This last trip hauling the 5er got me thinking about installing air bags (the Firestone ad on here got it started really) and the wife is sold on the idea also.

Has anyone done this on a 3500 and got rid of the overload springs completely from the springpack? Seems to me the airbags would be most effective in smoothing out the ride if you didn't have the overload in the equation.

Unloaded ride would not be affected since the overloads don't do anything anyway.

Thoughts?

 

don't worry about the overloads. the airbags should keep them from engaging i think. i think all you need to do is throw on the airbags and call it good. if, for whatever reason you find the overloads are annoying you, then remove them at that time.

there are also little bumpstops you can get that engage the overloads sooner to aid in sway control, especially with SRW trucks. they are made by 'torklift' but i forget the product name. do a google search, you will find them. also, if you don't already have one, a rear sway bar might help you out also.

 

Ditto Doj Dewd...Once you have the air bags, no more slapping of the overloads. Just leave them in place and you will be fine.

 

Ditto, I have them and the overloads never come into play unless I drop a couple thousand more onto the bed! You'll love them for handling. Run about 5psi for daily driving and you'll figure out where you need to be for towing by the seat of your pants.

 

The weight of my hauler bed made the bottom OLs hit a lot so I cut them off and it helped a LOT. First I tried taking then out but my 2wd needed them for the space/travel and I had to put them back in. Now I'm thinking of taking out or cutting off one of the upper OL leafs. Buckeye road are terrible! Craig

 

You are correct, the overloads should not come into play if you are running the proper psi for the load you have that day. One thing to think about is during unloaded situations when you have min pressure in the air bag, the overloads can act almost like a premature bump stop preventing the bag from bottoming out. This is only an issue if you opt to run without a control system that maintains a min 5-10psi in the springs.

My vote would be to keep them. They should not come into play now.

Good Luck!

 

Thanks for the replys.

I remember now that I leveled out the truck at the back to get rid of it's unloaded launch shudder, and I think I re-stacked the spring pack so the overload was closer to the perches so it sit more on the overloads when the trailer was hitched to minimize the launch shudder when it was loaded. (which is still really bad)

I'll have to give this some thought now how to manage this if I put the truck back to stock height. (one piece driveshaft comes to mind)

Jim I sent you a PM with a few specific questions about the Air-lift bags.

 

take the over load springs off and be done.If you use a sander in the winter its real nice just to add some air to level the truck. I hated the overloads when the truck hit a bump and the overloads touched. They will make he ride of the truck choppy and hard on the neck. With the overloads taken off and 10 psi in the air bags (Firestone with comp) the truck rides nice. I add what I need for air according to what weight I`am hauling . bumper pull trailer or car hauler is better hauled with the bags also. I can load heavy up front and use the bags to level the load,that helps with tail end wag on the trailer. Best money spent after my maxbreak .

 

I have towed both a 30 ft TT and now a just shy of 36 ft 5th wheel, my firestone airbags work great, 10 psi empty and right at 30 psi with the 5th wheel, way smoother ride, good investment.