I just installed some new Airlift air springs (airbags) on my Chevy 3500 hauling a Fleetwood Caribou 11-K. The installer put in 70 psi as a starting point. I notice that the back is higher, and the handling seems better. HOWEVER, I wonder how one goes about "dialing in" the proper air pressure for the best ride and handling?
Any suggestions as to the proper procedure would be appreciated.
I just had some installed also. Before I installed them, I measured the distance between the ground and the top of the truck bed without the camper. Had the airbags installed, but camper on, and added just enough air so that the top of the truck bed was the same distance from the ground. Took about 80 PSI.
kylekai wrote: Before I installed them, I measured the distance between the ground and the top of the truck bed without the camper. Had the airbags installed, but camper on, and added just enough air so that the top of the truck bed was the same distance from the ground. Took about 80 PSI.
That's pretty much what we did with our two SRW trucks; we ended up with enough air to bring the truck back up to near it's unloaded height. I think that was 90 for the F-350 and 70 for the F-250. But, the bottomline is you will need to try different pressures to see what gives you the best/most stable ride. You might want to start out with 90 and work your way down in 5 or 10 psig increments until you feel the sway increasing. I would want to have the minimum pressure in the bags which will still give you a good stable ride. Rancho 9000 XL's and keeping your rear tires at their max psi will help also.
I am in the process now of determining the best air prssure also. In the truck maintenance log in a seperate section, I am recording the pressure, load and ride charistics. After a bit I should have some values. With the camper I set my firestones to 75# at this point and empty 10#.
Jim
2003 GMC 3500 crew dually. Transfer Flow 50g aux tank; ISSPRO gauges, PPE boost valve, air box mods, stock exhaust w/o muffler, Line-X, Pace Edwards bed locker power tonneau. B&W Companion. Pulls a '05 Wildcat 31QBH 5th wheel
For the most stable ride you need to add just enough air so the overload springs are just "touching". Lifting the truck off the overloads defeats their purpose and could actually create more sway by riding on bubbles vs steel springs.
If this position still has the truck in a squat attitude then extended bump stops like Stable Loads are needed so you can level the truck and still keep overloads engaged.
If a newer 2500 series with no overloads get to a spring shop and have some custom ones made. Then, like me, you can totally eliminate those pesky, PITA, leaking, always fiddling with air bags!!!!!
'16 FORD F250 6.2. Air Bags
'16 Arctic Fox 25R. Xantrex 2000 inverter/charger, four Trojan 6 volts, 450 watts solar.
~DJ~ wrote: For the most stable ride you need to add just enough air so the overload springs are just "touching". Lifting the truck off the overloads defeats their purpose and could actually create more sway by riding on bubbles vs steel springs.
If this position still has the truck in a squat attitude then extended bump stops like Stable Loads are needed so you can level the truck and still keep overloads engaged.
If a newer 2500 series with no overloads get to a spring shop and have some custom ones made. Then, like me, you can totally eliminate those pesky, PITA, leaking, always fiddling with air bags!!!!!
This is what I do, I added longer rubber bumpers so the overloads would touch and use 60 pounds of pressure, best ride for ours.
On my 2003 Chevy 2500HD the air bags mount in place of the bump stops. INBOARD of the springs! IF the air bags take the load instead of the overload springs truck sway will increase. So I run my air bags at no more than 20 psi.
THIS MEANS THE AIR BAGS DO NOTHING FOR MY TRUCK!!!
I did not need to spend the money!!
My truck is a regular cab and when loaded over weight by 800 lbs yet still rides slightly tail high. Real tail high unloaded.
DG
Former user name: "Lots of Stuff"
2015 RAM 1500 V6 8 speed
Regular cab short bed 2 wheel drive.
Leer 180 Topper
I adjust my airbag pressure pretty much like kyleka and BradW. I usually run from 40 to 50 PSI.
I find it interesting in the various pressures people run in their airbags. The same is true with adjustable shocks. Not only are there so many variations in truck weights, CG's, and tires, it seems the trucks and their suspension differences are never ending. You add that to our individual preference as to how we want our truck to handle, and it should be obvious that we cannot tell someone how much air to run in their airbags, what settings for shocks, or how much air in the tires.
I have I have a 2500 with 19.5 tires, aftermarket anti-sway bar, added a rear leaf to springs, adjustable in-cab controller for my shocks, and airbags with in-cab controller.
I have discovered I must not be as sensitive to airbag pressures or shock adjustment as most people are. I get the rear lifted with about 40 PSI in the airbags. I really cannot tell any difference in handling if I go up to 90 PSI. On my shocks, anything from 6 to 9 is OK. When I had airbags only, before tire and other upgrades, I think different air pressures in the bags and shock settings were more obvious to how the truck handles.
Adding the rear leaf and 19.5's definitely makes for a stiffer ride without the TC.
I've found my ideal pressure to be 20-40 and that is with extended bump stops. As others have said, you want the weight to be distributed to as many contact points as possible which means you want at least some weight on the overloads. Air bags do help soften the ride as long as you don't have too much pressure in them.
'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 Dbl Slide, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Air Bags, Hankook DH-01 225/19.5 Fs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.
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