Airlift Spring assist bags

[Mrprovy]

Anyone using them? Are they worth installing of my rear only drops about 1.5"?

In my TV ('06 Chevy Trailblazer) I have rear lift plates (2") on top of Tahoe Z71 springs. I'm OCD and wondering of the bags will really get the rear back up, and if it's even worth worrying about.

Comparison with and without the TT:

[A2pfunk]

Originally Posted by Mrprovy

Anyone using them? Are they worth installing of my rear only drops about 1.5"?

In my TV ('06 Chevy Trailblazer) I have rear lift plates (2") on top of Tahoe Z71 springs. I'm OCD and wondering of the bags will really get the rear back up, and if it's even worth worrying about.

Comparison with and without the TT:Attachment 218194Attachment 218195

I have a pair on my F150. I went with the Firestone Ride Rite bags and I didn't install a compressor. They are incredibly easy to install. I was not looking to increase the loads I carry, I just wanted to improve the ride. In my last truck, a 2012 F150, I really loved them. I find that, in addition to leveling out the load, they reduce the bounce you get when driving down the highway and going over bumps or cracks. In my new truck, I don't notice as much of a difference without them, but they still really improve the ride. Every setup is different so you will have to experiment. I believe my bags can take up to 100 lbs of pressure. I keep mine at about 28 when I tow. I leave them at 5 psi the rest of the time.

They should definitely level your ride if that is what you are looking for. I saw an interesting video where they took weights using air bags and a WDH. If I recall correctly, they found that inflating the airbags increased the load on that axle and did not transfer weight to the front axle as some people expect it might.

[007matman]

Adjust your WD hitch. Looks like an Andersen. You need more torque on those chains which will bring the front down and the rear up a bit.

To me, it looks nose high. What are you measurements before and after ( front and rear).?

I'm not a proponent of air bags

[Mrprovy]

The trailer's covered up now, but the rear went from 29" down to 28"; I never measured the front.

The nuts on the Andersen are half way out of the socket as seen; I'll try bypassing one chain link next time I hook it up and see if I can get it up that way before going for the bag.

[The Evil Twin]

I was not a believer till I installed them. Two weeks ago I installed a set of Load Lifter Ultimate 5000's in the truck. Happy as can be and the loaded ride is much better. I'm not overloaded, WDH (Ox) set up correctly and there is still sufficient weight transferred to the front end.
FWIW, if you do purchase them, make sure to specify your TV has a rear lift kit in it.

[maskins]

i had the firestone bags on my f-150. When I got 5 wheel I put the the air lift bags on the chevy because they were half the price of the firestone bags. I'm within my weights but wanted it to ride level instead of front high. They work great. I can lift the back end of the truck a couple of inches. Their customer service has been great. I have had the bags replaced and a couple of valves replaced.

[A2pfunk]

Originally Posted by 007matman

I'm not a proponent of air bags

Why?

[007matman]

Originally Posted by A2pfunk

Why?

95% of the time people use them as a band-aid and don't address the core issues (overloading).

A Properly adjusted hitch should make both the front and rear settle about the same with the rear down a small amount more.

I'd be curious to know the weights.

[Larry0071]

Originally Posted by A2pfunk

Why?

I see airlift style springs as what you use when you have not spent the $30 to hit scales with your rig and return the front axle weight back to your unit.... assuming that you have enough WDH spring bar for the actual tongue loads seen. With the front pressed back down to near unloaded height (weight transferred) and that weight that was transferred being removed from the rear axle to be placed on both the tow vehicle's front axle and the towed vehicles axles, your rear end should not be squatted much at all. Both of my half tons sit level after proper weight distribution that returns the front axle weight to -100 lbs of empty. The front is not jacked up, the rear is not squatted. The rear goes from the typical excessive empty rake angle (much higher than the front) to slightly raked.

If I were to screw up the WDH tension so that the front were lighter, the rear of course would squat in more. Adding air bags hides the fact that the truck and trailer are set up incorrectly, or that the trailer is simply over weight.

My trailer applies over 1,600 lb tongue/rear payload weight to my truck with no WDH application. After adjusting I get around 920 lbs on the truck and the rear axle gross rating is then just over 200 lbs higher than actual measured weight on the lighter duty Ram.

All things considered, I would bet that the great majority of squatted vehicles that need added air springs to "fix" the problem are set up wrong or overloaded. Both of those conditions are fixed by using air springs. All the person is doing is hiding the symptom and ignoring the condition.

[Mrprovy]

Originally Posted by 007matman

Adjust your WD hitch. Looks like an Andersen. You need more torque on those chains which will bring the front down and the rear up a bit.

To me, it looks nose high. What are you measurements before and after ( front and rear).?

I'm not a proponent of air bags

Unhitched, my ball is only 1/2" higher than the trailer hitch (Andersen recommends 1-1.5"); if I flip the drop so the ball is up 1.5", I will not be able to hitch up with my spare tire.
I moved the shackles back a link to give me more room to torque the chains, but won't be able to test until I have the time to uncover and pull it out into the street (TV is angled where I have the TT parked). I'll see if more torque will help before going for bags.

Thanks for the feedback.

[007matman]

Originally Posted by Mrprovy

Unhitched, my ball is only 1/2" higher than the trailer hitch (Andersen recommends 1-1.5"); if I flip the drop so the ball is up 1.5", I will not be able to hitch up with my spare tire.
I moved the shackles back a link to give me more room to torque the chains, but won't be able to test until I have the time to uncover and pull it out into the street (TV is angled where I have the TT parked). I'll see if more torque will help before going for bags.

Thanks for the feedback.

Let us know what happens when you do that.

Get some measurements too.. fender through the center of the wheel to the ground both front and rear. Get both loaded and unloaded. Use a plumb line if you need to.

The trailer should be level riding down the road so check that too when it's connected.

[sasch]

Bought a set of Airlifts for my Ram 2010 1500 and included a compressor (a must in my opinion). Had them removed and re-installed on a 2015 and reinstalled again on a 2018 (all coil springs which lowers the cost). Have been completely satisfied with their performance in leveling the load of my 5er and improving ride inside my Ram 1500. I do not use them to increase the load I can carry but rather to carry the load better than without.

[Larry0071]

Originally Posted by sasch

Bought a set of Airlifts for my Ram 2010 1500 and included a compressor (a must in my opinion). Had them removed and re-installed on a 2015 and reinstalled again on a 2018 (all coil springs which lowers the cost). Have been completely satisfied with their performance in leveling the load of my 5er and improving ride inside my Ram 1500. I do not use them to increase the load I can carry but rather to carry the load better than without.

So prove the hypothesis wrong. Show your empty CAT scale weights in the truck axles and then show them all with your 5er loaded up and then also include your 2 door jam stickers..... It will tell a tale that could well disprove what some of us (including me) suspect.

[BigRockr]

Originally Posted by Larry0071

So prove the hypothesis wrong. Show your empty CAT scale weights in the truck axles and then show them all with your 5er loaded up and then also include your 2 door jam stickers..... It will tell a tale that could well disprove what some of us (including me) suspect.

He's basically calling you a liar in a "nice" way. Common tactic of "know-it-alls".... Just saying. Could be wrong tho.

[007matman]

Looks like he's relying on objective evidence and not subjective opinion to me.

[Larry0071]

Originally Posted by BigRockr

He's basically calling you a liar in a "nice" way. Common tactic of "know-it-alls".... Just saying. Could be wrong tho.

I'm absolutely asking for him to prove my hypothesis wrong. In my limited experience, a tow vehicle and trailer that is actually set up correctly on scales would never need such crutches. But I'm absolutely and totally willing to learn. I'm a truth seeker and truth speaker. I'm also a lifetime learner.

[Jim34RL]

Originally Posted by 007matman

95% of the time people use them as a band-aid and don't address the core issues (overloading).

A Properly adjusted hitch should make both the front and rear settle about the same with the rear down a small amount more.

I'd be curious to know the weights.

Will I will enter this ridiculous debate!
First everyone should know that air assist bags will do nothing for increasing the load carrying ability of any vehicle. The only thing that an air assist bag will do is level the vehicle when carrying a load. Which is good since most vehicles will squat when loaded and nighttime driving could have the head lights blinding the oncoming driver.

There is no load transfer with air bags to the front axle since the aftermarket bags do not add load carrying ability to any vehicle!

A hitch can't do anything with a load in the bed of a pickup truck, the air assist bag will level the truck with an improved ride when load an unloaded.

I run my bags at 10 PSI when unloaded and what ever air pressure is required to level the truck, for an improved ride.

[mopwr4me2003]

I use them on my traverse and love them. Not sure which ones you are looking at but I have the airlift 1000 so these sit in the springs. I am not sure if you have coil or leaf springs but mine are for coil so not sure if this will help you at all. I got them Not as a bandaid or thinking that it increases my payload or any capacity. I bought them to help level a little more but mainly to give me a smoother ride while loaded. It does help with control and some of the odd movements of the vehicle in wind or when passed or passing. It also takes out some of the bounce with the wonderful Wisconsin roads. Well worth the time and money to put them in IMO.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by 007matman

Get some measurements too.. fender through the center of the wheel to the ground both front and rear. Get both loaded and unloaded. Use a plumb line if you need to.

The trailer should be level riding down the road so check that too when it's connected.

I often see the recommendation to make the front measurement as specified above--at the wheel well through the center of the wheel.

Why couldn't you make the measurement at the center of the front bumper? All you're looking for is to get the unloaded measurement and loaded measurement and then restore the height to somewhere between unloaded and halfway.

Measuring from the flat bumper top seems more repeatable than from a round fender rim.

[DouglasReid]

One major reason to have airbags is most of the time not considered..........

By using the air bags to lift the rear back to "Stock Height" your headlights are also pointing as they should be.

When the rear end drops your headlights raise, blinding the oncoming cars even on low beams.