If you need shocks, get shocks. Easy to determine that. Ditto with the springs. A 25 year old truck probably needs new springs. As far as helping with the extra weight, Timbrens are less than $200 and 30 minutes to install if you've never done it before, and they work. Bad ride problems with Timbrens are usually created by improper installation. They have to be 1/2 to 1 inch above the axle tube at rest unloaded. Compare that price with airbags and the much longer installation. Had Timbrens on a 2005 F250 that I loaded up very heavy a few times (13K 5ver), and they really do the job.
