Suspension Upgrades (beefin up shocks)

[teamjendy]

Can someone explain what process or parts would be required to beef up the shocks and suspension?

I've read about air bags and blistens.

I want to eliminate rear end sag, improve driving experience and allow for a heavier load in the event i need to load it up heavier than usual.

I should note that I will be installing front/rear sway bars and steering stabilizer as well.

Thanks

[davel1971]

what type of vehicle are you asking about?

[DocGTO]

Ditto. Vehicle would help.

[SilhouettePenny]

His signature shows a 2014 FR3 25DS

[teamjendy]

Yes sorry. 2014 fr3 25ds

[davel1971]

I don't see any reason why you would need to. The stock suspension should easily handle the weight, up to the GVWR of course. Are you saying it doesn't have any sway bars or steering stabilizers now? I find that hard to believe.

[HansSchulz]

May I ask a related question. We have a 2016 MBS 2401 Forester with a Hellwig sway bar installed. Yet, it dances way too much and seems to be bouncing off the suspension support with a loud bump on most uneven surface/curves. How can I upgrade to stabilize the vehicle and eliminate this noise?

[pledbetter]

I've got the Air bags on my F250 all I have to do is push a button and my built in compressor cranks up about 30 psi which levels out my bed to fifth wheel...drain the pressure when we're unhitched and get a smoother ride...U was told the conversion makes your 250 better than a 350...about $600 to do it....I have the Anderson hitch at 32 lbs and. B and W ball...flat bed in 5 minutes

[dutiful Don]

Before changing anything you should consider doing the Cheap Handling Fix (CHF). Do a search for it on the Forum. The Ford F53 chassis has 2 positions for the sway bars. By stiffening these up handling is much improved. Many FR3 owners have done this with great results.

[ShermanD]

[QUOTE=HansSchulz;1264880]May I ask a related question. We have a 2016 MBS 2401 Forester with a Hellwig sway bar installed. Yet, it dances way too much and seems to be bouncing off the suspension support with a loud bump on most uneven surface/curves. How can I upgrade to stabilize the vehicle and eliminate this noise?[/QUOTE

Please explain, are you saying that you are bottoming out the jounce bumpers on the rear axle when hitting bumps?

Go to the Mercedes Brenz Sprinter sub forum, the Forester sub forum, or the Sunseeker forum of the Motor Home section

Post your question there and be specific on what is happening. Unless you are severely overloaded and the jounce bumpers are almost touching the axle, they shouldn't be bottoming out. Are you sure you don't have something loose in one of the rear basement storage compartments that is bouncing and making a thumping noise when you go over a bump.

I know it can happen, because it happened to me. We have a 2017 BMS 2400WS and I had a milk crate with some one pound propane cylinders stored in the garage compartment right behind the drivers seat the first time out. Each time I would hit a bump, I would hear a thump. After about 15 miles worth of this thumping noise, I was able to stop to wee where the noise was coming from. Since everything looked fine, I started going through the compartments and recreating the sound. when I got to the compartment with with the milk crate, I lifted it up and let it drop. lo and behold there was my noise problem. A little repacking and the noise was gone.

I am not saying this is the problem, but rather that there is all kinds of information available on suspension enhancements for the Sprinter Chassis, along with knowledgeable forum members who frequent those three sub forums.

Sherman

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by pledbetter

I've got the Air bags on my F250 all I have to do is push a button and my built in compressor cranks up about 30 psi which levels out my bed to fifth wheel...drain the pressure when we're unhitched and get a smoother ride...U was told the conversion makes your 250 better than a 350...about $600 to do it....I have the Anderson hitch at 32 lbs and. B and W ball...flat bed in 5 minutes

Not quite ~~ My 2016 F250 is close in many ways to my 2016 F350 but the 250 does have a slightly smoother ride. That is where it ends. The 350 has a much higher payload rating which air bags, additional springs or anything else can change. Air bags will level sag which will help stability, especially if in a payload overload situation. The 350 has higher rated wheels/tire, axels, and more even though the drive train can be the same. The 250 is limited to a 10,000# GVWR, not so the 350. When buying new the 350 is priced within $800 of a 250 and can often be bought for less. I have pulled 5ers to about 11,500 with the 250 but when getting much over that the 350 is the way to go even though both can be rated at the same 15,600.

[Denny B]

I installed suspension air bags in our Pathfinder, and am very pleased with the results