Air Bag Recommendation for 2013 Ram 1500 with Weight Distribution System for Towing

Question:

I have a 2013 Ram 1500 with 305/55-20 10ply tires and pull a 28ft camper with a hitch weight of #600. I currently use a WDH and it does well but I want to add air bags to level it out better. The hitch is set up about as good as it can be. I don’t need to increase my payload ability much. What airbags would you recommend for this? I was considering the Airlift 1000hd and the wireless compressor. The 5000 seem like overkill but I’m not to familiar with these systems. Also, can I still use the WDH with the air bags or should just add a sway control?

asked by: Jacob L

Expert Reply:

I highly recommend going with the Air Lift LoadLifter 5000 air helper springs over the 1000HD option because the air springs that mount inside the coil springs tend to not perform as well as the air bags that replace the bump stops. This is actually the case across the board with any suspension enhancement regardless of the manufacturer. So as long as you have at least 8-1/8" between your frame and the jounce bumper strike plate I recommend using the kit # AL88365.

The other thing to keep in mind is that you can adjust the amount of air these have in them so even if the kit is rated well above what you're needing you can still reduce the air bags to 5 psi which basically gives you your factory ride and keeps the bags from pinching when you hit a bump.

The Air Lift WirelessONE Compressor System for Air Helper Springs # AL25980 is a great option for a wireless compressor kit because it was designed around the air bag kit above and it keeps you from having to route a controller into your cab. I have attached installation instructions as well as a video of the compressor kit being installed on a 2012 Ram 1500 that you can reference.

Most weight distribution (WD) systems allow the use of an air bag kit and it highlights in the instructions how to set up your system while using an air bag kit (typically inflate the air bags then install the WD system). If you have a WD system that we carry just let me know what it is and I can see about specific instructions.

One other thing to note is that your WD system needs to have a tongue weight (TW) range that the loaded TW of your trailer plus the weight of any cargo behind the rear axle of your Ram falls in the middle of. If this is the case then your WD system is properly rated. If your weights exceed the TW range then you should be able to upgrade your WD system to something like the Equal-i-zer # EQ37100ET which will likely eliminate the need for an air bag kit.