Air suspension and weight distribution hitch

[Screech]

Ive got a 2500 with the rear air suspension and Im picking up a travel trailer next week. When I setup the weight distribution hitch should I do it at the normal ride height or at alt trailer height?

 

[AH64ID]

Alternate, thou it’s not as important on a 2500.

 

[jebruns]

I set mine up at the ride height I was going to tow at.

 

[scdo]

Ive got a 2500 with the rear air suspension and Im picking up a travel trailer next week. When I setup the weight distribution hitch should I do it at the normal ride height or at alt trailer height?

I’d setup for Alt. Alt will essentially level the truck which is arguably ideal when towing. Either is fine tho I believe. Without Alt, it looks more “normal” not towing with a slightly high rear as would other non air trucks.

 

[Clayinfl]

In case you don’t know, put your air suspension in tire change mode while you are putting the bars on, else the air suspension will be fighting you.

 

[AH64ID]

In case you don’t know, put your air suspension in tire change mode while you are putting the bars on, else the air suspension will be fighting you.

Maybe the 2500 is different, but I've never had the 3500 fight me when installing or setting up WDH. I find it actually makes it easier to hutch up, and unhitch, with the suspension active.

 

[ammdrew]

I have the exact same sentiment with my 2500

 

[Clayinfl]

Maybe the 2500 is different, but I've never had the 3500 fight me when installing or setting up WDH. I find it actually makes it easier to hutch up, and unhitch, with the suspension active.

I think they are a little different. This shows how:

 

[AH64ID]

I think they are a little different. This shows how:

I’m aware of the physical differences, but they are programmed and operate the same.

My point was that you shouldn’t have to disable the air suspension to hook up a WDH.

I realize the owners manual suggests disabling the auto-leveling suspension for hooking/unhooking up a trailer, but in reality that makes it harder.

 

[Clayinfl]

Ok, that is not my experience at all. The original poster can try it both ways and decide for himself.

 

[AH64ID]

When you disable the auto-level and you add tongue weight the suspension sags, so in order to hookup the WDH you have to put a lot more tension on the tongue jack to get the tongue high enough to easily engage the WDH. If the auto-level is left engaged the truck won’t sag, so you’re only having to lift the tongue above ride height instead of from sagged height.

When you go to unhook and disable the auto-level the air volume in the bags raises the now lighter truck higher, so the trailer has to be lifted multiple inches higher to disconnect.

When you leave the auto-level engaged the truck doesn’t change height, though you do have to give it a few seconds to adjust. With a constant truck height the WDH is easier to engage and the trailer is easier to unhook.

 

[scdo]

You don’t have to disable anything to hookup. I’d also select Alt vs regular ahead of time as it will change the height and thus the distribution. You want to set it up in the actual setting you’ll be towing with.

 

[Screech]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm planing putting the truck in alt height then hooking up the trailer and letting it re-level. Then putting the bars on and adjusting the tension. I'm picking up the trailer on Friday so Ill let everyone know how it goes using that process.

 

[AH64ID]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm planing putting the truck in alt height then hooking up the trailer and letting it re-level. Then putting the bars on and adjusting the tension. I'm picking up the trailer on Friday so Ill let everyone know how it goes using that process.

Since the rear axle won’t change height be sure to use the front axle height to adjust the tension on the WDH.

 

[JohnandDonna]

I put mine in the alternate trailer height. This makes the truck completely level. On goes the anti sway/weight distribution hitch (I use a Blue Ox) and every thing is nice and level. Works beautifully.

 

[jebruns]

You don’t have to disable anything to hookup.

Agreed. I've owned 2 2500's with factory air. I never mess with the air settings when hooking or unhooking a trailer. I tow at normal ride height, which is how I setup my WDH and trailer level height.

 

[Thorvald]

I made up a huge post on this on another RV forum (and gave a lot of the credit to AH64ID as it was mostly his info) but I added some pics of my truck with and without Alt Ride Height Engaged.

On the 3500 we have “two sage longitudinal leaf” springs (aka Hotchkiss) have two main leafs and two overload leafs (Referring to a 3500 SRW here)

At normal ride height the overload springs are not engaged, at alternate ride height they are engaged with the main springs.

It’s very easy to see, just connect your trailer as per normal and leave it in normal ride height, look underneath and you will see the overloads are not touching the mains. Press the alt ride height and they drop just enough to engage them.

It made a nice difference to us when towing (keeping the overloads engaged).

—-

2500 no clue, it has coil springs and is designed as a toy and not for towing… (I kid, I kid….). However there is some truth to this, the Ram 2500 is an off-road focused vehicle. Everyone else’s 2500/250 is just a derated 3500/350 with small changes but for the most part they all have leaf springs. This results in hours of beer discussions with Ford and GM owners about this.

 

[Screech]

I put the truck in alt height an hooked up the trailer. It sagged quite a bit then it re leveled but the air suspension never fought me during the process of hooking up the trailer or putting the bars on. I unhooked with the truck at normal height to take some weight off the bars but still had to raise the rear of the truck a bit to get them off. besides the truck doing the initial re leveling it acted like every other truck and trailer that I've ever hooked up.

Driving home in 30mph winds was work but the truck never felt unsafe.

 

[RockaRhyme]

Have had a 1500, 2500, and 3500 with factory air. In all cases measure and adjust in normal ride height with tire change mode on. Once everything is adjusted you may lower the truck to alt height to increase tension on the WDH, if you prefer it. It’s better to have the trailer nose a little low in alt height than a little high in normal

That said, it’s not an exact science. Don’t lose sleep over it. So long as it feels good on the road, you’ve done good.