Hi All,

We haul a 5th wheel with our 2010 CC F250. It has a modest pin weight so all loaded up I am within the GVWR for our Truck. However, I do get a bit more sag than I would like, bumping and bucking (especially on concrete interstates, and a few other ride issues. I was looking at ways to minnimize these and have considered everything from Airbags, to helper springs, to the Road Master Active Suspension. Right now I am leaning toward the Roadmaster Active Suspension. If you have not seen it, here is the link:

http://www.activesuspension.com/animated-views.html

Link shows an animated video on how it is supposed to work.

I would really appreciate any thoughts from folks, especially if you have had the chance to use it on you Super Duty.

 

I've strongly considered this one, seems like a really good concept. I've considered this over air bags just haven't pulled the trigger yet.

 

After several attempts to get them to provide me with a list of customer referrals I could contact I gave up and went with the airbags I have been extremely happy with the air lift products
Jim...& fat Monty

 

I had em on my f250 loved em, truck handled great in the corners.
I've never had airbags, so I can't compare. But the Roadmaster does what they are advertised to do.

 

check with the excursion forum. many have had them and loved em. there are a few early builds and even a couple of newly updated with larger bolts that STILL broke. The one that broke was the main bolt that is used to tighten/adjust the preload.

 

Thanks all. After reading on some of the other forums (as suggsted) folks really like them. Although as mentioned (especially with the early ones) there does seem to have been a few failures. My inclination is to give them a shot.

 

Roadmaster states it is designed to support and assist rear leaf springs with up to a one ton carrying capacity; so that means a 2,000 lb payload. That's seems like light duty to me for F250 and F350 applications.

The stock suspension on a f250 shouldn't have a problem with a load under 2,000 lbs, especially if equipped with the auxilary overload spring. A F250 with a diesel engine is rated over a 2,000 lb payload and a gas engine is even more. So why put a product on that can not be used at max payload? The product that is put on to help is now the weakest link.

I think on these trucks the roadmaster will always be working at it upper/max design limits. Seems like this system is best suited for 1/2 ton truck applications.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Here's my take, which contains absolutely no first hand experience what so ever.

Sometimes marketing bs is more apparent than other times and while I believe their product "works" I also believe there is a fair amount of hype behind it. At the end of the day it is a glorified helper sprinf, nothing more It may be variable rate but it is still a spring and is only "active" in a limited sense. Will it help to reduce sag? Sure, key word being reduce. Most trucks are designed to have x amount of sag as load is applied. More load, more sag. This is still going to be true with a ras system, it may just take more load to get the ball rolling, so to speak.

I weighed all these systems when looking to combat my sag issues, first on my Excursion, and later on my superduty. I bit the bullet and installed self adjusting air bags on both vehicles. Problem eliminated. Not reduced, but gone. I set my desired ride eight which in my case was factory and forgot about it. Now it doesnt matter if I stick 400 lbs in the bed, or 4,000 lbs. My ride height never changes. The system will self adjust as I burn fuel from, or add fuel to my tanks.

If you want a cheap easy to install system to HELP with sag I see no reason to not give ras a shot. If you want sag gone, there is really only once choice that I know of.

 

Greening that was what my take was on it, and there lack of providing me a list of customers I could contact to belay my suspicions was what made me bite the bullet and go ahead with the air bags I did my own ride ht module with some hall effect switches and a time delay loop running the solenoids, all leftover stuff,but I love the set up!
Jim & fat Monty

 

What system did you buy?

 

To be honest I'll have to go look at the box to be sure but I believe it is the airlift 5000 series, on both trucks. I chose the set it and forget automatic adjusting version so I could, well, set it and forget it. I don't have to worry about adjusting it for load, and I don't need to care how much pressure is in the system. I have no switches or gauges in the cab so it's about as non-invasive as it gets The only switch I used was one of the upfitters so I could turn the system off when hooking or unhooking. I didnt want it trying to adjust itself while I'm doing that. I want the hitch to stay put in that scenario.

 

ok thanks.