Air bag suspension worth it?
Diesel Bomber
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 4,233
Likes: 434
From: Dansville NY
From what I have heard, 1/2 ton springs won't work. They are 3" wide, where as 3/4 and 1 ton springs are 3.5". Before asking, spacers are a bad idea.
I pulled a few leafs out of my spring packs, only 3 per side now, and have air bags. Ride quality is similar to a half ton, but I can still pull around my trailers with the air bags.
I pulled a few leafs out of my spring packs, only 3 per side now, and have air bags. Ride quality is similar to a half ton, but I can still pull around my trailers with the air bags.
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I have been around air bags in semis for years and my brother has for many, many miles and as many years. Very rarely have issues with them. I only remember ever losing 2 bags and since I was part time for the vast majority of those years I drove and pulled a whole lot of different pieces of equipment. My brothers current equipment is in excess of 1.3 million miles on both the tractor and trailer and he never mentions any trouble with the bags.
I have '67 W200 I put bags on the rear and only has 2 leaves in the spring pack. While I do need to do some changes to make things work even better it has been about 12 years since I did them and my only issue with the bags is a fitting with a slow leak.
I don't think having a punctured bag is a real big worry although it can happen but so can broken springs. They are pretty tough.
I have '67 W200 I put bags on the rear and only has 2 leaves in the spring pack. While I do need to do some changes to make things work even better it has been about 12 years since I did them and my only issue with the bags is a fitting with a slow leak.
I don't think having a punctured bag is a real big worry although it can happen but so can broken springs. They are pretty tough.
Last edited by tiremann9669; Jan 9, 2013 at 10:49 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Diesel Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 133
Likes: 11
From: Vancouver, WA
They work good and overall I am pretty happy with them. This is on the PW and not the Ram so it is something I put together and built. No bags on the Ram. I would do it a bit different next time and have a couple changes I intend to make to improve the way they currently work. Ride is better because most of the weight carrying is done by the air spring.
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Diesel Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 469
Likes: 21
From: West Texas
Would it work?
From what I have heard, 1/2 ton springs won't work. They are 3" wide, where as 3/4 and 1 ton springs are 3.5". Before asking, spacers are a bad idea.
I pulled a few leafs out of my spring packs, only 3 per side now, and have air bags. Ride quality is similar to a half ton, but I can still pull around my trailers with the air bags.
I pulled a few leafs out of my spring packs, only 3 per side now, and have air bags. Ride quality is similar to a half ton, but I can still pull around my trailers with the air bags.
So 3/4 ton springs would fit without modification? My local junk yard has plenty of 3/4 ton trucks.
Diesel Fan
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 59
Likes: 3
From: Tooele, Ut
I have a kelderman kit under mine, it's a true 4 link and bags, no leafs at all.
-It's pricey!
It rides great, handles great. Hooking and dropping trailers is fun, no cranking loaded jacks. drop, back under, lift up.
The kit is not designed to increase load capacity, just to improve the ride. you are still limited by the strength of the axle, tire rating, brake capacity, weight transfer off fronts, etc.
I have put a scale verified 4000 lbs in the bed (sand from a landscape supply) it aired up, rode like a Cadillac. I was about 120 psi.
If it goes below freezing, or you are going to be where it does, you need to put the valves inside the cab, or under the hood. I didn't, mine freeze up. make sure you have bump stops that will hold it up enough to drive it if you blow a bag or the compressor quits.
all in all, I think it's one of the best mods I ever did to my truck.
-It's pricey!
It rides great, handles great. Hooking and dropping trailers is fun, no cranking loaded jacks. drop, back under, lift up.
The kit is not designed to increase load capacity, just to improve the ride. you are still limited by the strength of the axle, tire rating, brake capacity, weight transfer off fronts, etc.
I have put a scale verified 4000 lbs in the bed (sand from a landscape supply) it aired up, rode like a Cadillac. I was about 120 psi.
If it goes below freezing, or you are going to be where it does, you need to put the valves inside the cab, or under the hood. I didn't, mine freeze up. make sure you have bump stops that will hold it up enough to drive it if you blow a bag or the compressor quits.
all in all, I think it's one of the best mods I ever did to my truck.
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