I am looking at Firestone Ride Rite airbags for my truck. The truck is a 2nd gen. equipped with the camper package (meaning it has factory overload springs). Do you folks running airbags on a truck similarly equipped remove the overload springs or leave them in? I have read where you can do either or.

Thanks,
~Rob

 

I left the factory overloads in. Although I dont think it would matter. You will never use the factory overloads again. Do whatever is easier.

 

4WheelParts told me they had to come off, but others here say they don't.

Did you see the Waco thread?

 

Let me know if you buy/order and maybe we can get a "deal" on two sets.

 

On my 3 gen I just bolted them on and they are great.
I run about 10 psi empty and have had to run as high was 70 psi on them and 90 psi on the air ride hitch with some of the loads I have towed.

 

I had them on my '01 with camper package/helper springs. They would never let the helpers engage, and felt very tippy. They also severely limit suspension travel when above the helpers, and mounting bolts/plates got bent/beat up.
Others have had better luck with them by taking the helper springs off.

I had so much trouble keeping them properly aired up- slow leak I could never find- and blew one bag out on I-80 in Nowhere Nevada which ruined a 1 week vacation, that I took them off.
Now I run 4 leaf helper springs installed at a commercial truck spring shop, and they tweaked them so that the camper rides level. (heavier passenger side)
Put the helper springs on 30k miles ago, and haven't had to do anything with them since!

 

The air bags are just like Scotty said. Ten pounds of air (empty), 60 to 70 (loaded) and they are wonderful. To prevent leaks, cut the plastic tubing with a very sharp razor blade straight across the tubing to get a clean cut. Use some snoop (soapy water) to check for leaks, and you are good to go. I left everything else on and do not have any trouble (7300 lbs. load). P.S. get the on-board compressor and it makes things easier.

 

Agreed, I have used Airlift Superduty bags (VERY similar to Ride Rites) for years on 3 different trucks and I have had absolutely no use for factory overloads - I remove them every time. I currently run the bags on my 3500 which is equipped with the camper package and I removed the overloads right away.....they simply did not offer enough load support for my needs. The overloads only cause a rougher empty ride because they will come up and slap their stops and cause a jarring feeling.....removing them also drops some unsprung weight which is also beneficial to better ride. If you run good air bags there is no reason to keep the overloads.

 

I removed the Airflift's I had on my old '95 V10 3/4t cause the worked so well on that truck before I sold it. That truck did not have the overload springs. When I got my 3500 I put the bags on right away, without even thinking about the overload springs on it. Well when I loaded the camper and put in my usual 60psi that would level the old truck nicely, there was barely a 1/4" clearance between the frame and the bottom plate of the bags....not good. Sure enough, I took it around the block, and I was getting contact with the frame and a lot of sway. So I pulled the bags, and tried the camper with just the overloads, and it felt very stable.
I still have the bags in the shed, but sold the camper for a toyhauler.
Anyway, I'd say if you're gonna run the bags, remove the overloads.

 

I used to use air bags but after a little trouble, switched to timbren load boosters. Much simpler, put em on and forget em, never need to air up or air down, and the never pop. I have had timbrens on a bunch of my trucks and have sold them to a lot of customers and have had nothing but good results.

www.timbren.com

 

I'll second the Timbrens.

I've got them with 5/8" space between the bottom of the Timbren and the plate that sits on top of the axle. Only time I feel them is on speed bumps in parking lots.

Just install them and your done.....nothing else to do.....

 

I have airbags and overloads both on my '02 2500, and see the need for both - but with a qualifier. I'm not sure what brand my airbags are, but they work fine with the on-board pump and panel mount controls. Airing up and down is a non-event, tho' I rarely do it, cause the camper lives on the truck. The qualifier is that I pre-loaded the overloads, and now, 75,000+ miles later, I hafta say it's worked extremely well. Others who've ridden in my truck have commented on the stability of the rig. Take a look at: www.biglar.homestead.com/springsupports.com .

Lar.

 

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