Ordering - Opinions needed on Air Suspension and Off Road Group

[Rototerrier]

About to order a laramie longhorn. Couple things I'm struggling with.

Going without eTorque as I've had it and am going to skip it this time. Personal preference. I've posted my opinions of it elsewhere.

I am considering adding Air Suspension and Off Road Group, both of which my current doesn't have.

1) I tow a trailier a couple times a week. 16 foot with a Mule Pro Fxt. Trailer is tandem coming in at 1900lbs and mule is a smidge over 2k. So probably a combined 4k or maybe a smidge more if I add my 4 wheeler as well. Currently I don't have air suspension and I typically try to center the mule to balance it. If I pull all the way forward it squats the back end of the truck. Not a huge deal, but assuming the air suspension solves this. Just curious what you guys thing. Worth getting Air for this and do the advantages outweigh possible future issues, etc. I've researched a lot on this and I've seen both sides....but would like to get opinions based on my needs.

2) I will actually be taking the truck off road, but only into possibly wet fields. Not mudding with it or anything like that. Just areas where 2 wheel drives will get stuck on wet grass and in some shallow ruts. Think deer hunting. Pulling off into fields, and driving down muddy field roads during the wet times. Nothing substantial. My current Ram does not have the offroad package and has been doing just fine. But, I think I like the idea of being a little higher but am unsure if this also will add a rougher ride with the heavy duty suspension? I prefer comfort above all.

The offroad group is really the big question here. If I'm not really "offroading" and going over stuff and thru stuff...would this be a waste? I save the offroading for the mule and 4 wheelers. I don't care about the "looks" of it. I'm not a high lifter, big tires kinda guy. I'm looking at this from a pure practical point of view.

I'm personally thinking it's probably unnecessary for me and that I will probably be best to skip the offroad group. What do you guys think?

 

[SpeedyV]

There've been a lot of threads on both towing and the Off Road Group + 4-Corner Air Suspension combo, but I'll just say that I like the combo of those two options. The ORG adds quite a few bits (1" lift, skid plates, aluminum spare, HD shocks, ELocker). The air suspension is nice for auto-leveling, the ability to raise/lower the truck on demand, auto-lowering at highway speed, the ability to absorb very large impacts smoothly, etc. So the two options complement each other well.

 

[Rototerrier]

I'm still researching and I think I'll need to skip the Off Road option as it only comes with E Locker. I have zero need for E Locker, but do like the Anti Spin option for wet pavement, which I get a lot of. My current truck has this feature and It has come in really handy. Too bad ORG with Anti Spin aren't an option. That would be perfect for me. Tradeoffs as usual.

 

[SpeedyV]

I'm still researching and I think I'll need to skip the Off Road option as it only comes with E Locker. I have zero need for E Locker, but do like the Anti Spin option for wet pavement, which I get a lot of. My current truck has this feature and It has come in really handy. Too bad ORG with Anti Spin aren't an option. That would be perfect for me. Tradeoffs as usual.

True that. You might check out some of the threads about Anti-Spin vs. ELocker. Given the traction control systems on these trucks (and the Auto 4WD systems on 4x4 vehicles), an LSD might not be as necessary as in the past.

 

[Rototerrier]

Just looking at it pragmatically, I simply don't need the ORG. Being higher, more aggressive tires, more bits under the truck...all equal more weight, possibly more drag and all of that probably affects fuel economy. Not that it much matters....Just weighing it all out for myself.

Not sure I should get something I know I'll most likely never need and sacrifice something I could need quite often.

For starters, I'll never need E Locker, ever. I live in GA where it's mostly flat with pretty decent roads on and off. We don't get horribly bad weather, just rain...and a lot of it most recently. I'll never need any kind of hill decent feature.

It just doesn't add up for my personal needs. Just going to stick with 4x4 with anti spin and air suspension and I think I'll be fine.

 

[Electrical]

I thought air suspension will lift your truck equally as high as ORG; so you're not losing anything in this regard by skipping ORG.

 

[SpeedyV]

I thought air suspension will lift your truck equally as high as ORG; so you're not losing anything in this regard by skipping ORG.

If you get the air suspension without the ORG, your truck’s normal height will be 1” lower than a truck with both air and ORG. You can raise your truck just as high (“Off Road 2” on a truck without the ORG is equal to “Off Road” mode on trucks with the ORG). You just can’t drive around at speed at the higher ride height.