I can’t stand the LTX and similar Michelin tires. Ridiculously long tread life at a compromise of traction and ride quality. Least traction and worst ride quality possible I think.

Im not familiar with 3-peak rated tires but most 10ply AT (all terrain) tires appear to be M&S rated.

I can assure you there is no ‘truck tire’ roar from my Cooper ST MAXX tires or the AT3’s I’ve put on a bunch of these trucks. I have a bonafide rock crawler for ‘off road’, but I live in mountains made of red Georgia clay and traction off pavement is critical for my lifestyle. I recently destroyed a locking hub and was unable to put my truck in 4wd after unhooking from a trailer in the pasture. Downhill from the road. In the pouring rain. I was frustrated and dumped the clutch in 2nd gear and held it at 3k rpm as the truck clawed it’s way to the pavement. I would have needed a tow truck with LTX’s even if 4wd would’ve worked.

 

Thanks Sous. I'm in no hurry. I've still got other projects that take priority over this. I will wait to see what you figure out as best options.....

 

Just as a possible option for airbags I was looking at these fabricated lift blocks that you can have an air bag mount incorporated into it from PMF suspension. Doesn't seem horribly expensive, and might be a nice setup? I would like to see one setup with it... https://www.pmfsuspension.com/Ford-1...ocks_p_42.html

 

I respect your opinion as the advice you have given me in the past has always been solid, based on real life experience.

I think that tires are like a motor oil, or shocks, or …where there will be a variable of opinions based on fact, but more specifically brand loyalty.

Michelin has been that brand loyalty for me. However, based on your opinion I am about to stray from my norm for the last 35 years.

Cooper ST Maxx were over $300 each and not available locally so I would need to order them and wait.

AT3’s not available in my size.

Somewhat brand loyal I have gone with the Nokians.

All of our fleet trucks run the hakkapeliitas for our winter tires and they have performed stellar when put to the test in winter conditions.

Rotiiva it is. It’s an all terrain / all weather tire with the 3 peaks rating. I figure if I don’t like them much on the steering axle they can always be moved to the drive when the time comes.

Less than 2 weeks and I have some mountain passes to test them on. Regional travel has opened up and I’m now allowed to go to my property up north.

Anybody watch the reality show Highway Through Hell? Those passes are all local to me, #1 , 3, and 5.

 

Hmm. That looks like a good way to stop the tube-mounted airbag platform from rotating on the tube.

 

A friend called awhile back and asked about LTX’s. I gave him the same opinion. He bought them anyway because ‘he got a good deal on them’ and ‘he doesn’t go off the highway much’. He cannot get up the mountain on his property here (fairly steep gravel driveway) if the ground is wet and the rumble strips on the road are almost violent compared to my truck and the other 7.3’s I’ve let him drive. He will not keep them....

You and Sous are correct. Tires are a hot button topic and what works and doesn’t work for me may be completely different for others. I hope you find a product that works for you!!!

 

There is this air bag option from PMF Suspension as well, but it says it doesn't work on factory leafs.......https://www.pmfsuspension.com/Airbag...tes_p_163.html

 

Sitting at my desk thinking instead of working.

So from what I understand the key issue with yours and Sous’s setup is the possibility of the over axle tube bracket rotation. Which recently Sous has experience. Granted that moving the bags farther out on the axle will add better anti-body roll stability but here is a spitball low cost solution.

It wouldn’t need to be too skookum Mad Ape strong since it’s only to prevent rotation.

Crude drawing but gets the point across.

 

You mean they’re mutually exclusive?

 

Lets refer to it as multi-tasking, however more attention to FTE tasking than work tasking.

What else is there to do while waiting for phone calls and emails to come in.

Research and Brainstorming.

 

Got it. I approve of your allocation of CPU time.

 

The problem with the AirLift over the axle mounts is that there is no good anchor point to keep them from rotating forward. The two horizontal brackets in front of and behind the block don't do a good job of keeping the vertical brackets and bottom bag plate level.

These are the pictures I snapped in IL when we stopped for a couple of days. You can see the sway bar is contacting the bracket and how the horizontal supports are just a poor design, on my opinion.

The passenger side is not this bad, but not good either.

I have never liked this design and will me installing outside the frame, over leaf brackets. Despite the poor design, the air bags work quite well.

During my brief search out of frustration with the AirLift mounts, I saw some adjustable blocks by Firestone that could work well for over the axle. But, each time I find myself coming back to over the leaf due to the simple and well functioning design.

 

@Sous

Certainly is hard to pull a diamond out of a pile of manure.

Sorry for the rudeness but oh my gosh, now that I’ve seen it installed. No wonder you want to change it.

Not only is there no ability to stop rotation, but that is a ton of cantilevered stress on that bracket and IMO should have an additional support leg down onto the axle tube.

 

Your not being rude, you are calling it as you see it. On the contrary, I appreciate your candor and allowing us to steer your thread a bit off the rails.

Your renewal of your air bag brackets could not have come at a better time for me.

I think the **** poor design has turned me off on over the axle brackets. Again, I never liked the design and now I am ready to go a different route.

Lesson learned and it won't be the last one, I am sure. I prefer to give products and people at least a second chance, but this design has had several chances and I will through them in my burn pile and post pictures of the melted remains if I can find them among the ash.

I had thoughts on making or having a local fabrication shop make a more robust and properly sized bracket similar to what you drew. I am done with them though and see only benefits to going with the leaf support brackets.

Other than cost and a bit of time, there are no downsides that I currently see.

Sir, thank you again for allowing us to discuss this failure point here. I plan to create a new thread when I get home and figure out a course of action.

 

Also, those bags, springs and suspension are fully compressed with the full pin weight if the 5th wheel at the campground in IL.

They are internal jounce 5000 bags.