Good Sam Club Open Roads Forum: Tow Vehicles: Air ride suspension or not?


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fowlthing

Roger, AR

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Joined: 08/17/2003

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Posted: 02/09/21 08:38am

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I currently have a F350 towing a Solitude 375RES. and don't have air ride suspension.

Looking at a new Ram 3500 do I get it or not? What do you like about your air ride ?

2017 Ford 350 SRW
Grand Design Solitude 375RES
may switch to a Ram

Cummins12V98

on the road

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Posted: 02/09/21 09:07am

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Mine has been flawless for 6 years and 82k. My pin weight is 6k and the truck sets the same loaded or not. Really nice ride either way.

Notice ride height is the same. Truck sets lower than most DRW's unloaded for easier entry/exit.

[image]

2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

ford truck guy

Pennsylvania

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Posted: 02/09/21 09:10am

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Get it.. I have heard NO bad reports on it as of yet.

Me-Her-the kids
2020 Ford F350 SD 6.7
2020 Redwood 3991RD Garnet

the bear II

Torrance CA.

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Posted: 02/09/21 09:25am

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I had a Chevy C4500 with a Link Air Ride suspension in the rear. It was great. Smooth ride when hitched to our 5th wheel. Bed would lower 4 inches to aid in hitching and unhitching.

It really smoothed out the rough roads.

Grit dog

Black Diamond, WA

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Posted: 02/09/21 09:30am

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fowlthing wrote:

I currently have a F350 towing a Solitude 375RES. and don't have air ride suspension.

Looking at a new Ram 3500 do I get it or not? What do you like about your air ride ?

It's not air ride, it's air assist. Similar to adding bags to a normal leaf sprung truck, except on the Ram, the bags do more of the work and they're integrated for ride height.

2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29

Grit dog

Black Diamond, WA

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Posted: 02/09/21 09:30am

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the bear II wrote:

Apples and oranges. Ram 3500s aren't air ride.

rhagfo

Portland, OR

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Posted: 02/09/21 09:40am

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fowlthing wrote:

I currently have a F350 towing a Solitude 375RES. and don't have air ride suspension.

Looking at a new Ram 3500 do I get it or not? What do you like about your air ride ?

If I was buying new I would have gotten it for sure, I was shopping the used market and couldn't find one.

I would also make the Ram a DRW, that 5er starts with a dry pin 2,900# with a 2,600# CCC, you will likely be at close to GVWR of 16,800# towing/carrying pin likely will be at 3,700#, which is very close to the TOTAL payload of a Ram 3500 SRW.

Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

BarneyS

S.E. Lower Michigan

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Joined: 10/16/2000

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Posted: 02/09/21 09:48am

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Don't know about the 3500 but when I was driving my 2500 with the air ride, it was the most comfortable truck to drive I have ever had - both towing and not.
Barney

2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD

C.B.

APPLETON WI USA

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Posted: 02/09/21 10:04am

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wish my F-350 had it.

C.B.

CBVP2004~FORD~F350~CC~LARIAT~SRW~SB~4X4~6.0D~
AUTO~PULLRITE 16K SUPERGLIDE~DEMCO GLIDERIDE~
PRODIGY CONTROLLER~C-BETR MIRRORS~EMS-HW50C~

Butch/Barb=2013-Cedar Creek 36CKTS
Kris/Katy=2006-Cherokee 32B