I had the same problem with my 01 2500 CTD. With the recommended 5# it rode really rough. Even with the rear tires down to 35#. They ended up at Goodwill. My dually squats just enough now to irritate oncoming drivers at night on low beam with the camper on. I thought Super Springs were the way to go until I learned they raise the rear end 1 1/2" on stock empty height. I think I'm gonna try Timbrens this go round.
05 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT SC DRW 4X4 CTD G56 373's CAI,Edge Juice/Attitude,Jake,Rancho9000x,Torklift tie downs,Superhitch,Stable Loads
04 S&S Avalanche 9' with slide 26th Marines RVN 69-70 Semper Fi M-14 was the only Woodstock I saw in 1969.
Perhaps dropping your tire pressure will help. The only other way to get a good ride is to take the coils off completely and go to an air ride suspension.
I have them on my truck also. I do run at least 5lbs when unloaded. The reason to keep air in them is to keep the two parts or the air bag from touching which will rub and wear through the walls and then leak.
I don't remember there being much difference in the ride with or with out them.
Bill
[i]WHM
2007 F350 SWR
Alpenlite Cheyenne 950
Note: Due to invalid formatting, all formatting has been ignored.
With empty truck and 5 psi, I cannot imaging any change in the ride.
I question proper installation, or maybe the wrong Air Bag kit. I suggest you call the manufacture, of the Air Bags, and tell them of your experience. You will need to have the Part Number of your kit.
If the upper and lower Air Bag brackets are mounted too close, it could cause a rough ride, and probably eventually damage the bags. I am not familiar with the proper mounting on your truck.
Call the Air Bag manufacture, on this issue, they are the experts.
Have to agree with Troutguy... you must work for GM! LOL... As he said... IT IS A 3500 DRW... Having camped with, tested, and driven SRW, DRW, loaded, unloaded, GVW testing, empty testing... it is still a 3500!! Keep at least the 5 lbs in for bag longevity and get use to the ride. Keeping the tires in the 50-55 area is about your only recourse. You can help it with a minimum of 800# over the axle in the bed. Remember, these trucks were designed and built for work, not to sit in a driveway in Bloomfield Hills!! Otherwise, hope you don't live on a bumpy dirt road like I use to! LOL... Since we do most of our travels these days on 2 wheels, we only take the rig out for 3 or 4 weeks a year, so that's why we went back to the SRW. The wife loves the trucks, and since it's basically her truck, she hated the BANG everytime we hit a cigarette butt!! So, as everything else on this forum... I sign with IMHO... Most importantly, just enjoy the camper, the road, the truck...
I had the same set of Firestone Ride-Rite air bags in a 2007 Dodge Power Wagon (basically a weaker-springed version of a Ram 2500), which were then transferred over to a 2007 Dodge 3500 SRW. Unloaded in both cases, I typically run 5 to 10 psi (but never zero).
In the unloaded Power Wagon, you couldn't even tell the air bags were back there at that pressure. In the 3500, the ride is stiffer to begin with, so even though I would still say that at 5 to 10 psi it's like they're not back there, the relatively stiffer ride is just due to the stiffer springs and heavier duty suspension in the 3500 over the 2500.
Not to hijack the thread, but is there any danger to keeping 50-60 pounds on the airbags when unloaded? Would the extra bed height possibly damage the shocks?
Northeast PA
Ford F350 (2008 XLT CC LWB 6.4L Diesel 4x4 ESOF 3.73 DRW 17"A/S)
Host Yukon, Single Slideout, Tent Option, Solar, 2-way Fridge, AGM.
ab257 wrote: Not to hijack the thread, but is there any danger to keeping 50-60 pounds on the airbags when unloaded? Would the extra bed height possibly damage the shocks?
Forgot to let the air out 1 time after dropping off camper, and I thought I was in the rodeo, I managed to stay on for all 8 sec. Try it once its fun for a bit, but not if you have back problems.
2005xFord King Ranch F250SB Diesel
2006 Bigfoot 25C9.4SB
Firestone Airbags
KVH inmotion Satellite
Vision 81's and 19.5 Bridgestones
Stable Lift
Are We a tuckers or Cadillac cowboys. The truck industry is trying to find a happy medium. ie..Ford lenghened their rear springs 8 inches to give an unloaded softer ride. The end result is...when loaded the rear drops a but more than before. For me...I could care less how it rides ....give me stiff springs and a soft drivers seat. I wanna feel them pebbles on the freeway. Keeps me awake.
~DJ~ wrote: I had the same problem with my 01 2500 CTD. With the recommended 5# it rode really rough. Even with the rear tires down to 35#. They ended up at Goodwill. My dually squats just enough now to irritate oncoming drivers at night on low beam with the camper on. I thought Super Springs were the way to go until I learned they raise the rear end 1 1/2" on stock empty height. I think I'm gonna try Timbrens this go round.
Wish you had Goodwilled them my direction , I think the Kits are the same.
CBChannel 17Space Ghost '1991.5Dodge W-250 Power Wagon - Club Cab Long Bed V8 5.9L 4spd H.D Auto 4x4 4.10 Gears '1974KIT Kamper 1106 - 11' Slide-in '1987Pullman Mini Camper '2004Bi-Mart 4x8 Cargo Trailer
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, I think the Kits are the same.
