Truck Air Bags Offroad and Lifted

[Afhunter1]

I am thinking of putting a set of air bags on my truck. Do they make the ride off-road worse or any better? Like 30-45mph over grated dirt road is what I will be doing a lot and then also some rough forest service road kinda stuff too. I also plan to lift truck 4” when warranty is over. Is compressor worth it or not?

1500 Sierra with 3.0 and max tow package

 

[taskswap]

I put a LoadLifter kit on my RAM to try to improve ride quality while towing my fifth wheel. I really like the LoadLifter setup - I think it's probably the best quick-install option on the market. But personally I wish I had gone with the RoadActive spring setup instead. No matter how well you seal your airbag system there's always some leakdown over time so it's a maintenance issue unless you install the air pump as well (which is a lot of extra setup). I find myself always fiddling with trying to get the pressure right between loaded and unloaded, and at this point I just let them leak down to 0 and only inflate them when I'm starting a big tow.

YMMV.

 

[doc holiday13]

air bags will make your suspension very stiff depending on how much weight you have in the bed of your truck. Generally I run around with 10 psi

If you run around with too much air pressure and no weight it can make the rear end of your truck bounce on washboard roads. I installed the air bags due to occasionally putting a salt spreader on my truck and when full it weighs in around 6K#

 

[displacedtexan]

I had air bags on my last truck. I was overall pleased with them.

Dirt roads and FS roads were not helped by them. Stiffer.

I did have a compressor and gauge controller setup. No way I'd do bags without one now.

 

[Red Letters]

I have a F-250 with a leveling kit and air bags going on about three-four years, both hurt the suspension (so everyone says) neither has really negatively affected the ride. Having said that I drive it daily and our roads are horrible, so maybe I just never noticed. I do haul a truck camper and pull a pretty good sized boat so it was totally worth having installed the bags. I got the ones that have a solid rubber bumper for back up if they lost air….I have never lost any air. I just loaded my camper a couple days ago and it is exactly where it was over a year ago.

 

[dieselchessy]

I’ve run bags on my last few rigs. Maybe they stiffen suspension marginally when aired down. For sure they stiffen it when aired up.
I’ve not installed an onboard compressor, just use a portable.
The bags are nice when running loaded.

 

[Wrench]

Get an in cab controller and it becomes what you want.

 

[Beendare]

What?
Airbags don’t change the ride unless you want them too. I put them on a Tundra.

They helped a lot when I was towing or carrying something heavy- a huge difference. Even with my quad in the back, a little air made a big difference. When I wasn’t towing I aired them down and you wouldn’t have known they were there.

 

[displacedtexan]

What?
Airbags don’t change the ride unless you want them too. I put them on a Tundra.

They helped a lot when I was towing or carrying something heavy- a huge difference. Even with my quad in the back, a little air made a big difference. When I wasn’t towing I aired them down and you wouldn’t have known they were there.

Conventional bags can't be run empty.

5psi is the minimum recommended, and that was enough to make a difference in spring cycling on gravel/washboard.

 

[Dos Perros]

I have them on a Tacoma, mostly because the difference in weight between empty and an elk hunting trip loaded down with gear, a dead elk, and dirt bike on a hitch mount is extreme. I haven't noticed a difference in the ride.

 

[Braaap]

IMO there is a significant difference in the ride with air bags at the lowest allowable pressure of 5 psi. They work well for their purposes but they did stiffen up the rear of my tundra a lot. I used the Daystar cradles so the axle could droop like normal and the bags wouldn’t rip off the mount.

 

[fmyth]

IMO there is a significant difference in the ride with air bags at the lowest allowable pressure of 5 psi. They work well for their purposes but they did stiffen up the rear of my tundra a lot. I used the Daystar cradles so the axle could droop like normal and the bags wouldn’t rip off the mount.

Good advice. If he plans to go off road or drive on rutted out forest roads the Daystar cradles are a must have.

 

[tdhanses]

I have airbags on my 2021 gmc with the 3.0, it rides really well over washboard gravel roads, think it actually improved the ride. I also have a 3.5” lift.

I don’t have the compressor, I just use my dewalt inflator and it takes seconds to get the air where I want it.

I’ve had mine installed for a year and they don’t leak down other than from temp swings. I keep them at 10psi unloaded and go from there.

 

[Afhunter1]

I have airbags on my 2021 gmc with the 3.0, it rides really well over washboard gravel roads, think it actually improved the ride. I also have a 3.5” lift.

I don’t have the compressor, I just use my dewalt inflator and it takes seconds to get the air where I want it.

I’ve had mine installed for a year and they don’t leak down other than from temp swings. I keep them at 10psi unloaded and go from there.

What brand do you have since we are essentially putting them on the same truck? I will have the max tow package as well so my rear springs are probably stiffer than yours from the factory but I'm not sure about that yet. I had a 2500 Dmax but I totaled it hitting a deer in Montana on this years elk hunting trip. My heaviest trailer is a 9K boat so I decided to order a 1500 with max tow for the fuel econ vs going back to another 2500. I am 6 mo out on my truck so I am trying to figure out some things to research now that will help with the towing but not kill it for hunting.

 

[Afhunter1]

 

[seand]

IMO there is a significant difference in the ride with air bags at the lowest allowable pressure of 5 psi. They work well for their purposes but they did stiffen up the rear of my tundra a lot. I used the Daystar cradles so the axle could droop like normal and the bags wouldn’t rip off the mount.

I agree you can feel 5psi but in my tundra it needs a little anyway.

Did you maintain the 5psi min recommended with the cradles installed? You may know this but to clarify for others. The 5psi min is so you don’t rip the bags when the suspension cycles, without positive air pressure when the axle pulls the bottom of the bag down suction tries to keep it up so it can rip. If you run the cradles this can’t happen since bottom of the bag is floating - so to speak.

 

[Braaap]

I agree you can feel 5psi but in my tundra it needs a little anyway.

Did you maintain the 5psi min recommended with the cradles installed? You may know this but to clarify for others. The 5psi min is so you don’t rip the bags when the suspension cycles, without positive air pressure when the axle pulls the bottom of the bag down suction tries to keep it up so it can rip. If you run the cradles this can’t happen since bottom of the bag is floating - so to speak.

I noticed the difference in ride even with 5 psi or less. I actually recently removed my airbags and the improved ride is great, but also sags a bit with a load. I drive a lot of really rough dirt roads and the mounting hardware for mine didn’t hold up and broke. I think I’ll try stiffer leafs next time.

 

[IdahoElk]

View attachment 624451
View attachment 624452

Ouch!

 

[Stache Attack]

I have them on a 3/4 ton. Empty it’s negligible but I do think low psi helps with bumpy roads.

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

I have airbags on a 3/4 diesel. They’re great for towing but I live on a dirt road and let them down to 5-10 psi for daily driving. At 70 psi I get terrible traction, especially on washboard.