Will air bags help or not

[harderd]

Airbags will help to level the rear end and provide a better ride. Having the rear level will alow you to setup hitch with less tension and should improve the steering and ride.

Before i bought my fith wheel I was pulling about 6500lbs and I used them then also. Improves the ride and stability of the truck.

[Carrier]

Thanks to everyone who replied. Going to look at a bigger truck but with the information I received will be putting them on whatever I get.

[Carrier]

Though I am dealing on getting a 350 I had bought ride rites to put on my 150. So after getting trailer set up at site I installed them on truck. I put 5 psi in like many say they do when not towing and it was really bad as anything over a 1" bump they bottomed out bad. Put in 10psi and is much better however truck is lifted, handling a little off and ride is stiffer. Have the bag height at 5" which is low end of what Firestone says it should be. Is this how it is after putting them on? Won't know how it is going to work with trailer till Moday or so.

[M&K Hoffman]

Originally Posted by KB3MMX

Air bags are worth every penny!! Running the Airlift Ultimate 5000s here, love them!!

X2. I run 35 to 45 psi depending on water in tanks on my old trailer. Will be taking possession or our new 3008W on the 25th, so we will see if that changes.
BTW I run 7 psi in mine when not towing.

[Carrier]

When I installed these bags I hooked them together with a T fitting. On way out to trailer I was in a wicked side wind and truck was not handling worth crap. I had a side to side rolling motion. Took the T fitting out and do not get this anymore and truck is way more stable. Still doesn't ride near as good as with no bags but will try it with trailer. Seeing as there is no height control valve to add or exhaust air like any of the air ride I have had on tractor/trailers I can see this happening.

I can't be the only one that finds the bags bottom out with a bang when only having 5 or 10 psi in them with no load. Can't see these staying on over the winter as something will break with the roads we have in the winter.

[OldCoot]

Have run the same Air Lift bags since 97 on 3 different trucks now and never had a problem with them bottoming out when unloaded. I set the pressure to 10# and the on board compressor keeps them inflated. 14 yrs on the same bags.

[Carrier]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Have run the same Air Lift bags since 97 on 3 different trucks now and never had a problem with them bottoming out when unloaded. I set the pressure to 10# and the on board compressor keeps them inflated. 14 yrs on the same bags.

With mine it rides really good with 5 or 10 psi but if you hit any size bump or dip it comes down and sounds and feels like there is no suspension. Put about 15 psi it is ok unless it is a bigger one but the truck is up 2 to 3 inches above what it should be and doesn't handle well. I wouldn't care much with the 15 psi in them but sitting that much higher is not good.
An on board compressor is pretty much a must have in my situation.
Also taking the T fitting out made a difference as I don't get the side to side rolling in side winds and uneven roads that I could feel with just the truck and would imagine having a trailer would be worse.

[Carrier]

Brought trailer home yesterday and am amazed at the difference that the air bags made. Would never have believed that it would have made this much difference. Though I am not sure about the empty ride being that much better as I need to keep close to 15 psi in them so they don't bottom out unbelievable the difference when towing. Will have to drop the Blue Ox down a hole as tongue was up with 35 psi in them with the setting I need to have to keep drive axle gvw under specs and to keep the steering axle gvw within 10 kgs of empty weight.
Old Coot you are right about having an on board compressor for adjusting on the go as just a few psi change for road condition makes a huge difference in ride.
Still need a bigger truck for this trailer but we are looking at putting trailer at a monthly site next year.

[grayfox]

Those that have trucks bottoming out and lower ride quality empty. Tell us about your truck. 1/2 3/4 1 ton and make, GM RAM FORD ???

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by grayfox

Those that have trucks bottoming out and lower ride quality empty. Tell us about your truck. 1/2 3/4 1 ton and make, GM RAM FORD ???

If the member does not have it in their sig you can look at their public profile by left clicking on the uses screen name they may have it there.

[grayfox]

Just sayin... it would be helpful if everyone would complete their profiles. Check it out.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Carrier

With mine it rides really good with 5 or 10 psi but if you hit any size bump or dip it comes down and sounds and feels like there is no suspension. Put about 15 psi it is ok unless it is a bigger one but the truck is up 2 to 3 inches above what it should be and doesn't handle well. I wouldn't care much with the 15 psi in them but sitting that much higher is not good.
An on board compressor is pretty much a must have in my situation.
Also taking the T fitting out made a difference as I don't get the side to side rolling in side winds and uneven roads that I could feel with just the truck and would imagine having a trailer would be worse.

I really don't understand your problem when running 5-10 psi. It should not affect your suspension at all. They are essentially non functioning at that pressure. You must have bad shocks or something wrong with the suspension itself.

[Carrier]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

I really don't understand your problem when running 5-10 psi. It should not affect your suspension at all. They are essentially non functioning at that pressure. You must have bad shocks or something wrong with the suspension itself.

All new shocks, suspension is all good, if I run between 12 and 15 psi then there is no issues. Truck has about 46,000 miles on it. I have a fiberglass flat top on it plus a bedrug so maybe that is enough weight to cause this. I had my wife drive it over some speed bumps at a couple mph with 5 to 10 psi in bags and they do bottom out but with 12 to 15 psi they don't. Checked a couple others I know with pretty much same truck with ride rites and install looks the same but they don't have a flat top and nothing in bed of truck. They both need at least 10 psi in their bags or they get same issue.
Just have to figure out where to install compressor and solenoids so the salt and crap we have here for next 6 months don't corrode it up.

[Carrier]

Originally Posted by grayfox

Those that have trucks bottoming out and lower ride quality empty. Tell us about your truck. 1/2 3/4 1 ton and make, GM RAM FORD ???

I thought all the information I gave in the first post of this thread would be enough?

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Carrier

All new shocks, suspension is all good, if I run between 12 and 15 psi then there is no issues. Truck has about 46,000 miles on it. I have a fiberglass flat top on it plus a bedrug so maybe that is enough weight to cause this. I had my wife drive it over some speed bumps at a couple mph with 5 to 10 psi in bags and they do bottom out but with 12 to 15 psi they don't. Checked a couple others I know with pretty much same truck with ride rites and install looks the same but they don't have a flat top and nothing in bed of truck. They both need at least 10 psi in their bags or they get same issue.
Just have to figure out where to install compressor and solenoids so the salt and crap we have here for next 6 months don't corrode it up.

So you are saying the air bags are messing up your suspension? What or how did it work before you put the air bags on? You have me totally confused. I've run air bags for years and if there is minimal air in them I don't even know they are on the truck. I've never heard of anyone having your problem with an unloaded truck.

[chiro]

Carrier
Is the reason why you are bottoming out because of the lift kit. My 2011f250 is stock suspension. I added the firestone ride rites and you can't even tell they are there. Smooth a silk at 0psi or 5 psi.
I would guess that there is a piece of suspension
Missing from the truck due to the fact it has been lifted
I also have an on board compressor and it is very nice. Run mine at 65 psi. I hardwired mine didn't want to chase remotes and dead batteries

[Carrier]

Originally Posted by chiro

Carrier
Is the reason why you are bottoming out because of the lift kit. My 2011f250 is stock suspension. I added the firestone ride rites and you can't even tell they are there. Smooth a silk at 0psi or 5 psi.
I would guess that there is a piece of suspension
Missing from the truck due to the fact it has been lifted
I also have an on board compressor and it is very nice. Run mine at 65 psi. I hardwired mine didn't want to chase remotes and dead batteries

This F150 is bone stock there is no lift kit. The only thing that has been done is the airbags. If I am not mistaken they mount different on your 250 that on the 2009 to 2013 F150.

[Carrier]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

So you are saying the air bags are messing up your suspension? What or how did it work before you put the air bags on? You have me totally confused. I've run air bags for years and if there is minimal air in them I don't even know they are on the truck. I've never heard of anyone having your problem with an unloaded truck.

Not saying they are messing up my suspension, saying that if I only put in 5 to 10 psi they will and do bottom out. If I put in 12 to 15 psi they do not. With these bags and brackets being between the axle and frame on this truck if there is not enough air in the bags then they will bottom out.
Not sure how yours are but on a 2010 F150 they do mount different than the previous ones or a Chevy.

[OldCoot]

Carrier are you worried that the air bags bottoming out will hurt them? If so, just put 12# in them and forget them. They should be guaranteed if something happens.

[Carrier]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Carrier are you worried that the air bags bottoming out will hurt them? If so, just put 12# in them and forget them. They should be guaranteed if something happens.

No what I am saying is everyone that I have either read on this site or others have all said that they put in 5 psi in their bags and their truck rides like a caddy. On my 2010 F150 with 5 psi in the bags it rides like a caddy as long as I don't hit any bumps more than 1" high. This is not possible so therefore I need 12 to 15 psi in these bags for the roads that I travel on. However doing this puts the truck about an 1-1/2" to just under 2" higher on rear than what stock is. Is this a big deal probably not just wanted to know if this happens to others with the same type of truck.

Not sure if you have seen how these are installed on a 2010 F 150 but because they fit between the spring center bolt and frame they will bottom out without enough clearance. Firestone instructions on these want 5" to 7.5" height between bottom and top brackets empty or loaded. 5 psi only gives me about 3" so therefore they bottom out when driving. 12 to 15 psi gives me just over 5" so therefore no bottoming out.

It's all fine Old Coot I just wanted clarification from those that have these on a 2009 to 2013 F150 like I have and how much psi they run empty.
I guess I should have been more specific.