We know you said that, but you’re still wrong.
He doesn’t do a very good job with his video and technical terms, so you can go with what he says as gospel or you go with what it actually is. He gets the gist across, but isn't as technical as he should be for a video you want to get an education from.
The standard spring suspension has upper and lower overloads, the video only calls out the upper overloads. The standard spring suspension is a 3/1+2 and then the HO axle wrap leaf as well. The 3/1 denotes 3 mains leaves and a single lower overload, the +2 is the upper overload. It’s been that way, minus the HO axle wrap leaf, since 2003.
He then calls the auto-level spring pack a 4 leaf main pack, which it’s not. It’s a 2 leaf main pack and that can even be seen in his video with a separation of the upper and lower leaves. It’s a 2+2 pack, and has been a version of that since it was released in 2015. If it was a 4 leaf main pack all 4 leaves would support the truck at all times. They don’t, which is very obvious.
The difference in the two overload setups is that you can’t decide when the overloads are engaged on a standard spring suspension, but you can on an auto-level.
Just for S&G’s, what would
you call a set of springs that isn’t utilized normally, but is utilized when loaded?
Unfortunately there isn’t a lot published by Ram on the suspensions and even some that is wrong. It calls the 3500 a closed system, it’s actually an open system. The video on using it shows the bed lowering screen for alternate ride height engagement.
It would be great to get some good info, but even 9 years later it’s still sub par.
There are no upper overloads on the auto-level truck, but don’t fall for that videos incorrect labeling of the main pack as a 4 leaf pack. It’s a 2+2 pack.
Here is a photo from eBay. It does a good job showing how it’s a 2+2 pack with 2 mains and 2 overloads.
View attachment 69715
Overloads are any spring that is not engaged when empty at normal ride height (air assisted suspension or not). They are solely there to support additional weight when the suspension gets loaded.
No, it’s not required for any load. What you find is a better ride and better handling when you use it.
The 2 main leaves are rather soft, which is where we get our nice ride, so when you load up the truck and keep the suspension on the normal mode it takes a lot of air in the airbags which makes for a rough ride. By using alternate trailer height you engage the overloads (if they weren’t overloads they would already be in use) and get that additional support so the airbags don’t have to be as stiff. This also provides better axle wrap control and later stability.
So no, using alternate is never required… just like T/H and the exhaust brake, but we can benefit from all the tools we have to improve the vehicles performance .
