To Bag or Not to Bag?
 

My 2015 F250 has been leveled...which I'm fine with. However, when I tow my race trailer loaded at roughly 8500lbs, it squats drastically. The truck has the OEM shocks with 165K miles. My question, is replacing the shocks alone going to cure this problem or should I go ahead and plan on installing air bags at the same time?

Shocks don’t provide lift. Springs do. Airbags will do what you want.

Installed the bags last weekend and the new Bilstein's installed this past weekend. What a huge difference in ride quality and stability. Looking forward to the first loaded trip in a few weeks...as opposed to dreading it previously. Both rear shocks were completely collapsed...zero rebound. One front was borderline and the other had a little better.

Patrick, thanks for the conclusion response. Very helpful.

-dale

Thanks for the close on the issue. I keep considering bags on mine but it only squats about two inches which is close to level as all stock. The springs may be getting a bit tired as they are 20 years in. I just do not like the stance when pulling.

What system did you go with?

I purchased this system.


Overall I am very pleased with the quality of the parts and the instructions. I would note a couple snags. You have to pay very close attention to building the subassembly bags as it is important as to where the fitting is located after installation.

Additionally, I purchased the braided stainless line version which is very nice. What they don’t point out in the instructions, is to connect the lines to the bag fittings prior to installing the bags. It would have been immensely easier to have done this rather than after the bags are installed as I did.

Another note which IS mentioned in the instructions that I missed, it is essential where the long vertical lag bolts go relative to the brake lines on the rear axle housing. On the driver side, the rear bolt goes between the housing and the brake line. On the passenger side, the rear bolt goes on the outside of the brake line. You cannot change it after the bag is in place. The bag has to come all the way back out to correct this mistake.

The install took me about six hours. Probably should been closer to 2-3 hours. Had I payed closer attention to the bag subassemblies and preassembled the flex lines to the bags, it likely would have been.