Need Suspension Mods

[cheftim]

I've got the rig in my sig: 2017 F350 with and Arctic Fox 990. It's me the wife and the dog. Don't haul much liquid. Figure I'm around the 4000 lb mark.

I've put in the Rancho adjustables front and back, Firestone Air bags, and the larger bump stops that engage the overload spring earlier.

Not loving the air bags on this rig. I've tried anywhere from 10 to 60 lbs.

At 10-20 lbs, I hear something banging when I hit a bridge expansion or frost heave in the road, like something's bottoming out.

Above 20-25, I lose the banging but it's way too bouncy side to side.

I'm thinking maybe a Big Wig might help out on the side to side but I feel the issue is probably the air bags and something like helper springs are the most appropriate solution.

Hoping to get some feedback from folks that have the same truck and similar weight camper to get a more solid ride that isn't compromised when camper is off.

[billtex]

cheftim wrote:
ranhalgo, thanks for the comparison. I had air bags on my last setup and never loved them. I'm trying like you to do things one at a time. At this point I'm trying to decide between the lower Stableloads, Helliwig Big Wig rear stabilizer, and Supersprings.

billtex, other than yours being a CC and mine a SuperCab, we're pretty close in set up and weight. Other than the lower Stableloads, what other mods have you added?

Lower sl and 2” energy suspension bumpers for top overloads.
Our rigs are very similar weight.

I did not want to do anything that would effect unladen ride. I am very happy with these mods.

Last truck I did too much: air bags, super springs, sway bar.
I will not be doing any of those this time.
Truck rode like a cement truck. All the time.

[Buzzcut1]

Ok 7500 at the rear axle is what my 03 F350 Long bed CC 4x4 diesel SRW with a lance 1055 scaled at. I had tires rated at 3750 (Toyo 285/75R16) and had a major tread separation blowout on the freeway at 65 left rear tire let loose, almost rolled. It did $3000 in damage to the truck bed. After that I switched to 19.5 wheels and tires rated at 4500 pounds each or 9000 pound capacity at each axle. Bonus is no more sidewall flex induced roll. Check your tire ratings I bet you are in for a shock

[Geo_Boy]

Tim, the AF 990’s with 2 batteries and propane will hit 4,500 lbs. without clothes and food. Mine hits 4,800+ lbs with some water.

[cheftim]

Buzzcut1,
Hit the local dump scale today. Mind you, they use the scale to charge contractors for dumping.

Front: 4440
Rear: 7540
Total: 12000

Curb weight of the exact truck on nada guides says curb weight is 6600. Not sure how accurate that is but even if it was 7k, that'd mean the camper was nearly 5k.

I'm 275lbs and there's a 1/4 tank gas in the truck. Got about 10 gallons water in the camper tank and about 20 in black, grey negligible. Wife just cleaned out the fridge and cabinets so no serious additional weight in the camper other than some dishes and clothes and a Q grill.

Scale set up isn't optimal for weighing axles one at a time. There's a downramp 2 feet from the end of scale so I had the front wheels off the scale by only a foot so the front axle wouldn't be down the ramp. Thinking that inflated the rear axle weight.

[cheftim]

Thanks dwrat.

If I add Supersprings, do I go back to the original overload bumps or are the TL uppers okay?

With that said, do the TL uppers interact with the Superspring?

[dwrat]

cheftim wrote:
dwrat, What kind of set up do you have? Is it similar to mine?
thedavidzoo, Thanks for the info.

Very similar but Chevy.

[JimK-NY]

Airbags were a disaster on my truck camper. Set low they did little or nothing. Anything over about 25 psi helped level the camper but the sway was awful. I tried to help the situation with Rancho shocks set on high. That was also a mistake and gave me a really poor ride. My wife complained that even small bumps or highway tar strips hurt her neck.

I ditched the airbags and put on Supersprings. That gave the truck the spring capacity it needed for a 4000# plus load. I was able to soften the shocks to about 5 front and 7 rear. Both the sway and the jolting ride were fixed. On my current truck I am using Timbrens and they work quite well. I suspect I would still have even a better drive if I install Supersprings.

[BigfootBill]

billtex wrote:

towpro wrote:
it sounds like you must have over load springs, that work as the truck body drops the springs come into contact with the overload spring perches on the frame.

Your not loaded enough to make them come into play full time so they BANG every time the springs hit them
As you crank up the air bags they you are raising the back so they never hit again.

This.

Ditch the airbags and add lower Stableloads . You’ll be all set.

I'm not convinced that this is true with a 4000 pound camper. The lower pressures he was experimenting with should have allowed the weight to compress the suspension enough to get full engagement out of the various parts of his OEM suspension.

I was having issues and called airlift who makes my bags and tech support recommended running up to 95 psi. I find I like the ride around 75 psi so consider trying out higher pressures. Air it up and see how high you can go before those extensions you talk about lose contact and you may find that you can go higher pressure and still be comfortable with the suspension.

In addition to raising the vehicle as the pressure increases, the "firmness" also increases. It's a dance between the vehicle springs and the airbags and the goal is to find the sweet spot where they work together the way you want.

[BurbMan]

dwrat wrote:
The Big Wig will not help the side to side sway, it will 100% fix the side to side sway.

Come again?

[cheftim]

dwrat, What kind of set up do you have? Is it similar to mine?
thedavidzoo, Thanks for the info.

[thedavidzoo]

Timbrens eliminated any sway, but we have a DRW.

[noteven]

....

[dwrat]

The Big Wig will not help the side to side sway, it will 100% fix the side to side sway.
Best thing I ever installed.

[cheftim]

ranhalgo, thanks for the comparison. I had air bags on my last setup and never loved them. I'm trying like you to do things one at a time. At this point I'm trying to decide between the lower Stableloads, Helliwig Big Wig rear stabilizer, and Supersprings.

billtex, other than yours being a CC and mine a SuperCab, we're pretty close in set up and weight. Other than the lower Stableloads, what other mods have you added?

[cheftim]

Thanks for the follow-up sbryan.

jimh425, rear shocks are cranked all the way up, front on 6. 80 lbs rear tires 70 lbs front.

Geo*Boy, thanks for the feedback. The truck has the 11300 rating and the load sticker shows 4331. I usually travel with empty grey and black and 20 gal of water.

Towpro, I have upper overloads and Torklift uppers. I never have enough air in the bags to take the Torklift off the upper overloads as it's obviously way to wobbly side to side. I usually try to have enough air in to bring it back up an inch or so.

Buzzcut1, no CAT scales near me. Camper's on the truck. I'll see if the town dump will let me on their scales and report back on the axle weights tomorrow.

Thanks all.