Her rake's a little low but no time for 2 loads tonight...

I replaced my wet noodle Leaf with Alcan 8 leaf leaf packs a couple of years ago. I recently drove 150 + miles with 28 40 lb boxes of thin brick along with my cap and Cargoglide and linex coating... I guesstimate more than 1450 lbs. total. Truck handled like a Champ

 

How does it do unloaded over speed bumps?? Back tire leave the ground?

 

no it rides a lot smoother than stock, which would bottom out with the same equipment and even a moderate load. My cap is a carpet lined and reinforced Leer, so I carry a decent amount of weight all day, and the Alcans make it handle a lot better. My cap is currently off, due to the brake light TSB, my rake is a little out of control right now, Ill post a pic shortly.

 

Air bags. No bottoming loaded and no hopping empty. They weigh nothing compared to leafs required for the same load. They do impact range of motion(as do adding leafs for spring under) but dialing them to the load means less travel is needed yet more still used over one size fits all solutions. Stiff springs won’t travel when under loaded and soft springs bottom out. They aren’t ideal for everyone but certainly worth considering.

 

Hey, I have some Firestone Ride rite airbags that I bought and dont need, since I upgraded the Leafs, if you are interested

 

To "Leaf" or not to "Leaf", that is the question! lol

One thing I considered is to "add-a-trailer" and put tongue weight on my truck instead of bed weight if it exceeds 900lbs.

 

Went with the Road Active Suspension. Handles loads great and no ride quality loss with an empty bed. Was afraid of a harsher ride with a stiffer leaf pack.

 

This little camper is about 1000 pounds. By the time I load the bed with other camping 'stuff' plus the
jackery and dometic in the back-cab she tends to drop a few inches. This image is with nothing loaded
in the camper or the bed -

I don't know enough about the subject - totally ignorant about leaf packs, or just better shocks, or air-bag things.

How would ya'll handle this if you wanted to.

 

I would imagine beefier leaf springs would be in order.

I've already had Bilstein 5100s installed all the way around (TRD Lift) so I would supplement with Old Man Emu's or something comparable.

As for the Air Bags...that's some serious weight (just my opinion) considering they put air bags on dump trucks/tractor trailers.

I'd buy a Bigger truck if that was my situation...thank god it's not!

 

Depends on how you use the truck the rest of the time. If it’s always somewhat loaded then a better leaf pack might be the way to go. For heavier trailers a WDH can both level and transfer some of the weight to the front axle without modifying the truck at all. If you go back and forth between tongue weight with a bed load and empty, air bags or RAS might be the bees knees to level the truck in any configuration. In places where rust is a problem I’d probably go air bags over RAS since rust will adversely affect RAS more immediately. Also, bags can be adjusted without getting under the truck. I can do mine on the fly using OBA and some dash controls.

 

Right good info... the truck isn't heavily used for hauling loads, perhaps 2-3 times a year for some garden soil.
The camper goes out 3-4 times a year. Light loads of lumber and stuff. I live in the desert, I think it has rained
twice in the last 9 months, and it's more of a drizzle that f*cks up the wash/wax that you did a week ago.

The rest of the time I'm just cruising to the grocery store in style, looking good, beating off the chicks who come
running to the truck at red lights.... you know what I mean -

 

This is complete bullshit. Drum brakes trap dirt and mud. You must have a pavement princess.

 

Sumo springs or Timbrens are another option, inexpensive, easy to install, no maintenance.

 

man yeah Im climbing 45 degrees regularly here if Florida

how much payload can I get before sitting on the bump stops?

 

Ive got 990lbs passenger and cargo right now on the sticker...

 

At 990lbs you would think it should ride like a country Cadillac but it rides like chit lol back wheels leave the ground on speed bump tests...

 

6... part it out

 

what you didn't want to buy a new truck in 2023 with drum rears on it lol

 

I second this. Run the RAS system on my f150 and it totally transformed the truck. Way less sag towing and it corners like a sports car now

 

rears and passenger front are dry but the driver front is moist almost all the way down. You think normal or toast? 2023 with 16k miles...


Passenger front:




Driver front: