MITS Alloy Tray & Canopy / '22 2500 Rear Air Suspension

[HitchCrack]

Good Evening Everyone,

Curious if anyone here that has the factory air springs in a 2500 is carrying 1k lbs constant weight and what your experience is. Also was hoping to hear if anyone has any experience with max GVWR with the factory Air Springs.

I have a '22 2500 with the 6.5 bed. The plan for this truck is to remove the bed and install a MITS Alloy Aluminum flat tray with canopy. I am going to try and keep the factory air springs. This way when the canopy is removed the air springs can adapt to the lack of weight. I am not sure how they will handle the constant load weight though. I have already ordered the lift kit that will retain the factory air springs. Just curious before I head down this path if anyone has any experience with the constant weight.

I am fully prepared to swap over to springs in the rear if this doesn't work out but I am really hoping that it works like my brain thinks it will.

Not my picture but here is a similar build that my finished product should look close to.

Thanks in advance for any input

Ryan

 

[AH64ID]

Unless you overload the rear axle the air springs will support the weight just fine, every day and every mile.

 

[UglyViking]

As @AH64ID mentioned, the factory air setup should support the weight just fine, assuming you're not overloaded. While I don't have any direct experience with the factory bags, my understanding is that the system can be a bit of a nanny system, so you may get a bunch of warnings or notifications you're overloaded. Honestly, if you're willing to spend the money to switch to coils in the future then you may as well at least try the bags first hand before tossing them.

Most likely, you'll need to replace with coils and supplement with bags when loaded down with that canopy (assuming you're gonna be carrying the usual overlander gear of batteries, fridge, etc.

P.S. - don't be a stranger if you follow through with that mitts. I've been toying with the idea of doing a flatbed with canopy and the only reason I haven't yet is cost and a few minor details. Always interested in folks feedback.

 

[sn_85]

As @AH64ID mentioned, the factory air setup should support the weight just fine, assuming you're not overloaded. While I don't have any direct experience with the factory bags, my understanding is that the system can be a bit of a nanny system, so you may get a bunch of warnings or notifications you're overloaded. Honestly, if you're willing to spend the money to switch to coils in the future then you may as well at least try the bags first hand before tossing them.

Most likely, you'll need to replace with coils and supplement with bags when loaded down with that canopy (assuming you're gonna be carrying the usual overlander gear of batteries, fridge, etc.

P.S. - don't be a stranger if you follow through with that mitts. I've been toying with the idea of doing a flatbed with canopy and the only reason I haven't yet is cost and a few minor details. Always interested in folks feedback.

I'll be doing a flatbed tray with Bowen Customs. I'll keep you updated as both companies make great trays. If I'm not mistaken from Expo, you had a Tundra with a Tommy Camper tray...?

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

1k lbs is nothing the bags wont have an issue. Remember transports are all airbags these days there is no issue carrying weight

 

[UglyViking]

I'll be doing a flatbed tray with Bowen Customs. I'll keep you updated as both companies make great trays. If I'm not mistaken from Expo, you had a Tundra with a Tommy Camper tray...?

Bowen Customs also looks like fantastic stuff. I don't know if you're meaning me or @HitchCrack, but I do not have a Tundra with tommy camper. I am interested in the tommy camper though, similar idea to what Overlander under budget built for his first gen taco.

 

[UglyViking]

1k lbs is nothing the bags wont have an issue. Remember transports are all airbags these days there is no issue carrying weight

Bags won't be the issue, but I worry about the inflation/control module if overloaded. Is the auto air system even attempting to know if it's overloaded, or will it keep trying to work no matter the weight? I'd assume through a combination of the airbag position sensors and PSI they could figure out rough weights.

 

[AH64ID]

I have read about the 2500 system indicating it’s overloaded. No one has found the specific number, but it seems to be around a RAW of 7K.

 

[UglyViking]

I have read about the 2500 system indicating it’s overloaded. No one has found the specific number, but it seems to be around a RAW of 7K.

Far better than I expected. I'd assume the airbag 2500 is still around a RAWR of 6k, so it's nice that it allows you to overload a fair bit and not just like 100lbs or something.

 

[AH64ID]

Far better than I expected. I'd assume the airbag 2500 is still around a RAWR of 6k, so it's nice that it allows you to overload a fair bit and not just like 100lbs or something.

Peak 2500 RAWR is 6,390 but 6,000 is pretty common too. I can’t imagine there are too many settings/programs for the auto-level, more of a one size fits all. It’s likely a pressure limit in the bags, not an estimated weigh. But that’s a guess.

I haven’t heard of a 3500 SRW getting the overload message, which makes me think DRW and SRW have the same settings.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Bags won't be the issue, but I worry about the inflation/control module if overloaded. Is the auto air system even attempting to know if it's overloaded, or will it keep trying to work no matter the weight? I'd assume through a combination of the airbag position sensors and PSI they could figure out rough weights.

They would need a good amount of head room otherwise any rough bump at close to GAWR it would throw an overloaded light

 

[UglyViking]

They would need a good amount of head room otherwise any rough bump at close to GAWR it would throw an overloaded light

That's a good point! I was thinking purely static, but you're absolutely right.

 

[jsalbre]

That's a good point! I was thinking purely static, but you're absolutely right.

There’s probably a time component there. If it’s momentarily over threshold it ignores it. If it’s over threshold for x seconds it sets a code.

 

[AH64ID]

I was thinking about this yesterday. If you start to get the overloaded suspension warning, and aren’t over tire limits, I would consider adding airbags over reverting to coil springs.

A set of Firestone or Timber Grove airbags would likely bolt right up, and give you just a little more load carrying for then the OEM bags were overloaded. This wouldn’t affect empty or loaded ride as the OEM bags will adjust their pressure to hold the ride height. It would also add a little stability due to the wider airbag stance.

I can’t imagine you would ever need more than 15-20 psi in the aftermarket bags, unless you wanted more stability from the outboard bags.

 

[HitchCrack]

Thanks for all the reply's Everyone! The build is moving forward, suspension arrived last week and Tray / Canopy should be arriving in the next couple of days. I did some math on a spreadsheet to play around with approximate weights. Obviously I was making a lot of assumptions but fully loaded out we should be right at or just under GVWR. I will keep you all in the loop as it progresses. I might see if I can find a build thread section of the forum and once I get one started I will come back here and drop a link.

Again thanks for the input.

 

[HitchCrack]

Got the Tray & Canopy installed this weekend. Here is a Pic, this was before we installed the mud guards and under tray boxes but shows you what we are working with. Can definitely feel the weight difference but its not bad. Still Working Through some electrical with everything that was in the rear bumper but super happy with it. Next is suspension upgrades!

 

[UglyViking]

Interesting, everyone seems to say that with a aluminum flatbed like the mits or norweld you actually gain some small amount of payload, but perhaps all that is lost with the canopy. Eager to see what your ongoing thoughts are on it. How does the canopy mount to the flatbed? Will it be easy to take on/off or will it require a fair bit of work?

 

[HitchCrack]

Interesting, everyone seems to say that with a aluminum flatbed like the mits or norweld you actually gain some small amount of payload, but perhaps all that is lost with the canopy. Eager to see what your ongoing thoughts are on it. How does the canopy mount to the flatbed? Will it be easy to take on/off or will it require a fair bit of work?

Hmm not so sure about gaining payload with a flat tray. Maybe if you don't do the under tray boxes it might be close to a wash. Here is something I put together when I was looking at the weight I was planning on putting on the truck. These are all numbers I got from MFG websites for the products. I just guesstimated on the tub weight which would include the tailgate and the rear bumper. I need to hit the scale sto see what it weighs before I do the front bumper and suspension.

Removing the canopy is not difficult the challenge is getting to the nuts from underneath to unbolt it. Currently it came with fender washers, regular washer and nyloc nut. Trying to balance all that on the end of a box wrench is a bit tough. I am going to see if I can find some nuts with large capture washers attached that I can replace. This should make the process quite a bit quicker.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Truck looks cool. Weight adds up quick. My gas 2500 with aev bumper, winch with decked system, fiberglass topper and normal everyday gear weighs 8200lb. This is baseline gear before I add camping gear or trail spares etc. naked truck weighed a hair over 6800 with a little over 3100 payload for comparison

 

[UglyViking]

Removing the canopy is not difficult the challenge is getting to the nuts from underneath to unbolt it. Currently it came with fender washers, regular washer and nyloc nut. Trying to balance all that on the end of a box wrench is a bit tough. I am going to see if I can find some nuts with large capture washers attached that I can replace. This should make the process quite a bit quicker.

I was actually just watching a video mits posted to youtube today, and looks like they just use some tape to hold everything together (video) may be a cheap easy solution.

It boggles my mind that basically every midsized truck in oz is able to slap on a trap and canopy, plus all the gear, and still be in the clear. From my understanding their DOT is even more intense than it is in the states, which leads me to question if these midsized trucks are built differently for their market, or have crazy payload vs our us versions. The Ford ranger seems to have a much higher payload over in oz than we have here in the states, and I know the hilux is allegedly more beefy than the taco in terms of frame and all that.

1k lbs more than OEM is a pretty huge amount considering it's an empty shell. Damn, I really should have gotten a 3500, or shipped a ranger or something from oz here.