Air ride!

[HMS_Beagle]

I just installed an airbag suspension on my new '15 F350 dually and took it on the first camper trip. I will put at the end of this post the reasons for doing it to save the long narrative for those interested. This is from Autoflex in Canada.

Box arrived, forklift unload - it is 380 lbs of stuff:



Like Christmas in Summer, opening and unpacking:



The kit is quite complete including all parts necessary, air compressor, controls, etc., nicely labeled:

[HMS_Beagle]

Just to be clear, this is not an air bag load assist like the Air-lift air bags. This is a total suspension replacement. The original leaf springs are lying on my shop floor. I've had air bag assists for several trucks as well, but it isn't anything like this.

[travelnutz]

I/we love our Air-lift systems airbags and have had them on every pickup truck since 1993 and won't have a truck without them. Totally and so easily adjustable for any or no load and is riding on air! Just a balloon and no other overload enhancements ever. Outstanding plus! Gives side to side adjustment for weight also.

Never had one leak or failure and the one truck now has over 400,000 miles on it and the bags and all lines are still the original. That truck has been used to haul produce crates etc to markets and heavy stuff for the farm ever since we sold it to him in 2004. Had hauled our 9.5' Lance TC and our Carriage 5th wheel about 168,000 miles before we'd sold it as it was only used for RV'ing use.

Why anyone uses other types of overloads is beyond me as there's no comparison in ride, load handling variables, and so little added weight to the vehicle which of course, means any added weight lowers the cargo carrying capacity of the truck on it's tires and axles. It's no brainer!

[HMS_Beagle]

The valves are fairly cheap, in this case they came with the kit, I just haven't installed them yet. In fact I think I am going to install electronic sensors so I can more easily switch to manual control for leveling while parked.

By "you can't just ditch the springs" I only meant that you are replacing the springs with a bunch of other linkages as well as the air bags, it is a more complicated kit and install than the airbag assists. One thing that helps the ride is that the springs are quite heavy - about all I can lift - and it is mostly unsprung weight. The kit parts weigh about as much as the stuff you take off, but much more of that weight is sprung weight.

[Reality_Check]

HMS Beagle wrote:

mellow wrote:
Pretty cool, I love my airbags, just never thought about ditching the springs all together. What PSI do you run them at?

I don't have the automatic setup yet. Running static pressure until then, 35 psi empty, 90 with 4300 lbs camper gets the bags at nominal height. Of course you can't just ditch the springs as the air bags have no location control at all. The link system keeps the pinion angle pretty much constant, not allowing any axle wrap, and the air bags seem to transmit less noise than the springs though that is a more subtle difference.

Ahhhh.... I understand. I wouldn't imagine setting up a sensor would be very difficult. The valve's are fairly inexpensive ($100??).

I'm thinking I'm not fully understanding your system..."you can't just ditch the springs.." ???

[HMS_Beagle]

mellow wrote:
Pretty cool, I love my airbags, just never thought about ditching the springs all together. What PSI do you run them at?

I don't have the automatic setup yet. Running static pressure until then, 35 psi empty, 90 with 4300 lbs camper gets the bags at nominal height. Of course you can't just ditch the springs as the air bags have no location control at all. The link system keeps the pinion angle pretty much constant, not allowing any axle wrap, and the air bags seem to transmit less noise than the springs though that is a more subtle difference.

[Reality_Check]

mellow wrote:
Pretty cool, I love my airbags, just never thought about ditching the springs all together. What PSI do you run them at?

It's automatic.. adjusts air as needed for the load. No pressure gauge needed and I actually don't know what the 'average' psi is. I think my safety is 125. If my system is empty, the truck rises up fairly soon after starting so I'll guess that it's riding on pretty low pressure most of the time, even loaded.

[mellow]

Pretty cool, I love my airbags, just never thought about ditching the springs all together. What PSI do you run them at?

[HMS_Beagle]

I haven't tried it yet but I intend to. The straps control extension, nothing to do with compression. On compression, there is an internal bump stop in the bag, and the external one you can see in the pictures (kind of like Timbrens?). I expect it would be 'firm'. Autoflex told me you could drive on it "as long as you could stand it" - which I took to mean you would want to fix it ASAP. Swapping the bag would not be a huge job, I have bought an extra one to carry, they are pretty inexpensive ($150) and don't take much room. You would need to remove the wheels, the bag is easy, but you would need to break and remake the plumbing. A 1 1/8 socket is required to remove the nut on the plumbed stud, so I will carry that. Ordinary tools otherwise.

I broke a spring on my 5th wheel once going into Yellowstone park, had to wait for one to be shipped in, and wait for the garage to change it.

[Kayteg1]

Nice modification.
I have been thinking about it waiting for money for new truck, but spending 70 grands on new truck only to put additional $5k (with labor) to make ride bearable really sucks.
Commercial air bags have very long life span. I bought my Prevost when it was 32 years old and it was sitting for about a decade. I replaced 2 of the bags as they show outside abrasion from road debris, but sold the Prevost with several bags that had to be at least 25 years old, if not 40 years old.

[Reality_Check]

mellow wrote:
Have you tried to simulate the bags loosing air with the camper on yet? Curious how drivable it would still be with the safety straps and how long they would hold?

With the bags dumped, the truck sits on the rails. Hard as a rock. You can drive it, but it's rough on the truck and you.

I dump the bags to drop trailers and when loading/unloading the camper. One of the great benefits.

Chance of a bag failure is probable a bit less than the chance of a spring failing. Sure, it can happen, but not something one is going to worry about.

[mellow]

Have you tried to simulate the bags loosing air with the camper on yet? Curious how drivable it would still be with the safety straps and how long they would hold?

[HMS_Beagle]

I like the engineering on the Link system - too bad they don't make it for pickups, not enough room to fit it I guess.

I don't understand why the big three don't offer air at least as an option. Ram has started to, but kind of copped out on the heavier trucks.

I'm starting to think about air ride for the front now....

[Reality_Check]

Nicely done... You'll never look back.

I'm amazed at all the efforts/money/discussions about 'solving' the suspension issues...and yet, air is almost completely ignored.

Just the empty vs loaded part pays huge. Anyone that's driven a sprung 450/550 empty knows the downside to the beef. Air solves that problem. Add to the smoothness empty, that my headlights are always correctly aimed regardless of my weight, my tow package, anything...and life is just better.

Welcome to the bright side....

[HMS_Beagle]

I think EarthRoamer use Kelderman, same type of 4 link. But since they start with a chassis cab 550, there are a lot more options. There are at least 5 manufacturers of 4 link air suspension for those. The Autoflex still seems to be the only one that puts the forces into the frame as the Ford Engineers designed. Most of the others support the weight right at the top of the frame hump, where it is weakest.

[Bubtoofat]

Looks like the same system used on the EarthRoamer RVs.

Mike