The only way adjustments can be experienced empty is when your bags have more air in them than what they're suppose to have. If that's the case your ride is harsher empty than what it's designed to be. 3500's are air assist which means they only come into play under load. The system is not meant or designed to ride on air when driven empty. Read the owners manual which states most 3500's will not lower to alternate ride height when empty. The reason is there's not enough air in the bags when empty to lower the rear even more.
It still has air in the airbags empty, it has to. There is a minimum pressure the bags have to be at for empty driving.
Drop your tailgate and measure the height. Then go into bed lowering mode (not alt ride height) and measure again. The truck will be lower, not much, but lower. That’s because there is air in the bags empty in normal ride height.
Yes it takes some weight to get into alternate ride height, that’s also due to the minimum pressure in the bags.
Try to engage alt without any payload, the truck will lower, pause, raise, and tell you insufficient payload. It lowered because there is air in the bags for normal ride height.
Bottom line, the bags are not fully deflated under normal empty conditions, period.
After reading your comments again is sounds like you're referring to the system in the 2500's. Do you have a 2500 or 3500?
3500 (in sig), and no… I’m describing the 3500 system and how it works, and has worked for me for 4+ years on 4 different 3500’s.