AirLift System On Ford F-53, Adding Motion Control Units

MountainAir05 wrote:
I too have all 4 bags on my F53 controlled independently. The roll you feel is due to having them plumb together. Very easy way to see which way you like it with out spending a lot.


Google your question on air springs or whatever you want to call them. Many pages to read. This is just one from my point of view. Either way works.

In a 4-valve system, front and rear bags are “paired” together. Although this may save a few bucks in parts, the vehicles handling will suffer severely! This is because in a 4-valve setup, since front and rear air springs are paired together, air can transfer between each pair of bags which is especially apparent when cornering. As you may have guessed, 4-valve setups suffer from severe body roll. This type of setup is largely responsible for the common misperception that air ride handles like a boat. In modern day 8-valve setups such as any of the Bag Riders Management Packs, your air springs are isolated for optimal handling characteristics.

Thanks that sounds like my issue, when going down the highway I have little issues but when going off my driveway or into gas stations and such at a angle I can get the nasty roll, my bags are only tied together in 2 sections, backs are together and fronts together, I think I will give the motion control units a try since its a easy install.

And 2 the post above about my shocks they are new, I believe its the air bag pressures pushing the air between the other bag and causing this issue even though its minor.

Something worth reading. Thanks

I too have all 4 bags on my F53 controlled independently. The roll you feel is due to having them plumb together. Very easy way to see which way you like it with out spending a lot.


Google your question on air springs or whatever you want to call them. Many pages to read. This is just one from my point of view. Either way works.

In a 4-valve system, front and rear bags are “paired” together. Although this may save a few bucks in parts, the vehicles handling will suffer severely! This is because in a 4-valve setup, since front and rear air springs are paired together, air can transfer between each pair of bags which is especially apparent when cornering. As you may have guessed, 4-valve setups suffer from severe body roll. This type of setup is largely responsible for the common misperception that air ride handles like a boat. In modern day 8-valve setups such as any of the Bag Riders Management Packs, your air springs are isolated for optimal handling characteristics.

I also have four corner air bags, controlled the same as yours, and I believe that the side to side rolling you are experiencing is caused by worn shocks that are not dampening the movement.

7ofus wrote:
I have all 4 bags on my F53 controlled independently from the drivers seat. I think it is less expensive than what you are looking at, and can be changed on the fly. I originally got it because I needed about 1" to clear the tail on my driveway. I just air up the backs and dump the fronts just before I pull in.

I have never experienced the sway you seem to be getting.

Mine are not controlled independently, I can fill both bags in back at same time as well as the front bags and I think this might be my problem is when leaning to one side the air is forced out the bags on the side leaning and into the other side causes it to roll back and forth as they talk about in the video above, I could run all new lines and set it up independently and new gauges and control panel as yours but seems like a lot of work, so thinking maybe the motion control units will do just as good and only take a few minutes to install.

I have all 4 bags on my F53 controlled independently from the drivers seat. I think it is less expensive than what you are looking at, and can be changed on the fly. I originally got it because I needed about 1" to clear the tail on my driveway. I just air up the backs and dump the fronts just before I pull in.

I have never experienced the sway you seem to be getting.

Here is a video about the motion control units

https://youtu.be/WpdMG40B4-w