A Lot of Sway With Ride-Rite # F2025 Installed on 1998 Chevy Silverado Carrying Lance 992 Camper  

Question:

Helpful Expert Reply:

The Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Springs # F2025 are the correct air springs for your 1998 Chevy Silverado 3500, however according to my technical contact at Firestone you should not be experiencing any sway issues.

The most probable cause of the sway is the inflation level does not work well with your set up. Since this is a new set up, you may want to play around with air pressure, drive around a bit and adjust as required.

My contact also said that your sway issue may have to do with how your air bags are installed. If both air tubes are joined at one filling point, or Schrader Valve, then air can migrate from one bag to the other, causing sway.

The best way to alleviate this situation is to remove the tubes off of both of the air bags and replace with new tubing like Firestone 1/4 inch Air LIne Tubing # F9416. At the end of each tube you will need an inflation valve like # F3032-1. A handy tool to have is a Tubing Cutter # AL10530. As easy as it looks, cutting tubing so that it is square is tricky so to take the guess work out we always use one.

I have attached a brief video of the helper springs being installed on a 2005 Silverado with two air intake positions.

At the end, by having two separate inflation valves you will not have air inadvertently transferring from bag to bag which can create undue sway. If this does not work, I have found that other people who have your swaying issues, some have Ride-Rites and some do not, have installed an anti-sway bar like the RoadMaster Anti-Sway Bar # RM-1109-137.

expert reply by: Lori W

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