Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives air bags or super springs?

These will go in my 2007 Dodge 2500 to help tow the family 35' weekend warrior

The truck is not a daily driver, but the family will load up in it about once a week for softball, outings, or short trips. I also use it off road as my main hunting rig.

With Bilstein shocks, the truck rides surprisingly decent for what it is. I would like to keep the non-loaded ride as close to the same as it is now if possible.


Instillation differences? (both will likely be installed by myself and a buddy or two)
Ride loaded/empty differences?
Maintenance?
Initial cost?
Over all ease of use diffrences? set it and forget it vs pressure up/down anytime in use or not in use?

I've had both on multiple trucks and I prefer Super Springs. Airbags are a PIA. The fittings will leak, you're always fussing with the air pressure, I never had an on board air compressor installed with my setups. I run Duramaxes, but had a 2005 Dodge 2500 Crew Cab 4x4 std bed Cummins. Initially, I installed airbags, but replaced them with Supersprings. Same story with my 07 2500HD LBZ Duramax, first airbags, then Supersprings. You'd think, I'd learn. Ultimately, I went to 3500HD DRW upper helper packs and spring perches. That truck runs 9k+lbs. as it sits full of tools and gear. It regularly tows 15k+lbs. I also run Frederico solid front and rear HD sway bars. These and Bilstein 5100s did wonders for the handling. Other than that, the only additional advice I have is avoid Sulastics. I've had two sets fail in short order.

Install: Both are easy, Supersprings are easiest.
Cost: Airbags w/o compressor least expensive, Then Supersprings, then most expensive Airbags w/ compressor controls, etc. (as I recall)

As stated before Airbags are a PIA.
Supersprings can rattle a little when unloaded.

I think SS rides better

I'd get SS and if necessary HD Sway bars. Also make sure your existing springs aren't fatigued. If they are check out http://www.stengelbros.com.

Stengel Brothers also has HD spring packs, but these will ride rougher unloaded. SuperSprings progressive design is pretty sweet.

I never like air bags because if they blow or fail you are kinda SOL. Plus you have the pumping up and letting out pressure.

I don't know if the 2007 has the same springs,but my 98 has 7500 pound capacity springs. More than enough.

I went thru this thought process a few years ago.I settled on putting load distribution hitch on instead. You keep the unloaded ride or loaded ride in your truck that you like,but then when you put the hitch on, your truck feels the same, except if you put an over rated hitch on and then you will get bouncing. A load leveling hitch will do a lot more for you than air bags or extra springs

Get on etrailer.com and look into them. There are several grades available and the techs will help you thru the process of selecting the correct size/capacity. Basically you take the weight in your truck bed ( if any) aft of the rear axles and add that to the tongue weight and that is the capacity of hitch you need

If you are handy around mechanical things, you can install yourself, it isn't hard and you should be under $500.

For the other stuff besides a trailer you mentioned,I can't image you loading a 2500 up that is going to max out the spring capacity.If so,go with springs and not airbags

Timbrens

I think both just cover up the problem you have in another thread with your ram. I would run a WD hitch setup correctly first before I ran anything else. With the right setup, you can literally jack the rear of the truck up with one. I had to spend some time with a tape messing with mine to get it right, but it works very well. If you still need help, folks I talked to with bags really like them and they WILL level your load if need be.

I've had firestone airbags for 14 years and they are flawless. I do not have an on board air compressor, however I do have a portable 12 unit in the truck.

I can let the air out when empty and it's soft and nice, or fill them to 70 PSI and nothing I can fit in the truck will sink it down.

I have run 50PSI with the pickup camper and it was perfect, then with the trailer I ran 25lbs for a while but decided that the 40-45PSI was a better choice. The ability to constantly adjust and change is really good ( for me)

I pull a trailer with 12,000-14,000 lbs of big hay and alfalfa bales and pump it to 60-70lbs depending upon how much moisture the bales have. Works like a charm. I suppose if they failed or leaked my opinion would be different. However they have never given me a second thought or even leaked any air. I also move super sacks of grain twice a year. They are 1800-lbs to one ton each and I load 6 on the trailer and one in the truck bed. Pressure those airbags to 70PSI and everything is level and easy!

I've pulled my 7700lb camp trailer almost 15,000 miles this year. Each time I check the air pressure its exactly as I left it when filled.

I have a weight distribution hitch. I'm thinking I need to mess with it a little bit and change the settings I've only used the settings that were suggested to me instead of playing with them.

These?


http://timbren.com/timbren-ses/

Both the truck and trailer need to be level. Likely you'll have to raise or lower the ball to accomplish that. Most of them are adjustable that way.

As stated you must start on level ground. With the truck bed empty, using a tape measure, measure from the ground to the center of the front wheel well fender on both sides of the truck. Straight up along the center of the wheel. Record that measurement on both sides.

If you are going to have anything in the bed. Load it and remeasure that front wheel well on both sides, and record if it had changed.

Hookup the fully loaded trailer and hook it up the truck without the load distribution torsion bars on it. Remeasure the front wheel well height again on both sides and record.

Depending on whether the hitch uses chains for adjustment or whatever, you use the trailer tongue jack to raise the back of the truck and the trailer tongue together. You raise it until the front wheel well measurement is the same as the very first measurement you took before the truck was loaded at all.

If using chains to secure the torsion bars to the correct height, you keep taking up links so that when you let the trailer tongue jack down,the front well well measurement stays the same as the very first measurement you took. It is easier to engage the the chains to the hooks while the trailer tongue jack is still taking some of the weigh, so it takes some trial an error to get the right amount..

Some of the hitches have adjustment for the correct angle of the ball in relation to the truck and also the height of the ball. You don't want the tongue of the trailer lower that the back of the trailer.I prefer it a little higher.

You also have to have the correct weight rating for the load distribution hitch itself. i.e. 5000, 10000, 1200 pounds, etc.

I've had firestone airbags for 10 years. A few years ago I installed an air pump that I can control from the cab. I really like this set up because I can control the ride height per conditions. Keeps the headlights aimed correctly, too.

Got to be careful if the truck is put on a frame type lift. You need to let all the air out or the bags may tear.

I'm not familar with the frame mounted hitches discussed by others. But this does sound like a towing application, not a load carrying one. I'd look into such a setup in your shoes, not more spring(s).
I am very familar with air bags. I've use them since 1996 to not only carry a fully loaded Lance Camper on both my 1989 Cummins Dodge, but also on my current '06' Ram. Never had any problems with either set of air bags..
With them I've not only carried the camper, which can run over 4000 lbs. loaded, but I've towed two different Jeeps. One weighed something over 3000 lbs. and the other goes 4400 lbs.
I'm also familar with what happens when the towed vehicle lowers the back end of the tow vehicle. You drive down the road nose high and are constantly correcting your steering.
This can make for very interesting challenges when the wind blows... E

An equalizer hitch shifts the weight from the rear axle to the front. That helps the steering considerably.

Correct.

I had air bags on my '07 Ram 3500 SRW. I currently have Timbrens on my '11 GM 2500HD. I much prefer the Timbrens.

@#$%^&
Yesterday I loaded up my stock rack to haul my llamas and camp trailer up to the hills Sunday. I filled the air bags and this morning one was flat. They were on this pickup when I bought it so I know they're at least 4 years old, maybe as old as 8.

So, time for a switch. There's a Tembren dealer here so I'll run to town and talk to them this morning. I suspect that getting the air bags out will be more of a job than installing the Tembrens.

edited to add: Got lucky. Just a leaky valve core along with a loose fitting cap. Easy fix.

Ive had that leaky tire valve core get me more then a few times in my life especially on my ATV!

It's holding right at 40lb so the valve core must have been the problem.

Back to the OP issue: While at the dealers, I asked about Tembrens & Supersprings. Seems that I have a problem with Tembrens. The original owner of my truck installed both air bags and a gooseneck hitch. Instead of spending a few hundred for the right mounting brackets, he cut down the air bag brackets and welded them to the frame. To mount Tembrens, it would have to come off. So, if I ever decide to switch from airbags to something else, it will have to be booster springs. I will say this - he knew how to cut and weld. It looks just like a factory installation. It had me fooled.
On the up side, if I ever need a gooseneck hitch, I've got it.

Do you have the regular duty or heavy duty version?

I'm thinking about putting these on my 2016 GM 2500HD. I also see that SuperSpring makes a similar product called the Sumo Spring. Unlike the Timbrens, which are like a load carrying bump stop, Sumo Springs are connected at both top and bottom. I'm wondering if this might serve to mitigate chatter, dampening the lively factory setup.