Recommended Air Pressure of Firestone Ride Rite Air Springs # F2071 on Dodge Ram 3500 Dually

Updated 05/21/2025 | Published 09/06/2012

Question:

dodge 3500 duelly i have ride rite air bagsfirestone and need to know the recommended air presuure when not towing and when towing up to a 37 foot 5th wheel. where can ifind the various pressures for differant weights. Thank you

asked by: Graham

Expert Reply:

Other than saying that the air bags need to be kept between 5 and 100 psi, Firestone does not offer much in the way of specifics. The instructions mention that as a general rule of thumb, 1 psi will support approximately 40 lbs of load.

Your best bet is to use enough pressure to level the vehicle, and then adjust plus or minus according to your personal preference. You can do this with the 5th wheel in place, and for the unloaded scenario.

Keep in mind that using an air bag suspension like the Firestone # F2071 will not increase the capacities of your vehicle.

expert reply by: Mike L

Charles

5/12/2020

Hi Mike. Thanks for the reply above, I've been searching for specs on airbags. I have an Ford F150 extended cab, 4x4. Door sticker payload reads 1932 lbs. I have a pop up camper weighing 1400 lbs. By the time we add fuel, water, gear and two people we'll be around 2000 lbs. We'll take the camper off when not needing but it'll be on about 50% of the time. I've seen lots of pro's & cons for air bags vs adding leaf springs. I hear air bags are like riding on basketballs, they can fail but leveling is nice, and of course extra leafs will be a hard ride when unloaded. Pricing seems similar. We will be about 50% highway and often primitive camping and easy off road and sometimes on 4x4 roads the rest of the time. What's your take air bags or extra leafs? Thank you.

Chris R.

5/15/2020

I think for your application air springs are the better option over extra leaf springs or even jounce-style springs. They really do provide a comfortable ride, and since you only plan on having the camper attached 1 out of every 2 trips, the adjustability they provide is something you'll appreciate right away. Your ride quality will stay consistent regardless of what you have loaded or attached on your F-150. If you can tell me the model year of your F-150 I would be happy to make a specific recommendation.

Chris R.

5/18/2020

@Charles Thanks for the info! For your Ford F-150 I highly recommend the Firestone # F2582. If you're mechanically inclined it's definitely something that can be installed at home, but if you're at all uncomfortable with the process (you can check out the attached install manual on the product page) or simply don't have the tools necessary, it's certainly something that's worth taking up to a local shop for.

Chris

5/20/2025

@Charles I have a 2024 F-150 turbo. I ordered the ride rite specific to my truck and model and brought them to my trusted expert mechanic for install. They were a bear! He contacted Tralee and they also agreed that mine, and certain other models have newer designs under the truck and therefore some difficulty in installing them! Tech support was not that helpful so thankfully my mechanic is quite skilled and was successful. Before you order, call etrailer with your specific model and year truck.