What is the recommendation between choosing Bags or Shocks? Is one better than the other?

 

They accomplish different objectives, yet work in unison. You'd have to define your goals.

Basically airbags are adjustable overloads. Shocks are dampners.

 

I am not sure of what it is you want. If you are asking air bags or air shocks, then I would diffenitly say air bags. If it is a control issue then I would go with shocks,

 

I'm hauling an Arctic Fox Camper that weighs in just under 4,000 pounds. As the truck is currently configured the ride was not bad. I did notice that the overload springs were being engaged and a couple of turns. And there is a bit of sway, although very minor.

I'm wondering what the best option is to help get better control of that load. My father-in-law has a set of air bags in the rear that he uses on his 3/4 ton truck and it really improves the feel of the truck with that load on it. I noticed that some people are using the Rancho 9000s instead of the air bags. My question is which is better for what I am looking to do?

 

Why not just do both, get a good set of air bags and replace the OEM shocks with a good quality aftermarket set.

 

To do the airbags right you need to remove the stock overloads to make room. They will have a bigger effect on the heavy camper and you can adjust your ride height some. Shocks do help though. Often a combination is desired.

Another option is Timbren overloads. Kinda like the airbags except no air and they mount inboard (toward center of truck) of the leafs so no other mods are needed to fit up. I think that's what I'm going to do with shocks (Bilsteins or rancho) in the near future. My camper, wet, loaded for bear is 5K#. Sticker says 3k. All my friend with campers are about 2k over sticker when equiped for dry camp hunting.

 

[quote author=Rattletrap1 link=board=11;threadid=22005;start=0#msg206390 date=1068111459]
To do the airbags right you need to remove the stock overloads to make room. They will have a bigger effect on the heavy camper and you can adjust your ride height some. Shocks do help though. Often a combination is desired.

Another option is Timbren overloads. Kinda like the airbags except no air and they mount inboard (toward center of truck) of the leafs so no other mods are needed to fit up. I think that's what I'm going to do with shocks (Bilsteins or rancho) in the near future. My camper, wet, loaded for bear is 5K#. Sticker says 3k. All my friend with campers are about 2k over sticker when equiped for dry camp hunting.
[/quote]

be careful with who you order the Timbrens from. I wont disclose who I had trouble with, but if you pm me I will tell you. They sent me ones for a 1500 first. then they sent ones for a 2500 gasser (i guess the gasser is a light duty 2500 cause they wouldnt work), and when they figured out I needed the ones for a 2500 diesel, they just so happened to be out!! oooh. i was hot. come to find out, you have to order the 3500 timbrens in you have a diesel even if its a 2500. i wrote them a letter saying they needed to fix that. its been over a year and a half, so hopefully they have. i ended up ordering Air Lift air bags from Summit. they had the best price. i also got a 20 dollar rebate on them!

 

ViperSBT,

You might want to view the instructions for installation of Firestone air bags on the 2003/2004 Ram. Check this out.

http://www.truckspring.com/airspring...truct/2299.pdf[flash=200,200][/flash]

I am installing a set on my 2003 this week.

 

Thanks for the info, doesn't sound like too big of a project.