Air bags

Air bags help support the load. They keep the back of the truck from squatting so much. If you're not over your weights I doubt they will do much for you other than raise the back end a bit. I don't think a smoother ride will result. There might be some improvement if your current suspension is bottoming out on bumps.
If you completely removed the rear springs and went with a complete air bag only suspension then you probably would get a smoother ride. However, this is very expensive and I'm not sure it's even available for a 1500 truck.

Is your truck a 1500 2500 or 3500. If it is a 3500 more weight may improve your ride. My 3500 rides excellent with a heavy load. I have all of the big three and have always found chevy trucks to be the smoothest going down the road. I also don't think air bags will help. But who knows. JMHO

I would say the airbags would make it worse. They will stiffen up the suspension.

Is your truck riding on the bump stops? Factory leaf springs are actually progressive. That means that the more they compress, the stiffer they get. With an air bag, you are returning your truck to the original empty ride height. Actually putting air bags on my truck did improve the ride, to a point. The bumps don't feel as sharp, more cushioned I guess you could say. And I'm not overly loaded with tongue weight either.

dave17352 wrote:
Is your truck a 1500 2500 or 3500. If it is a 3500 more weight may improve your ride. My 3500 rides excellent with a heavy load. I have all of the big three and have always found chevy trucks to be the smoothest going down the road. I also don't think air bags will help. But who knows. JMHO

Truck is a 1500 extended cab, 4WD, with 7,200 GVWR.
I have a Hensley Arrow, and there is very little squat in the rear end.

Thanks for the replies.

Manley how much is the tongue weight? When you say very little squat. Do you mean very little squat from the unloaded position. If so I bet you your rig would ride better if you could put more weight on the hitch. JMHO

manley wrote:

dave17352 wrote:
Is your truck a 1500 2500 or 3500. If it is a 3500 more weight may improve your ride. My 3500 rides excellent with a heavy load. I have all of the big three and have always found chevy trucks to be the smoothest going down the road. I also don't think air bags will help. But who knows. JMHO

Truck is a 1500 extended cab, 4WD, with 7,200 GVWR.
I have a Hensley Arrow, and there is very little squat in the rear end.

Thanks for the replies.

Nope. Bags won't help your problem. May make it stiffer though

dave17352 wrote:
Manley how much is the tongue weight? When you say very little squat. Do you mean very little squat from the unloaded position. If so I bet you your rig would ride better if you could put more weight on the hitch. JMHO

Don't know exactly what the TW is, it has been a LONG time since I weighed it. Unloaded, I think the spec is 630'ish, but put 60 pounds of LP and a battery, plus full front storage, and I'm easily at 1,000 (or more).

Interesting thought. I will definitely try that when we head out next month.

Thanks again....

The only place air bags might help your wife is if you were to have a Class A diesel pusher. Those things have air bag suspension that contributes to a luxury smooth ride.

manley wrote:
What exactly do air bags do? I do not have a problem with tongue weight, GVWR, nor GCWR. What I do have is a stiff ride and a wife with a VERY bad back (2 failed back surgeries). Will air bags smooth the ride out?

Manley,
Helper air bags like Airlift or Firestone Ride-Rite will not make the ride any smoother. The only thing they do is assist the leaf springs to let you carry heavy weight without the springs compressing to the point of reaching the bump stops.

There is a company in Iowa called Kelderman that makes a multi-link air bag system that uses your OEM spring mounts and replaces your leaf packs with air bags. A fully air ride rear suspension might ride better but I can't say for sure.

KJ