I’m usually a “stock is good enough” kind of guy not wanting to mess with what the smart people have spent their careers developing. But after some of the experiences we’ve had towing Talley last season, I wanted to give our ride comfort a shot at improvement. There is a lot of technology out there that can assist in this department with the main and easiest to install being air bags which supplement the existing rear suspension of the truck. They get installed between the leaf springs and the frame and just as the name implies, they inflate adding some cushion between the two surfaces when there is a lot of weight on the back end of the truck.
I went with the Air Lift 5000 system which is widely used and popular with other Super Duty users and it offers a no drill installation. The install took me the better part of a day and I’m sure I could have been more efficient with some planning, but alas its done now. I may add an on-board compressor at a later date, but for now, I ran the air valves to the license plate holder which is a popular discrete and convenient location. It doesn’t take much air to make a difference. So far I’ve been experimenting with 20-30 psi when towing, but that might change dependent on where we’re headed. The bay bridge induces a heavy porpoising effect which I’m hoping to eliminate with these.
While I was at it, the last improvement before hitting the road this season was to give Ryder some ambiance in his bunk. An easy $20 strip light kit from Harbor Freight and he was excited beyond the moon…
