Adjustable air bags

[rd_macgregor]

I'm considering adding a pump and adjustable air bags to my wife's RAM Ecodiesel truck. The truck has a great ride empty, but squats too much when loaded/trailering. While I'd certainly like to level the ride a bit (and keep the headlights on the road!), I also wondered if these air bags/shocks can be used to ease trailer parking.
My idea was to pump up the bags (thereby raising the back of the truck and the trailer tongue), put blocks under the trailer jack, then unsnap the hitch, safety chains, etc. and lower the truck leaving the trailer supported on the blocks...and, thereby saving myself a lot of cranking on the trailer jack. Reversing the process should also work for hooking back up.
Will this work as I've envisioned it?

 

[Diamondpilot]

I'm considering adding a pump and adjustable air bags to my wife's RAM Ecodiesel truck. The truck has a great ride empty, but squats too much when loaded/trailering. While I'd certainly like to level the ride a bit (and keep the headlights on the road!), I also wondered if these air bags/shocks can be used to ease trailer parking. My idea was to pump up the bags (thereby raising the back of the truck and the trailer tongue), put blocks under the trailer jack, then unsnap the hitch, safety chains, etc. and lower the truck leaving the trailer supported on the blocks...and, thereby saving myself a lot of cranking on the trailer jack. Reversing the process should also work for hooking back up. Will this work as I've envisioned it?

This is my complaint with Rams also.

I added a set of bags to a truck and I doubt you het more than 2" of movement. Not enough to make using the trailer jack a part of the equation.

Chris

 

[George2615]

You can use an air bag system, helper springs, air shocks, timbren suspension etc. Quite a number of ways to beef up your rear suspension. For the trailer, replace the jack with a 12V electric trailer jack.

 

[Stimw]

Air bags are great but like stated they probably won't work that way.
I had a 1973 Buick Riviera back in the 70's that I towed a boat and an Offroad Dunebuggie with it when I lived in Cincinnati.
The air shocks made all the difference in the world! That car would bottom out without them.
I ordered the shocks from JC Whitney back then for $38.00 . When I got them they were DELCO PLEASUREIZERS!!! You never knew what you were getting from Whitney!

 

[rustyshakelford]

I have run firestone airbags on every truck for the last 10 years. Look into the daystar cradles for a better ride unloaded.

Brett

 

[coobie]

Other way around for me,my 2011 Ford F250 squatted under load of my 20 ft bumper pull trailer.My 2016 ram 2500 does not squat as much under load like my ford did.

 

[4570Man]

Somewhere on my to do list is making an adapter that allows me to turn the trailer jack with a cordless drill. If you wanted something more elegant you could get 12 volt powered jacks. I'm pretty sure my drill powered jacks will be faster and I know they will be cheaper.

 

[bdog]

I had Firestone air bags on my 15 F250. The bags themselves are great the brackets are junk. Bent them up twice and that was without any heavy loads. First time the sent replacements, second time they sent replacements and a reinforcement bracket. No idea why this wasn't included from the beginning. The bags are nice but kind of hassle to be adjusting all the time. If I have the need again I will try something like the sumo springs that are like air bags without air.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I had Firestone air bags on my 15 F250. The bags themselves are great the brackets are junk. Bent them up twice and that was without any heavy loads. First time the sent replacements, second time they sent replacements and a reinforcement bracket. No idea why this wasn't included from the beginning. The bags are nice but kind of hassle to be adjusting all the time. If I have the need again I will try something like the sumo springs that are like air bags without air.

I went through the same thing with a Ram 2500 then a F250. I then got smart and bought a SRW F350. The right truck is the fix, not bolt on's!

Chris

 

[Copperhead]

I have often wondered why more pickups do not come with air bags as at least an option from the factory. HD commercial semi's have been using complete air ride systems for decades for both tractor and trailer. A commercial semi truck, the ride height is the same empty or with 47,000 lb of freight in the trailer. They are self adjusting on pressure via a ride height leveling valve. It would not be hard for the OEM's to include a electric air pump setup tied to the air bags along with ride height leveler to enable a air bag system that is reliable and self adjusting.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I have often wondered why more pickups do not come with air bags as at least an option from the factory. HD commercial semi's have been using complete air ride systems for decades for both tractor and trailer. A commercial semi truck, the ride height is the same empty or with 47,000 lb of freight in the trailer. They are self adjusting on pressure via a ride height leveling valve. It would not be hard for the OEM's to include a electric air pump setup tied to the air bags along with ride height leveler to enable a air bag system that is reliable and self adjusting.

1. Expense. 2. Its dead simple to use a spring and be able to eyeball to much weight. Most people wouldn't stop loading stuff till they ran out of room if the truck didn't squat.

 

[Monster5601]

I went through the same thing with a Ram 2500 then a F250. I then got smart and bought a SRW F350. The right truck is the fix, not bolt on's!

Chris

Even a one ton will squat, they all will depending on the weight applied with respect to their payload abilities. RAM offers the rear air leveling system on their HD's which has to be the best option in recent history on any pick-up truck.

My son added the Firestone air bags to his Chevy Duramax 2500 to take out the squat when connected to his bumper pull travel trailer.

 

[rd_macgregor]

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping the system would have, say, 6" or so of travel, which would allow me to reduce my jack-cranking time when mounting/dismounting the trailer, but it doesn't sound like that scheme will work.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping the system would have, say, 6" or so of travel, which would allow me to reduce my jack-cranking time when mounting/dismounting the trailer, but it doesn't sound like that scheme will work.

I have a dump valve on my international and I would be hard pressed to say that I get 6" of drop from dumping the bags on it. Personally I would think it would be more fooling around than it was worth to try and use the air to drop the trailer.

 

[Cataclysm]

As stated, bags wont give you enough height to hook a trailer. Bags will keep you level.

Check out Timbren springs for an inexpensive way to keep from squatting.

None of these methods are for increasing the load capacity.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Even a one ton will squat, they all will depending on the weight applied with respect to their payload abilities. RAM offers the rear air leveling system on their HD's which has to be the best option in recent history on any pick-up truck. My son added the Firestone air bags to his Chevy Duramax 2500 to take out the squat when connected to his bumper pull travel trailer.

Anything will squat, I realize that. My experience is with the 3/4 tons they dropped 6 to 8 inches while the SRW F350 drops 2 inches with the same load. It feels much more stable, steers better, has better headlight aim, ect.

I tried adding things to the 3/4 tons but nothing compared to just having the right truck!

Chris

 

[tcartwri]

I'm considering adding a pump and adjustable air bags to my wife's RAM Ecodiesel truck. The truck has a great ride empty, but squats too much when loaded/trailering. While I'd certainly like to level the ride a bit (and keep the headlights on the road!), I also wondered if these air bags/shocks can be used to ease trailer parking.
My idea was to pump up the bags (thereby raising the back of the truck and the trailer tongue), put blocks under the trailer jack, then unsnap the hitch, safety chains, etc. and lower the truck leaving the trailer supported on the blocks...and, thereby saving myself a lot of cranking on the trailer jack. Reversing the process should also work for hooking back up.
Will this work as I've envisioned it?

I've got over 100,000 Km's on a set of Air Lift 1000's in my ram. At 30 psi there is basically no squat with 1000 lbs on the ball. The truck does sit about 2" higher unloaded though.

You will not have the air dump feature which is not as usefull as it sounds.

I have to wonder how much weight you are putting in the truck if it's squatting that bad.

 

[jwstewar]

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping the system would have, say, 6" or so of travel, which would allow me to reduce my jack-cranking time when mounting/dismounting the trailer, but it doesn't sound like that scheme will work.

I took our camper out one time with the manual crank jack. Immediately came home and ordered a Barker tongue jack off e-bay. I think I got it for around $150. Works great, I then bought an Atwood and put it on my utility trailer. Still need to buy one for my stock trailer.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Look into Airlift Wireless air, I had this setup on my previous 2500HD and I was great, I controlled the bags at whatever set point I desired.
I used the Firestone bags when I installed as I didn't care for the brackets on the Airlift bags.

Matt

 

[Copperhead]

I would also add, look into Sumo Springs. The plug and play and forget ease similar to Timbrens, but the ride and effect of air bags. The best of both worlds. Considerably cheaper than air bags. Just ordered a set for the rear of my 2500. $170 and free shipping. They even make a coil version for vehicles with coil front or rear springs.

SumoSprings - YouTube