Been shopping for an air bag system for my SRW 4x4 3500 QC LB ram. I cant decide on which one. It has to work with a B&W gooseneck hitch.

The long travel carli bags seems like the ticket. but at 850 for just the bags, not sure that i need them over a regular set of bags. Am I wrong? are they worth the$$$.

Is there a kit thats better than the rest. I've looked at air lift, firestone, and pacbrake.

What about the automatic or digital kits? wireless? good deal or bad deal?

Is there a better kit or is a control from one brand and bags from another brand they way to fly?

Almost did timbrens, but a guy at a local driveline shop talked me out of them. He didnt think i would like them for my usage. He said for someone that does very much offroading that they would be annoying. I've never had any experience with them.

only experience i do have is my bro's air lift on his lifted dmax.

Thanks so much in advance for any advice or opinions. I only want to buy a setup once and not have regrets with it.

 

Im happy so far with my Pacbrake air bags. I don't think you can wrong with any of them really. I don't think they will interfere with your hitch.

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which ever kit you get, make sure each bag is filled separate from the other. if the air lines connect through a T and there is only one air inlet for filling,when you go around a curve and the body wants to roll, the bag on the side of the truck the body is rolling to will have more pressure in it and this will cause air to be transferred to the high side of the truck which has low pressure since that bag is being stretched out. this causes increased body roll. kits with 2 air fills and totally separate air lines don't have this problem. I went with an air lift kit and it has served me well.

 

I had the Pacbrake bags and they are a quality bag, but my empty ride was horrible. I switched to the Carli bags and my empty ride is night and day better. The Carli's allow suspension travel, expensive I know, but worth it.

sid

 

I put on the pacbrake bags and really like them. I really didn't notice a ride diff. I am sure the Carlis are worth it i just couldn't justify the dough. I think they are really worth it if you have the full deaver/carli leafs.

 

Got Pac Brakes as well and used an AirLift wireless controller, works slick.
Click the link in my signature.

I keep 5 or 10 pounds in them empty, doesn't affect the ride at all.

 

Here is a pic of my pacbrakes with my Carli mini pacs. They fit perfect without any spacers. I know they won't articulate as well as the Carlis but i don't really ever articulate anyway. Spoke with rep of Diesel Power Products (Carli and Pacbrake dealer) about them prior to buying them and he said that for what i use my truck for that the pacbrakes would work out great which they have. But if you have the $ then Carli all the way!

 

What does the top of the pac brake air bag push on????

 

You just remove the jounce bumpers attached to the frame. Here is the installation manual. http://pacbrake.com/PDF/L5682.PDF

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I posted a picture of my air springs in my gallery if you'd like to know how it will look. This is on my '08 3500 SLT long bed.




Kris

 

HMX-1

I have the Firestones also and am very happy with them. No problems so far. And a great ride with the 5th wheel loaded.

B

 

I have the Air Lift set up. Works great!

 

thanks for all of the info guys! I'm thinking pacbreak bags and some kind of good controller. Noticed there was an automatic one, but the wireless one may be the way to go.

 

Fisherguy, after seeing your setup, I started looking into getting a similar setup. The way the Pacbrake air compressor is mounted makes for a clean looking install and I really like the airlift wireless controller. Do you have a part # for the controller kit that is minus the air compressor?
I have literally been looking at this stuff all day trying to figure out the best way to get all the parts I want and need and not get some stuff that I don't need. I really didn't want to put out the money for the PXRB right now, but.... it comes with the air compressor that is neatly mounted, and the air tank, curly hose,etc. which would be nice to have.
Both airlift and Firestone make the spacers that go under the air bags that I will need due to the lift. When I asked Pac brake, they said sorry but we have nothing for lifted trucks.

Anyone know if the DTR store can get the Pac brake air bags?

 

DTR sells Pac Brake PRXB's (got mine there) so I bet Lary can get you some bags.

In my install thread I listed a number to call for the part number for the solenoid, tell them you want the kit minus the compressor and they'll set you up. You'll like the wireless setup.