Jelyse, your questions are spot on.
Let me answer your questions like this:
1. Ride comparison - no spring setup will match the smoothness of air ride (period...end of report), which is why 'air ride' is a premium option and costs a pretty penny.
2. Reliability - air ride will fail. Not an issue of "IF", but "WHEN" and the "WHEN" is very frustrating. I kept an air nipple in my truck to add compressed air to my system when needed
3. The Rancho coilovers in the front allow me to set the front as firm or soft as I want which is really nice
4. The Bilstein coils in the rear are fine. Nothing special about them, but they are 1" oversized
I have not towed anything since I swapped the air ride for coilovers, but I have had several loads of sand and/or mulch (1 yard at a time) in my truck with no problems. Yes, the truck will ride low in the rear without air suspension, but it doesn't bottom out on the bump stops anymore
.
- Am I glad I replaced the air ride with coilovers? ABSOLUTELY
- Is the coilover suspension as soft as air ride? NOPE...but not far from it. I'm pleased with it.
- If I had to do it over, would I change anything? Perhaps...I may swap my rear Bilstein 4600 shocks for Rancho adjustables to allow me to firm up the rear like the front. But that is the only thing I would change.
The air ride just had too many issues that kept popping up and the cost to fix it was too high. I no longer have to worry about my suspension dropping on the bumpstops!!!!!!!!!!