Need advice on lift or air bags

I have an issue with overloading the stock suspension in the rear of my 2016 TRD OR. This happens in the summer on the highway when loaded with coolers and a trailer holding rafts. I don't often offroad but end up driving dirt roads or mild trails for river access frequently.

I am between 3 choices:

1. Ride-Rite airbags ($300)
2. OME with 885s and headstrong 3-leaf AAL ($1,020+alignment)
3. 5100s with 885s and headstrong 3-leaf AAL ($840+alignment)

I was thinking medium duty Dakars for a while, but don't think I want to spend that much now. Maybe I should consider the Deavers, but from what I have read, 3 leaf seems like the way to go.

Can anyone offer an opinion on the best way to address this issue. I don't want to continue to bottom out the rear when loaded with gear and towing a trailer. Here is a picture of a friends stock 2016 truck at the end of a recent trip (coolers and water load are MUCH lighter in this photo).

 

I pull an 18' travel trailer. Went with Airbags and 3" lift springs. Works great for me. Hope this helps.

 

You can also do sumo springs. I ran those on my old truck and they worked well

 

Best of both worlds right there. I'd want about 1.5", anything higher seems impractical for me. Did you do both at the same time? Any feedback on only using one or the other?

 

Did bags 1st, then springs. Glad I went with new springs, rides smoothly.

 

Option 3, should suit you fine. A bit of lift and extra in the back for weight you carry.

 

I added the firestone bags and pull a tandem utility trailer with over 2 ton carrying capacity. Have it normally around 3k-3400 (+ trailer of 1k) and truck rides really nice and zero sag. I had in mind to add the spring pack or AAL but hesitant to mess with the way it rides unloaded and loaded. Have 5100's all way 'round and OME springs up front.

Point is you may want to start with bags and then see if need more support.

 

I did bags for 2 years and they were more of a head ache than they were worth. I had to request new bags from Firestone 3 times due to leaks. They were installed correctly, with proper hardware but the bags would always develop leaks along the spider web cracks. I do work/live in SoCal Inland Empire with a ton of dust and heat, but if I'm having issues every 10 months with the bags when they're properly inflated and cared for, the down time and head ache wasn't worth it.

I upgraded to All Pro Expo leafs with Icon 2.5 RR CDCV rear shocks. Now I control the dampening with the CDCV knob. When I'm empty, the knob is set to 2, when I'm loaded, I'll set it to 9. That was the best upgrade because now I don't ever have to worry about leaking bags. The ride isn't stiff with the expo pack since I can control the dampening with the turn of a knob.

 

I installed airbags due to some rear sag when towing my travel trailer. The airbags do not increase load capacity (and I'm not overloaded), but they do alleviate rear end squatting. They also help a ton with 'porpoising'.