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HELLLPPP!!! 2014 Air Suspension... Needs Suspension Lift!

26K views 75 replies 23 participants last post by  CrainDDC 
#1 ·
I just bought a 2014 Laramie 1500 Crew cab 4x4 with the Air ride Suspension, and I didn't realize that no one makes a suspension lift kit for it. :(

I thought I heard of someone removing the air suspension completely... but this seems like it would make the trucks computer system go haywire. Can you remove the factory air suspension with no issues? And what do I need to know to do this job? (or what does the shop need to know?)
Also... If removing the air suspension is possible... What is the largest lift I can get for my 2014 Ram 1500? And is the anything in the works for the factory air suspension lift kit?

Any and all help is really appreciated. Thanks in advance. :)
 
#34 · (Edited)
3" PA Lift with 35"s

After the lift I once again felt my tires were too small (I had tire envy) so I went back to discount tire and told them my problem. They said no problem and swapped them out for 35"s no problem, even with 1000 miles on them. These guys are so great and run a tight ship, they had me out in 30 minutes. I'll never go anywhere else.

Normal Height Selected in the Pics. This looks perfect and I love still having +- 2"s to play with. Looks great, I should have done this from the beginning.

Notice the exhaust adjusted with the exhaust ball joint to the new height of the body.
 

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#38 ·
After the lift I once again felt my tires were too small (I had tire envy) so I went back to discount tire and told them my problem. They said no problem and swapped them out for 35"s no problem, even with 1000 miles on them. These guys are so great and run a tight ship, they had me out in 30 minutes. I'll never go anywhere else.

Normal Height Selected in the Pics. This looks perfect and I love still having +- 2"s to play with. Looks great, I should have done this from the beginning.

Notice the exhaust adjusted with the exhaust ball joint to the new height of the body.
How's the ride quality now?
 
#36 ·
3" PA Lift with 35"s

Hi Crain
New to this.
Was wondering if you have noticed any issues at all since this lift and tire addition.
Do you notice more road noise now? You mentioned in an earlier post about fender flares. You have those on now? Any pics of the totally finished product?
Big question is would you do it any differently now that you've had a while.
I just got a 2013 Limited and want bigger tires and higher stance also.
Cheers
 
#37 ·
This definitely looks like a cheaper solution vs stripping the entire air suspension out.
 
#40 ·
37" Tires

I should add a few things, ride quality is pretty good if you don't go nuts and go all the way up. I can still go higher to Offroad 1 and 2 but the ride quality sucks. (I'll try to post another pic of it all the way up) Sometimes I park it this way for grins especially when picking up my short girlfriend. I can still go down to Entry/Exit when parked but wouldn't want to drive this way due to rubbing. I used my DIABLO SPORT TRINITY to correct for speedo issues. I obviously had to get the truck realigned and 37" NITTO's aren't cheap!

Someone asked about the fender flares, they are installed now. I'll take pics of all the RIGID LED bars I'm putting on next. Wish yall could hear this thing with the RACELAND E-CUTOUT and KICKER under-seat subwoofer.

MEANEST LIMITED EVER!
 
#42 · (Edited)
Also, do you have a Limited? Those wheels only come on Longhorns or Limited and based on no Longhorn badging Im assuming you have a Limited with Limited package?
OR....
You just got those wheels elsewhere...LOL

Any rubbing with the rims/wheels? Or are you running spacers

Did I mention.... MORE PICS? :)

**EDIT**
Based on your above pics, I can see its a Limited.
Black Sport headlights and taillights and maybe black honey chrome insert and your truck will be kickass!
 
#43 · (Edited)
More Pics

Yes those are already 37"s. A tiny bit of rubbing on the control arms at full lock but not the fender or anything else. Rubbing is worse at Offroad 1 & 2. I spent hours adjusting and testing to get the sweet spot in normal. I think it is the highest you can go while retaining the ride quality of the air ride. I'll put calipers on the links and give you the measurements.

The truck is a custom ordered "unicorn" limited with chrome bumpers instead of the painted and every other option you can order on a truck.

The weird thing is that you can't order a Limited with Tow Hooks, Fender Flares, or Skid Plates. I guess most people don't take them off-roading like me. I love pulling Raptors out!

I attached other pics of the truck, the one with my son is Offroad 2. The iPad mount is just something I think I did well and wanted to show off.

My profile says 2013 R/T but I traded it for the 2014 Limited when my son was born.
 

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#44 ·
Yes those are already 37"s. A tiny bit of rubbing on the control arms at full lock but not the fender or anything else. Rubbing is worse at Offroad 1 & 2. I spent hours adjusting and testing to get the sweet spot in normal. I think it is the highest you can go while retaining the ride quality of the air ride. I'll put calipers on the links and give you the measurements.

The truck is a custom ordered "unicorn" limited with chrome bumpers instead of the painted and every other option you can order on a truck.

The weird thing is that you can't order a Limited with Tow Hooks, Fender Flares, or Skid Plates. I guess most people don't take them off-roading like me. I love pulling Raptors out!

I attached other pics of the truck, the one with my son is Offroad 2. The iPad mount is just something I think I did well and wanted to show off.

My profile says 2013 R/T but I traded it for the 2014 Limited when my son was born.
Damn! Looks sweet!
If you wanted flares, tow hooks you should have went with a Longhorn....LOL. Like what I did.
No difference between Limited and Longhorn as they are just Laramie trims and both can have the same options and be loaded as well.

Either way, flares (which you have already), skid plate and tows can be added.
However, your tows will not be functional anymore as you do have a body lift and where the tows go, is where the body lift mounts are.
You can fabricate them to fit, but they will not have the strength as non fabricated ones.
 
#45 ·
really close on buying a longhorn limited with factory air suspension. I only want to be able to install a 34" tire. Would you go with bully's adjustable ride height links or with the 3" PA lift or both? @Crain you adjusted the exhaust pipes with a ball joint tool, when going down to entry/exit I assume this doesn't crush the exhaust pipes and when going to off road 2 it doesn't leave a big gap? I tried to read throughly so if this has been answered already sorry for the repeat question.
 
#46 ·
If all you want to do is fit a 34" tire, then all you need is 2" of front lift.
Our links can help achieve that.
It's a 10-15 min install (being generous) vs the 8-10 hour install for a body lift.
Now, if you're wanting to run 37's. Then I'd say run our links and also the 3" body lift as you'll be on par with a 6" Suspension Lift height wise.
 
#50 ·
Spoke to Bully's Performance earlier, and they were very helpful. If I purchase the truck, I'm going to go with their air ride lifting links. I basically want a leveling kit rather than a lift kit and their product achieves that with the RAM factory air suspension.
 
#51 ·
Picking up the 2014 Longhorn Limited with 4 corner air suspension, but not before adding the Bully's Performance adjustable lifting links and Dick Cepek Fun Country tires. I will post some before and after pictures of the lift and tires. Hopefully, my ride will help people that are looking to "level" their Ram with the 4 corner air suspension.
 
#56 ·
After Bully's lifting links and DC FC LT275/65-R20
Truck looks very good! :smileup:

The truck's ECU is still pretty confused with the lifting links. It doesn't want to go to "off-road-1" or "off-road-2". Truck screen says something along the lines, "can not go to selected ride height with the current payload" At first it would not lower to "entry/exit" but as of right now it will. I'm hoping this will improve over the next few days. Maybe I will get some feed back from Bully's Performance.
This is a first we have heard.
We had sold this to quite a few members and many of them are able to get their truck into OffRoad 1/2 and all functions work.
I would suggest getting beneath your truck to ensure nothing was accidentally tapped that may have loosen something.

As you are aware, you are not really adjusting the links too much to gain height.
 
#55 ·
The truck's ECU is still pretty confused with the lifting links. It doesn't want to go to "off-road-1" or "off-road-2". Truck screen says something along the lines, "can not go to selected ride height with the current payload" At first it would not lower to "entry/exit" but as of right now it will. I'm hoping this will improve over the next few days. Maybe I will get some feed back from Bully's Performance.
 
#59 · (Edited)
Hi there!

I'm in the same boat as you were with wanting to add a couple inches to my air ride suspension on my 2014 1500. I've found very little info on the options for doing this and the most recent appears to be the Bully link product in this thread. I was just curious if you ever got rid of the issues of your offroad 1/2 height adjustments and what your general feedback and recommendation would be of that product.

Or any other folks that have done the same.

Thanks for any help!
 
#61 ·
@fastNugly

Hey there,

I've been trying to access your product site from here and apparently your URL of your website seems to have a certificate/fraud issue. I'm trying to get information regarding your lift links for 1500 air ride suspension, but this is the error I'm getting using your links on ramforumz. Also, just googling 'buddys performance' does not yield any results for your website.


Message I get when using CHROME browser
"Your connection is not private

Attackers might be trying to steal your information from bullysperformance.com (for example, passwords, messages, or credit cards). NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID"
 
#63 ·
Any updates from members as to how these links are working? I do not want to lose the ability to raise the truck to Off Road 1 and Off Road 2 heights.

Are there any issues with stretching the front suspension travel, ball joints popping?

I already have a 3" body lift on my 2014 Ram Limited with the air ride, but I would like to eliminate the rake.

So to do this I would need two of these links, one for the front driver side and one for the front passenger side, correct?

The price on bully's site is per individual link?
 
#68 ·
I now have the PA 3" Suspension Lift, the 4" BDS Suspension Lift, and the Air Suspension Links. I think I have about a 9" Lift and the Air Suspension Still Functions. Make those 37"s look small.
Saving up for 22" Rims with 38" Tires now.
That lift does make those tires look like 33's on a 6" lift.

Bigger tires are in order or dropping it down a tad may also be an option.
I hope you have gears for 38's if you make the move up.
 
#69 ·
someone, somewhere? has to address lifting these trucks and retaining the air ride options. does anyone have an idea of a company that is working on one? seems like changing spindles, lengthening the electronic arms and rear blocks should get it pretty close??? maybe a 4" front and 2" rear? or 6" x 4"????
 
#71 ·
Update on 9" Lifted Air Ride

I have a 3" PA Body Lift, a 4" BDS Suspension Lift, and about 2" of Air lift with the lifting links. Truck Rides and Handles great, can still raise the truck up and down, everything works great, except I did have this issue.

I had recently had a blow out where the (Plastic) connector that connects the airbag to the air line. I don't know if this is because of the cheap plastic fittings from the factory, the cheap 6" air line extension that came with the BDS suspension lift, or wear from removal and reinstallation of the connection. I personally feel like it is probably caused from the increased air pressure from the lifting links over time. (about 6 months)

In any event, I replaced all the cheap plastic couplers with brass connections and beefier hose. If you do install the suspension lift I highly recommend changing these while you have everything apart. It was less than $50 bucks worth of fittings and will save you a headache down the road.

Pics are just in case anyone wants to see a 9-11" lift on an air ride truck with 37's soon to be 38's. I have 3.92 gears, and a programmer, and with the 8 spd tranny the thing still hauls ass.
 

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#73 · (Edited)
38" Tires on Limited with Air Ride

I ordered 24" wheels from Discount Tire but they never came in. After 6 months of waiting I decided to go ahead and upgrade my 12.5X37" tires to 13.5X38" tires. I added 2" wheel spacers and it gives it a really cool stance. I also upgraded the window visors to the thin design.

I also ordered Bushwacker's Max-Coverage Fender Flares that are only made for 3/4 and 1-ton trucks. I think they'll fit anyway. I'll post pics after they are painted and installed.

I have a tiny bit of rubbing at full-lock in reverse only.

For those who haven't been following, I have a PA 3" body lift, 4"BDS suspension lift, Air Ride lifting links, and 2" Wheel spacers to be able to fit these monsters.
 

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