Rear Truck suspension

[Travel07]

I have a 2008 Ford F450 (4 door) dually pulling a 36 ft Mobile Suites fifth wheel, added a 50 gal external fuel tank to bed of truck and have noticed wear on front tires as wekk as lowing of rear of truck, not much, but this may be causeing tire wear on front. Looking at a couple of items that may solve, a.) adding another leaf spring, b.) adding air bag kit, c.) adding better timbrens. What suggestions are out there to better raise my rear end.
Thanks

[golf_bears]

I have the same rig, 2008 F-450 and a 2008 36TK3 MS. Had the same front end issue, unusual tire wear. Replaced the OEM shocks and a tie rod. Problem solved on the front end.

Added air bags to help with the ride and level out the RV to the truck.

Also have the Hensley air hitch and the More-Ryde IS suspension system. All issues solved and you can't beat the ride, either towing or solo.

If you would like to discuss this solution further, send me a PM with your phone number and I’ll call you.

[Cummins12V98]

That surprises me, my 3500 Ram dually sits level with 4.500# pin weight from our 36 Mobile Suites. I did add bags but not to level it just to help smooth out some of the bad roads. I doubt the load has anything to do with front tire wear. Probably too much toe in. I only add 100# to front axle with the 4,500# pin weight.

[tgreening]

Bags. Bags bags bags. They can say what they want about the RAS but when you get down to it it's just another spring and is no more "active" than the springs already there. It's not going to stop the rear end from sagging, it'll just change the amount of weight it takes to do it.

I have an '08 F450 and I installed a set of bags. My truck rides at the exact same height, always. It doesn't matter if there is no weight on the rear end, or 4,000 lbs, it rides at the same height. RAS won't do that.

I installed it, I set it, and I promptly forgot about it. I don't have to worry about adding air, bleeding air, or anything else. It's just there. Shoot, when I fill my fuel tank the compressor kicks in to compensate for the weight and as I burn it up the valve dumps air to adjust.

You can't really get much more active than that.

[Olde_Volks_Plac]

OK I'm no expert in this or any other field but I ran across this site while looking for safety items for my 15 psg van.

1st go to you tube type in Road Master Active Suspension and WATCH
IMPRESSIVE is an understatement.
Or visit www.activesuspension.com or call them tell them what is happening and they will advise you. They are awesome to deal with and back what they sell.

just my 2cents worth

good luck

[BigToe]

Ford added 2" blocks above the axle (with new, longer Ubolts and prevailing torque flange nuts) to solve this problem.

And it is a common problem with F-450s and F-550's. More so with F-550's that are rated for a ton more carrying capacity.

Ford markets their solution with a name, called the "Anti-Rear Deflection Package"... something to that effect.

It is orderable with new trucks, but you can probably sleuth the part numbers for that option, order the parts, and have them installed.

The advantage to Ford's system is that it raises the rear without changing the spring rate... hence the ride quality should remain the same as what you are now experiencing.

The disadvantage depends on the type of bed you have. I'm assuming you have an F-450 cab chassis. If the cab chassis has pickup bed, then the disadvantage might be that you would have to raise the fiver higher on the landing gear to hitch up, but once the pin weight engages, the attitude of both truck and fiver should level out. If your cab chassis has a hauler bed or flat bed, then this is not an issue.

If your 2008 is an F-450 factory pickup, and not a cab chassis, then this entire "anti deflection package" solution is moot, since the F-450 pickup uses the F-350 frame and rear suspension geometry.