F250 suspension upgrade

JD Jones

WKR
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
505
Location
Texas
Thinking through some things and wanted some advice/feedback from folks who are driving (or have in the past) F250 4x4 with gas motor.

I want the ability to still pull a ~27ft toy hauler with 4wheelers and/or dirt bikes and when in the mountains not rattle my US government issued fillings out of my teeth.

Not looking for any additional height/lift over stock height only Looking for a comfortable aftermarket suspension upgrade. What companies should I be looking at?
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2022
Messages
2,078
Not 100% your use case...

Ait bags. The only option you should even consider.

There's about 50 ways to skin that cat. I'm partial to AirLift, with an on board compressor. About to order parts for the new truck.

If you want more compliance than the stock ride, add Carli/Deaver rear leaves.
 

bow puller

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 6, 2019
Messages
182
Location
idaho
Its all about spring rate. For unloaded ride comfort with ability to haul/tow you can reduce leaf pack and add air bags for towing.

I've got 5100's, stock springs and air lift bags on my truck. I run less tire pressure unloaded and it's pretty good, not 1/2 ton good though. Air bags with separate lines are gold for toyhauler and dirtbikes in bed.
 
OP
JD Jones

JD Jones

WKR
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
505
Location
Texas
Any worries about bag’s popping? Does the material hold up long term (15+ yrs) I assume yes since big trucks use bags but curious still
 
OP
JD Jones

JD Jones

WKR
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
505
Location
Texas
Its all about spring rate. For unloaded ride comfort with ability to haul/tow you can reduce leaf pack and add air bags for towing.

I've got 5100's, stock springs and air lift bags on my truck. I run less tire pressure unloaded and it's pretty good, not 1/2 ton good though. Air bags with separate lines are gold for toyhauler and dirtbikes in bed.
Meaning if 1 line goes you can still air up ?
 

bow puller

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 6, 2019
Messages
182
Location
idaho
Separate line to each bag to reduce sway. If the bags use one line tee'd together air flows back and forth. I use them as my plate screws with a handheld rechargeable pump. Bags hold little air it's very fast.
 

Attachments

  • 20230326_173828.jpg
    20230326_173828.jpg
    361.5 KB · Views: 48
OP
JD Jones

JD Jones

WKR
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
505
Location
Texas
Separate line to each bag to reduce sway. If the bags use one line tee'd together air flows back and forth. I use them as my plate screws with a handheld rechargeable pump. Bags hold little air it's very fast.
That’s slick
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2015
Messages
971
Any worries about bag’s popping? Does the material hold up long term (15+ yrs) I assume yes since big trucks use bags but curious still
I've popped Airlift airbags on my 2006 Tacoma but I'll blame that on the fact that the leaf springs had failed and I was basically riding on the airbags as my primaries.
Airlift did warranty the popped bag without any pushback.
I would use the closed-cell bumpstops instead of airbags. https://timbren.com/n-121-tow-with-confidence.html
 

GuyinIdaho

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 6, 2019
Messages
128
Carli suspension if $ is not a concern.
For lower prices get a leveling kit that replaces the front springs. Will get about 1.5" in the front. Rough country has them for $300. Then get Bilsteins all around and air bags in the back.
 
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
577
Location
sw mt
Thinking through some things and wanted some advice/feedback from folks who are driving (or have in the past) F250 4x4 with gas motor.

I want the ability to still pull a ~27ft toy hauler with 4wheelers and/or dirt bikes and when in the mountains not rattle my US government issued fillings out of my teeth.

Not looking for any additional height/lift over stock height only Looking for a comfortable aftermarket suspension upgrade. What companies should I be looking at?
What year truck?
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
1,975
5100s and if your not towing a load air down...80psi in rears empty bed is harsh ride. I run 55 in front and 65 in the rear if I am not towing.
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
2,890
Thinking through some things and wanted some advice/feedback from folks who are driving (or have in the past) F250 4x4 with gas motor.

I want the ability to still pull a ~27ft toy hauler with 4wheelers and/or dirt bikes and when in the mountains not rattle my US government issued fillings out of my teeth.

Not looking for any additional height/lift over stock height only Looking for a comfortable aftermarket suspension upgrade. What companies should I be looking at?
make this real simple.

carli suspension pin tops and deavers and long travel airbags with new tires and rims is premium solution, rides close to raptor

next level would be carli leveling springs and with pintop shocks and rear add a pack leaf, and new rims and tires.

bottom would level would be leveling springs, add pack and fox 2.o or carli factory shocks and new wheels and tires.

bottom bottom level is just 35” tires and 18” at 45 psi up front and 40 psi rear makes a decent difference alone

Ive tried everything and most stocks available, carli pintop is best bank for buck
 

CCooper

WKR
Joined
Sep 14, 2017
Messages
1,073
Location
Western OR
Not 100% your use case...

Ait bags. The only option you should even consider.

There's about 50 ways to skin that cat. I'm partial to AirLift, with an on board compressor. About to order parts for the new truck.

If you want more compliance than the stock ride, add Carli/Deaver rear leaves.
Just went through this last year putting a set of airlift bags on my new superduty. The on- board pump/ phone app interface is garbage. I wish I would have went manual fills as I have in the past. I spend more time trying to get the app to connect to the pump than I would manually filling. It was a total waste of quite a bit of money for me.
 

swavescatter

Pain in the butt!
Joined
Apr 3, 2021
Messages
1,264
I have a heavy toy hauler (likely too much for an F250 but that's a different story).

Initially I went manual airlift with separate lines, but that's a PITA and I didn't feel a ride difference. I now have the ultimate with onboard compressor. Easy and reliable connection to my iphone. Doesn't take long to fill from 0 to 65psi. Internal jounce bumpers let you run no fill for a better ride unloaded.

My 29' toy hauler with full fresh water tank and no SXS in the garage has a 2k lb tongue weight. About 500 lbs over the F250 hitch rating and I was over on RAWR (ignoring payload). Fully loaded up my long bed F350 is just under hitch and rear axle ratings.


YMMV
 
Top