I have done a little searching, and most everyone that posts about converting is going from air ride to non. I have started towing a track car to events, and am getting frustrated at how heavy the tongue is and how low the back goes down when I tow. The car cannot go back any further, and I already put a few heavy things in the trunk to try to help, but I was wondering if a non-air ride 2WD '02 Expy can easily be converted to an air ride suspension?
Seems like people are ripping them out, so you'd think they would be plentiful on the forum, but they aren't. I just put new shocks on the back, but I either need stiffer or longer (or both) springs for the rear, or air ride adjustability. What sort of problems do people have that they convert away from air ride? I see that compressors fail, but so does everything else eventually, is it that catastrophic when they do, and do they do it more often than any other part?
Any comments or experience you have would be greatly appreciated - I really want to get a more level ride while towing, and the trailer unfortunately can't be tinkered with that much in the equation.
thanks!

 

Are you within the specs for tongue weight and towing capacity? If you are, then before undertaking a big conversion I'd check your current set up becuase it is designed to tow within those specs which means it should stay fairly level. Have you ever changed the rear shocks? Are you using a weight distributing hitch or just a receiver?

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-p...on-systems.htm

 

It feels like the tongue is heavy, but at a total of about 5000-5200 lbs, I am well under the 2WD 5.4L capacity of 8900lbs. I have the stock class 3 receiver.
It rides fine, and is very stable at 70mph with the car on or off. the trailer brakes are firm and predictable, and I have no complaints with the setup...other than I would like some weight off the tongue (sort of impossible, unless I weld 500lbs of steel to the rear underside of the trailer - the car cannot go any further back) or stiffen the springs / add air bags to rear suspension to get the rear height up. Would a longer hitch ball drop (currently about 2") help, or just serve to drag the chains?

 

Go to this site, Air Lift - Home they were the first to produce an air suspension system that works and they will have lots of info for you there.

 

Nice site - thanks for the info...now time to do some reading!

 

They have every type of suspension add ons that really work with air and you will be better off than trying to reverse engineer your suspension.
Let us know what you do and how it works out for you.

 

Adding the Air Lift bags in the springs and an onboard compressor system has worked well for me.

 

If you stop by a trailer shop they might even have a WD hitch you could try out, and at the very least they could suggest which of the previously mentioned solutions would be cheapest / best. You didn't say whether or not you have ever changed your shocks.

 

Use a WD hitch. If your trailer has that much tongue weight that the rear squats that bad, you are putting too much weight on the rear axle, and it's taking it off the front. This severely reduces your steering and braking capabilities.

I have an XLT with 4-corner load leveling. It works great. But I still use the WD when I pull my 7,500 lb camp trailer (about 750 lbs tongue weight, all loaded up). Without it, the LL will level the truck, but the "check suspension" light comes on (maxed out the pressure in the air bags, I guess), and I can definitely feel less weight on the front.

I set mine up with the suspension switch turned OFF. Then I know the bags aren't compensating for all the weight. If I don't put the WD bars on and lower the tongue of the trailer onto the hitch, it will squat a LOT, and the front end raises up at least a couple inches too. But, I put the WD bars on just as I've lowered the tongue onto the ball and it just starts to squat the truck. I set the tension on the WD bars to let the back of the Expy squat about 2", and it actually squats the front about an inch. Then I turn the suspension switch back on. But I could just as well drive it with the 2" squat.

WD hitches are about $250, including the slide mount, 2-5/16 ball, bars, chains and tongue/ frame rail clamps. By far your best solution. I bought mine at an RV center.