Airbags and High End Shocks
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Joined: Mar 2010
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Airbags and High End Shocks
I did a search but did not get all of my questions answered as much as I would like, sorry for the probable repost-squared.
I just bought a 10’ F-150, the first F-150 in 10 years that I did not lease (no great lease deals anymore). I use my truck a lot for towing my race trailer which weighs between 5,000-8,000lb. On all my other trucks it towed with absolutely no problems even with out a load-leveler hitch. He!!, my wife does most of the driving because I am so beat from racing all weekend. She’s a good driver, but driving the “rig” for up to 15hrs is not child’s play.
But now that I own a truck I am going to stick a few bucks in it to make a great truck even better (wheels/tires went on the first day). I’m looking for an airbag system (or a better system if someone knows something I don’t) that is dead simple, easy to install and inexpensive (don’t mistake that with cheap). I would like to be able to level the truck with the trailer hooked up but not effect the ride the rest of the time.
Any suggestions? Links?
Secondly I would like to pitch the stock shocks and go with something nicer. Every F-150 I have had the shocks gave up pretty good by 15K miles. They just simply stopped controlling the springs.
What is out there as far as a good replacement that will most likely never see any off road driving? Just for reference I design, build, tune and manufacture very high ed suspension components for roadrace motorcycles. I have a deep understanding of shock design, how they work, etc. I just don’t know the truck market at all.
Preferably I would like something that is gas charged, aluminum body and if I can have my cake and eat it too some adjustability. I see that there are some coilover kits out there that seem to fit the bill but running the stock springs is fine with me and what I have seen looks as if it has been set up for far more aggressive use than I will be subjecting them too. Are there shocks out there that are higher end, use the stock springs and geared toward something short of the Baja 1000 that I can re-build-re-valve if when they need it? Even some serviceable shocks that have some adjustment to them would be fine even if they were geared toward more aggressive driving. I can re-valve them to behave however I want. And lastly, I would like something that looks cool (who wouldn’t?). Piggy back or remote reservoirs are a plus, aluminum bodies a must, anodized bits a bonus, etc, etc, etc.
Am I pretty much forced to go with coilovers to get a high end shock?
Any suggestions? Link to some manufacturers/vendors?
Thanks a lot!
I just bought a 10’ F-150, the first F-150 in 10 years that I did not lease (no great lease deals anymore). I use my truck a lot for towing my race trailer which weighs between 5,000-8,000lb. On all my other trucks it towed with absolutely no problems even with out a load-leveler hitch. He!!, my wife does most of the driving because I am so beat from racing all weekend. She’s a good driver, but driving the “rig” for up to 15hrs is not child’s play.
But now that I own a truck I am going to stick a few bucks in it to make a great truck even better (wheels/tires went on the first day). I’m looking for an airbag system (or a better system if someone knows something I don’t) that is dead simple, easy to install and inexpensive (don’t mistake that with cheap). I would like to be able to level the truck with the trailer hooked up but not effect the ride the rest of the time.
Any suggestions? Links?
Secondly I would like to pitch the stock shocks and go with something nicer. Every F-150 I have had the shocks gave up pretty good by 15K miles. They just simply stopped controlling the springs.
What is out there as far as a good replacement that will most likely never see any off road driving? Just for reference I design, build, tune and manufacture very high ed suspension components for roadrace motorcycles. I have a deep understanding of shock design, how they work, etc. I just don’t know the truck market at all.
Preferably I would like something that is gas charged, aluminum body and if I can have my cake and eat it too some adjustability. I see that there are some coilover kits out there that seem to fit the bill but running the stock springs is fine with me and what I have seen looks as if it has been set up for far more aggressive use than I will be subjecting them too. Are there shocks out there that are higher end, use the stock springs and geared toward something short of the Baja 1000 that I can re-build-re-valve if when they need it? Even some serviceable shocks that have some adjustment to them would be fine even if they were geared toward more aggressive driving. I can re-valve them to behave however I want. And lastly, I would like something that looks cool (who wouldn’t?). Piggy back or remote reservoirs are a plus, aluminum bodies a must, anodized bits a bonus, etc, etc, etc.
Am I pretty much forced to go with coilovers to get a high end shock?
Any suggestions? Link to some manufacturers/vendors?
Thanks a lot!
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 199
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
As far as adjustability, you might do as I did and go with the Firestone Ride Rite bags. Most of the posters here seem to agree that this system is high quality and offers almost limitless adjustability. It took me just under 1 hr to install them, taking my time.
As far as shocks go, you'll get dozens of opinions. Bilsteins(5100's and HD's) are very popular on this site. I went with the Rancho 9000's because I like the adjustability factor and I have been satisfied with that choice.
HYPO
As far as shocks go, you'll get dozens of opinions. Bilsteins(5100's and HD's) are very popular on this site. I went with the Rancho 9000's because I like the adjustability factor and I have been satisfied with that choice.
HYPO