well summer is officially here and it's time to take the ol' boat to the lake again...

the problem i am having is when i hook up my trailer the a$$ end of my truck sits waaay low. does anyone make an 'airbag-shock' type assembly that will replace the OEM shocks so i can simply adjust the ride height by adding/releasing air when i decide to tow?

i'm also considering the "add a leaf" option but it i'm afraid it might compromise the ride quality

i think i need to replace the front shocks too, their is a lot of 'chirping' noises coming from the front end and it's driving me loco. what make/brand should i go with for the front?

thanx!

2000 f150 XLT 4.6L Scab Shortbed

 

I'd recommend Bilstien or Rancho shocks. As for the airbags, I believe it is Firestone that makes a airbag setup that would suit your needs perfectly. You just inflate the bags when towing or hauling and deflate them for normal driving. I would stay away from air shocks.

 

thanks wandell!

yeah i just found the Firestone airbag kit online late last night:

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...con/2320F.html

"Air lift" offers an airbag kit too but it looks kind of cheap IMO.

i'm debating whether or not i feel like dropping an additional $200 on the air compressor kit so i am also considering the Hellwig assist springs, (http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...20-300F97.html)

Does anyone have an opinion on airbags vs. helper springs?

 

Why not fix the problem? A 500lb max tongue weight is all the hitch is rated for. If you are exceeding that (and the only way to know for sure is to take the combo to a truck scale and weigh the truck with and without the trailer) you need a weight distributing hitch, or you need to redistribute the load on the trailer to reduce the tongue weight.

With my 26-foot Bayliner, tipping the scales at 4650 lbs, 300 lbs tongue weight, the rear end dropped 2". The truck sat level with the front end at stock height.

-Joe

 

good point joe,

i'm towing a 25' Bayliner so i guess we share the same problem. i honestly don't know how much tongue weight there is when i hitch it up but the rear end drop is significant, i.e. more then 2". it's an open bow (no cabin) but it must sit forward on the trailer or something b/c it seems front heavy. i'll stop by the local boat shop and see about getting a different hitch. maybe that is an easier solution then the bags. thanks for the advice

~j

 

Before you rush out and get a new hitch, take it to a truck scale and see what the trailer actually weighs. First, roll across the scales with the trailer. Then, go drop the trailer in the parking lot and roll the truck alone across it. They you can calculate the tongue weight and the trailer weight. That will help you decide if you need a different hitch or just need to scoot the boat back. Most truck stops with scales only charge $7 or $8 for two passes.

Take a look at the unloaded truck numbers first. That'll be your base number. Then, to calculate the tongue weight, take the rear axle weight with the trailer, subtract the rear axle weight without the trailer, then subtract the weight difference from the weight that shifted off the front axle to the rear with the trailer. (That's actually truck weight that shifted to the rear, not tongue weight of the trailer. It's only important if you're wirried about axle loading, not for trailer balance). You'll also have the trailer axle weight. The total wewight of the boat and trailer is the sum of the tongue weight you calculated and the trailer axle weight.

Hope that helps... If you need help with the calculation, post the scale numbers here.

 

I just installed the firestone airbags on my truck as I tow a 27' camper. Even with the equallizer bars on the hitch the rear end squats down too far before it hits the overload springs. The difference is like night and day with the air bags - no more rear end sag. The truck looks and handles far better, feels steadier and safer on the road. It rides better when towing which is a bonus as well.
Doug

I ordered mine from Suspension Connection as well for my 2004 Screw.
http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...scon/2350.html
They had them in stock and I had them in a couple of days.

As for the installtion I tee'd my airlines to a single inflation point instead of having them separate as shown in the manual. Keeps the airbags at the same pressure. I didn't bother with the on board compressor, I just use a bicycle pump to set the air at 40psi when I'm away or my shop compressor at home.

 

Will the firestone airbags fit on a 2005 SCAB? It only says its for the SuperCrews on the suspensionconnection website.

 

Just my $.02, but I put on Air Lift brand Ride Control airbags from Jegs a few months back ($178 shipped) on my 01 F150 4X4 and they're awesome. When you don't need them, you air them down to 10 psi and you have the stock soft ride, and then when I tow our 23 foot, 7k lbs fully loaded toy hauler, I just air them up to 95 psi and, even before I hook up the weight distribution bars, the truck doesn't sag an inch. The other added benifit is the truck doesn't sway at all either. I run a sway control, but even with it off one time towing, the truck was steady as a rock.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Dave

 

On my old F-350 Super Duty I had installed some Timbren rubber helper springs. They replace the stock bump stops and work very well. They do not require any maintenance after installation and installation is extremely simple. I recommended them to a friend of mine that bought a new Chevy (not all of my friends are as intelligent as I am ) to tow his 28' gooseneck horse trailer (similar to the one I towed with my old F-350) and he now loves them too. The lowest price on the net that I have found them is at TruckSpring.com

 

The Firestone kit fits all 05 F150 and new body 04 F150's It is an easy no drill installation and bolts right on between the frame and the axle.