Should I Use Air Bags Instead of Jounce Springs On 2016 Ford F-250 With Heavy Truck Bed Camper

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Question:

I have a lance camper with a wet weight of about 3500lbs in the bed of my 2016 ford f250. I currently have a set of timbren springs installed. Those were not enough so I added a hellwig helper leaf spring. This helped but still have a good 3inch - 3 1/2inch of sag in the rear. The ride is a little rougher than I would like. Do you think I should bail on the timbrens and put in some firestone air bags? The truck also sits a hair heavier on one side which I know the air bags wold help. Thanks very much for your time

asked by: Dan

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

I definitely recommend adding air bags to the 2016 Ford F-250 Super Duty because the lance camper is heavy compared to most truck bed campers. I recommend the Firestone Ride-Rite Red Label Extreme Duty Air Helper Springs - Rear Axle 2016 Ford F-250 Super Duty part # F2703 to enhance the suspension in the truck and reduce the rear sag that you are experiencing in the truck. The Firestone air bags will allow you to level out the load without sacrificing the ride quality like with the other jounce-style spring options. You can also adjust the bags side to side to level out the side sag in the truck and camper. I have attached an installation video for your reference.

I recommend to add the Firestone Air Command II - Analog - Heavy Duty Compressor & Air Tank - Dual Function part # F2168 so that you can control the air bag pressure from inside the cab. You won't need to carry around a bulky compressor or stop at a gas station when you need to adjust the bags. This compressor system is also dual path so you can adjust one side at a time.

expert reply by: Heather A

1

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Answer 1

Both the Air Lift LoadLifter 7500 XL #AL57596 and the Firestone Ride-Rite Red Label Extreme Duty Air Helper Springs #F2703 are excellent choices for your 2012 Ford Super Duty but when compared to each other the Firestone #F2703 is the winner. This is…

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Answer 2

The Firestone Ride-Rite Red Label Extreme Duty Air Helper Springs - Rear Axle #F2703 you were looking at are a great choice for your 2013 Ford F-250 Super Duty and is compatible with your B&W Turnover Ball Hitch #BWGNRK1111. These heavy duty air…

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Answer 3

With your 2012 Ford F-350 Dually 4x4 you are most likely towing some big loads. My recommendation is to use the Air Lift LoadLifter 7500 XL Air Helper Springs - Rear Axle #AL57596 for the greatest load leveling support or the Air Lift LoadLifter 5000…

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Answer 4

It sounds like your bags aren't installed properly if one of them is angled. There are two alignment holes that the bag can install into on the top mounting bracket. It is possible that the wrong one was used for your bags and that is why the bag…

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Answer 5

I wish there was an easy solution I can recommend but Air Lift will void your warranty if you run lower than 5 psi in the bags and the compressor kit won't let you do that anyway. 5 psi SHOULDN'T make it unbearably stiff so I'd hate to…

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Answer 6

Personally I prefer the Air Lift LoadLifter 7500 XL Ultimate Air Helper Springs #AL57596 over the Firestone Red Label #F2703 for your 2016 Ford F-250. The Air Lift has an internal jounce bumper which not only helps to prevent damage to the spring but…

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Answer 7

The Air Lift LoadLifter 7500 XL part #AL57596 is a confirmed fit for your 2014 Ford F-250 short bed and does not require any additional brackets due to the exhaust design. I attached an install video for this kit on a similar 2014 Ford F-250 for you…

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Answer 8

I compared the hardware lists of the Air Lift 5000 and 7500 kits that fit your 2016 Ford F-350 and found that they do not use the same hardware or bags so you'd need a complete new kit to go with the higher rated setup. For that you'd want…

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Answer 9

The Firestone air bag kits are the way to go as we have found that their bags are better made than Air Lift and other brands. So for your 2017 Ford F-350 the 7500 lb kit you'd want would be the part #F95FV if you have a single wheel rear axle or…

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Answer 10

Since the pin weight of your camper is 2.1k, I recommend going with the LoadLifter 5000 opposed to the 7500. While technically there is not reason you couldn't use the 7500 kit, it really is not necessary for a camper like yours. Generally the…

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Answer 11

The best air bag kit that fits your 2020 Ford F-350 diesel FX4 that is having a Turnoverball gooseneck hitch #BWGNRK1116 installed is the Firestone Ride Rite Red Label kit part #F95FV which has the highest quality and capacity air bags. Since you…

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Answer 12

Though the Firestone Ride-Rite Red Label Extreme Duty Air Helper Springs #F2709 will offer you more support when fully loaded, they will also affect your ride a lot more when not loaded. Even at the lowest setting (5 psi). I really only recommend…

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Should I Use Air Bags Instead of Jounce Springs On 2016 Ford F-250 With Heavy Truck Bed Camper

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