Ram 1500 Lift Kits: Check Air Ride, Factory Packages and Body Style

Separate the 2019 new-body Ram 1500 from Classic applications

A 2019 model year can refer to two very different Ram 1500 paths. Current manufacturers repeatedly warn that 2019–2022 Ram 1500 Classic trucks use older-body applications rather than the new-body 2019+ systems. Before comparing lift height, confirm that the truck is the new-body generation covered by the kit.

For the new-body truck, the next branches are factory 4-Corner Air Suspension, Rebel/Off-Road Group factory height, TRX or Warlock exclusions, engine, factory 22-inch wheel hub/knuckle requirements and, on some systems, Thermal Axle equipment.

Current Ram 1500 systems we track

Air suspension is a separate fit path, not an accessory choice

BDS publishes different 4-inch systems for coil-spring and factory-air-ride Ram 1500s. Its air-ride system is explicitly for factory rear air ride and includes service cautions for the closed-loop air system; BDS states that opening the system beyond the instruction sequence can require dealer recharge and scan-tool access. ReadyLIFT likewise publishes separate 6-inch factory-air-suspension systems.

This means the question “Does it fit a 2021 Ram 1500 4WD?” is incomplete until the rear suspension is known.

Factory 22-inch wheels, Rebel/Off-Road Group and Thermal Axle can change parts or fit

BDS states that Ram trucks with factory 22-inch wheels require larger-bore steering knuckles because of the larger wheel-bearing assembly. Its standard 4- and 6-inch systems also call out Off-Road Group/Rebel ride-height differences, exclude adjustable air ride, diesel applications and 2019–2022 Classic models, and exclude the Thermal Axle option.

Those are configuration checks, not small installation preferences. If a kit needs a different knuckle or excludes a factory axle option, that belongs in the fit decision before purchase.

Wheel and tire examples still depend on the exact system

Rough Country’s 2019–2024 6-inch system publishes 35×12.50R20 and 295/60R20 examples with specific 20×9 or 20×10 wheel offsets; some combinations are listed without trimming and others with minor trimming. BDS’s 4-inch air-ride system publishes 35×12.50 with 18×9 or 20×9 wheels at 5 inches of backspacing and warns that trimming may be required. ReadyLIFT’s air-suspension 6-inch application publishes 37×12.50 examples on 20-inch wheels with offset-specific trimming conditions.

Use these as kit-specific evidence, not as a universal Ram 1500 tire chart.

Write down these Ram details before comparing kits

A useful Ram 1500 shopping check starts with the truck, not the lift height. Confirm whether a 2019 truck is the new body or Classic, whether it is 2WD, 4WD or an application the manufacturer treats differently, and whether it has factory 4-Corner Air Suspension. Then identify Rebel, Off-Road Group, Warlock or TRX status, engine, factory wheel size and any Thermal Axle equipment called out by the kit maker.

Finally, compare the exact wheel diameter, width, offset or backspacing you plan to run and note whether the selected system requires frame-bracket work, different steering knuckles or other permanent changes. Those details can separate two kits that otherwise share the same advertised lift height.

Shopping after the suspension type and trim are confirmed

After you have separated Classic vs new-body, coil vs air suspension and any factory lift/trim restrictions, compare current listings through the vehicle-level shopping route.

Browse Ram 1500 lift kits ↗

For broader selection rules, see Suspension Lift Kits and How We Verify Lift Kit Fit.

Manufacturer sources used for this guide

These are manufacturer product or vehicle-family pages used to verify the examples and restrictions above. Product pages can change, so recheck the exact system before ordering.

• Rough Country 6-inch Ram 1500 (2025–2026)Current 2025+ system with air-suspension, Warlock, AWD and wheel-size notes.
• Rough Country 6-inch Ram 1500 (2019–2024)Current 2019–2024 4WD system and configuration/tire guidance.
• BDS 4-inch Ram 1500 (2019–2024)Coil-spring path with 22-inch-wheel, air-ride, Classic, diesel and Thermal Axle notes.
• BDS 4-inch Ram 1500 with factory air rideAir-ride-specific system with service and wheel/backspacing guidance.