Air bags

Colo Native wrote:

grampscamper wrote:
I have the camper package on my F250. When I would hookup the 5th wheel the truck would settle into the helper springs. I added air bags earlier this year and saw a noticeable improvement in the ride. Now my truck sags only slightly with about 40 lbs. in the bags. I put enough air in the bags so I'm just off the helpers. The truck is level now and I had to lower my hitch so the 5th wheel is level.

Which brand air bags? Do you have a on board compressor?

I have Air Lift bags. No on board compressor.

Air Bags are infinitly adjustable, complete comfort loaded or not. Best wat to go, I love mine. Even helped the ride quality with my old 7K lbs TT.

Timbrens must be installed with enough gap to allow for some normal suspension travel before engaging. There also two "spring rates" for the Timbrens based on the load you carry. Hop over the truck camper side of the forums since we carry heavy weights with high CG for more discussion on suspension modifications.

Bedlam wrote:
If you have the camper package with the upper overload springs, you just need the Torklift upper StableLoads to engage that spring sooner. If you do not, I would suggest Timbrens or SuperSprings to get greater spring rate. Bags will help some of that sag, but 3" worth of sag will be hard on the bags and most likely make your truck mushy and porpoising.

I had an F-250HD diesel that I used Timbrens on...complete junk in my opinion, ride felt like I had no suspension at all, like riding on a hay wagon, went to air bags, 200% improvement on ride!! That's what bags are for is to help with loaded sag, not mushy at all on my truck.

Bedlam wrote:
If you have the camper package with the upper overload springs, you just need the Torklift upper StableLoads to engage that spring sooner. If you do not, I would suggest Timbrens or SuperSprings to get greater spring rate. Bags will help some of that sag, but 3" worth of sag will be hard on the bags and most likely make your truck mushy and porpoising.

Wow, 3" drop with a 2,000# pin, that 250 must have some soft springs! If I needed to add some suspension help likely would do the Torklift upper StableLoads.

Colo Native wrote:

Bedlam wrote:
If you have the camper package with the upper overload springs, you just need the Torklift upper StableLoads to engage that spring sooner. If you do not, I would suggest Timbrens or SuperSprings to get greater spring rate. Bags will help some of that sag, but 3" worth of sag will be hard on the bags and most likely make your truck mushy and porpoising.

I do have the camper pkg.

If you look at the perches in relation to the springs, you will see that it takes quite a bit of spring deflection on the main pack befor the overload spring engages. using a taller pad will kick in your overload sooner allow for less sag.

Here you can see the upper and lower StableLoad on my F250:



This camper is about 4000 lbs when loaded with gear and water and you can see how level it sits:



I did use Firestone air bags at around 50 PSI in addition to the StableLoads when I connected my 8000 lb enclosed trailer using a WHD on a 2.5' receiver extension:







For those that decry I am overloading, The Sterling axle handles 9750 lbs, Vision 19.5" rims handle 4500 lbs and 245/70R195.5 tires handle 4805 lbs. I was about 7000 lbs on the rear axle with the camper and 8000 lbs on the rear with the camper and trailer. GVW was over 12k lbs and GCW was over 19K lbs even though GVWR was 9800 lbs and GCWR was 23.5K lbs.

grampscamper wrote:
I have the camper package on my F250. When I would hookup the 5th wheel the truck would settle into the helper springs. I added air bags earlier this year and saw a noticeable improvement in the ride. Now my truck sags only slightly with about 40 lbs. in the bags. I put enough air in the bags so I'm just off the helpers. The truck is level now and I had to lower my hitch so the 5th wheel is level.

Which brand air bags? Do you have a on board compressor?

Bedlam wrote:
If you have the camper package with the upper overload springs, you just need the Torklift upper StableLoads to engage that spring sooner. If you do not, I would suggest Timbrens or SuperSprings to get greater spring rate. Bags will help some of that sag, but 3" worth of sag will be hard on the bags and most likely make your truck mushy and porpoising.

I do have the camper pkg.

Interesting. This past week, I had to make two trips to LV to pick up - drop off my daughter at the airport. I stopped counting the number of pickups pulling 5ers that their headlights were lighting up the top of telephone poles.

If the rear of your truck is sagging 3", you better bet that your headlights are way up there and blinding everyone coming towards you.

Air Bags or other devices to get your headlights back down to normal setting is a must!

Ron

I have the camper package on my F250. When I would hookup the 5th wheel the truck would settle into the helper springs. I added air bags earlier this year and saw a noticeable improvement in the ride. Now my truck sags only slightly with about 40 lbs. in the bags. I put enough air in the bags so I'm just off the helpers. The truck is level now and I had to lower my hitch so the 5th wheel is level.