Seeking Airbag Advice for Lifted F150/TC650

[Checkers123]

Hi all. Long time reader, first time poster. I’m looking for some suspension advice as a pertains to lifted trucks. My 2015 f150 is lifted about 6” maybe 7. My Northstar TC650 weights about 1700. Looking at the Firestone ride rite kit and daystar cradles. Is that my best bet? It seems the firestone kit attaches to the top of the leaf pack onto the frame rail so I wouldn’t need to use a bunch of spacers. Is that accurate? The lift on my tuck is made in the rear with blocks. Do I also need Stableloads and a rear sway bar. What are you folks with lifted vehicle is running in terms of bags? Thanks!

[Grit_dog]

I think I'd go for a set of 2500lb helper springs, wedge up the bottom leaf and some good shocks and see what happens.

[AnEv942]

Only add a leaf style that's bolted (replacing center pin) to existing bottom of spring pack, under u-bolt plate, would work with air bag mount. May add additional lift increasing distance between top of pack & frame, space air bag uses. Check factory u bolts 'may' not be long enough, supplied bail u-bolts for lower air bag mount 'may' not be long enough.
Skyjacker rear blocks set on top of factory blocks.
Tying air bags together would amplify any lean and roll, air from loaded side pushed into unloaded side.
Wonder if over the top helpers leafs (rated more #) would be enough- sure would be less work

[Bedlam]

Firestone sells two different setups. One goes between frame and axle bump stop the other goes outboard frame to spring pack.

[Checkers123]

Could someone tell me if an add a leaf/helper spring could be used in conjunction with the firestone airbags? (The firestone bags attach on top of the leaf pack).

[Checkers123]

BigSwick wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
What he said^.
You need to let your springs take enough weight that it engages the lower main leaf.
That means it needs to sag a couple inches at least.
Of course if the truck is leveled that will make it ride nose up.
What actual lift do you have and tire size?
Does it still have some rake? IE most lifts are less in back to level the truck when not loaded.

Springs are obviously not a 2 beer job like airbags, but if this is going to be a long term setup I’d get the heaviest springs i could put under it, reasonably.

There are many ways to skin this cat and each have some advantages and disadvantages.
With stout springs, you may reasonably get by with those only (2500lb springs like you posted seem a bit light. Unless you’ve actually weighed the camper, it could be heavier than you think).
Springs and Timbrens shimmed up pretty tight might be a good way to go too.
If you have the option of doing one step at a time and then test driving it, it could save you some additional time/expense of trial and error.

I disagree. This is a short term setup. Let one idiot stop short in front of him, and when he swerves to miss them, game over...
Bite the bullet, trade the truck for one capable of the load.

Thinking about how much more involved new springs will be I think the simplest option may be to leave the stock springs alone and just do airbags. Maybe add a helper spring on top of the leaf pack? To answer your questions, my truck has a 6" skyjacker lift installed by the previous owner but has an extra 1" block in the rear so it may be 7". Unless that was just the stock block. Bottom line its either 6-7. I have 35" E rated tires on a 17 inch wheel.

I am going to a 3/4 ton in the fall but for the summer this will be the truck that brings my camper from NJ to Montana and back 😉

[BigSwick]

Grit dog wrote:
What he said^.
You need to let your springs take enough weight that it engages the lower main leaf.
That means it needs to sag a couple inches at least.
Of course if the truck is leveled that will make it ride nose up.
What actual lift do you have and tire size?
Does it still have some rake? IE most lifts are less in back to level the truck when not loaded.

Springs are obviously not a 2 beer job like airbags, but if this is going to be a long term setup I’d get the heaviest springs i could put under it, reasonably.

There are many ways to skin this cat and each have some advantages and disadvantages.
With stout springs, you may reasonably get by with those only (2500lb springs like you posted seem a bit light. Unless you’ve actually weighed the camper, it could be heavier than you think).
Springs and Timbrens shimmed up pretty tight might be a good way to go too.
If you have the option of doing one step at a time and then test driving it, it could save you some additional time/expense of trial and error.

I disagree. This is a short term setup. Let one idiot stop short in front of him, and when he swerves to miss them, game over...
Bite the bullet, trade the truck for one capable of the load.

[Grit_dog]

Another thing to mention is how “good” does it need to be for you to be comfortable driving it?
First TC we got, I slapped a 4000lb + camper on the back of a 2500 mega cab with a used set of airbags I bought off Craigslist and we drove it to Alaska with a 7klb trailer in tow and all over AK all summer.
It rode like a bouncy house but got the job done. My wife drove it without issue (and my reassurance lol). But she’s not a pansy…
After that, I added the sway bar and built some lower stable loads. (Plastic felling wedges and some u bolts). It wasn’t no dually but I could take the corners at the speed of the yellow warning signs without thinking it might tip over!

[Grit_dog]

What he said^.
You need to let your springs take enough weight that it engages the lower main leaf.
That means it needs to sag a couple inches at least.
Of course if the truck is leveled that will make it ride nose up.
What actual lift do you have and tire size?
Does it still have some rake? IE most lifts are less in back to level the truck when not loaded.

Springs are obviously not a 2 beer job like airbags, but if this is going to be a long term setup I’d get the heaviest springs i could put under it, reasonably.

There are many ways to skin this cat and each have some advantages and disadvantages.
With stout springs, you may reasonably get by with those only (2500lb springs like you posted seem a bit light. Unless you’ve actually weighed the camper, it could be heavier than you think).
Springs and Timbrens shimmed up pretty tight might be a good way to go too.
If you have the option of doing one step at a time and then test driving it, it could save you some additional time/expense of trial and error.

[S_Davis]

Air bags will not do much if your springs are maxed out, one thing you do not want to do is unload your overload springs it will make it feel like driving on a beach ball. If you are slightly over loaded they can level the load and provide a little support and work fairly well, if too overloaded they will make things worse. I would look at helper springs.

[Checkers123]

Grit dog wrote:
Daystar cradle doesn't account for the lift, it allows the bag to not affect suspension travel as much.
Since you just have rear lift blocks, your spring to frame distance hasn't changed, correct?

You need, at a minimum, bags, sway bar and preferably lower stable loads (easy to make these as well).

Those 3 things together is about as good as you can do with stock springs. And it should be "ok" but not great, especially with the lift and big tires working against you.
I would be more inclined to add a very stout set of helper springs (and a sway bar) or a good set of HD lift springs. Both of which will help alot with the camper, but make it ride like a HD truck when empty.
I would only haul that camper on a 9.75" rear axle. If you have the little axle (8.8?), you don't got enough @ss for the checks you're trying to cash!

Im going on a pretty long trip, so maybe im better just swapping for some heavy duty springs. I'd be worried adding a leaf or one helper spring wouldn't do enough to eliminate the squat.

This looks like its a heavy duty spring pack and is just about the same price as the bags. https://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=50496

[Grit_dog]

Checkers123 wrote:
After reading more about plumbing the bags this waythere seems to be a con. Curious to hear your thoughts. If you develop a leak or a bag fails, you would have air in one bag and not in the other which would lead to a lop sided load. Whereas if one was leaking but not the other and they're plumbed together, they would slowly loose pressure equally. Or is this not really that big of a deal?

Not an issue. If you plumb them together, they will be worse than useless and work against you to prevent body roll.

Like I said, I wouldn't use bags anyway with your config. You're pushing it for stability as it is. Stiff springs and the biggest anti-roll bar you can buy is your best shot at not having it handle like a half full water balloon.

[Checkers123]

BurbMan wrote:
It's tough to manage that extra weight when you're lifted. I would say pay attention to your airbag installation...most times airbags are plumbed to the air line with a tee so they fill together. This doesn't give you any side-to-side stability because when the truck rocks side-to-side all it does is push air from one bag to the other. Either use separate Schrader valves for a bumper fill or a check valves if connected to an onboard compressor.

Depending on the config of your 150 you may or may not have enough payload for that camper as light as it is. You may also need n HD sway bar in the rear to control body roll. I see you're in NJ, if you're planning on hitting the beach with the camper, controlling body roll is priority in the sand.

Thats good advice BurbMan thank you. After reading more about plumbing the bags this waythere seems to be a con. Curious to hear your thoughts. If you develop a leak or a bag fails, you would have air in one bag and not in the other which would lead to a lop sided load. Whereas if one was leaking but not the other and they're plumbed together, they would slowly loose pressure equally. Or is this not really that big of a deal?

[BurbMan]

It's tough to manage that extra weight when you're lifted. I would say pay attention to your airbag installation...most times airbags are plumbed to the air line with a tee so they fill together. This doesn't give you any side-to-side stability because when the truck rocks side-to-side all it does is push air from one bag to the other. Either use separate Schrader valves for a bumper fill or a check valves if connected to an onboard compressor.

Depending on the config of your 150 you may or may not have enough payload for that camper as light as it is. You may also need n HD sway bar in the rear to control body roll. I see you're in NJ, if you're planning on hitting the beach with the camper, controlling body roll is priority in the sand.

[joerg68]

Any F-150 with any camper is pushing or exceeding the rear axle weight.*
As has been stated, most of us TC drivers try to keep the CoG low to get the best handling.
Do you know the actual, loaded axle weights of your truck with the camper? If not, you should get it weighed.

*) I know, that is a very general statement, and exceptions exist - there are very lightweight trucks and campers, and HD F-150 trucks, and weights and capacities can vary greatly. And I understand that the stated camper weights, payloads, and axle ratings are up for discussion, and only a scale will ever tell the truth, and only you can decide what is comfortable for you.