Is Air Suspension really that great?

[Trooper4]

I’m glad both sides of the coin were brought up here. The vehicles I’ve owned that were the cheapest total cost of ownership were the base trims. A big horn with nothing on it and a diesel will outlive you. The Limited with eTorque and every bell & whistle may last 10 years but then little tiny things start breaking. You throw that many buttons and software items and stuff like air suspension, etc and your over time cost will be higher. It’s why most people lease MB/BMW/Audi vehicles. You don’t want to own one of those out of warranty unless you’re handy.

I ordered a truck with air suspension but won’t keep the truck forever. Once the 8 year Mopar warranty is out, it’s someone else’s problem.

I have personal experience with a friend with an Audi car with air suspension. It failed after 4 years and required all 4 bags be done. I think it was $1500 per wheel for the parts alone and some fancy software calibration So he just ripped out the air suspension, dealt with the check engine light and switched to coil overs.

How are the imports with air comparable to the Ram or a 50 year old Lincoln. Apples and oranges. So far, how many Ram Limiteds are on the road that are ten to fifteen years old? We really don't know what the reliability will be for a given truck/car, but the european imports don't have the best track record over all if you include the older ones. Love mine and will take my chances for the future. Yes, there are box stock bottom of the trim old trucks on the road from the 50's and 60's, but they ride like cr@p.

 

[OldMarine]

If for no other reason it's fun to pull up to a red light next to a guy in a lifted Chevy, and watch his smirk slowly disappear as you raise up higher than him

 

[cdn.tbird]

If for no other reason it's fun to pull up to a red light next to a guy in a lifted Chevy, and watch his smirk slowly disappear as you raise up higher than him

I gotta remember to try this. Should have a good laugh.

 

[JackOfAllRyans]

Though this is my first vehicle with air suspension, it's hands down the best-riding, smoothest vehicle I've ever been in. I drove it almost 1k miles home after buying it and it was such an incredible difference from my 2015 Ram that I traded in.

I'm so glad I went with the air suspension! Like some others, my only reservation was worrying if it broke, how expensive it would be to fix. However, I've got the MBI insurance through Geico that covers it for 7 years and 100k miles similar to the extended warranty offered from Ram. The extra cost of that is well worth the peace of mind (in my opinion).

I know this post is kind of all over the place, but just wanted to share.

 

[RossoWheelson]

Yes and Yes!!!!

I think the common failure days are the late 1980s. I had a couple of the Subaru XT sports coupes with air suspension and within ten years they got retrofitted with standard coils. Nice ride while it lasted. Then I had a 2011 Avalanche with air suspension with 164,000 miles on it with no issues. Biggest issue on that rig was keeping the older TPS happy.

 

[Klicht87]

If for no other reason it's fun to pull up to a red light next to a guy in a lifted Chevy, and watch his smirk slowly disappear as you raise up higher than him

I love seeing the looks on people's faces when I do that. Especially in the rear view mirror with the digital mirror...just watching them point.

 

[Klicht87]

Though this is my first vehicle with air suspension, it's hands down the best-riding, smoothest vehicle I've ever been in. I drove it almost 1k miles home after buying it and it was such an incredible difference from my 2015 Ram that I traded in.

I'm so glad I went with the air suspension! Like some others, my only reservation was worrying if it broke, how expensive it would be to fix. However, I've got the MBI insurance through Geico that covers it for 7 years and 100k miles similar to the extended warranty offered from Ram. The extra cost of that is well worth the peace of mind (in my opinion).

I know this post is kind of all over the place, but just wanted to share.

I have the same thing with Geico...everytime I decline the dealer coverage and say I have that they get all snippy with me and argue that their's is better.

 

[NCShooter]

I train Labrador retrievers and they ride in the back of the truck in a custom dog box. It really helps them to lower the truck to help them get in and out. I also had the air suspension in my 2016 and had zero issues in the 112000 miles I owned it.
‘I wouldn’t have one without it. I’ve only had the overweight warning one time in my 2016 and I was transporting an additional 1000 lb+ load (in addition to the camper cover, dog crates, and other miscellaneous items).
It does seem to ride great too!

 

[baf3472]

If you do decide to test drive both the air suspension trucks and the non air suspension, test drive more than one truck of each. I traded in my smooth as hell, luxury riding 4 month old 21 limited for another 21 limited because I wanted a different color. This new limited rides worse than the last 3 pickup trucks, going back 15 years. Its going in to get checked out on Thursday and hopefully fixed, but if it was the only RAM that I test drove the first time I bought it, I would have walked out and gone with a different truck.

 

[IvoryHemi]

If you do decide to test drive both the air suspension trucks and the non air suspension, test drive more than one truck of each. I traded in my smooth as hell, luxury riding 4 month old 21 limited for another 21 limited because I wanted a different color. This new limited rides worse than the last 3 pickup trucks, going back 15 years. Its going in to get checked out on Thursday and hopefully fixed, but if it was the only RAM that I test drove the first time I bought it, I would have walked out and gone with a different truck.

Same size wheels?

Also did you check tire psi? Its not unusual for dealers to deliver with overinflated tires.

 

[Neurobit]

Same size wheels?

Also did you check tire psi? Its not unusual for dealers to deliver with overinflated tires.

^^^ This ^^^
Dealers are notorious for over inflating tires.

 

[baf3472]

Same size wheels?

Also did you check tire psi? Its not unusual for dealers to deliver with overinflated tires.

Same size tires, 285/45/22. Only difference was first truck had Goodyear Fortera, new truck has Goodyear eagle touring. From what I've been told and from reading up on them, the eagle touring are a smooth riding tire. PSI was 41 when I bought it, lowered it to 36 the next morning but no difference. The following day, I took every wheel off, made sure it was centered on the hub and retorqued every lug nut and still no difference. I took it to them the next day so they could look at it and they said 2 tires were out of balance and one of the tires "wasn't put on right". I didn't even know what that meant and the guy I dealt with didn't seem like he felt like explaining so I just said thank you and left and hoped it was fixed. I drove off and within 20 seconds I could tell whatever they did, fixed nothing. I called my salesman and he made me an appointment to have one of their "suspension specialists" look at it, which is this Thursday. I hope they don't try and tell me its just the tires because it definitely doesn't feel like a wheel balancing issue. Going over any imperfection in the road feels like I'm driving an old leaf spring truck with worn shocks.

 

[Neurobit]

Same size tires, 285/45/22. Only difference was first truck had Goodyear Fortera, new truck has Goodyear eagle touring. From what I've been told and from reading up on them, the eagle touring are a smooth riding tire. PSI was 41 when I bought it, lowered it to 36 the next morning but no difference. The following day, I took every wheel off, made sure it was centered on the hub and retorqued every lug nut and still no difference. I took it to them the next day so they could look at it and they said 2 tires were out of balance and one of the tires "wasn't put on right". I didn't even know what that meant and the guy I dealt with didn't seem like he felt like explaining so I just said thank you and left and hoped it was fixed. I drove off and within 20 seconds I could tell whatever they did, fixed nothing. I called my salesman and he made me an appointment to have one of their "suspension specialists" look at it, which is this Thursday. I hope they don't try and tell me its just the tires because it definitely doesn't feel like a wheel balancing issue. Going over any imperfection in the road feels like I'm driving an old leaf spring truck with worn shocks.

Man, this is very strange. I also have GY Eagles on my 22"s, and my truck is smooth as silk.
Something is def not right. Let us know what they find.

 

[Neurobit]

I was just thinking. Make sure they check the alignment.

 

[baf3472]

Im hoping they'll do that if they can't find anything else. Weird thing is, it drives as straight as any vehicle I've ever had. Steering wheel doesnt even move going over bumps. you feel it all in the seat. Its definitly something in the back. At first I thought maybe because my first truck had ram boxes and this one doesnt, with the bed being slightly lighter, it made it drive like this. I added some weight in the back and it drove even worse. I took some friends home the other night and with 5 people, including me, in the truck, it felt like we were in an old mack truck going down a gravel road. I've driven down this same road a thousand times in different vehicles and before this truck, I would have swore it was dead flat.

 

[stevj]

It was the air suspension that sold me on the Ram. My wife and I are retired and not young and spry any more, so really appreciate being able to lower the beast, and the power steps make for even easier access. Also, I replaced the harsh-riding 22" wheels and tires with some take-off 18's from a Bighorn just after I bought it. Now it rides so nice.

Steve

 

[IvoryHemi]

Same size tires, 285/45/22. Only difference was first truck had Goodyear Fortera, new truck has Goodyear eagle touring. From what I've been told and from reading up on them, the eagle touring are a smooth riding tire. PSI was 41 when I bought it, lowered it to 36 the next morning but no difference. The following day, I took every wheel off, made sure it was centered on the hub and retorqued every lug nut and still no difference. I took it to them the next day so they could look at it and they said 2 tires were out of balance and one of the tires "wasn't put on right". I didn't even know what that meant and the guy I dealt with didn't seem like he felt like explaining so I just said thank you and left and hoped it was fixed. I drove off and within 20 seconds I could tell whatever they did, fixed nothing. I called my salesman and he made me an appointment to have one of their "suspension specialists" look at it, which is this Thursday. I hope they don't try and tell me its just the tires because it definitely doesn't feel like a wheel balancing issue. Going over any imperfection in the road feels like I'm driving an old leaf spring truck with worn shocks.

Do 1500’s have coil spring shipping spacers during transport from the factory? It would ride awful if dealer forgot to remove during PDI

 

[Neurobit]

Do 1500’s have coil spring shipping spacers during transport from the factory? It would ride awful if dealer forgot to remove during PDI

View attachment 90413

He has a Limited, so it would have air suspension instead of coils.

 

[IvoryHemi]

He has a Limited, so it would have air suspension instead of coils.

LOL. That went over my head

 

[Neurobit]

LOL. That went over my head

No worries man