Air suspension help! Settings off?

[themust]

'21 air suspension feels like all the height settings have shifted downward. Toggling down to the lowest setting puts it in "Tire Jack Mode" and all the various ride settings feel like they are one below what it says. The thread below chronicles the ongoing saga.

Here's today's update to that post. Any guidance appreciated! Air suspension service immediately

After 10 days at the first shop, they said they couldn't finish the job and it had to go to Ram. They pressurized the system tank and let it sit through the weekend. The various heights were in line with specs, they said. HOWEVER: The truck rides horribly! It basically feels as though all the ride height settings have shifted downward. So when the truck is in "Normal" mode, it looks and feels like I'm in "Aero" mode. For the truck to feel "normal" it has to be on "Off-Road 1" position. On the Freeway it automatically skips down from "Off road 1" to "Aero" and rides like a low-rider, undulating and porpoising over over bumps. It won't stay on "normal" mode at freeway speeds. So if you've ever driven your ram on "entry/exit" mode, that's what "aero" now feels like. Dealer says no codes are being thrown so there's not a problem. The guys was also no help in discussing the fact that this truck has the "Off Road Group" which may or may not come with a 1" lift (though some of these forums say it does, and some say it doesn't). There is also some suspicion from another dealer several months ago that the prior owner had aftermarket links to provide a level for the enormous 35X12.5 Yokohamas he had to accommodate. (I've since moved to stock size tires). So I'm not sure what effect that could have on the system calibrations for ride height. They say it drives fine, but I took the foreman out in it and he basically says without a code there's nothing they can do. Is it possible there's too much pressure in the system? That's what it feels like but I don't know enough about how these air suspensions work and the dealer is throwing his hands up. Any advice appreciated.

Air suspension service immediately

10 days ago I got a message that said to service the air suspension immediately. Truck staying in aero mode now and compressor runs frequently. Ram dealer was useless and rude but I need to have it checked out and serviced. Apparently my CPO is drivetrain only. Independent shops (with one...

5thgenrams.com

 

[HSKR R/T]

'21 air suspension feels like all the height settings have shifted downward. Toggling down to the lowest setting puts it in "Tire Jack Mode" and all the various ride settings feel like they are one below what it says. The thread below chronicles the ongoing saga.

Here's today's update to that post. Any guidance appreciated! Air suspension service immediately

After 10 days at the first shop, they said they couldn't finish the job and it had to go to Ram. They pressurized the system tank and let it sit through the weekend. The various heights were in line with specs, they said. HOWEVER: The truck rides horribly! It basically feels as though all the ride height settings have shifted downward. So when the truck is in "Normal" mode, it looks and feels like I'm in "Aero" mode. For the truck to feel "normal" it has to be on "Off-Road 1" position. On the Freeway it automatically skips down from "Off road 1" to "Aero" and rides like a low-rider, undulating and porpoising over over bumps. It won't stay on "normal" mode at freeway speeds. So if you've ever driven your ram on "entry/exit" mode, that's what "aero" now feels like. Dealer says no codes are being thrown so there's not a problem. The guys was also no help in discussing the fact that this truck has the "Off Road Group" which may or may not come with a 1" lift (though some of these forums say it does, and some say it doesn't). There is also some suspicion from another dealer several months ago that the prior owner had aftermarket links to provide a level for the enormous 35X12.5 Yokohamas he had to accommodate. (I've since moved to stock size tires). So I'm not sure what effect that could have on the system calibrations for ride height. They say it drives fine, but I took the foreman out in it and he basically says without a code there's nothing they can do. Is it possible there's too much pressure in the system? That's what it feels like but I don't know enough about how these air suspensions work and the dealer is throwing his hands up. Any advice appreciated.

Air suspension service immediately

10 days ago I got a message that said to service the air suspension immediately. Truck staying in aero mode now and compressor runs frequently. Ram dealer was useless and rude but I need to have it checked out and serviced. Apparently my CPO is drivetrain only. Independent shops (with one...

5thgenrams.com

Did you remove the leveling links? The off road package on the air suspension trucks just gives you the off-road 2 settings they don't sit higher in normal mode like the coil springs trucks.

 

[themust]

Did you remove the leveling links? The off road package on the air suspension trucks just gives you the off-road 2 settings they don't sit higher in normal mode like the coil springs trucks.

I don't have the chops to do real work myself. I installed a Hellweg Anti-sway bar a few weeks ago in the rear, but that was pretty simple. My "seat of the pants" assessment is that it simply rides like crap except in "off Road 1" around town, but that won't let me go over 45MPH. Except for esthetic considerations, I mostly don't care how high it rides around town (90% of my driving). But the ride quality is untenable for a truck like this. Removing the links and experimenting would require a mechanic who's willing to work with me on this.

 

[themust]

Here's another link from a while ago that includes some pics of the links and some prior suspension/Tire/Wheel issues with this truck:

Tires 22s with level saga

So I replaced my ‘19 Laramie with a 21 Limited. The new ride is much harsher, less secure, worse mileage, vibrate, etc. Yokohama geolander AT X 12.5 x 35 x 22. I bought the truck with these tires and the level links already on it, though I wasn’t aware of it at the time of purchase from the...

5thgenrams.com

 

[Rick3478]

'21 air suspension feels like all the height settings have shifted downward. Toggling down to the lowest setting puts it in "Tire Jack Mode" and all the various ride settings feel like they are one below what it says. The thread below chronicles the ongoing saga.

There is also some suspicion from another dealer several months ago that the prior owner had aftermarket links to provide a level for the enormous 35X12.5 Yokohamas he had to accommodate. (I've since moved to stock size tires).

I think I'd follow up on that "suspicion" by measuring the links, and compare them with OEM. Or if you know someone who has a truck you consider to be "normal" and won't mind you crawling under to measure things.

 

[themust]

Did you remove the leveling links? The off road package on the air suspension trucks just gives you the off-road 2 settings they don't sit higher in normal mode like the coil springs trucks.

So even if I confirm that the links are aftermarket and they level the truck, how would I/They adjust the truck's settings/sensors to ride normally again?

 

[Rick3478]

So even if I confirm that the links are aftermarket and they level the truck, how would I/They adjust the truck's settings/sensors to ride normally again?

Lot of guesswork. I don't know what all is inside the shocks/struts, but the valving may change depending on height. If link length has been changed, ride stiffness may not match what is needed for the height, and if that's all that was changed, putting links back to OEM would restore the designed relationship between height and valving.

I might also look for any pucks/spacers that may have been added for lift. Dealer should have noticed that, I'd have thought, but here we are ...

 

[themust]

Lot of guesswork. I don't know what all is inside the shocks/struts, but the valving may change depending on height. If link length has been changed, ride stiffness may not match what is needed for the height, and if that's all that was changed, putting links back to OEM would restore the designed relationship between height and valving.

I might also look for any pucks/spacers that may have been added for lift. Dealer should have noticed that, I'd have thought, but here we are ...

Yes. I think you’re on the right track with aftermarket links essentially confusing the system and needing to experiment. However, finding a mechanic with the expertise and willingness to work with me on this has been elusive.

 

[mikeru82]

So even if I confirm that the links are aftermarket and they level the truck, how would I/They adjust the truck's settings/sensors to ride normally again?

Put the links to stock lengths or reinstall the factory links to see how it rides. I had leveling links on a previous truck for a couple weeks but didn't like how they affected the ride so I went back to the stock links.

 

[themust]

I would love to do that but would require a mechanic to work with me on performing the actual experiment. (Unless removing the links and replacing them is relatively easy without a lift). Its also Certified Pre-Owned, so it was sold to me by a Ram dealer (1000 miles from where I live) and the Ram dealer with whom I've been working locally doesn't seem to care or wish to assist me with getting in contact with Ram to sort this out.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I would love to do that but would require a mechanic to work with me on performing the actual experiment. (Unless removing the links and replacing them is relatively easy without a lift). Its also Certified Pre-Owned, so it was sold to me by a Ram dealer (1000 miles from where I live) and the Ram dealer with whom I've been working locally doesn't seem to care or wish to assist me with getting in contact with Ram to sort this out.

The links just snap on and pop off

 

[kapinallinen2]

In a nut shell, from what I gather.

All the links do is control where the height sensor resistors sit at.
The sensors "report" the current distance between the suspension and the frame to the ASCM.
The ASCM then determines if the current ride height is what the operator has requested and adjusts the nitrogen pressure in the bags accordingly.

If the links have been modified, lets say, made shorter, then the ASCM thinks that the vehicle is riding too high and will transfer nitrogen back to the storage tanks.
Or, if there are any added leveling blocks with out longer links added, the result is the same.
Opposite is true with links that are too long.

Then, there is the alfaobd twist.
The system ride height settings could have been re-programmed by someone.

 

[Pikeman_66]

In a nut shell, from what I gather.

All the links do is control where the height sensor resistors sit at.
The sensors "report" the current distance between the suspension and the frame to the ASCM.
The ASCM then determines if the current ride height is what the operator has requested and adjusts the nitrogen pressure in the bags accordingly.

If the links have been modified, lets say, made shorter, then the ASCM thinks that the vehicle is riding too high and will transfer nitrogen back to the storage tanks.
Or, if there are any added leveling blocks with out longer links added, the result is the same.
Opposite is true with links that are too long.

Then, there is the alfaobd twist.
The system ride height settings could have been re-programmed by someone.

There is another post somewhere on the site where the owner had used alpha to adjust some of the air ride settings and it messed everything up. If I remember right he had to reset some settings to get the truck to ride right again. I remember it was that he had entered incompatible digits for each corner in some way. I am by no means a pro on rams as I am new to the brand but I remember reading this hear as part of my learning process on the trucks and what to expect when mine shows up.

 

[detroitm2]

If those links are not set to the stock length, that would do exactly as your describing.

Just get some oem links and put them on there, or find someone to measure the oem links (im sure it's probably on the forum somewhere) and adjust the links you have to the proper size.

It's super easy to do, they literally just pop off.

 

[themust]

OK. That was almost too easy to pop those links off! And they'll stay there when I pop 'em back on? seems sketch. I don't understand how, if I put the links back to original, how do I get the level back without the compromise to the ride quality. It was fine before and I don't think either of the shops who worked on the truck did anything with the front end.

 

[mikeru82]

Yeah, it's a simple job to swap out the links. My suggestion to go back to stock was to get it back to a factory condition for troubleshooting purposes. If or when they fix the problem you can try going back to the leveling links. If the Ram dealership you normally go to isn't able to fix the problem you might try another dealership. Maybe the one you went to doesn't have much experience with the air suspension system.