Swamp_Donkey

On my 04.5 I carry about 1000 lbs of tools in the back at all times. After almost 4 years I am riding on the overloads and the rear end is lower than the front. To complicate things even more I am going to put a 2 inch leveling kit of SJ d25's in the front. What would you guys suggest to get the rear up? Air bags or extra leafs with a spring re-arc, or something else. I drive on extremely rough roads with lots of mud etc....

Thanks......

DODGER BOMBER

I got the same problem. Im fabin up a set of mounts to compensate for my 6" lift

morkable

I probably would recommend going with air bags, they work nice and dont seem to deteriorate the ride much

Kevin

ccmckee

I have the firesone riderites on all four corners of my truck, they work great for me.I also have a compressor and airtank on board with fill/drain valves inside the cab so i can adjust on the fly.

Swamp_Donkey

Just wondering about my theory here. I know air bags will get me level, but because I am sagging so much already I might have to have the pressure jacked up high and give me a total lumber wagon feel. If I re-arc the springs I will get the lift and maybe use less air pressure. Clear as mud??? LOL Maybe airbags like you guys suggest and if the ride is crappy then I will go the spring route. When I put in the front end leveling kit I would say I would easily need 4 inches in the back to level. To much for airbags?????

ICL

Carli makes a pretty sweet air bag set-up, might want to check that out.

JHansen

Hello Swampy-long time no see.

Just went through this basically with my '01-I didn't get down to the bumpstops, but I did break a leaf last spring when the lease roads deteriorated from the evil breakup we had here....I found out that used springs are a waste of time on a work truck - ended up buying a replacement set through Standen's. Stockers are quite a bit cheaper than buying factory ones-over $200 a side. You can have them add an extra leaf to the pack if you want-for my application it would have been around $120 a spring. I went with the stockers again as my truck always sat close to level even with the levelling kit. Haven't actually got around to installing them yet-maybe next days off.

Air kinda scares me with the abundance of mud/snow/gravel that this job requires a guy to endure-I've seen too many bags give up on farm 1/2 tons running around not actually working.

My 2 cents anyways....

Jason

Patriot_Auto

Check your area for a local spring shop. A stock replacement spring pack, with some added springs will suit you better. If you carrying that much weight all of the time you need more leafs anyhow. Airbags IMO are a band aid, not what you want for a truck that has the extra weight all the time.

I do alot of stock replacement or add-a-leafs to work trucks that are sagging. Will make all the difference.

Also if you are going with the D25 SJ springs, get the entire 2.5" lift. It will have the extra springs for the rear that you need, also the U-bolts and nuts. Then add a new stock spring pack on top of that and you should look great.

Homestead

I'm the same boat, I work construction so the truck is always loaded, 1000 lbs or more. I've had my Firestone bags installed for over 5 years and zero problems.

I actually run them at 30 psi which keeps the rear level with the front (has a levelling puck) and the ride is better than the stock ride. Your basically on air all the time at that PSI.

Bags should work fine for you.

Jeff

1-5-3-6-2-4

.......how is adding an air bag a band-aid?!?!?!

.......re-arching springs is a band aid.

........adding leafs is a band aid.


Air bag helper is a fix. not a band aid. All those class 8 highway tractors better ditch their air bags, and get thicker springs for sure.

TreeFarm

What a coincidence. I just saw a thread with the exact same title on a celebrity gossip site.

JHansen

If I told you I saw this service every day I would be lying....but when the rains come and you gotta go, you gotta go. Add in the constant shower of flying gravel that flattens or tears off everything...

Maybe they have better lease roads in FSJ than we have down here-probably do as a lot of ours are trails out across the summerfallow.

Jason

03 ant a hemi

Sounds like you need not only a set of new springs but also a set of good quailty airbags.

Swamp_Donkey

Jason, does that ever look familiar. The mud/clay up here where I am working is so sticky and heavy that it can fill my wheelwells right up. Alot of the guys that run airbags up here always seem to have one flat one because of the mud/gravel etc. That is why I am hesitant to subject myself to it. Even a FASS would have about 30 lbs of mud stuck to it if mounted in front of rear wheel. I do like the idea of airbags but for the oilpatch mud I am not fully convinced that they are what I need.

Swamp_Donkey

Might still go the airbag route, just make all my fill lines extra heave duty. Should have an extra baker pump hose or 2 laying around......... Maybe 1/4 or 3/8 tubing with swagelok fittings. The wheels are turning as I type..............