Air Suspension in colder climates

[OldMarine]

2019 Limited, 31K miles, no issues. Love the air, especially neat when hooking up trailer. Back up to coupler using the awesome rear view closeup screen, then hit the button to lower into entry/exit, drop trailer onto ball, get back in and up she goes! Wouldn't buy another RAM without air, and I'm in MA, get's plenty cold here sometimes.

 

[djevox]

2019 Limited, 31K miles, no issues. Love the air, especially neat when hooking up trailer. Back up to coupler using the awesome rear view closeup screen, then hit the button to lower into entry/exit, drop trailer onto ball, get back in and up she goes! Wouldn't buy another RAM without air, and I'm in MA, get's plenty cold here sometimes.

That sounds awesome. I hope the electric RAM 1500 in 2024 gets air suspension also.

 

[Dupras]

I’m having second thoughts now on having it deleted

 

[OldMarine]

don't forget the fun "wow" factor when you show your buddy how your truck can lower by just using the key fob! I love the look on their faces when you know they are kind of sizing up the features of your new RAM against whatever truck they have...then they see you lower it...and ...well....game over. lol

 

[AMS Guru]

don't forget the fun "wow" factor when you show your buddy how your truck can lower by just using the key fob! I love the look on their faces when you know they are kind of sizing up the features of your new RAM against whatever truck they have...then they see you lower it...and ...well....game over. lol

RAM has forced Ford and GM to step up their game-especially on interiors. Both have done so and I'd say both have some compelling features now that RAM doesn't. That being said, RAM is truly setting the bar the others are judged by now and still has the best looking interior hands-down.

Don't throw things at me, but for instance I really like the shift dial. It's very accessible but doesn't take up ANY space in the center console so that thing is HUGE and very customizable. I'm very surprised GM kept a big "shift lever" (fancy switch) in the console like that. It just eats up room IMO.

There are lot of other things that add up to make the RAM the best option. It'll be interesting to see what the next iteration brings us in a year or two!!!

 

[Cajun_]

Since I have had my limited, I have come across two situations where the air suspension was a life saver.

First was the first week I had it. I was bringing in one of the old vehicles I traded for the truck (traded in a 2007 Silverado, 2002 Camry, and 2010 350z) on a U-Haul dolly. Ran into a situation where I had to remove the dolly from the hitch and then hook back up to it. Wouldn't have been possible without being to lower the hitch down.

Second was my grandpa just had a heart attack and he wouldn't be able to get into my truck without the entry mode and running boards. Made transporting him back from the hospital alot less dangerous after his open heart surgery as well.

 

[22RebelGT]

My two cents and why my 22 Rebel I take delivery of next week specifically has no air suspension.

I traded in a Limited that I dearly miss at the moment while I drive a 21 Big Horn Demo truck in the interim. The ride quality is ok, but compared to the Limited air ride its far inferior.

I am in Canada and my Limited saw extensive off road use (zero abuse) and extreme temperatures and weather in Alberta and BC hunting and fishing. It only had a couple of hiccups but never failed completely. But the few small issues were enough to cause me pause and question if I would want it outside of warranty.

My Uncle drives a Longhorn and has never ending issues. Once outside of warranty he has had multiple catastrophic failures with his air suspension. And now wants to burn it to the ground.

I will miss the ride quality but honestly for my use it is the piece of mind. For me this is important. Like I said it never failed on my Limited completely but I have friends with major issues, my uncle with major issues non stop and I just want that possibility removed from my back country outings.

Either way you can't go wrong with your choice. I will miss lowering and hooking up the trailer the most even more than the ride quality which was amazing!

But it is what it is..

 

[Dupras]

My two cents and why my 22 Rebel I take delivery of next week specifically has no air suspension.

I traded in a Limited that I dearly miss at the moment while I drive a 21 Big Horn Demo truck in the interim. The ride quality is ok, but compared to the Limited air ride its far inferior.

I am in Canada and my Limited saw extensive off road use (zero abuse) and extreme temperatures and weather in Alberta and BC hunting and fishing. It only had a couple of hiccups but never failed completely. But the few small issues were enough to cause me pause and question if I would want it outside of warranty.

My Uncle drives a Longhorn and has never ending issues. Once outside of warranty he has had multiple catastrophic failures with his air suspension. And now wants to burn it to the ground.

I will miss the ride quality but honestly for my use it is the piece of mind. For me this is important. Like I said it never failed on my Limited completely but I have friends with major issues, my uncle with major issues non stop and I just want that possibility removed from my back country outings.

Either way you can't go wrong with your choice. I will miss lowering and hooking up the trailer the most even more than the ride quality which was amazing!

But it is what it is..

I have never had air suspension so maybe it won’t be as bad since I don’t know any different, but I sure want to give it a try for the ride quality alone. Will ride quality matter if it’s in the shop all the time haha

 

[Terb59]

Had a 2015 with AR. Nothing but problems when 10 below or colder. Dealer never solved the issues. Trade for 2019 Limited three years ago. Many below 10 degrees day and no issues. Love the air suspension and truck. I tow a 9000-pound trailer without any issues. Loving my RAM in Minnesota!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dupras]

Had a 2015 with AR. Nothing but problems when 10 below or colder. Dealer never solved the issues. Trade for 2019 Limited three years ago. Many below 10 degrees day and no issues. Love the air suspension and truck. I tow a 9000-pound trailer without any issues. Loving my RAM in Minnesota!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve heard that the 2019 revision has helped those of us who live in cold climates

 

[MarvsAMartian]

Might possibly be trading my Sport in for a Limited with Air. Will be sure to update this if/when that happens. Can't really get more north than where I live unless you're in Alaska.

Generally speaking though, the Air Ride on these trucks are horrible in cold weather. I think I've posted here before that there's literally a business dedicated and specialized at removing dead air in these trucks in Edmonton, AB. No first hand experience as I have never owned a truck with air ride, but soo many second and third hand accounts of it happening. Take that for what you will. Air ride in these trucks is amazing, but if you live somewhere its below freezing 8 months of the year then its something to consider.

So I did it. I'll be sure to post pics in another thread. But will come back after it's first full winter and update this then.

 

[Neil McCauley]

Mine still gives the "suspension cooling down" message every once in a while but eventually cooperates. Maybe a tiny leak somewhere? Keeping it in the garage in the winter seems to make a difference. I can understand the cooling down message when I ask it to raise but don't see why the compressor overheating is a problem for lowering it. Isn't it just releasing pressure?

 

[IvoryHemi]

I’ve done ~9,500 miles towing heavy so far and have never seen that message.

 

[kapinallinen2]

Mine still gives the "suspension cooling down" message every once in a while but eventually cooperates. Maybe a tiny leak somewhere? Keeping it in the garage in the winter seems to make a difference. I can understand the cooling down message when I ask it to raise but don't see why the compressor overheating is a problem for lowering it. Isn't it just releasing pressure?

No, it is pumping from the air springs back to the reservoir tanks.

 

[Dupras]

Has anyone had their dealers do a yearly or seasonal (spring and fall) nitrogen exchange? I had a salesman (I don’t put a ton of stock into their knowledge) who mentioned that they do a yearly or twice a year nitrogen purge of the system and in his experience if that is followed there are fewer issues in colder climates

 

[usedup]

My 4th RAM with air suspension is on order and I've never had a problem. Here in North Dakota it cools off in the winter.

 

[AMS Guru]

My 4th RAM with air suspension is on order and I've never had a problem. Here in North Dakota it cools off in the winter.

Cools off,

 

[A4Owner]

I’ve done ~9,500 miles towing heavy so far and have never seen that message.

Could this be one of them systems that actually benefits from use like a sunroof? Seem to notice, an admittedly loose, connection between guys that really pile on the weight [no issues] versus the guys that just leave them sitting around for days [more issues?] that sound right?

 

[MarvsAMartian]

So I did it. I'll be sure to post pics in another thread. But will come back after it's first full winter and update this then.

Forgot to update this, and here we are coming up on another winter. Had zero issues with my Air Ride last winter. Truck has about 23k KMS on it currently and it's been great. I guess we'll see after winter #2. Fingers crossed

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

I don't have it in my truck but I have a Town Car with it and have never had an issue.

For the Ram, I thought the 5th Gen was a closed system. If so, I don't know how moisture can freeze as people claim. A closed system will use an inert gas devoid of moisture. Freezing just does not seem likely.