Air bags improved ride while not towing?
I have a 2009 2500 HD Duramax.... I'm thinking about installing air bags and am wondering if while not towing do they improve the ride of the truck. You know less jarring....smoother ride etc ??????
Forum Discussion
- I have R4Tech on my trucks, if anything it drastically increased the load capacity, but nothing short of recertifying changes the RATING of the truck.
C Schomer wrote:
"You have reduced the load capacity significantly by removing the overloads, regardless of the airbags." You'll never convince me of that one! So all the trucks, busses, RVs and any vehicles that were converted from springs to air don't have any load capacity? I did it and it works great. The bags are good for 5k lbs all by themselves and the bed is the same height loaded as it was empty. I added capacity AND got a better ride loaded. I had Airlift on my 97 and FS on my 03 - both double bellows. My neighbors' truck is the identical twin to mine and he has Airlift single bellows and the travel looks like it would be really short. Craig
I'm with you on this one. Not that airbags increase a vehicle's payload capacity, but to remove overload springs and substitute airbags should not lower your weight capacity. Most airbag systems are rated to 5000lbs.
R4Tech systems do just this, remove the stiff leaf springs and substitute air bags with no loss of capacity. Kelderman's 4 link system removes the leaf springs completely.
http://r4tech.com/how-it-works.html
https://kelderman.com/ford_super_duty_4_link_rear_air_suspension
OJ- I added bags for two reasons. One for the squatting and the other for changing road conditions. I keep my new truck at 7-10psi unloaded and it goes up to around 33 loaded with the 5er. Just keep in mind I've only moved it around the yard since I got the new truck:( Anyway, on my '10 6.4L I kept it at 12psi unloaded and it went up to 38 when loaded for a long trip, and then I would adjust it with the onboard air system when the roads get rough.
- "You have reduced the load capacity significantly by removing the overloads, regardless of the airbags." You'll never convince me of that one! So all the trucks, busses, RVs and any vehicles that were converted from springs to air don't have any load capacity? I did it and it works great. The bags are good for 5k lbs all by themselves and the bed is the same height loaded as it was empty. I added capacity AND got a better ride loaded. I had Airlift on my 97 and FS on my 03 - both double bellows. My neighbors' truck is the identical twin to mine and he has Airlift single bellows and the travel looks like it would be really short. Craig
- I understand why AniJets may engage as it is lowered but wood not expect a empty ? 5000 capacity suspension to engage overloads, that can not be normal
. My F250 has got over 3000lbs payload no overload springs rides reasnebli empty most of the time but gets the ocaysnelbli jar.
Frank JohnD222 wrote:
Hmaiaga,
Air bags do little or nothing for "teeth jarring," unless you are talking about a 1990's vintage, that is 100% shocks. Bilstein's will fix that. Unless you are lifted, the best ride will come from their hd 4600 (yellow with blue boots), not the 5100 silver steel ones.
I agree about the Bilstien's but air bags do help! Just set to 30# loaded.hmalaga wrote:
I have a 2009 2500 HD Duramax.... I'm thinking about installing air bags and am wondering if while not towing do they improve the ride of the truck. You know less jarring....smoother ride etc ??????kohana wrote:
For those posting towing airbag psi is that before or after hooking up?
I run mine at 5psi solo and with 4,500# pin weight the psi automatically goes to 30psi. Bags for me are to control harsh road conditions not to raise or level load.- Kahona,
When loaded, you want to air up towards unloaded level profile, so as to keep the headlights out of the trees but not to the point that you take the factory springs, particularly the over-rides out of the equation. Depending upon the trailer pin weight or bumper weight, you might see unloaded pressures increase by 15 to 25 psi. For example unloaded i run 5 psi, prepare to load 5er i raise it up to 25-30. When 5er is loaded it becomes 45-50 psi. Just like tire pressures, with heat from activity this may go up another 5 psi or so, and in early morning cold it may be down 10 psi or so.
Too much air and you ride like a concrete mixer, not enough and your rear end sags and you bottom out hard against the axle stops a lot. That teeth-jarring bottoming our is much rougher than riding empty on bad shocks.kohana wrote:
For those posting towing airbag psi is that before or after hooking up? - At 10# min I find there is a slight stiffening but just enough to take the initial start shutter from the drive train. At 20# unloaded its very stiff but not tooth loosening, and I run between 50-60 with the trailer on. Takes the start shutter right out and reduces the front to back oscillation when accelerating, braking or driving on rough roads almost completely. We still have a little "motion of the ocean" as we offectionately call it but its neither tooth loosening nor neasuating as it was before the ab's
- Hmaiaga,
Air bags do little or nothing for "teeth jarring," unless you are talking about a 1990's vintage, that is 100% shocks. Bilstein's will fix that. Unless you are lifted, the best ride will come from their hd 4600 (yellow with blue boots), not the 5100 silver steel ones.hmalaga wrote:
I have a 2009 2500 HD Duramax.... I'm thinking about installing air bags and am wondering if while not towing do they improve the ride of the truck. You know less jarring....smoother ride etc ??????
