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2,000-lb Capacity. Level your vehicle when you're hauling a heavy load with these Ride Control air springs. The adjustable springs improve overall stability and ride quality, eliminate rear sag, and reduce strain on your factory suspension.
Features:
Specs:
Ride Control gives the suspension system on your light-to-medium-duty truck, van or SUV unrivaled support. With these air springs installed, you'll experience the same comfortable, smooth and safe ride that you're used to enjoying when you're not hauling. Plus, Ride Control reduces the strain that heavy loads can put on your vehicle, saving you money in potential repairs.
Everything on your vehicle suffers from the stress of hauling or towing heavy loads - your brakes, your tires and your handling ability. Even your headlight aim can be thrown off. Without some kind of reinforcement for your factory suspension system, you could be putting the life expectancy of your vehicle at risk. Air Lift's adjustable air spring kit, Ride Control, gives your suspension the extra support it needs when you are carrying heavy cargo. By providing equal load distribution, Ride Control lessens the stress that your truck has to endure.
Ride Control's air bags are adjustable from 5 to 100 psi, so you can get the perfect amount of support for any size load. And the springs can be inflated independently of one another for front-to-rear and side-to-side leveling. The system's also easy to install and even easier to maintain.
Ride Control comes with manual inflation valves that are typically mounted on the bumper but can be installed anywhere on your vehicle for easy access. For even more convenience and control, you can add a compressor and gauge system (sold separately), which will let you monitor and automatically inflate your air springs.
An exclusive alignment tool is included with your Ride Control kit. This tool allows you to install each air spring so that it is centered perfectly between your vehicle's leaf spring and frame. This helps to prevent damaged caused by the spring rubbing against underbed components, ensuring lasting suspension support.
Air Lift kits are designed to keep your vehicle at normal ride height. You can find the normal ride height of your vehicle by unloading it and measuring the distance between the bottom edge of your wheel well and the center of the hub. After you find and record this distance, you can regulate the amount of air that you put into your air springs to maintain normal ride height - even when you are hauling a heavy load. You will need to adjust the air pressure in your air bags according to the size of your load.
These adjustable air springs come with a lifetime warranty with no mileage restrictions. In addition, Air Lift is so sure that you will benefit from their air spring suspension system that they offer a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. Install and use Ride Control springs for 60 days, and if you are not satisfied at the end of this time, you can remove them from your vehicle and return them for a full product refund. Now that's confidence.
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Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hi there, I'm Michael with etrailer.com. Today, we're going to take a quick look at this set of Airlift Ride Control Air Helper Springs. These Springs are going to install between the frame and leaf spring on your Dodge Dakota specifically the 1987 through 2002 Dodge Dakota. These brackets are going to be designed specifically to fit with that year range of the Dakota. So it's gonna be very easy to get these installed and they are going do a really good job of providing up to 2000 pounds of load leveling support to help reduce strain on your rear suspension and improve your safety and ride quality. Now, when you hear that 2000 loads of, 2000 pounds of load leveling support, you might think that's going to increase your load carrying capacity of your vehicle.
And it is not a, unfortunately these are not going to add any weight capacity, so think of it less like a second set of hands, that's helping you lift more weight. Think of it more like a back brace. So it's just there to a kinda help support your suspension system to take some of the strain off of it and to make sure that that suspension is going to be able to handle those heavy loads better. It's not going to increase that load carrying capacity. So you always want to make sure, that you're going with your manufacturer's recommended weight limit.
These are a manual adjusted airbags, so you will mount the inflation tube typically at the back of your vehicle, on the bumper so that you can easily access them to air them up. They are adjustable between five pounds per square inch up to a 100 PSI, so that you can evenly distribute the load whether that's from front to back, so that your vehicle isn't sagging in the back so that you have a better steering and braking performance it'll help to bring your headlights down and to make sure that your tires are wearing evenly with these installed rather than all the opposite of those things. If you have your vehicle sagging in the back. So these are going to do a good job leveling of front back. You can also air them up individually from side to side, so if you have an offset load, you've got a heavy toolbox or water tank or something on one side of your truck you can air up that air bag more so that it will help to support that weight a little bit more side to side.
So you've got a lot of adjustability with these. You can buy a compressor to add to your system that way you don't have to worry about finding a gas station or something like that, to air up your bags. One downside to compressors is that typically they tie the bags together. So you lose some of that side to side adjustability but you gain a lot of other benefits from being able to air them up from the comfort of your cab while you're traveling to not having to worry about finding a compressor while you're on the road. So there's, there's good and bad to it, these are manual by default, but you can add that compressor, which is sold separately to make that a little bit more convenient for you.
But again, you lose some of that side to side adjustability, but overall these are going to do a great job of helping to support your suspension. They're going to help improve your stability and ride quality, and they will help absorb some of that road shock to smooth, smooth out your ride and make it a little bit more comfortable for you. These are a good quality bag, they're made here in the USA. So you can trust. They're made to the high quality standards that we've come to know and trust for products that are made here in the US, they come with a lifetime warranty. So that should give you a little bit more reassurance these are gonna do a good job for you. You can see all the hardware that you're gonna need to get these installed is included. They also included instructions to get these mounted in place. So if you're the kind of person who's not afraid to work with your hands, I say this is definitely a project that you can do on your own, get these installed, and that's gonna help your Dakota support those heavier loads as you're going down the road. So that's going to complete our look for today. Again, I'm Michael with etrailer.com. Hope this video has helped you in deciding if this is the right set of airbags for you. We do have a lot of products here at etrailer.com for your trucks, trailers, motorhomes, boats all sorts of things. So if this isn't what you're looking for, I hope that you can find the product that's gonna meet your needs. So that's going to complete our look for today. Again, I'm Michael. Thanks for watching..
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (209 Customer Reviews)
2,000-lb Capacity. Level your vehicle when you're hauling a heavy load with these Ride Control air springs. The adjustable springs improve overall stability and ride quality, eliminate rear sag, and reduce strain on your factory suspension.
great company to work with, they sent me a new air bag when mine had a leak and the shipping was fast. the install was a little difficult, had to drill holes in the frame. i have the silverado 1500 classic 07 so most aftermarket parts need some modifications anyways. i’m now able to haul comfortably without “trailer squat”
Product was as advertised, and the install went smoothly. Toyota Tacomas are infamous for sagging rear ends, and these air springs handle that well. For now I can only comment on installation, as I've yet to load the truck with a heavy trailer. All parts can be mounted comfortably by jacking up the rear axle and removing a wheel. I didn't have any alignment troubles, and the instructions were specific to these parts and my truck. Buyers should be aware that air springs require regular checks to make sure they are inflated to a minimum pressure. I can easily reach in and squeeze the spring to check inflation, and it's faster than pulling out a pressure gage.
Every peice was there, directions were easy to follow.I watched the installation video 2 times really helps when you use the manual. Just installed today haven't tested yet but it's not a wimpy kit fit my truck perfect aired up nice non drilling no surprises, very happy with the purchase.
The AirLift system we talked about a couple weeks ago was sent to my daughter, Kristi's house. I installed it yesterday. I'm on the road, which isn't the best place to do the installation. My father in law didn't have any socket wrenches so I started with a couple 9/16 open end wrenches. These don't work for everything. I went to the local hardware store and bought what I needed. The driver side went on much easier. The hardest bolt was the top one requiring the socket wrench to hold the nut inside the frame. I had to feel for the nut since it was hidden next to an existing frame bolt. I was able to simply jack the back of the truck up at the hitch to gain clearance. I didn't have to remove the wheels. The nylon lock nut was fun to tighten. AirLift should have supplied a simple wrench for this. I found a vice grip needle nose plier worked well enough.
Here are three photos. First is passenger side, second tries to show where top nut goes, third is drivers side. I have then filled to 28psi and will check them this morning.
Install these on my 2015 Chevy Colorado. I pull a fairly big travel trailer and although it's no problem pulling it I had noticed that over the last couple of years the rear of the truck was gradually sagging more. The AirLift fixed it right up.
The ride now inspires more confidence and I definitely have more control over the whole rig.
Installation was fairly easy. I'm pretty handy but quite green when it comes to vehicles so I would say it's accessible to anyone with a handy thumb. I even managed to install them without removing the wheels. It took a bit longer and required more up and down with the car jack but since I did it a couple of hours at a time over a couple of days it allowed me to still drive during the installation process.
I'm am a huge fan and would recommend it to anyone.
Install was simple. Took me 2 1/2 hours by myself, plus my buddy 1 hour to weld on a nice bracket for the air valves on the back bumper (see pics). Instructions were confusing and nomenclature did not match parts, but I eventually got it figured out. There are also two spots in the instructions that tell you not to tighten certain nuts down so that you can adjust the bags later, but it never tells you when or how to tighten them later.
I recommend you jack up the rear axle and remove the rear tires so you have plenty of room to move around and install this.
System looks really nice on the pickup, and you can hardly tell there's anything on there unless you are looking closely. Even while almost empty, the bags push the rear of the pickup up a little bit which looks cool. And it seems to ride smoother now too. I have not tried it with pulling cargo or a trailer yet, and will update this review if I don't notice anything good.
Overall the install went well. I had to cold bend the upper brackets to fit properly. The upper bracket has an oval cut out to receive the top of the airbag. A nylon nut and serrated washer is used to connect the airbag to the upper bracket. I didn't like the fact that that connection could slide back and forth in the oval. So I cut a piece of plate to fit in the oval and welded it. Then I set both upper and lower brackets in place figured out the layout and drilled around hole to receive the upper nipple of the airbag. Rock solid set up that way. The truck is in the process of receiving an aluminum flatbed.
I installed the airlift support this afternoon. I had removed Timbren
Shocks which are just hard rubber shocks that mount to the factory spring
bumper support. The airlift required drilling out the rivets and removing
this OEM support.
Here are pictures of the left and right units installed on my truck. I
already have an Air Lift pump and rear bags on the rear of my truck.
When I put my plow on then I will see how well these perform and any sag or
how much lift. I have a 7"-6" Western Pro Plow for my 1987 GMC V-2500 4x4.
As a note, I was missing hardware from that hardware package. I had to look
through my own stock in order to complete the install. If it is at all
possible, I would be most appreciative if you could get AirLift to provide a
hardware package that was complete.
I also install the mirrors on my GMC. I have my 102" wide 20 foot cargo
trailer connected to my truck and will be using that in a few days. I am
hoping they will give me a better rear vision of the sides of my trailer.
When I get it on the road, I will have a better idea on what to comment.
When I do, I will send pictures. I don't plan on keeping them on the truck
all the time, just when I used the cargo trailer.
Was a great product while it lasted however we only got about 2 months of use out of it before the airbags popped
Give etrailer a chance to price match their competitors. I called and within a few minutes Allison had my order entered. Parts shipped same day and price match credit card refund soon followed.
I installed these air lifts nearly a year ago and they have been a great addition to my 96 Ford Ranger. I haul firewood and also have a small pop-up camper, with these air lifts I feel significantly less body roll and less porpoising when my truck is loaded. They were reasonably easy to install and have been durable thus far.
I did have trouble finding someone to install the air helper springs. Once installed they did very well. In my situation, the springs on my truck were wore out. I have ordered new springs and plan on putting the air helper springs on with the new springs for help when pulling my camper. I do recommend this item, but remember, they are called "helper" for a reason and will not cure a deep seated spring problem!
I ran this Air Lifters a 2015 Chevy Colorado and loved them. That in particular I had a 2 inch leveler on the front and the Air Lift on the rear kept the truck at the right height when a load was being pulled. I also ran 15-20 pounds in them on that daily and the ride was noticeably better.
Now fast forward to present time I have a 2023 Chevy Colorado and just finished the install today. Easy installation and the same quality as the last set. There is no reason not to run these on a truck in my opinion. The overall ride improvement is noticeable.
I installed these on my 2021 Tacoma. They lasted less than one month. In addition to the horrid ride at a very low pressure, they no longer held air once I really needed the lift. I found that both bags were torn. There was not enough room between the frame and top of the leaf springs to keep them from getting smashed when hitting bumps. Bummer!
I found needs to be extremely helpful. I have a 1997 Econoline 150 Ford van. It was a conversion van so lots of extra weight. The back leaf springs were obviously struggling as it rode low without a trailer or any significant load. After installing the air springs, and charging them 1/3 of capacity Or 35 PSI, the ride drastically improved. Shortly after installing them I pulled a 24 foot trailer with a medium load on it, and it drastically improved the ride compared to pulling a trailer previously. Highly recommended and cheaper than new high-quality leaf springs.
Product arrived in just a couple of days and was very easy to install. Only took an hour. When I filled the system with air I found a leak on the bag itself. Called Rebecca at etrailer and she gave me the number to air lift and she would check with me in a couple of days. I called airlift and had a new bag in two days. Rebecca did email me and ask if everything was ok. Hooked the camper up and tried it out and man did it work great. This was a great buying experience and will soon purchase the on board air compressor from etrailer
Working around the Tahoe fuel tank is a killer of time. I got both sides install. The Tahoe Rear Axle Bumper Brackets front mount bolt is in the same location as the lower rear Air Lift kit mount bolt. Got bolts installed but the installation should warn you to review carefully before drilling the holes for the mounting bracket.
The air fitting take a 1/2 inch wrench. Instructions say 7/16 wrench.
I'm very pleased with these airbags. Saved $100 versus the competition. The kit is specific to the model and year of my truck and fit perfectly. I'm 66, handy with a wrench, but not a mechanic. I completed the installation by myself in a couple of hours without a lift. The instructions are clear but I found it helpful to also watch the u-tube video as I went through the steps. (Better pictures) My F-150 has plenty of power but soft suspension which makes for a comfortable ride when empty but sat down low with a heavy trailer. I can pump up the airbags and level out the load. I made several trips with a 20' deckover trailer carrying 10,000 pounds of produce and had no problems. I'm wishing I had also purchased and installed the built-in air compressor. I will probably add it later. I air up at the farm before adding a load and I carry a twenty dollar 12 volt compressor in the tool box just in case I have an unexpected load. This doesn't add to the hauling capacity of my truck but it keeps my headlights on the road and not in the trees.
Installation was easy and the product is working great. I installed the air helper springs on my 2016 F150 in about two hours. I routed the air lines to the bumper and drill holes beside the license plate to easy access to the valves. The video is very helpful for the installation process and I highly recommend this product. I do wish that the wireless controller was a little cheaper because it is not easy to fill each side evenly...
Haven't installed yet but super excited seams it's just what I ordered very happy so far
Very nice kit, great directions with great illustrations, I would definitely recommend the product, lifted the truck back up level and it , steers great!! Thank you
etrailer has always been great! Thank y ou.
The air lift worked as it should. But there was a failure in one of the fittings where it attached to the air bag on top. I had to go back to my installer and have the fitting replaced. Another thing I’ve noticed is that you need to check the pressure from time to time because there is some slow bleed off that happens. When set at the right pressure and I’m towing the work fine. Probably should have bought the Firestone’s and spent the extra money. I’ve spent that much now with the repair. I do appreciate the checking back with me to see how things have gone with my purchase.
I cannot comment on installation as I had a maintenance shop install the kit.
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