Air Shocks

hoorders · October 7, 2007

Thinking of putting a set of rear Air shocks on my truck so it doesnt sag so much when I tow my trailer.

Just wondering if anyone has tried air shocks and how they like them. or dislike them.........any feedback is much appreciated.

2004GMC1500CC · October 7, 2007

Thinking of putting a set of rear Air shocks on my truck so it doesnt sag so much when I tow my trailer.
Just wondering if anyone has tried air shocks and how they like them. or dislike them.........any feedback is much appreciated.

Probable be better to get a weight distributing hitch.

BigJayDogg3 · October 7, 2007

I don't know. If the guy is towing a goosenect or 5th wheel, just getting a weight distributing hitch won't help matters much. If your pocket can do it I would say do your research and make sure you are getting a high quality bag. Semi trucks use them, so they have to be able to take ALOT of weight. IMO I'd say add a few leaves, and go with a lighter duty air bag.

dlstewart01 · October 7, 2007

Adding leaves will make it ride like a log wagon. I put Firestone airbags on my truck with an on board air pump. Levels it out towing and does not affect the ride.

You can get air shocks but the shock part that comes with them are usually not that good. I would not give up my Bilsteins.

Have a great one,

Don

BigJayDogg3 · October 7, 2007

You put the leaves on to lift the rear up. Then you put airbags on to soften the ride. If you just add bags, you will haveto buy heavier duty bags which costs more money, where as you can get leaf springs for cheap and get a lighter duty bag, since it isn't the load bearing component.

dlstewart01 · October 7, 2007

You put the leaves on to lift the rear up. Then you put airbags on to soften the ride. If you just add bags, you will haveto buy heavier duty bags which costs more money, where as you can get leaf springs for cheap and get a lighter duty bag, since it isn't the load bearing component.

Will NOT work. You cannot soften the added resistance of the added springs. You do not need heavy duty bags any way. The Firestones are riderite and are light duty.

How do I know this? From years of experience.

Don

BigJayDogg3 · October 7, 2007

So you are telling me the airbags don't work as some sort of ride dampner. If that is the case, then why do so many lux. cars, and coach buses have them?

If you run with just bags on top of the original leaf springs with a LD bag to level the truck the pressure will increase to a point where the bag will explode. You would need more air in the bag to keep the height needed, and the bag wouldn't be able to handle it. That is why these companies make HD bags. It is just like saying you are going to tow 10,000 pounds with C load rated tires. They cannot take the added pressure of the heavy load.

Now I just realized that he has a 1500, so maybe he won't load the truck up so much that the bags would get to that point, but yes, HD bags are needed with heavy loads.

Anyway, back to the question asked by the OP, I think the general consensus here is don't get the air shocks and get some other kind of air ride technology.

Zembonez · October 7, 2007

Thinking of putting a set of rear Air shocks on my truck so it doesnt sag so much when I tow my trailer.
Just wondering if anyone has tried air shocks and how they like them. or dislike them.........any feedback is much appreciated.

Air shocks are made for that kind of application but I wonder what the unloaded ride is like? If they are a good quality shock AND an air assist shock they should be good. I agree that adding HD springs will result in your needing a kidney belt to drive the truck unloaded.

dlstewart01 · October 7, 2007

So you are telling me the airbags don't work as some sort of ride dampner. If that is the case, then why do so many lux. cars, and coach buses have them?

If you run with just bags on top of the original leaf springs with a LD bag to level the truck the pressure will increase to a point where the bag will explode. You would need more air in the bag to keep the height needed, and the bag wouldn't be able to handle it. That is why these companies make HD bags. It is just like saying you are going to tow 10,000 pounds with C load rated tires. They cannot take the added pressure of the heavy load.

Now I just realized that he has a 1500, so maybe he won't load the truck up so much that the bags would get to that point, but yes, HD bags are needed with heavy loads.

Anyway, back to the question asked by the OP, I think the general consensus here is don't get the air shocks and get some other kind of air ride technology.

You are confused. I have been towing for 20 years with 8 different trucks. I started by adding extra leaves. Had the worst ride ever. I used supersprings , worked some what better. The last two trucks have had airbags. Ther are made for this. They will not explode. I run 5 poungs with no load. When hooked to my camper and the bed loaded thirty pounds will level it out. I have a pressure gage mounted under the dash even when bouncing at no time will the pressure excede 40 pounds. They are rated if I remember correc tly at 150 pounds.

Also you use extra capacity divices ie springs, airbags, airshocks to level the load at no time should they be uses to excede the load carring capacity of your vehicle.

Have a great day,

Don

Zembonez · October 7, 2007

You are confused. I have been towing for 20 years with 8 different trucks. I started by adding extra leaves. Had the worst ride ever. I used supersprings , worked some what better. The last two trucks have had airbags. Ther are made for this. They will not explode. I run 5 poungs with no load. When hooked to my camper and the bed loaded thirty pounds will level it out. I have a pressure gage mounted under the dash even when bouncing at no time will the pressure excede 40 pounds. They are rated if I remember correc tly at 150 pounds.
Also you use extra capacity divices ie springs, airbags, airshocks to level the load at no time should they be uses to excede the load carring capacity of your vehicle.

Have a great day,

Don

Hey Don. That sounds like the perfect fix. Thanks for the info.

Dans Denali · October 7, 2007

If it’s trailer tongue weight then you need a weight distributing hitch, if it’s a camper or fifth wheel you need air bags not air shocks. You get a pressure adjustment knob in the cab to set the air pressure to the bags depending on the load. Talk to your local slide in camper dealer as they install this system with almost all large slide in campers.

Dan

ricko2 · October 8, 2007

I tow a bumper hitch trailer with about 500lbs tongue weight, and my 1/2 ton truck squatted pretty bad. I added Air-Lift brand air bads with on board compressor and a gauge in the cab, run it at about 10 lbs all the time, and at about 60 lbs with the trailer, and the truck sits about the same with and without the trailer. I do not use a weight distributing hitch. I'd say, get the air bags...

hoorders · October 8, 2007

I tow a bumper hitch trailer with about 500lbs tongue weight, and my 1/2 ton truck squatted pretty bad. I added Air-Lift brand air bads with on board compressor and a gauge in the cab, run it at about 10 lbs all the time, and at about 60 lbs with the trailer, and the truck sits about the same with and without the trailer. I do not use a weight distributing hitch. I'd say, get the air bags...

Thanks everyone for chiming in.......so it seems like the air shocks are not a good idea but air bags are........Im towing a bumper pull trailer much like yours 'ricko2'..........where did you get your air bags and what did they cost?......also were they easy to install.......do you have any pics?

Thanks..........

Taaaaaaahoe? · October 8, 2007

I just put airbags in my Tahoe too!

Awesome for towing.. I have another thread on this too!

I got mine from JC Whitney.com

C & A s Dad · October 8, 2007

Ron, in talking about the air bags and the WD hitch, we are talking about 2 totaly different accessories, both will help you a great deal.

1) I would agree, airshocks are not the way to go. The primary reason for this is because the shock mounts were never made for load carrying. They were designed for shocks which control the ride and offer no load carrying capabilities.

2) The Air Bags are perfect for helping stabilize the rear of a Tow Vehicle and will do wonders to help level the vehicle and offer better control. I have them on my Yuk XL and would say they have been well worth the money. I run mine at 10PSI when not towing and about 25 to 30 when pulling my 6500 lb camper. Mine are installed inside of my coil springs, yours would be different on a P uP due to the leaf springs.

3) If you do not have a good Weight Distribution hitch, I would strongly suggest you add one. In fact, this should come before the air bags IMO. A WD hitch simply moves weight off your rear axle and distributes it to the camper axles and the front axle of the Truck. I use an Equal I Zer Brand and believe for the money (approx $450.00), it cannot be beat. I have also heard really good things about the Reese Dual Cam set up and of course the $3,000.00 Hensley is known as the elite WD hitch in the industry.

The Eual i zer would make your entire rig more stable and control any trailer sway you may be getting as well.