I posted this over on the camper forum, but I have had a few questions about it here and it may be of interest to y'all:

I just installed an airbag suspension on my new '15 F350 dually and took it on the first camper trip. I will put at the end of this post the reasons for doing it to save the long narrative for those interested. This is from Autoflex in Canada.

Box arrived, forklift unload - it is 380 lbs of stuff:



Like Christmas in Summer, opening and unpacking:



The kit is quite complete including all parts necessary, air compressor, controls, etc., nicely labeled:



Unwrapping and organizing the parts to their approximate locations:



This kit is completely bolt on and completely reversible. The 'bows' bolt to the spring mounts and shackles, everything else bolts to those. No cutting, welding, modifying anything. It uses a rolling lobe airbag like heavy trucks use:



None of the parts are light weight or dainty. Here is a full size WD40 can for reference:



Stock driver's side rear with 2000 miles on it:



Springs are now surplus, the 'bow' replaces the spring bolting in its place:



Bolted up with links mounted, passenger side. Nothing tight yet and airbag not installed:



Driver's side all bolted up, airbag in place and extension limiting strap. I opted for the heavier 'bows' and had to remove the rear overload spring perch (which unbolts). The front (riveted on) stays in place but I had to remove the rubber, everything is a very close fit:



Panhard rod mounted and getting adjusted:



There are a lot of big fasteners in a truck suspension. All of the hardware supplied is Grade 8, high quality pneumatic components, etc. Many of the bolts are specified to have high torque, 400 ft lbs for example on the 8 main link bolts. You need some big wrenches and sockets (up to 1 1/2 inch). Here is a partial pile of tools I used, does not show the 3 floor jacks and two sets of jack stands:



It took me three days, about half of one was removing the Hellwig sway bar links which are not in the same position as the stock ones and interfered. If you have done that on a 6.7 Ford diesel you know what a nightmare that is. Without that, and better educated, I think it could be done in one long day. It would help to have a complete set of impact sockets up to 1 1/2 inch, and a torque calibrated impact wrench. I spent probably 6 hours just doing the torquing by hand using a torque multiplying wrench. But here is is sitting on air:



One five mile test drive, plenty to convince me that the ride is noticeably better empty. Then I put the camper on, another 5 mile test drive to town and them off to Lake Tahoe for the glider races. What could go wrong?



Good thing I brought a few wrenches along, I had neglected to locktite the adjustable links and they loosened a bit. Seems to be fixed with locktite. While the ride is noticeably improved empty, it is markedly improved with the camper. With the springs, you would feel the front wheel hit a bump and brace yourself for the rear hit which you know would immediately follow. Now, the front feels harsh, anything the front goes over is swallowed by the back with much more grace. Stuff isn't bounced around in the camper as much. The articulation going diagonally into service stations ramps and the like is more fluid. The thing is even a little quieter. I think it is going to turn out to be one of the best mods I have done to a truck.

 

wow you replaced springs for that nice job i just had 2 leafs per side add for my business truck does not even squat anymore and rides great just don't trust all that air lines and things that could come to be not to mention all that power hauling trailers with out leafs holding the axle ??? anyway nice job take care

 

I don't worry too much about that, considering that about 80% of all heavy over-the-road trucks and trailers have similar air suspension these days. Leaf springs are disappearing pretty rapidly, pickup trucks and low end RVs are about the last thing to have them.

I installed this last July, have held off on the air control system for a few reasons, so there are no air lines - just a filler valve on top of the bag. You only need the control system for changing loads. But you really should worry no more about leaks in that system than you do in the fuel system or brake system (which are potentially far more dangerous).

 

That's quite the system. After running air bags for quite a number of years, I would have no worries about that setup.

 

That's a great set up there! Wish that Ford would offer that as an option if not standard equipment in the future.

That system will out last the truck the way that it is built. May have an air leak as it gets older, but all things wear. Over the road trucks get more and more air leaks as they get older too, no difference. Just maintain it.

 

Yeah, this is the way Ford (and the others) should be building them. Probably will be in 10 years, if they're still building trucks. It's a little more complicated than leaf springs, but everything in these trucks is waaaay more complicated than 10 years ago. Compared to the smog controls and all the electronics, air suspension is like a stone axe in complexity.