I have a 2001 EX 4x4 limited with the 7.3 diesel. I just leveled the front end with new springs but when trailer is hooked up i now have a good amount of sag. Looks perfect when i an not towing. Air bags or new rear springs.? If bags which air bags work the best. easiest to install. Thanks guys you haven't steered me wrong yet.

 

I have not replaced any springs on mine. I just installed the Air Lift bags on mine for towing my boat and it made a huge difference in towing and sag.

 

I am very happy with both the empty and loaded performance of my ATS C/XL rear springs. Bags for towing might be fine, but I prefer to have springs over messing with airbags.

 

I have the airbags and the RoadMaster Active Suspension (RAS).

 

I did both...leveled when I did the V/Modified B spring swap, but I still didn't like the sag when towing (almost 2"). Added the Air Lift bags with wireless remote and now it's a dream. Rides great and the air bags set to 65psi raise my rear hitch exactly 2".

 

What kind of a trailer? What is the tongue weight? Are you using a weight distributing hitch?

 

Didn't fully answer your question on the install...I have a thread of my install here:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ft-system.html

Install was crazy easy...upper bag brackets bolted to the frame, lower bag brackets fastened to the blocks - only needed to drill a hole in each. Air tubing was a breeze. Hardest part was just running the wiring (and that wasn't hard at all).

I went with the wireless option...the only bad thing I could say about the system is that IF for some reason the battery on your remote goes dead (or if you lose the remote) - you are stuck with the air pressure you have at that moment.

UNLESS...

You wire in a cutoff switch for the manifold. My batteries died while I had 65psi in the bags...driving with that much air and no load is courting suicide.

I had to disconnect the manifold from the compressor to allow me to let air out of the system via the schrader valve (INSTALL IT! - you will need it at the most inopportune time).

Easy enough to do, but if you just add a cutoff switch and wire it to the dash (on my 'to do' list when fire season is over), then no crawling under the rig to detach anything - just flip a switch and do it the old fashioned way.

The ease of using the remote to adjust it is well worth the little bit of extra time on the install...and I thought it was actually easier since I didn't have to worry about adding an air line into the cab to get an accurate pressure reading.

The bonus is that if for some reason it needs to add/take out air (say you pressured up in the morning when it's cool and in the afternoon the air has heated up and put you over your mark - or worse, you get a slow leak)...the system will automatically adjust the pressure as you drive.

 

Do both the springs and air bags! Your Ex will behave much better!

 

This is information we would need to know to offer sound advice.

 

I've tried RAS, then added airbags, then finally replaced the springs. Hands down the new springs the best choice. I kept the airbags but so far since my towing has been relatively lightweight (3 tons or less) there has been no need for them.

 

Let me know if you have any questions on the Air Lift bags at all. Thanks for all of the input guys, love to hear the feedback!

 

I tow a 4-5,000# trailer(sleds and trailer together). I just looked at Air lift web site looks like that will be the way to go.

 

May be the easiest option.