I have replace the air bags on my truck 3 times. This last time they only lasted 8 months. I have a 3500 dually Chev with a 1999 2500 10.5 bigfoot on it. I'm pretty sure I blew it out on a frost heave that I didn't see well enough in advance. I put the bags on to even out the bed from side to side and to keep it from squatting so much in the rear that the mud flags would drag. I do not want to spend anymore money on air bags. Where should I go from here?

http://timbren.com/Check out Timbrens.....have worked for me for 10 years on 2 different GMC's...

There has to be a reason you are blowing airbags out. It's not even remotely normal to blow out bags! The Air-Lift system airbags we put on our 1993 Chevy 2500 ext cab LB 4X4 in 1993 are still working fine today with 20 years use and over 300,000 miles on them. We put the first 128,000 miles on the truck with 2 different Lance TC's on it. The truck was only used for RVing when we had it. We then sold it to an asparagus farmer friend of ours who hauls heavy loads of crops, fertilizer, equipment, etc year around and the truck now has way over 300,000 still with the same airbags working just fine as is the onboard compressor with dual controls in the cab. We see the truck a lot every year as we own property next door to his farm and talk to the owner several time each year. Our present 2004.5 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC LB 4X4 truch has close to 150,000 miles on it today and still has the same Air-Lift bags on that were installed in May 2004 and they work fine. Truck carries the 11'4" Lance totally optioned out TC that weighs over 4,000 lbs load to travel. Never even had any bags leak either. On the 1993, I inflated 40-50 psi as that leveled it and rode the best. It went to Alaska from Michigan twice with the longest trip being 13,137 miles and yes, we know frost heaves. On the 2004.5 D/A with the big Lance on I inflate the bags to 65-70 psi as that seems to be the best. Approx 52,000 miles with the big Lance on the truck and the rest of the miles were with either our previous 9.5' Lance or our 29' Carriage Carrilite 5th wheel as this truck has also only been used for RVing. We have other vehicles.Somethings not right and causing your bags to fail!

I had airbags on my last truck but decided to try Superspring helper springs on my 2500. I'm happy with them. There are also some other brand of helper springs out there but a local shop sold Supersprings so I got them. Everything I've read says steel helper springs control sway better than air bags. I can't say if that's true or not but I'm happy with them so far.

If the truck is squatting with the weight of the camper in the bed you need something to help the main leaf packs at the year. That means adding a leaf to the pack or adding a pair of SuperSprings. I went the SuperSprings route and bought the ones that come with a pair of leaves for each side and paid $445 and spent an hour installing them. I got the four leaf set and took out the two inner leaves, which was easy to do and then installed the outer leaves. I did this as the two sets with two leaves was only $45 more than pair of the single leaf and this way if the single leaf on each side was not enough I only needed to reinstall the Supersprings with the additional leaf on each side. Ride is pretty much stock with the camper off the truck and handling is great with a 4,000 lb. camper in the bed. Nothing to wear out or need to adjust.

sounds like your bags are getting poked by something under the truck..i have never heard of them blowing out..the set that was on my d250 when i got it had been rubbed through like most failures i have heard about..i have ripped the mounts off of the frame though..you could try timbrens my brother swears by his..or get a larger overload pack built..

What else should I use? | Good Sam Community

rutzbeck
Explorer
Aug 11, 2013
My truck only squats when I didn't have air bags. With the air bags it lifted it and leveled it. I have had a lot of problem with this truck so it could be that the springs are bad. It is a 2006 with only 62,000 miles on it but I have replaced tie rods, CV joints, U joints and more. I will probably go for the super springs as I have hear the timbrens don't function as well in the cold. I use my camper a lot in the winter.

I would love to go to someone that specializes in springs but I would probably have to go to Anchorage. That is around 800 miles. I will have to wait till next summer when I may go south.
whizbang
Explorer II
Aug 10, 2013
Although I like the Timbrens that I am currently using, they won't help you level side-to-side. For that, you need air bags.

If I am reading your post correctly, you have a 10.r foot camper on a dually and your mud flats are dragging.

If this is true, you have a significant problem, poor springs, missing or weak overload springs, wrong air bags, or poorly installed air bags, or????????

You should have a spring shop look at your suspension. Something is seriously wrong. Get a free quote or two. Don't spend any more money until you know what is wrong.
ejfranz
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
Z-Peller wrote:
http://timbren.com/

Check out Timbrens.....have worked for me for 10 years on 2 different GMC's...

+2
kerry4951
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
wintersun wrote:
If the truck is squatting with the weight of the camper in the bed you need something to help the main leaf packs at the year. That means adding a leaf to the pack or adding a pair of SuperSprings. I went the SuperSprings route and bought the ones that come with a pair of leaves for each side and paid $445 and spent an hour installing them. I got the four leaf set and took out the two inner leaves, which was easy to do and then installed the outer leaves.

I did this as the two sets with two leaves was only $45 more than pair of the single leaf and this way if the single leaf on each side was not enough I only needed to reinstall the Supersprings with the additional leaf on each side.

Ride is pretty much stock with the camper off the truck and handling is great with a 4,000 lb. camper in the bed. Nothing to wear out or need to adjust.

I did the same thing. The single leaf was enough so I removed the second leaf. I am very happy with my SSs.
gitpicker2009
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
wait a minute. are you sure you have the right airbags?
I've noticed that there are different weight ratings for different systems and max air/load pressures. You might check that.
starcraft69
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
Z-Peller wrote:
http://timbren.com/

Check out Timbrens.....have worked for me for 10 years on 2 different GMC's...

+1

I just put a set on my truck and did 1000 miles with them and love them
narcodog
Explorer II
Aug 10, 2013
SuperSprings for me thank you.
My rig leans to the left, I could really don't care, 60K miles and it's still going in the right direction. Down the road.
recycler
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
sounds like your bags are getting poked by something under the truck..i have never heard of them blowing out..the set that was on my d250 when i got it had been rubbed through like most failures i have heard about..i have ripped the mounts off of the frame though..you could try timbrens my brother swears by his..or get a larger overload pack built..
wintersun
Explorer II
Aug 10, 2013
If the truck is squatting with the weight of the camper in the bed you need something to help the main leaf packs at the year. That means adding a leaf to the pack or adding a pair of SuperSprings. I went the SuperSprings route and bought the ones that come with a pair of leaves for each side and paid $445 and spent an hour installing them. I got the four leaf set and took out the two inner leaves, which was easy to do and then installed the outer leaves.

I did this as the two sets with two leaves was only $45 more than pair of the single leaf and this way if the single leaf on each side was not enough I only needed to reinstall the Supersprings with the additional leaf on each side.

Ride is pretty much stock with the camper off the truck and handling is great with a 4,000 lb. camper in the bed. Nothing to wear out or need to adjust.
bikerdib
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
I had airbags on my last truck but decided to try Superspring helper springs on my 2500. I'm happy with them. There are also some other brand of helper springs out there but a local shop sold Supersprings so I got them. Everything I've read says steel helper springs control sway better than air bags. I can't say if that's true or not but I'm happy with them so far.