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Hey everyone. In the endless quest to improve ride quality for general driving and when towing, I decided to try out the Roadmaster Active Suspension. I found them on sale for a great price around Christmas, and I installed them yesterday. I've only driven my van about 30 miles since the install (no towing yet), but so far I'm impressed. For reference, I have a 2016 passenger 3500 with a ride-share up-conversion (bucket seats bolted to a steel sub-floor, instead of benches in rails) that we load up with 2 adults and 6 kids. There's always a load in that thing. Prior to install, the heavy-duty platform spring was essentially engaged 24/7, after the RAS I now have a little space in the spring pack and they are able to take bumps MUCH better. When I get more time, I'll include pictures of the install, and I'll update the thread again after we tow our camper (no immediate plans to do so, though).
Would love to see how your install went. Also would like to see how it helped with squat. With an Alaska bound RV trip planned this summer, I'm trying to dial in the rear suspension over the crappy roads and frost heaves. I would also like to lower the rear suspension about an inch just so I can get my van into the garage. The simple option is to have the rear springs unarched a little at a cost of $160. A local spring shop said it's done all the time. But I'm sure that would effect both unloaded and loaded ride comfort. Something like a RAS may help with the aftermath of these spring changes.
It's either that or bump stop replacements like Sumo's or Timbrens.
Last edited by cjm1973; March 3rd, 2020 at 3:24 AM.
Absolutely! I've been meaning to post something on the process, but life keeps delaying me. Anyway, it was surprisingly easy to install. The thing that drove me to the RAS over other options, was the simplicity of set-it-and-forget-it. Now that I've had it installed for a little while, I might make a few minor adjustments to the RAS, but it will be easy to do, and its nothing I need to do right away. Unfortunately, I do not have a before and after photo of the rear wheel well height, but it has increased with the RAS, which means that my van's max height has increased (I'll update when I measure it). Nor, do I have a good before and after photos to compare the ride height with my trailer attached. I'll try to get some more pics soon for those who are interested.
The ROADMASTER ACTIVE SUSPENSION...
INSTALL... Install was fairly straight-forward and simple, but I like to know what I'm getting into when I start a project, so I'll start with the instructions that came with the RAS. Be mindful, if you pursue this project, that the springs are side specific (please don't ask how I learned this ).
Before RAS:
With RAS installed. There's not much difference, with no load on the axle.
And the other side:
Last edited by GatorHawk24; March 3rd, 2020 at 11:40 AM.
You can now see the gap between the platform spring and the rest of the spring pack. Before the RAS, there was no gap, and every expansion joint and pothole had more of a thud-like feeling. Now it feels like the springs are doing their job.
HOWEVER, I don't want to give the impression that my van rides like a refined luxury car, but it is definitely an improvement (from my perspective). For me, the PROs are that there is less body roll in corners, the aforementioned ride improvements, and my trailer seems more level when it's hooked up. The only CONs so far are cost and the annoyance of some tight clearances with aftermarket bolts due to the up-conversion. It's not a perfect system, but it's simple, and I like simple.
Hello everyone! So I realized searching this thread when I bought those KYB... Somehow I start to feel that the shocks are "fading" or loosing gradually the smooth ride I felt at the beggining. 2 years and about 5000 miles is the life of these shocks?
When I got our 95 g20 3 years ago it was a little tired and it showed. The rear leafs were worn out, sagging and had that boat ride feeling. After rebuilding the front suspension (including new springs) the rear looked even worse. With the travel trailer hooked up it didnt have a chance. At the recommendation of a parts guy I was talking to about new springs I ended up getting the rear springs re arched and had 2 extra leafs per side added. With the trailer it is a little stiff in the rear, but a lot safer and better than the boat feeling. It was a little pricy ($850) but got the job done.
When I got our 95 g20 3 years ago it was a little tired and it showed. The rear leafs were worn out, sagging and had that boat ride feeling. After rebuilding the front suspension (including new springs) the rear looked even worse. With the travel trailer hooked up it didnt have a chance. At the recommendation of a parts guy I was talking to about new springs I ended up getting the rear springs re arched and had 2 extra leafs per side added. With the trailer it is a little stiff in the rear, but a lot safer and better than the boat feeling. It was a little pricy ($850) but got the job done.
Ahhh could be the leafs, yeah.
GatorHawk24 some time ago gave RAS feedback. Looks like a solution a forgot and seems to work.
March 3rd, 2020, 3:21 AM
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