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Stop gap suspension advice

Haloo
Explorer
Explorer
We recently purchased a Northern Lite 8-11 so we could do more winter camping in the northwest. (Our small travel trailer wasn’t up to the task.) Our Ford 350 diesel pickup has a set of helper springs that we added to firm up the ride and get us ready for some off-roading. Even with the stock set up we were within our payload rating of 3500 lbs.

The next step was to add a Hellwig Big Wig sway bar, and upgrade our shocks to Bilstein 5100s or Rancho 9000s.. However, the sway bar won’t be available for 2 1/2 months, Bilsteins are backordered for 6 weeks, and I haven’t been able to find Ranchos for the rear of our truck.

The helper springs do their job, but the truck is a little tippy when rounding a corner and hitting a bump or undulation. It’s pretty disconcerting. The sway bar would help, but that will be a while.

Would adding a set of air bags or Sumo Springs help firm things up so we can more comfortably drive and camp until the sway bar and shocks are available?

I am very happy to have found this forum!

...Hal
30 REPLIES 30

Haloo
Explorer
Explorer
Success!

I installed Firestone airbags. So now I have helper springs and airbags. I inflated the airbags just enough that they did not disengage my helper springs. The result is terrific! Now the truck and camper handle wonderfully. The effect is so positive that I may cancel my order for a Hellwig Big Wig sway bar.

billtex
Explorer II
Explorer II
Haloo wrote:
Ah yes, many more suspension stories out there. I’ve looked all over various forums (fora) and discovered huge variations and disagreement. Some people love airbags, others hate them. Same with sway bars, stable loads, Timbrens, helper springs, etc... I have now heard or read polar opposite opinions on each of these and more.

As a motorcyclist, if you can’t have/afford a completely dialed in suspension you at least want predictable suspension. You want the feedback to be giving you a consistent message. Right now this is what I’m aiming for with my truck and camper. I’ll get there. But it looks like a process of trial and error. So be it.


What I like about the SL are they optimize the OE suspension. They are not an added piece of suspension. The result has been a nice firm ride with no bouncing (air bags!) and not bottom out (timbrens!).
Very predictable, firm, easy, inexpensive, nothing to fail, 100% stock ride unladen...obviously I am pleased with SL.
Quite honestly, I fawked up my last truck with all the suspension mods (unbearable when unladen). I went minimalist this time. And it works much better.
My 0.02.
Bill
2020 F350 CC LB
Eagle Cap 850
25'Airstream Excella
"Good People Drink Good Beer"-Hunter S Thompson

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
Haloo wrote:
Right now this is what I’m aiming for with my truck and camper. I’ll get there. But it looks like a process of trial and error. So be it.


You seem to want everyone to confirm what you decided before you ever posted here even though you got an explanation for why you were wrong.

Have fun with your trials and errors. That’s the only way some people learn. 😄

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member

Haloo
Explorer
Explorer
Ah yes, many more suspension stories out there. I’ve looked all over various forums (fora) and discovered huge variations and disagreement. Some people love airbags, others hate them. Same with sway bars, stable loads, Timbrens, helper springs, etc... I have now heard or read polar opposite opinions on each of these and more.

As a motorcyclist, if you can’t have/afford a completely dialed in suspension you at least want predictable suspension. You want the feedback to be giving you a consistent message. Right now this is what I’m aiming for with my truck and camper. I’ll get there. But it looks like a process of trial and error. So be it.

billtex
Explorer II
Explorer II
Haloo wrote:
billtex wrote:
Haloo wrote:
srschang wrote:
What are you running for air pressure in the front & rear tires? Are the tires load Range E? F? G? A tire with a firm sidewall makes a big difference in side to side sway. As others have said, some of it is a learning experience, especially when entering and leaving parking lots. You generally want to do it as square as possible, if you are at an angle one of the front tires will go over any dip or bump first, starting the camper rocking, then when the rear tire go through it one at a time, it really gets to rock & rolling.

Scott



60lbs front, 80lbs rear. Load range E, 20” tires.

The primary issue is kind of a skittish feeling, not a roll so much as a sudden dipping to the outside of the curve — like it dips then catches.

We drove the camper home 1200 miles on the stock springs. There was some sway and roll, but no big deal. After the new springs were added it feels different as I describe above.

I think you answered your own question. NL are not very heavy and should be well within 1 ton stock suspension.
OE shocks should be fine...can’t believe they are worn already. “Adjustable” shocks are useless in snow country. They won’t be adjustable for long.

Of all the suspension mods I have done (many!) sway bar was the most useless. Made no difference IMO.

Go back to your OE suspension and put on a few miles. Then re-evealuate.


Yep. I’m going to remove the springs and give it another go. And yes, our camper will not exceed our payload. In fact, I have unbolted some weight from our camper, so we have even more room for gear if we want. I’m guessing we are at about 2600 lbs dry.

Ford adds a sway bar with their Camper Package. Our truck did not come with a sway bar. Truck camper forums are stuffed full of threads on the virtues of sway bars. You are only the second person to tell me to not get a sway bar. The other guy told me to get air bags instead.

So...since you mentioned it, what suspension mods have you done that were worthwhile?

It only took me ~ 20 years to figure out. My approach to a 3/4 ton truck would be different than a 1 ton truck. I would always suggest purchasing the 1 ton if you are buying a truck. If you already have one and want to work with what you have, that is a different story.
I have used; airbags (never again-not a good solution for TC’s), suspersprings (good if you have a 3/4 ton and need to add over load springs), sway bar (did nothing for me, and I used the big fat after market one...) lower stable loads (this would be my first choice. Utilizes OE springs with no effect on unladen ride), upper bump stop extensions (Upper SL’s-$$$, or energy suspension-same thing-less $). Upper bump stops only if you have a 1 ton, most 3/4 tons don’t. Also will not effect unladen ride.

In case you can’t tell, I did not want to change unladen ride, so that approach is important to me. Products that maximize your OE suspension and do not add a lot of unsprung weight IMO are the best approach.
That is my suspension story. Many more out there...
2020 F350 CC LB
Eagle Cap 850
25'Airstream Excella
"Good People Drink Good Beer"-Hunter S Thompson

Haloo
Explorer
Explorer
billtex wrote:
Haloo wrote:
srschang wrote:
What are you running for air pressure in the front & rear tires? Are the tires load Range E? F? G? A tire with a firm sidewall makes a big difference in side to side sway. As others have said, some of it is a learning experience, especially when entering and leaving parking lots. You generally want to do it as square as possible, if you are at an angle one of the front tires will go over any dip or bump first, starting the camper rocking, then when the rear tire go through it one at a time, it really gets to rock & rolling.

Scott



60lbs front, 80lbs rear. Load range E, 20” tires.

The primary issue is kind of a skittish feeling, not a roll so much as a sudden dipping to the outside of the curve — like it dips then catches.

We drove the camper home 1200 miles on the stock springs. There was some sway and roll, but no big deal. After the new springs were added it feels different as I describe above.

I think you answered your own question. NL are not very heavy and should be well within 1 ton stock suspension.
OE shocks should be fine...can’t believe they are worn already. “Adjustable” shocks are useless in snow country. They won’t be adjustable for long.

Of all the suspension mods I have done (many!) sway bar was the most useless. Made no difference IMO.

Go back to your OE suspension and put on a few miles. Then re-evealuate.


Yep. I’m going to remove the springs and give it another go. And yes, our camper will not exceed our payload. In fact, I have unbolted some weight from our camper, so we have even more room for gear if we want. I’m guessing we are at about 2600 lbs dry.

Ford adds a sway bar with their Camper Package. Our truck did not come with a sway bar. Truck camper forums are stuffed full of threads on the virtues of sway bars. You are only the second person to tell me to not get a sway bar. The other guy told me to get air bags instead.

So...since you mentioned it, what suspension mods have you done that were worthwhile?

billtex
Explorer II
Explorer II
Haloo wrote:
srschang wrote:
What are you running for air pressure in the front & rear tires? Are the tires load Range E? F? G? A tire with a firm sidewall makes a big difference in side to side sway. As others have said, some of it is a learning experience, especially when entering and leaving parking lots. You generally want to do it as square as possible, if you are at an angle one of the front tires will go over any dip or bump first, starting the camper rocking, then when the rear tire go through it one at a time, it really gets to rock & rolling.

Scott



60lbs front, 80lbs rear. Load range E, 20” tires.

The primary issue is kind of a skittish feeling, not a roll so much as a sudden dipping to the outside of the curve — like it dips then catches.

We drove the camper home 1200 miles on the stock springs. There was some sway and roll, but no big deal. After the new springs were added it feels different as I describe above.

I think you answered your own question. NL are not very heavy and should be well within 1 ton stock suspension.
OE shocks should be fine...can’t believe they are worn already. “Adjustable” shocks are useless in snow country. They won’t be adjustable for long.

Of all the suspension mods I have done (many!) sway bar was the most useless. Made no difference IMO.

Go back to your OE suspension and put on a few miles. Then re-evealuate.
2020 F350 CC LB
Eagle Cap 850
25'Airstream Excella
"Good People Drink Good Beer"-Hunter S Thompson

Geo_Boy
Explorer II
Explorer II
Haloo wrote:
TxGearhead wrote:
You might check and see if Roadmaster has a sway bar for your Ford.
roadmasterinc.com
Call around and checking delivery dates might be good as well. eTrailer, Tweety's, etc.


Roadmaster doesn’t make a sway bar for my truck. I called them and asked.

I called all around the country trying to find a Hellwig Big Wig. No luck.

Wow. That’s strange, if you go to their configuration page for 2019 Ford F-350 they show a sway bar for the SRW and one for a dually. They also show a front sway bar.

Haloo
Explorer
Explorer
mbloof wrote:
Haloo wrote:

2019

Yep, I understand that some sway and roll come with the territory. It did for the 1200 mile drive home with the camper. After I added the helper springs there is the initial tippy thing that wasn’t there before.


It sounds like you now have to much spring. (to stiff?) If it rode better before I'd remove the helper springs.

I have a 9.6 on a 17' F250 and only added airbags to level out the headlights. (the 9.6 and 8.11 weigh about the same)

As you and others have mentioned, some side to side sway goes with a top heavy setup. Some of the sway will be from the suspension and some will be from sidewall flex of your tires.

Personally, the sway I was getting from the stock Ford OEM tires (rated at only 3450lbs) was to much to bear so I swapped the tires and rims for 19.5 Vision heavy hauler 81's and 265/70 Toyo M608Z's.

I have no sway bar.

Essentially I fixed my sway/handling issues with tires+rims.


YMMV.


- Mark0.


I’ll start with tires: I’m running LT275/65 R20 tires. These tires are E rated and have a fairly low profile. Not sure I’m getting much flex, but haven’t ruled out upgrading my wheels and tires at some point. I don’t think the tires are contributing to my current issue.

But I’m beginning to think I should take off the helper springs and go with air bags until I can upgrade the shocks. The ride is not too stiff with the helper springs. It’s just that the initial tippiness is disconcerting.

Haloo
Explorer
Explorer
TxGearhead wrote:
You might check and see if Roadmaster has a sway bar for your Ford.
roadmasterinc.com
Call around and checking delivery dates might be good as well. eTrailer, Tweety's, etc.


Roadmaster doesn’t make a sway bar for my truck. I called them and asked.

I called all around the country trying to find a Hellwig Big Wig. No luck.

Haloo
Explorer
Explorer
KD4UPL wrote:
Have you checked the availability of KYB Monomax shocks? I have them on my 2005 Chevy dually. I used it to carry a 4,000 pound camper and thought the shocks did really well.


I called our local tire installer - Les Schwab Tires - and they mentioned the KYBs. I said I would consider them. They said they would check on availability and never called me back.

Haloo
Explorer
Explorer
Geo*Boy wrote:
TxGearhead wrote:
You might check and see if Roadmaster has a sway bar for your Ford.
roadmasterinc.com
Call around and checking delivery dates might be good as well. eTrailer, Tweety's, etc.

Roadmaster 1139-173, is the bar for your truck.


I called Roadmaster. They don’t make a sway bar for a single rear wheel F350. Only dually. Bummer.

KD4UPL
Explorer
Explorer
Have you checked the availability of KYB Monomax shocks? I have them on my 2005 Chevy dually. I used it to carry a 4,000 pound camper and thought the shocks did really well.

VTLee
Explorer
Explorer
Torklift upper stableloads will engage the helper springs and take out that lean and bounce back. Best thing I ever added.