermarket mod and piece of dirt stuck in the tire tread subtracts from that.

A quick example of what you could tow: Take a 5,000# trailer of some type. Typically, 10-15% of that weight goes on the truck (so takes away from your payload). So, you're now down to 800ish# of people and gear you can put in the truck.

The other towing number is what the truck can pull (this is often just called "max towing". IIRC, most 1500s are 7-10K depending on engine and rear gears. So, if your truck was rated at 10,000# it could only pull that with very little else in the truck since as much as 1500# of that 10K would go on the truck as payload.

Great job coming here to learn BEFORE buying something. #1 rule is don't listen to RV salesmen. As far as they're concerned any truck can tow anything. They just never finish the sentence with, "off the lot."

 

[2003F350]

mtofell is spot on, and one of the better towing advisors here. OP I'd listen to him if I asked for advice and he responded.

OP what mtofell is trying to tell you, is that your truck has a white and yellow sticker inside the door jamb of your driver's front door. It lists the GVWR of your truck, what your payload is, and usually what your axle ratings are. THESE numbers mean more than anything you'll look up online for your truck. And depending on the 1500, we have heard of payloads as low as 900 lbs and as high as 2k+ (usually regular cab long box 2wd work trucks - definitely NOT what you have). If I had to guess, I would say your payload is lower than most, probably in the 1100-1200 range but without the info on your door jamb I'm guessing.

If your truck is truly rated to tow 10k lbs, you'll only get there by towing an equipment trailer with the load almost entirely centered over the axles so the trailer is taking all the weight. You're probably overweight with your current setup.

The truck's physical limitations will run out LONG before you get a travel trailer close to that weight behind you. A 6800 lb travel trailer will have somewhere around 680-750 lbs of tongue weight (possibly more depending on layout). That's a LOT of weight on your truck, and IF you're going to go with this you're going to NEED (not want) a weight distribution hitch and sway control, either separate (how I run) or a combo unit (many will suggest an Anderson or Huky Straightline or something along those lines). Your problem is going to be compounded by the fact that WDH systems don't really play nice with air suspension, so there's a different process you have to run through to set it up properly.

As for converting between coils or upgrading your bags (if it is possible), you are still likely going to be near the limits of your truck either way. Yes, going to coils will make the rear sag more than with your air suspension, your air suspension is probably working REALLY hard to keep your truck level. The thing to remember about coils, factory or otherwise, is that they're variable rate - the more weight you put on them, the higher their spring rate becomes. So as you start to load them up they compress quickly up to a point, then that compression slows down. So even if it looks like it's sagging after hooking up and setting up your WDH, it might actually be where it needs to be, if you've got the weight back on your front axle and back on the trailer's axles.

Hope this makes some sense - it's early, I haven't had coffee yet, and I'm just going off the cuff, I'm sure I've missed some things here and there.

 

[andymax]

The factory air suspension is more than capable of towing anything you can tow that will be inside your payload and towing capacity. I'm not really understanding why you think you need to convert or change it at all.

 

[zrock]

They make heavier rear coil springs. Or you can do a coil spring conversion and then an airbag from air lift that replaces your bump stop

coming from a air ride truck and converting to coils their is not a airbag kit available that will fit in the bumpstop location and work. The bumpstops on a air ride truck have a spacer welded in that would have to be removed and the upper bumpstop rewelded on. If you just try to put bags in their once the weight is down on the truck the bags are totally colapsed leaving no room to hit a bump.. Been their tried several different bags and luckily the manufacturer's were good and refunded me, only bag that would work is the bags that fit inside the coils, if i would have realized this before i did the conversion i would have went with a aftermarket bag system to replace the rear coils and not purchased my wireless controller and hard plumbed everything.

 

[62Blazer]

coming from a air ride truck and converting to coils their is not a airbag kit available that will fit in the bumpstop location and work. The bumpstops on a air ride truck have a spacer welded in that would have to be removed and the upper bumpstop rewelded on. If you just try to put bags in their once the weight is down on the truck the bags are totally colapsed leaving no room to hit a bump.. Been their tried several different bags and luckily the manufacturer's were good and refunded me, only bag that would work is the bags that fit inside the coils, if i would have realized this before i did the conversion i would have went with a aftermarket bag system to replace the rear coils and not purchased my wireless controller and hard plumbed everything.

Great information. I was going to suggest if they converted over to coils they could just install the airbag system, but apparently there are other issues as you stated (I'm not personally familiar with the factory air suspensions). Based on that I would look at the option to install a heavier rated rear coil spring to keep from too much sag.
To address some of the other replies from the Payload Police....Yeah, yeah, I know the "legal" payload capacity and tongue weight don't technically change but the original question is simply what to do to keep from too much sag. It doesn't seem like the OP is asking how to exceed the rated payload or towing capacity, rather he is just concerned with excessive sag. Just keep in mind that on that any truck with a regular spring (coils or leaves) the back will sag to some extent when you add any weight. The only way they would not sag is if you have adjustable rate springs (i.e. adjustable air suspension) or they were super stiff and road like a brick when empty.....if you put 1,500 lbs. of payload in the truck with zero sag, you might as well just straight weld the axle to the frame..... Some sag is expected and not an issue when loaded, it's just that you don't want to sag so much you are constantly hitting the bump stops. If you load a truck up to the rated, and legal, payload (and don't have an adjustable suspension like air ride) it will sag.

 

[2003F350]

Great information. I was going to suggest if they converted over to coils they could just install the airbag system, but apparently there are other issues as you stated (I'm not personally familiar with the factory air suspensions). Based on that I would look at the option to install a heavier rated rear coil spring to keep from too much sag.
To address some of the other replies from the Payload Police....Yeah, yeah, I know the "legal" payload capacity and tongue weight don't technically change but the original question is simply what to do to keep from too much sag. It doesn't seem like the OP is asking how to exceed the rated payload or towing capacity, rather he is just concerned with excessive sag. Just keep in mind that on that any truck with a regular spring (coils or leaves) the back will sag to some extent when you add any weight. The only way they would not sag is if you have adjustable rate springs (i.e. adjustable air suspension) or they were super stiff and road like a brick when empty.....if you put 1,500 lbs. of payload in the truck with zero sag, you might as well just straight weld the axle to the frame..... Some sag is expected and not an issue when loaded, it's just that you don't want to sag so much you are constantly hitting the bump stops. If you load a truck up to the rated, and legal, payload (and don't have an adjustable suspension like air ride) it will sag.

I think that was the point I was trying to get across, along with addressing the limitations of the truck - springs are going to sag, that's how you know they're functioning. I was also trying to point out that just because a truck isn't sitting level anymore doesn't mean it is overloaded.

 

[62Blazer]

I think that was the point I was trying to get across, along with addressing the limitations of the truck - springs are going to sag, that's how you know they're functioning. I was also trying to point out that just because a truck isn't sitting level anymore doesn't mean it is overloaded.

Completely agree.
I see people put 1,000 lbs. in the bed of the truck that is rated for 1,500 lbs., and it sags an inch or two and they freak out thinking something is wrong.

 

[offersjr]

looked on door panel (tire and loading information) and says occupants and cargo should never exceed 1278lbs. why isn't this matching the spec sheet below of either 1,660 or 1,540 payload?

this is a 2013 ram laramie 5'7"crew cab 4x2, 3.92 axle, 5.7L Hemi V8.

the gawr on the other sticker on the side door matches the specs of 3900lbs front gawr, 3900 rear gawr (20inch rims) and gvwr of 6800lbs

from the spec sheets for payload and trailer weight:

 

[2003F350]

looked on door panel (tire and loading information) and says occupants and cargo should never exceed 1278lbs. why isn't this matching the spec sheet below of either 1,660 or 1,540 payload?

this is a 2013 ram laramie 5'7"crew cab 4x2, 3.92 axle, 5.7L Hemi V8.

the gawr on the other sticker on the side door matches the specs of 3900lbs front gawr, 3900 rear gawr (20inch rims) and gvwr of 6800lbs

from the spec sheets for payload and trailer weight:
View attachment 529629
View attachment 529630

It doesn't match because the spec sheet is for that vehicle with no options other than the powertrain configuration. Because you have a Laramie, you've got a decent load out of options that a Tradesman doesn't have. Every little option added to the truck takes away from your rated payload.

Be glad you don't have a fully loaded Limited...some of those are down around 1k for payload. You technically can't haul much more than 4 full grown adults.

 

[crash68]

looked on door panel (tire and loading information) and says occupants and cargo should never exceed 1278lbs. why isn't this matching the spec sheet below of either 1,660 or 1,540 payload?

as mentioned above it the added extras on the truck that reduces the payload. The air suspension itself lowers the payload as it requires a compressor module and air tanks.
If you decide to swap to a traditional coil suspension, look into TufTruck springs for the rear, they offer versions to minimize rear end drop.