• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Air bags or 3500 springs ?

1-tonxj

NAXJA Member
NAXJA Member
Location
Colorado
My long bed 2500 ram seems to be a bit soft in the rear. I have a tool box and a couple hundred pounds of stuff in that in the bed ...a 150lb spare tire and a few other things for my runs. The trailer has a 10k watt generator mounted on the front header 3 tool boxes and a winch .it appears this is too much weight on the bumper pull set up and on dips it feels crappy. There isn't anyway sway or isn't unmanageable but is like it to rude better on.baxknriafs and dips . I'm thinking of either air bags or going with 350s springs in place of the 2500s ...not sure how the bags will work ... springs would be simple and reliable and bags could be soft when not loaded.

Anyone tried both?
 
I have, and prefer the adjustability of the air bags. I've had the Air Lift 5k bags and compressor system on my '06 E350 since new, no problems. Set at 30 lbs which is the minimum recommended and it rides about like stock, 50-70 when towing the jeep is good, 90-100 with the van overloaded and towing 10k is good enough.
All that weight on the front of your trailer sounds like it could be too much, are you using a weight distributing hitch setup?
 
I use Air Lift bags on my F250. Well worth the money hands down. If you do go the bag route, make sure you treat yourself to the in cab switch and compressor kit. I originally got just the bag kit with not compressor. Once I snagged a compressor, I was sold.

I’ve heard springs are okay if you are going to haul weight all the time. But if you’re daily driving and towing on occasion, bags are the way to go. I have not felt much difference in ride quality with bags than before. Forbid I am not carrying the load you are in the bed, but as far as them feeling too soft, I wouldn’t say they are at all.
 
I've run air bags on my f350 with cabover camper and trailer for 15 years with no regrets. Without the camper/trailer I just put about 5 psi in the bags and it rides like stock. If you do go with bags, get the type that isn't fixed at both ends, i.e., separates from the axle at full droop. I have Firestone ride rites that are fixed at both ends and when at full droop (like when the truck is on a lift) the full weight of the axle is supported by the airbags. Adding limit straps fixed that issue.
 
Bags it is . The 2500 leafa are stiff enough empty 3500s probably too much the bags make sense with the remote adjustable compressor. I plan to lift it a couple inches so I can push the 35s out a bit to get a more gressive stance nothing crazy just a 2.5 front rear with new front arms to recenter the axle . I want a shitty-built m1 and want the 35s out enough so it doesn't over power the truck since it's pretty big .I need it so don't need to worry about hitting deer at night coming back from the trails...plus I want a big winch on it .
 
Back
Top