Tubastew
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Sorry for the length, but details are necessary to explain what is going on.
First four attempts were to correct a fault light with the Ram Air Suspension. The vehicle was in the shop for a total of 51 days between two dealerships. It is my understanding that most components of the Ram Air Suspension system were replaced. During its 4th attempt, a crushed cable assembly was discovered and replaced. This seemed to eliminate the activation of the fault light. The service advisor said the cable was routed incorrectly at the factory and was placed between the cab and the frame.
It was explained to me at the time that the dealership had no way to test the functionality of the Ram Air Suspension under working loads as they had no way to load the bed with suitable weight and that if I had problems, I may have to return with my 5th wheel in order for them to test it under loaded conditions.
Here are some test conditions
Unloaded Rear axle weight=4100 lbs. Measured at a CAT scale (a full 50 gal tank. Curt 5th 26K 5th wheel hitch, tool box with assorted tools. approx 6:80 lbs)
Loaded Rear axle weight=6380 lbs. Measured at a CAT scale ( 5vr hooked up w/landing gear raised plus the above)
TEST 1: Bed Lowering Mode. When the white Bed Lowering icon on the U-Connect screen is selected, the icon turns orange and remains orange. I can hear a sound; a bump; coming from the area of the compressor and a message and truck graphic appears on the instrument cluster display with the message with the message “Bed Lowering Complete” with two orange lines separating the message and truck graphic momentarily. The message appears almost simultaneously with the pressing of the white icon on the U-Connect screen. Pressing the orange icon on the U-Connect screens again turns the orange icon white while The telltale on the instrument cluster display flashes the orange LED message “LOWERING” a few times and stops with no other messages. The height does not change.
Results: This functionality does not seem to work as described in the owners manual. Fail
TEST 2: Activate Air Suspension, Normal Ride Height (NRH). Hooked up the 5vr. As I raised the landing gear, and the load shifted to truck, I could hear noise and the compressor came on and the trailer began to rise.
RESULTS: This is what I expected. PASS
TEST 3: Activate Alternate Trailer Height (ATH). When placed in Alternate Ride Height by pressing the ATH button once and while attached to my 5th wheel, pin weight 2200 lbs., the ATH button LED blinked and a graphic on the instrument cluster displayed “Lowering to Support Alt. Trailer Height”; a telltale on the instrument cluster also displayed an orange flashing LED “LOWERING” message for approximately 25 seconds. However immediately following the end of the “LOWERING” message LED telltale began an orange flashing LED “RAISING” message along with a message on the instrument cluster that said “Selected Ride Height Not Permitted Due to Payload”. In approximately 10 seconds the orange LED “RAISING” message stopped blinking and the instrument cluster displayed the message “Normal Ride Height Achieved”. The owners manual states "Pushing the Alternate Trailer Height (ATH) button once while at Normal Ride Height (NRH), will lower the vehicle to Alternate Trailer Height (ATH) and will illuminate the LED."
RESULTS: I expected the the truck bed to lower. FAIL
Observations: My initial attempts to check ATH were at my home. The test consistently gave the results given in TEST 3. I drove 30 miles and filled up the truck and weighed the truck/trailer combo with a full tank of gas. Just for fun I pressed the ATH button and it worked as described. It lowered and the flashing LED turned solid. However approximately 10 miles from filling up, I heard a ding from the display and observed that it was raising and then displayed a message "Normal Ride Height Achieved". I began to wonder if there was a minimum weight threshold necessary to activate the functionality of ATH, and the depletion of one gallon of diesel could be enough to go below that threshold and deactivate the ATH while driving. After thinking about it a few days and using about quarter tank of diesel, I decided to test some more.
TEST 4: Activate ATH with additional weight. I placed 4 five gallon buckets of water in the back of my truck (165 lbs) in addition to the pin weight of the 5vr. Pressed the ATH button. The truck lowered to ATH and stayed. Was this the key? Is there a lower weight threshold that will deactivate ATH even when driving?
Results: PASS
TEST 5: Activate ATH with a full tank, but without additional water. I drove a mile to the nearest diesel ($2.70/gal in Baton Rouge) and filled up. The fill up took 17 gallons. I came back home and hooked up the trailer. Same results as TEST 3.
Results: FAIL
Test 6: Activate ATH with a full tank, but with additional water.
Results: PASS
At this point i just want some lemon-aid. I love the truck, and don't really want another, but for the amount of money I paid, I want everything to work. Anyone have any Ideas? Is it working correctly? Is this something I need to take back to the dealer and explain it doesn't work?
Is there an adjustment that can alter the ATH threshold weigh? A way to set it so it is not activate as the fuel diminishes?
First four attempts were to correct a fault light with the Ram Air Suspension. The vehicle was in the shop for a total of 51 days between two dealerships. It is my understanding that most components of the Ram Air Suspension system were replaced. During its 4th attempt, a crushed cable assembly was discovered and replaced. This seemed to eliminate the activation of the fault light. The service advisor said the cable was routed incorrectly at the factory and was placed between the cab and the frame.
It was explained to me at the time that the dealership had no way to test the functionality of the Ram Air Suspension under working loads as they had no way to load the bed with suitable weight and that if I had problems, I may have to return with my 5th wheel in order for them to test it under loaded conditions.
Here are some test conditions
Unloaded Rear axle weight=4100 lbs. Measured at a CAT scale (a full 50 gal tank. Curt 5th 26K 5th wheel hitch, tool box with assorted tools. approx 6:80 lbs)
Loaded Rear axle weight=6380 lbs. Measured at a CAT scale ( 5vr hooked up w/landing gear raised plus the above)
TEST 1: Bed Lowering Mode. When the white Bed Lowering icon on the U-Connect screen is selected, the icon turns orange and remains orange. I can hear a sound; a bump; coming from the area of the compressor and a message and truck graphic appears on the instrument cluster display with the message with the message “Bed Lowering Complete” with two orange lines separating the message and truck graphic momentarily. The message appears almost simultaneously with the pressing of the white icon on the U-Connect screen. Pressing the orange icon on the U-Connect screens again turns the orange icon white while The telltale on the instrument cluster display flashes the orange LED message “LOWERING” a few times and stops with no other messages. The height does not change.
Results: This functionality does not seem to work as described in the owners manual. Fail
TEST 2: Activate Air Suspension, Normal Ride Height (NRH). Hooked up the 5vr. As I raised the landing gear, and the load shifted to truck, I could hear noise and the compressor came on and the trailer began to rise.
RESULTS: This is what I expected. PASS
TEST 3: Activate Alternate Trailer Height (ATH). When placed in Alternate Ride Height by pressing the ATH button once and while attached to my 5th wheel, pin weight 2200 lbs., the ATH button LED blinked and a graphic on the instrument cluster displayed “Lowering to Support Alt. Trailer Height”; a telltale on the instrument cluster also displayed an orange flashing LED “LOWERING” message for approximately 25 seconds. However immediately following the end of the “LOWERING” message LED telltale began an orange flashing LED “RAISING” message along with a message on the instrument cluster that said “Selected Ride Height Not Permitted Due to Payload”. In approximately 10 seconds the orange LED “RAISING” message stopped blinking and the instrument cluster displayed the message “Normal Ride Height Achieved”. The owners manual states "Pushing the Alternate Trailer Height (ATH) button once while at Normal Ride Height (NRH), will lower the vehicle to Alternate Trailer Height (ATH) and will illuminate the LED."
RESULTS: I expected the the truck bed to lower. FAIL
Observations: My initial attempts to check ATH were at my home. The test consistently gave the results given in TEST 3. I drove 30 miles and filled up the truck and weighed the truck/trailer combo with a full tank of gas. Just for fun I pressed the ATH button and it worked as described. It lowered and the flashing LED turned solid. However approximately 10 miles from filling up, I heard a ding from the display and observed that it was raising and then displayed a message "Normal Ride Height Achieved". I began to wonder if there was a minimum weight threshold necessary to activate the functionality of ATH, and the depletion of one gallon of diesel could be enough to go below that threshold and deactivate the ATH while driving. After thinking about it a few days and using about quarter tank of diesel, I decided to test some more.
TEST 4: Activate ATH with additional weight. I placed 4 five gallon buckets of water in the back of my truck (165 lbs) in addition to the pin weight of the 5vr. Pressed the ATH button. The truck lowered to ATH and stayed. Was this the key? Is there a lower weight threshold that will deactivate ATH even when driving?
Results: PASS
TEST 5: Activate ATH with a full tank, but without additional water. I drove a mile to the nearest diesel ($2.70/gal in Baton Rouge) and filled up. The fill up took 17 gallons. I came back home and hooked up the trailer. Same results as TEST 3.
Results: FAIL
Test 6: Activate ATH with a full tank, but with additional water.
Results: PASS
At this point i just want some lemon-aid. I love the truck, and don't really want another, but for the amount of money I paid, I want everything to work. Anyone have any Ideas? Is it working correctly? Is this something I need to take back to the dealer and explain it doesn't work?
Is there an adjustment that can alter the ATH threshold weigh? A way to set it so it is not activate as the fuel diminishes?
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