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'10 & '11 Factory Air Ride?

556 views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  Canadian Hemi Pride 
#1 ·
Hey all - Newbie to Ram Trucks. I am getting out of my GM curse and testing the waters with a used Dodge/Ram prior to taking a chance on another new rig. I have been shopping around for a 2010 or 2011 Laramie with some of the towing options.

Yesterday I looked at a very low mileage Laramie QuadCab with nearly every option I could imagine including the electric tow controller although there is no evidence of a 5th wheel ever being installed. The hitch receiver has obviously never had a hitch in it. While wiggling around underneath (looking for evidence of plowing, 5th wheeling or off-roading) I was surprised to find air bags in the rear coils complete with what appeared to be a reservoir tank on the frame and I presume lines leading to a compressor somewhere. I cannot find anything in Ram brochures of the year or discussions anywhere regarding this being factory equipment so therein lies my question - were inflatable air bags part of a trailering / towing package or would these be aftermarket? It seems strange someone would install aftermarket air bags on a truck that is never used for trailering. In fact, neither the bedliner nor the bed surface it protects look as though there has ever been anything in the back. Not a scratch or scuff. Moreover, I could not find a switch (or air nipple) to control ride height or weight compensation anywhere - is this an automatically controlled feature?
 
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#2 ·
I did some research and It doesn't look like the airbags were a stock feature on the vehicle. I guess you could check to see if the truck still has the stock hitch on it or did the previous owner swap it out. The person could have used it for heavy items but it may have been a protected item that was secured properly. (large box or solid item). They could have also paid down something to protect the bed from being scratch.. Some people get ocd with the bed getting scratched. Another thought is maybe the previous owner had plans on purchasing a trailer or intentions on carrying several loads and decided to install an aftermarket air bag set up in the rear. If it has a compressor already wired up I don't believe it would need an exterior fill nipple as it has its own source of air. Maybe look around inside the truck and check for a wireless remote or a switch mounted inside to power the compressor and air bags. If the bags look like they are in good condition and not beaten and worn.. Then most likely they weren't really used on anything heavy constantly.
 
#3 ·
Hmm yes valid thoughts, thanks. It is weird but I suppose you could be right - heavy & secured loads - It is what I do though I'm not super OCD about bed scratches. Switching out the hitch was something that had occurred to me as I know it can be done in the driveway in 30 minutes for a couple hundred $. The hitch is a factory class IV - and if not factory installed looks to have been installed as long as the rest of the chassis with factory hardware that hasn't been disturbed. Nor does it have any paint chipped or wore off it. I didn't actually see a compressor but there are enough lines snaked around to suggest there is one tucked away somewhere. I looked everywhere for a control but could find none. Remote control hadn't occurred to me though. The bed has an aftermarket liner in it that as I said doesn't have a scratch or a nik. However, I would never accept that for fact so I had the thing near out to inspect the bed and it looks as new as the liner, with no scratches, over-spray or marks where 5th wheel rails could have been installed. No marks on the frame underneath either where brackets could have previously existed. Just makes me suspect to have gone through the trouble to install trailering kit (like air bags) then never trailer the truck and I would think if the intent was to hide that it had been used to trailer then why leave the bags installed. you are probably right though - just plans that never materialized.
 
#4 ·
Yeah everyone has those fall through plans.. Dropped all the money into a fully loaded truck with all the tows and didn't realize that trailers also cost money. General fifth wheel hitches rails will be easily noticable especially if your crawling around. My own friend bought a used 04 Chev in jan from a dealership with 124,000 KM and they gave him full warranty. Thank god.. Had fifth wheel rails in it and so far the rear end has needed to be replaced and a rebuilt tranny last week. I say if the truck looks in great condition.. Then most likely it was a dreamer who's dreams fell though.
 
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