Air Bag Help
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Air Bag Help
2015 F250 pulling a 5th wheel sometimes has the rear end "bounce" after a pothole or bridge approach. The entire rig sits level going down the road. But that once in a while momentary bounce is annoying. Would air bags lessen the bounce?
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From: Home Base Nebraska
Yes they will help, I have them on my DRW and if I just rum 30 lbs in them they will stop a lot of it. I think a lot of it is rebond from the overloads and the bags stop you from getting on the overloads so hard.
Denny
Denny
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Joined: Jan 2011
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From: Scoudouc N.B
just to throw my 0.02$ in, I was feeling much of the same thing with my setup. I already had Hellwig airbags, but I did add a Reese 5th airborne Pin box and it stopped the majority of the big rebound and most of the bounce on rough roads
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Upstate NY
My Firestone Ride-Rite air bags have about 30-32 pounds while towing and about 10 with no trailer attached and it is only slightly firmer plus does away with the common Ford tail dragger look
. It works for me and our 5er. Others travel with different pressures depending on pin weight, trailer suspension capabilities as well as whatever suspension option you have on the truck. As noted, an air pin box can help jounce but wont help with the truck's normal soggy suspension.
. It works for me and our 5er. Others travel with different pressures depending on pin weight, trailer suspension capabilities as well as whatever suspension option you have on the truck. As noted, an air pin box can help jounce but wont help with the truck's normal soggy suspension.
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Good info, we are ready to buy 5er and I had read about the stability /leveling factor. I drive a semi, so I know air bags work. Regarding suspension, I'm just updating the OEM shocks with Rancho 9000xls.
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The air bag kits for light trucks aren't quite the same as the airbags on a semi. The air bags on a semi are "reversible sleeve" or "rolling lobe" bags that have greater travel, as the bag reverse rolls under itself.
The air bag overload kits for pickups are typically static double convolute bags. The bags compress, but do not roll. The do not have nearly the amplitude of motion that reversible sleeve or rolling lobe bags have.
Since you are working on changing your shock absorbers, take note of where the rear shocks intersect with the frame. The lower flange of the frame has a half circular cut out to give the shock clearance. That cut out is right near where the airbags mount... so if you run the bags at too high of pressure, the frame can crack, initiating where the lower flange is narrowest, which is the half circle cut out at the intersection with the shock.
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The air bag kits for light trucks aren't quite the same as the airbags on a semi. The air bags on a semi are "reversible sleeve" or "rolling lobe" bags that have greater travel, as the bag reverse rolls under itself.
The air bag overload kits for pickups are typically static double convolute bags. The bags compress, but do not roll. The do not have nearly the amplitude of motion that reversible sleeve or rolling lobe bags have.
Since you are working on changing your shock absorbers, take note of where the rear shocks intersect with the frame. The lower flange of the frame has a half circular cut out to give the shock clearance. That cut out is right near where the airbags mount... so if you run the bags at too high of pressure, the frame can crack, initiating where the lower flange is narrowest, which is the half circle cut out at the intersection with the shock.
The air bag overload kits for pickups are typically static double convolute bags. The bags compress, but do not roll. The do not have nearly the amplitude of motion that reversible sleeve or rolling lobe bags have.
Since you are working on changing your shock absorbers, take note of where the rear shocks intersect with the frame. The lower flange of the frame has a half circular cut out to give the shock clearance. That cut out is right near where the airbags mount... so if you run the bags at too high of pressure, the frame can crack, initiating where the lower flange is narrowest, which is the half circle cut out at the intersection with the shock.
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Has anyone or know of anyone who has had Ford deny a warranty claim due to a owner using air bag suspensions? Not referring to a high lifted truck only those that are used to level a Ford truck when loaded less than the trucks maximum weight limit.
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From: Republic of Texas
You could also go with a MoRyde pin box setup. Takes all the jounce out of the pin bounce.
Rubber Pin Box For Fifth Wheel RV Towing
Rubber Pin Box For Fifth Wheel RV Towing
Former Vendor
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I have never seen an issue with warranty being denied because of air bags.
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Jeremy thanks for your comment. Since Air Lift has no history of new vehicle warranty issues am I correct in believing that Air Lift would defend such a claim by a customer who had your product installed by an authorized installer? Few customers can afford to risk using Air Lift if the company would not come to their defence.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2015
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Jeremy thanks for your comment. Since Air Lift has no history of new vehicle warranty issues am I correct in believing that Air Lift would defend such a claim by a customer who had your product installed by an authorized installer? Few customers can afford to risk using Air Lift if the company would not come to their defence.
Aftermarket parts are defended under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act legal definition of Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act