Adding an aftermarket air bag system

http://www.rv.net/forums/Index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/25236910/gotomsg/25237530.cfm

I have them on all four. A better ride and no getting push around by a big truck that passes or you meet. Great when you have a side wind, Just air up on the other side and it straighten out.

Effy wrote:
My Friend builds hot rods for a living. Actually rat rods. In all of his applications he uses air bags. Adjustable to have them slammed but can lift if needed. We talked about it for MH's. I told him that makes for a much better ride. We talked about adding some on mine. Claims it's a pretty easy setup as long as you don't over complicate it. So I started to look for a setup and found that CW sells a kit for about $350-$500. It seems like a no frills setup. Bags, hoses and a chuck to add or remove air. I guess without an on board compressor I can't adjust on the fly but like I said it's simple. I could probably add a compressor with a remote control but that seems like the addition of a lot of valves etc which to me adds complexity and that invites issues. SO with a bare bones setup I had a few questions. Would it help? Is it as easy as I describe? How easy to install? Many on here tout that to get an air ride suspension you need to anty up 5x that amount. Iam not spending thousands. Scratching my head on that. Anyone add the CW kit?

I'm thinking that you more than likely have a Ford chassis, but either way, I wouldn't be thinking air bags on a 2012 model and if you're not happy with the handling characteristics, there's other add-ons and/or replacements available, after finding no problems with your OEM suspension.

It handles fine especially given the sway bar adjustments. But the Ford chassis is prone to harsh feedback on bad roads and further exacerbates the issue by having a lighter coach with less weight on the springs. Since the major difference everyone raves about on a DP is the butery ride on the air bags, and I can't afford a DP, my thought was that I can get a more dreamy ride too with $500. That's worth it. More than that and it's simply not worth pursuing. It'll be ok the way it is.

There is a scientific answer to your question. Air is a spring, just like any other spring. It has a spring rate, just like any other spring. If you study air bags, and spring rates, you will discover something about factory air ride. The trick with a factory system is that they use reversing sleeve air bags, which have a variable spring rate. Basically, at the designed operating point, the air bag can move about 1 inch in either direction, for very little load change. Outside of that position, the spring rate dramatically increases, or decreases. So what the reversing sleeve gets you is a soft spring rate at the desired operating point, and a much stiffer spring rate outside that area.

Now here is your problem. The kits sold at CW and most after market kits are convoluted air bags, rather than reversing sleeve. This means for the most part, the spring rate is constant. Constant spring rate is what you already have in your steel springs. Not much benefit. Also, since you are adding another spring to your existing springs, you are actually increasing your spring rate, which will make your ride stiffer. Unless you are compensating for weak springs that are bottoming out, increasing the spring rate will not help your ride.

Now if you were going to remove leafs, and use reversing sleeves, then there would be potential to improve the ride.

I would look at Mor-ryde or torsialastic shackles by Sulastic. This way you are inserting a different spring rate in the middle of the travel, which will soften the ride.

What Dave said.
adding another spring, air or otherwise, without removing some, will give you a stiffer ride.

That makes sense. SO if I understand correctly in order to take out some of the road feedback and jolts I would want what is essentially a rubber dampener on the spring/shackle? Do they work? Seems to be some "on the fence" reviews about them.

We had a 2005 35 foot Georgie Boy on the F53 chassis. I put Firestone airbags on front and back. It road and drove better. I ran 20 lbs in the front and 65 in the back. This helped to put more weight on the front. Ours was light in the front and would wander even after I put a steer safe and rear track bar on.

I have Kelderman. The bags are large, the leafs are changed as are shocks. It works but costs.

Those that doubt the better ride from Firestone bags haven't tried them on an F53. They simply do make a better ride, period. Don't expect the ride like a DP, but for the dollar it's the best investment you will make in your suspension. 23 pounds up front, 50 in the back. Firestone sells a pump and auage to use in the cab but I made my own out of an old air pump and 90 bucks for a gauge and valve.

Mike M2 wrote:
Those that doubt the better ride from Firestone bags haven't tried them on an F53. They simply do make a better ride, period. Don't expect the ride like a DP, but for the dollar it's the best investment you will make in your suspension. 23 pounds up front, 50 in the back. Firestone sells a pump and auage to use in the cab but I made my own out of an old air pump and 90 bucks for a gauge and valve.

That can only mean that the F53 ride height is wrong for the spring rate.