I need to put something on my truck to keep the rear end from squating so bad. I have 2 tool boxes, a rack and about 800lbs of extra stuff in the bed everyday for work. The truck rides REALLY nice with all of that stuff in it and levels out nicely. The problem is when I hook up a trailer. Adding the tongue weight of the trailer along with all of the stuff already in the truck causes it so sit a little lower than level and causes the front to get really light when going over bumps or dips. I dont need to support alot of weight with the Air shocks/bags, so Im not worried about busting off a shock mount, and I wont be using the airbags to their full potential. I just need it to add a little help when I need it and be invisable when I dont. Money is the real deciding factor, so should I spend the $60 on the air shocks or save up $250 for the airbags that I dont really need Thanks guys!!
Thats kind of what I was thinking but I will never haul enough weight to justify the cost of the bags over the shocks and my current shocks are toast anyway.
I put the airshocks on my rig.... Waste of $60 as far as getting the truck back level again. I didn't gain anything in height with no weight on them. It wasn't worth the 1/2" they help when fully loaded. They did help as far as smoothing out the ride, but my rear shocks were shot anyhow so that was my main reason for trying the air. After sammy sends me my $$ we're lifting the truck and getting new shocks all the way around so the air kit is coming off. I'll have a cheap experimental set if somebody wants to toy with them.
get bags. if your not hauling alot get the cheaper single bellows bags that firestone and airlift make instead of the HD double bellows bags.
I need to replace the shocks so I think I am just going to get the Air Shocks for now and then save some $$ for the bags...Thanks guys!!waytogo
Speaking of air bags, with the over-capacity allowed using bags, a fair number of folks have pulled a leaf out of their packs to get a better ride unloaded and reduce that "hicked up" look. I hate typical "leveler kits" that raise the front, then you squat in when you have any load to speak of. But with the bags, you can get back what you lost and then lots more as needed without stressing the bags. What got me thinking on this was hauling in 1500 lbs of steel today, running down sectioned freeways that normally are a bit annoying even with the Silverado's "luxury ride". But 1500lbs made that puppy ride smoother than a caddy. Makes me want to leave 1000 lbs or so back there all the time! Then I got to thinking about dropping a leaf and adding the bags I've been pondering for a while so I don't have to carry around half a ton just to help the ride...
ditto. i love my ride rites. only complaint is the quick connect system they have with the setup. once i have OBA i will be re plumbing the system with copper line and threaded fittings. Grant
air shocks should not even be on the market. the stock shock mounting locations are not designed to bear any load. have you looked at the upper mounts on your truck? if they're anything like the ones on my 93 C2500 (which they're probably identical) you would be crazy to think you could add extra load capacity with any apparatus mounted to them. get the bags, mount them between the rear and the leaf springs, and call it good. you say you're not afraid of breaking a shock mount? try that when you're going down a rough road at 55+. you'll be lucky if you can keep it between the lines when it breaks and your load suddenly shifts to one side.
