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Aftermarket Air Suspension setups?

IronLadder

IronLadder

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Hey All

20 2500 Longhorn. 6’4 bed with 5th wheel setup and OffRoad Package.

I have a Decked system and camper shell, and after adding a 12,000lbs loaded car hauler I’m having issues with a good bit of sag.

I want to add an air bag leveling system to the rear.

Anyone have recommendations?
Is AirLift really the best or just brand hype?
Can you hook that system into factory Auxiliary switches for control?
Will it auto level, or are there systems that do?

I don’t want an actual air bag lift to the regular truck height. I just want to get a bolt on system that brings the truck back to factory height under load. And I want to do it without screwing in gauges or controllers inside the cab. I want it to look factory clean inside the cab.
 
go the easy route. airlift 5k orr 7.5k bags with manual fill valve on the top bolts of the rear license plate.
 
elephantrider said:
go the easy route. airlift 5k orr 7.5k bags with manual fill valve on the top bolts of the rear license plate.
Click to expand...
I do have a battery compressor that I keep with me all the time. Has a digital read out and handles pumping up to 120PSI.

On the other hand I’d really like to get something easy and clean to use, that’ll be good for resale later.
 
2021 3500 SRW. Airlift 5000 ultimate. Mounted my fill valves on the left side of the license plate/foot well (if that makes sense). 5 psi around town, 75 psi when towing the 5th wheel. Like you I just needed to get back to original height when towing.

I also originally ordered the 74000ez blue tooth compressor but that is currently on back order with no end in site due to electronic parts being on back order. I got my money back for the compressor. I have a nice tire compressor mounted in the front compartment of the 5th wheel so it's super easy to manually fill
 
ckreef said:
2021 3500 SRW. Airlift 5000 ultimate. Mounted my fill valves on the left side of the license plate/foot well (if that makes sense). 5 psi around town, 75 psi when towing the 5th wheel. Like you I just needed to get back to original height when towing.

I also originally ordered the 74000ez blue tooth compressor but that is currently on back order with no end in site due to electronic parts being on back order. I got my money back for the compressor. I have a nice tire compressor mounted in the front compartment of the 5th wheel so it's super easy to manually fill
Click to expand...
What made you choose the 5000 Ultimate?

I'm honestly a little confused as to the difference between the Pro or non-Pro systems, and the Ultimate vs. Ultimate Plus systems.
I was going to go the 74000EZ system, but at $2500 and a massive backorder I think I'll go the manual way as well.

Did you have the bags hooked up to a single line so they filled equally at the same time?
 
elephantrider said:
nope. you don't want them sharing an air line.
Click to expand...


What would be the disadvantage there? Wouldn't that be better if you only had a single compressor and weren't using a dual-line onboard compressor?
Otherwise filling each side manually means the whole truck (and load) are leaning to one side while you wait for the other side to fill up right?
 
The 5000 ultimate has internal jouce bumpers and can be ran a 0 psi in an emergency. The regular 5000 doesn't have those internal jouce bumpers. The + versions have steel braided lines which are not needed unless you plan to do a bunch of off roading.

You want to fill separate sides otherwise the air can pass from one side to the other while going around turns making the system unstable as far as sway goes.

With a 13,000 lb 5th wheel attached it takes less than 10 seconds to go from 0 psi to 80 psi with a moderately capable tire air compressor. Filling individually is not an issue.
 
IronLadder said:
What would be the disadvantage there? Wouldn't that be better if you only had a single compressor and weren't using a dual-line onboard compressor?
Otherwise filling each side manually means the whole truck (and load) are leaning to one side while you wait for the other side to fill up right?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't want a pressure decrease on the outside bag and increase on the inside bag during a hard maneuver, or anything else similar.

yes, during bag fill it does raise each side. we're talking inches of height, at a standstill.
 
Wait, a bumper pull and you want to use airbags to level it?

If you're not first using a WDH to bring up the rear, you're also taking weight off the front axle.
ckreef said:
The 5000 ultimate has internal jouce bumpers and can be ran a 0 psi in an emergency. The regular 5000 doesn't have those internal jouce bumpers. The + versions have steel braided lines which are not needed unless you plan to do a bunch of off roading.

You want to fill separate sides otherwise the air can pass from one side to the other while going around turns making the system unstable as far as sway goes.

With a 13,000 lb 5th wheel attached it takes less than 10 seconds to go from 0 psi to 80 psi with a moderately capable tire air compressor. Filling individually is not an issue.
Click to expand...

The Plus are stainless lines and stainless bolts/nuts/rollplates.
 
elephantrider said:
I wouldn't want a pressure decrease on the outside bag and increase on the inside bag during a hard maneuver, or anything else similar.

yes, during bag fill it does raise each side. we're talking inches of height, at a standstill.
Click to expand...

Yep that makes sense on doing it at standstill vs. while moving. Thanks
 
Brutal_HO said:
Wait, a bumper pull and you want to use airbags to level it?

If you're not first using a WDH to bring up the rear, you're also taking weight off the front axle.


The Plus are stainless lines and stainless bolts/nuts/rollplates.
Click to expand...


I typically would use a WDH, but the tongue on my current car hauler isn't long enough for my current round bar setup, or even a torsion bar setup that my FIL has. I wish at times like this that I would've gone with the extended tongue and V nose, instead of V nose alone.
 
I know this is a little dated, but do any have a preference or experience on the Airlift EZ compressor system VS the Firestone Air Command with tank?

The Firestone seems attractive as you can use it to fill tires, but seems some have issues with the controller.
 
Having both lines together will not cause issues through a 1/4” line hell most compressors systems require them to be Joined as the compressor has one outlet only
 
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