Factory 3500 Air-Assist leaf springs

[JPM]

Triple post .

My dads 17 is the same as my 18. I haven’t snooped around a 16 to know which setup it has.

I think the most impressive part of the entire suspension is that they use the same stuff SRW to DRW. It’s a pretty versatile and STOUT system.

to be clear,a non air assist 2017 3500 SRW rear spring pack does not have a upper over load leaf like non air assist a 2017 3500 DRW

 

[AH64ID]

to be clear,a non air assist 2017 3500 SRW rear spring pack does not have a upper over load leaf like non air assist a 2017 3500 DRW

Correct, just the auto-levels are the same between 3500’s.

Too be honest I’m not really sure it would be overly useful on a SRW and probably why they dropped in.

3rd gen 3500 SRW’s had the upper overloads like a DRW but also had the 2500 4/1 spring pack. On my 05 the upper overloads weren’t contacted until I was at RAWR, or slightly above, so they weren’t really useful.

4th gen 3500’s lost the upper overload but got the 3500 DRW 3/1 main spring pack which I recall having a 7% higher spring rate. Even with a higher RAWR they likely wouldn’t see much use at all.

Now that doesn’t apply when you throw 19.5’s into the mix and load her up. I got better performance from my airbags on my 05 than my OEM overloads thou, so they were still dead weight for me at 7500-8000 RAW.

 

[JPM]

Too be honest I’m not really sure it would be overly useful on a SRW and probably why they dropped in.

3rd gen 3500 SRW’s had the upper overloads like a DRW but also had the 2500 4/1 spring pack. On my 05 the upper overloads weren’t contacted until I was at RAWR, or slightly above, so they weren’t really useful.


Now that doesn’t apply when you throw 19.5’s into the mix and load her up. I got better performance from my airbags on my 05 than my OEM overloads thou, so they were still dead weight for me at 7500-8000 RAW.

the upper over loads were super usefull on our 03 when carrying our slide in camper and having upper stableloads engage the overloads sooner. I had to install aftermarket Helwig helper springs on the 17 , because there are no stock upper overloads . The aftermarket Hellwigs have to be installed different than the oem's and it is a compromise for sure. Pricey too.

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[JPM]

When shopping for our newer truck I considered the factory air assist. But there was no consensus at the time as to how the system would work with a slide-in. I had aftermarket air bags on my 03 and if pumped up too much the rig got real floaty. But it seems the oem air assist is a real good system ( in warm weather) and I might have been mistaken about its camper use.

 

[lpennock]

When shopping for our newer truck I considered the factory air assist. But there was no consensus at the time as to how the system would work with a slide-in. I had aftermarket air bags on my 03 and if pumped up too much the rig got real floaty. But it seems the oem air assist is a real good system ( in warm weather) and I might have been mistaken about its camper use.

I like it on my 18 once I added a Roadmaster Swaybar. Before the sway bar the camper road well but had more sway than I liked. Overall glad I did it.

 

[JPM]

I like it on my 18 once I added a Roadmaster Swaybar. Before the sway bar the camper road well but had more sway than I liked. Overall glad I did it.

I remember back at the time we were shopping a heavy duty rear sway bar was not available on an oem air assist . That was another reason I went with a non air assist.

 

[Cummins12V98]

"ow, if you want a different, I'll have to get another one tomorrow."

Pretty please!

 

[AH64ID]

the upper over loads were super usefull on our 03 when carrying our slide in camper and having upper stableloads engage the overloads sooner. I had to install aftermarket Helwig helper springs on the 17 , because there are no stock upper overloads . The aftermarket Hellwigs have to be installed different than the oem's and it is a compromise for sure. Pricey too.

#ad

Did you try airbags first? Based on what I did with my 05 vs 18 (high weight and CG, but not camper CG high) the stock 18 handles better than the 05 with bags and a antisway bar, but the 05 was great still easy driving on winding roads with a 30' TT and 2 ATV's above the bed rails and 7500-8000 RAW.

I've just never been a big fan of the pictured style of overload. I don't like how they put the load on the springs.

On my 05 I considered upper stable loads, but preferred the adjustability of airbags, but it is easy to want to overinflate them and have worse handling.

My dad had an 06 and a 850 that he just ran 100 psi in the bags, and it floated... I never could get him to try lower.

 

[lpennock]

I found my 06 SRW with upper Stableloads to have less sway than my 18 Factory Air DRW. I find the 18 with the roadmaster to have less than the 06.

 

[JPM]

Did you try airbags first? Based on what I did with my 05 vs 18 (high weight and CG, but not camper CG high) the stock 18 handles better than the 05 with bags and a antisway bar, but the 05 was great still easy driving on winding roads with a 30' TT and 2 ATV's above the bed rails and 7500-8000 RAW.

I've just never been a big fan of the pictured style of overload. I don't like how they put the load on the springs.

me neither but there was no other option, as there is no one around here that can make custom spring packs

On my 05 I considered upper stable loads, but preferred the adjustability of airbags, but it is easy to want to overinflate them and have worse handling.

on the 03 I first installed the air bags, then the upper stable loads, after which the air bags were almost not needed.

My dad had an 06 and a 850 that he just ran 100 psi in the bags, and it floated... I never could get him to try lower.

yep

 

[DeansRedRam]

Cummins12v98, Sorry I didn't see this til now, had a busy morning. I will get pictures of the leaf set up tomorrow.

 

[DeansRedRam]

I found my 06 SRW with upper Stableloads to have less sway than my 18 Factory Air DRW. I find the 18 with the roadmaster to have less than the 06.

What do you think of the roadmasters for the price? A customer of mine was asking my opinion, I didn't know anything about them to tell him for his f150 with a slide on camper.

I'm surprised my 18 with air assist doesn't have a factory sway bar.

 

[lpennock]

What do you think of the roadmasters for the price? A customer of mine was asking my opinion, I didn't know anything about them to tell him for his f150 with a slide on camper.

I'm surprised my 18 with air assist doesn't have a factory sway bar.

I was able to find the Roadmaster for less cost than the Helwig Bigwig. I prefer that it mounts to the bottom of the shock mounts rather than having a clamp around the diff and tubes. I believe that moves the moment arm further out on the axle which should provide more sway control. (Kind of like the difference between the stableloads and air bags in sway control.) If I remember correctly it was also slightly thicker that the Bigwig. Install instructions could have been a little better though.

Overall I like it and highly recommend it with factory air and top heavy loads like truck campers.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Cummins12v98, Sorry I didn't see this til now, had a busy morning. I will get pictures of the leaf set up tomorrow.

Thanks!