2014 Ram 2500 6.4L Gas w/Air Ride Rear Suspension!
- Thread starter PoorMansCat
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groundcover
Veteran Member
Was all set to go with a 2014 F350 gas, may need to look at the Ram again ! Just wish they still offered the exta cab.
dhagood
Silver Member
an air bag suspension, especially at the rear, makes a huge amount of sense on any vehicle with large weight changes. the ride improvement is remarkable, and air ride suspension also serves to level the ride height. a stable ride height helps with stability, steering, and braking. the downside is that you need an air compressor.
a good move by ram trucks. these light trucks are getting pretty sophisticated (good) and very expensive (bad).
a good move by ram trucks. these light trucks are getting pretty sophisticated (good) and very expensive (bad).
jeff9366
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I had the optional air-ride, self leveling suspension on my 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis. At the time I was traveling in sales a great deal and the large trunk and air-ride suspension made for a great road car. With the Merc's relative, the Ford Crown Victoria, being every city's police car and every city's taxi cab, I hoped to drive the Merc for 400,000 miles.
The air pump went out at 110,000 miles, which was $1,000 to replace.
The rest of the air ride suspension began to leak at 210,000 miles and the estimates for repair were so high relative to the residual value of the car that I sold it to a mechanic, leaks revealed, for $1,000 at 220,000 miles.
Needed at new radio at one point, the rest of the vehicle was trouble free until I sold it.
I guess those police cars and taxi cabs do not have the air-ride option.
I was the only one that drove the Merc and it was almost all highway miles.
(Now I have a Ford Fushion. Almost the same interior room as the Grand Marquis, smaller trunk, V-6, gets 29.8 mpg overall, rather than 20.5 mpg of the Merc.)
The air pump went out at 110,000 miles, which was $1,000 to replace.
The rest of the air ride suspension began to leak at 210,000 miles and the estimates for repair were so high relative to the residual value of the car that I sold it to a mechanic, leaks revealed, for $1,000 at 220,000 miles.
Needed at new radio at one point, the rest of the vehicle was trouble free until I sold it.
I guess those police cars and taxi cabs do not have the air-ride option.
I was the only one that drove the Merc and it was almost all highway miles.
(Now I have a Ford Fushion. Almost the same interior room as the Grand Marquis, smaller trunk, V-6, gets 29.8 mpg overall, rather than 20.5 mpg of the Merc.)
Agent Blue
Platinum Member
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Next you will need air brakes and wind foils. Air suspension boots are nothing new. Its the maintenance of lines compressor and controls. The car companies parted ways with them long ago and for good reason. A half to one ton truck is just that, a light duty vehicle that is mostly for transportation and not extreme heavy hauling over long distances.
Incidently check the resale value on gas powered Ram vs Ford and Chevrolet. The Cummins diesel is what's keeping their doors open.
Incidently check the resale value on gas powered Ram vs Ford and Chevrolet. The Cummins diesel is what's keeping their doors open.
Diamondpilot
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I would have to wait and see that Dodge gasser in action. I had a 5.7 Hemi 2500 and it would not do 12mpg down the side of the Empire State Building. 8 towing.
The Ford is getting pretty respectable numbers.
Chris
The Ford is getting pretty respectable numbers.
Chris
They make coil spring conversions for practically every car that has air ride on it. I had done a few conversions. I can't see a difference in ride quality.
The the new 6.4 has MDS on it.
I know a guy with a '13 Ram 1500 shortbed reg cab 4WD and he only get 16MPG.
PoorPlowboy
Platinum Member
My 2012 F250 crew shortbed 6.2/3.73 only gets 9mpg on level highway at 60 mph with 10k lbs behind it. Averages 10.5-12 at all other times when empty doing combined city/highway. It does pull 10k on a gooseneck hitch like it's not even there though with Firestone airbags. For comparison, my 2007 drw 3500/5.9 24v/3.73 gets 18 combined and 14.5 with 10k behind it.
Fordman1981
Platinum Member
I pulled this through West Virginia and Virginia and was getting 10.5 mpg on the rest of the trip I was getting 11.5 mpg. This is with the 5.7 hemi and 4.56 gears. It only has 3500 miles in it so far but the best I've seen empty on the highway has been 16.5 I think it might get better nice it breaks in.
