PacBrake airbags…….maybe I made a mistake

[Dreamer]

I've got a 2005 3500 Ram dually and just installed PacBrake air bags (separate air lines). I'm impressed with the quality and ease of installation but now I am wondering If I should have added them. The previous owner put a lift kit in the front to level the truck when empty. I like that look a lot but am about to put a heavy (4000 lb) camper on. I thought the bags would level out the truck an everything would be fine. Now I am reading about airbags causing swaying as they level the truck. Levelling this way may keep the overload springs from engaging thus causing a bit of a stability issue. Question: Should I add bump stops so the overload springs engage with the camper on and some air in the bags or just ditch the bags and add bump stops for the overloads?

 

[Ozymandias]

It works fine with the bags only, the truck is stiffer on the road.
But may you should install some ping-tanks, that gives you back some ride quality driving potholes and other obstacles on the road.

On my 3000Mi. Tour through Iceland this summer I deflated the bags on gravel roads to give back some ride quality, it was far to rough with the bags.
After Holiday I changed the whole setup, installed 3 extraleafs to the springs and ping-tanks to the airbags.
Now my ride is perfect, need only 15Psi in the bags with fully camper - 11000Lbs.

No Swaybars on my truck, I even pulled the Front Sway because I want maximum axle articulation.
And I want that the axles flex - not the frame, with the front swaybar the truck had a hard time offroad.

Together with the the KingShocks the Truck handles now like a VW Jetta! Amazing compared to the stock setup it was when i bought the Truck last year.

 

[Ozymandias]

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[Deleted member 995608]

Removing the sway bars on your truck and adding a 4k camper, then worrying about too much sway seems like you're peeing in the wind.

I might be wrong but I haven't seen a suspension setup yet that allows maximum articulation for offroad purposes, yet also can safetly handle the maximum payload that our trucks are designed to handle.

Anyway. Airbags do increase your load carrying capacity; they are designed to help level your payload. In other words, when you place a heavy load in your truckbed (most of us overload beyond capacity), it forces the rear end down and brings the front end up, making the steering light. Airbags help lift the rear of the frame up, forcing more weight onto the front axle with the hopes that you'll recover some of your lost steering.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I've got a 2005 3500 Ram dually and just installed PacBrake air bags (separate air lines). I'm impressed with the quality and ease of installation but now I am wondering If I should have added them. The previous owner put a lift kit in the front to level the truck when empty. I like that look a lot but am about to put a heavy (4000 lb) camper on. I thought the bags would level out the truck an everything would be fine. Now I am reading about airbags causing swaying as they level the truck. Levelling this way may keep the overload springs from engaging thus causing a bit of a stability issue. Question: Should I ad bump stops so the overload springs engage with the camper on and some air in the bags or just ditch the bags and add bump stops for the overloads?

Try hauling your camper first and see how much sway you encounter and if it's objectionable. I 've hauled heavy 4000-lb. truck campers for years with air bags to assist in leveling the truck on both second gen and third gen trucks. If the sway is objectionable, add a set of Torklift Stable Loads and allow the truck to ride on the rear auxiliary spring pack. Also installing rear anti-sway bar helps. See my signature as to how I've rigged my truck. If you have a question, send a PM.

Keep in mind that you will be hauling a heavy high center of gravity load and your truck will feel "top heavy" compared to driving it unloaded. It won't handle like a sports car.

Bill

 

[Ozymandias]

Removing the sway bars on your truck and adding a 4k camper.....

I removed the swaybar, not the thread opener. Oo.

 

[algonaman]

2800 lb. camper here. My front is lifted 3" with KORE coil springs. I have a 2500 SRW and run pac brake bags, Superspring overloads rated 5000 lb., and a Helwig Bigwig rear sway bar. I do have factory overload removed form the bottom of the pack with a Kore Mini pack in its' place. I think I finally found the combo that works, and am considering the 'ping tank' next but so far my truck drives pretty good with this set up.

 

[NIsaacs]

The previous owner put a lift kit in the front to level the truck when empty. Question: Should I ad bump stops so the overload springs engage with the camper on and some air in the bags or just ditch the bags and add bump stops for the overloads?

Get rid of the leveling kit and the air bags will work great.

Nick

 

[Dreamer]

Get rid of the leveling kit and the air bags will work great.

Nick

That might be the simple solution but I would still like to have the level stance when empty. If there is another solution without big costs I would try that. I think adding larger bump stops to the overload springs so they engage earlier may work. I'm going to try that first.

 

[JJPage]

That might be the simple solution but I would still like to have the level stance when empty. If there is another solution without big costs I would try that. I think adding larger bump stops to the overload springs so they engage earlier may work. I'm going to try that first.

I tried to post o pic of the 2" square tubing I placed between the overload bumpstops and frame, but for some reason my pictures I have posted in the past are now to large????

 

[Dreamer]

I tried to post o pic of the 2" square tubing I placed between the overload bumpstops and frame, but for some reason my pictures I have posted in the past are now to large????

That would be nice to see if you can manage to resize the pics. I am thinking of doing the same with square tubing as a spacer.

 

[AH64ID]

That might be the simple solution but I would still like to have the level stance when empty. If there is another solution without big costs I would try that. I think adding larger bump stops to the overload springs so they engage earlier may work. I'm going to try that first.

I reduced my 2" level to a 1" level. It still has a near level stance, but handles weight MUCH better than the 2" level. I found that I need 30 psi with the 1" level where there 2" level needed 60 psi to maintain a level stance. The lower pressure has increased stability as the main leaves have more weight on them.

I have also added a sway-bar and would highly recommend that.

 

[JJPage]

That would be nice to see if you can manage to resize the pics. I am thinking of doing the same with square tubing as a spacer.

I'll try, here's a pic I just took from my phone, kinda dark

 

[JJPage]

Before the 2" tube spacers, my airbags were supporting my full pin weight(with primary spring pack), and it was kind of "squishy" feeling. Now with the blocks/spacers, I pre-load my bags to 25/30lbs MT truck, set my 5vr down on the truck and the overloads just touch, worked out perfect so the overloads were not kicking me in the butt engaging and disengaging. The truck 5vr combo is much more stable now with the overloads back in the scenario.

 

[mfurrh55]

I tried to post o pic of the 2" square tubing I placed between the overload bumpstops and frame, but for some reason my pictures I have posted in the past are now to large????

I run air bags and also run air shocks on the front, bilstein air shocks, when i am unloaded i simply air the front up a little more, I like the 2 square tubing idea ,think i might give it a try, Monte

 

[Bill Stockard]

Years ago, following the suggestion of another TDR member, I installed Energy Suspension overload spring bump stops on my truck to decrease the space between the overload springs and factory overload bump stops which increased the stability by placing more weight on the springs.

Bill

 

[AH64ID]

I keep going back and forth on the bump stop mod, I think it would be great when loaded but I am not sure how well it would work unloaded on bump roads.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

I keep going back and forth on the bump stop mod, I think it would be great when loaded but I am not sure how well it would work unloaded on bump roads.

When unloaded, are you sure the bump stops would ever come on contact with the overload spring? Seems unlikely.

 

[AH64ID]

It wouldn't take much suspension cycling to contact at all, probably not too much around town but on back roads I wouldn't be shocked at all.

 

[Regcabguy]

That might be the simple solution but I would still like to have the level stance when empty. If there is another solution without big costs I would try that. I think adding larger bump stops to the overload springs so they engage earlier may work. I'm going to try that first.

I've got your same Kore setup with Carli LT airbags and King shocks. Installing the Hellwig antisway bar did the most as far as lean goes without killing the ride. Having just a 2000# popup I went with the standard one. My friend with a hardsided camper installed the Bigwig. Dramatically improved the handling in each truck.