I just bought a '98 Expedition, Eddie Bauer Edition with factory air-ride. I'm still learning about it, but so far am impressed with it. Has it's own compressor, and there is linkage on the left front A-arm and rear axle to maintain set height. When you hook a trailer to it, it'll air the bags up to maintain the preset height so that it rides level.
I had to go to Firestone to get my pickup to do this, but it's all still manual.

Why would Ford offer such a wonderful option on a SUV and not their pickup trucks?? They have the technology and design, it's on my '98 model year. Just beef things up to match the weight carrying capability of the Super Duty's and it'd be a step or 10 above and beyond the other pickups in the market!!
Ford finally figured out if they put brake controllers in the trucks, that it would help sales. I think this would do the same. Make it an option because not everyone would want it. Just some of my random thoughts...

 

If you want air ride visit
kelderman.com
they make kits for all makes and models. its spendy, but its available. I thought about it but opted for air ride seats instead.

Barney

 

Firestone sells all the stuff to automate their systems.

The use of air bags to level for towing versus using distribution bars with pick-ups is a hotly debated topic amount RV technicians given the potential to more easily overload the rear axle in pick-ups when using air bags. The likelihood of overloading the axle in an Expedition is, in most cases, less. It can be done in pick-ups, but as pointed out above, with considerable investment and, perhaps more than could be recouped in the marketplace.

Steve

Steve

 

the air ride used in high end explorers and expeditions was not about load carrying cap. it was about a nice soft ride..that was it. my '96 explorer has the same 4 wheel air ride system. from the factory they ride alot better then the non-air ride trucks. but replacment parts are a PITA and very spendy.

the problem is, they use much much lighter duty torsion bars and rear springs(leaves on the explorer and coils on the expedition) and they use the air bag to take most of the weight of the truck. so when a bag fails the truck leans..badly to that side...ever seen a old town car or lincoln cont with a bad bag? they have the tires stuffed in the wheel well..same issue.

so to awsner your question they never offered it because they did not intend to add caying cap to the truck..yet to sofen the ride on the EB expeditions and limited/EB explorers.

 

Right on! The system in the Expedition was never intended to take the place of a weight distribution system. I have seen folks use it that way, at the same time placing a greatly increased load on their tires and rear axle.

Steve

 

Ok, how many of you have followed an 18 wheeler while staring at the airbags that support 16,000# (one axle) of the 80,000# semi? (80,000#/10 airbags) You don't find many spring ride semis any more, they are all air ride. I know those bags are probably bigger than what would be needed on a pickup but this shows that it can carry the weight. As Barney says, Kelderman makes a conversion but if it was a factory option, it should be cheaper. Just seems to me that there is possible demand for it if it was offered by the factory.

 

It is not an issue of the air bags being able to carry the weight. They clearly can. It is an issue of the difference in how the leveling takes place between air bags and distribution bars.

The one thing I would like to know with any of the aftermarket systems that utilize air bags is how axle loading and tire loading changes given they warranty only their own system, not any components affected by their system (as I understand it).

If you can level with air bags and not exceed the ratings of any of the components involved in the system including the axle and tires, there is not a problem. I have installed aftermarket air bags systems on motor homes in the past and they were terrific, but I was not using them to redistribute weight. I was using them to improve ride quality.

It may be one of those things to add to the wish list,

Steve

 

If they built an air ride and if it was anything similar to what hey put on passenger cars I for sure would want nothing to do with it
When it works it's great but when not if it screws up it is a nightmare and expensive to repair
A dependable foolproof system is fairly easy to build with a few ride hight valves,some airbags and a compressor

 

There was system just as you describe, for motor homes, and it was worked very well. It also was not cheap. The current aftermarket systems have many of the same features.

I also like and use the Firestone systems, but they are not comparable to the high dollar options.

Steve

 

Air bags can't take the place of weight distribution bars because they can't distribute the trailer weight between the 2 axles of the tow vehicle or offer any sway control

 

Consumer light truck air systems won't be built to commercial spec, so a far greater percentage will fail than mechanical springs. Air is more complex and costly.

I could fit air bags, but I use Timbren urethane springs instead. They won't go flat (well, unless the truck burns down) and there is no extra maintenance involved. Some things belong in the realm of aftermarket add-ons, and after seeing enough Lincolns with dead air bag systems I wouldn't want them on my truck.

 

Actually the act of leveling does distribute some weight forward. How much and how much is necessary depends on the vehicle.

Here is a real world example. On one of my trucks, I have Firestone air bags. When I hitch my trailer, my rear end drops 1/2" and the front rises 1/2". The trailer has a very small impact on ride height. I am not overweight on my axles or tires. Using just 30 psi in my air bags, my truck comes back to level. Calling tech support at Reese, they advised me they would not recommend distribution bars given the minimal effect of the trailer on my ride height. I do however use a conventional friction sway bar. This combination tracks so well I can not tell when an 18-wheeler goes by. As you can tell by my previous post, I am, in fact, a proponent of distribution bars.

I think your points are well taken and in the majority of cases are right on. It is just that towing is a complex situation without a single approach. The increase in ultra-lite towables is changing the way we are approaching towing and some of the things that were necessary in the past, are changing with them. I hope that seems reasonable.
Steve

 

You make a good point. What is the old adage? You can have whatever you are willing to pay for. I am not familiar with the system noted and will have to look that one up.

Thanks for the suggestion,

Steve

 

I understand the purpose of the air bags on an SUV isn't for load carrying capacity, either is it on an 18 wheeler; it's for a smoother ride. The air bags I have on my pickup smooth the ride out when it's pulling a loaded trailer. I don't load it any heavier than I would have with just the springs. It's the same thing on my semi truck, the air bags smooth the ride out, it's actually smoother when it's loaded.
But if Ford offered it for SUVs, why not pickup trucks? You can already spend $60k on a truck, what's another $1-2k more for a nice air ride system to smooth the ride when you're towing with it? They have awfully nice nav systems and leather seats.

It just seems like poor design/engineering when you use a vehicle to tow a trailer or haul something and it drops a few inches and you end up with your headlights pointed towards the sky. We have a dump truck that has heavy enough leaf springs so when hauling a load of gravel it stays level, but it sucks to ride around in empty; might as well weld the axle to the frame.

 

I guess I'm still thinking cost, but who knows? It certainly is okay with me, if they decide to offer them. I have interfaced with the OEMs in the past and they are sales driven. It their sales force thinks there is a market for them, you will see them offered!

Steve