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Old 03-25-2014, 06:52 PM   #1
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Question Air Suspension?

We are just getting on the road full-time in our 36RE towed by Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel. We will be driving a lot in the next year. Our first couple of drives we had major chug-chugging on bumps. We've talked to several folks here at the RV park we are in and they all have air suspension kits on their trucks. What is your experience? Is this a must-have and does it make a big difference? What kind? How much? Where? Thanks!

Jordan & Marcia
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Old 03-25-2014, 07:33 PM   #2
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Firestone Ride Rite airbags on our F450. You can get with an onboard compressor and a wireless remote. Our 36RL also chucked when we first bought it; however, after we loaded it, the chucking stopped.
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Old 03-25-2014, 07:56 PM   #3
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Did the airbags make a difference in the ride or just the loaded height of the truck?
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Old 03-25-2014, 08:21 PM   #4
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Did the airbags make a difference in the ride or just the loaded height of the truck?
Both! We run ours at 50PSI while towing and reduce the pressure to 10 PSI when not.
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Old 03-25-2014, 08:57 PM   #5
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Do you have the ones that replace the springs or supplement the springs
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Old 03-25-2014, 09:04 PM   #6
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They are attached to the axels and directly to the frame, independent of the leaf springs.
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Old 03-25-2014, 10:59 PM   #7
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Congrats on the 36RE! It's exactly what I have only with a Ford. I have the air bags and have not problems at all...smooth as silk! I don't have the compressor just a manual one that I bought at Costco. I run it at 60 lbs. Good luck. Come to the Rally! It's gonna be a blast!
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Old 03-25-2014, 11:30 PM   #8
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We have Airlift 5000 air bags and onboard compressor. They supplement the springs. Really improves the ride when loaded.
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Old 03-26-2014, 02:00 AM   #9
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I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but are the REs that much lighter than the other model RWs that they don't seriously overload a 250/2500 series TV??
Especially since there is a current thread "Dually or Not" and the general Conesus is a Dually is required for a safe and comfortable towing experience.
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Old 03-26-2014, 02:18 AM   #10
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We have an FB and drive a F-350 Dually. I equipped the truck with an AirLift LoadLifter 5000 and SmartAir Automatic On Board Air System. This system is completely automatic, the system frequently assesses the load and adds/dumps air as needed, no manual intervention is required.

One note...the system will maintain a hard ride when there is no load on the truck.
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Old 03-26-2014, 01:03 PM   #11
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My 36RE with Trail Air gives me no checking with 20k Reese hitch and D3500 dually.
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Old 03-26-2014, 01:21 PM   #12
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I finally got around to greasing our triglide and just from the 'feel' of pushing it by hand before and after... it seems to offer 'some' resistance now !

It would just slam back and forth before - I suspect it was never greased from day one given the amount of grease I had to put in there...
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Old 03-26-2014, 02:27 PM   #13
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Jon,
Do you recall how much grease it took?
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Old 03-26-2014, 02:32 PM   #14
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I bought two of these 14.5 oz cartridges not knowing how much it would take and THINK I used most of one - no more than 3 pumps on the outside 6 grease nipples, but many on the inside 3...

sorry can't be more exact, but couldn't tell you because I got interrupted by neighbors a couple of times while doing it at the storage area...
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Old 03-26-2014, 03:00 PM   #15
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I agree with everyone on here that the airlift will make the ride much much better.

December of 2012 I went on a quest to make the best possible ride for Ginny because she likes to read while I drive. I took this in steps.

#1 installed the air lift bags, his helped but we still had some chucking and Ginny couldn't read. Cost was about $600 installed

#2 installed the Tri-glide pin box. Ordered it from "Tweety" on line and installed myself. Cost was around $1200. This also helped but still wasn't perfect.

#3 Went to Kelderman Air Ride. Front axle springs were removed and replaced with air bags and the 2-stage rear system, where air bags were put between the springs and the frame. Total cost installed was $4525. This was costly but Ginny can now read and we don't experience any chucking.
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Old 03-26-2014, 04:00 PM   #16
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For what its worth, I have used Timbrens on my last 3 trucks and been very satisfied with them. I'm having them installed next week on my new F450. We shall see how they perform. The F450 seems to have a softer ride than the our 350.

Ken
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Old 03-26-2014, 05:50 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny View Post
I agree with everyone on here that the airlift will make the ride much much better.

December of 2012 I went on a quest to make the best possible ride for Ginny because she likes to read while I drive. I took this in steps.

#1 installed the air lift bags, his helped but we still had some chucking and Ginny couldn't read. Cost was about $600 installed

#2 installed the Tri-glide pin box. Ordered it from "Tweety" on line and installed myself. Cost was around $1200. This also helped but still wasn't perfect.

#3 Went to Kelderman Air Ride. Front axle springs were removed and replaced with air bags and the 2-stage rear system, where air bags were put between the springs and the frame. Total cost installed was $4525. This was costly but Ginny can now read and we don't experience any chucking.
Cost of tv and rv - $$$$$$$
Upgrades - $6325

Allowing your spouse to read so you don't have to hear "slow down", "are we lost", WATCH OUT"; PRICELESS!!!!
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Old 03-26-2014, 06:42 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by homeguy View Post
Cost of tv and rv - $$$$$$$
Upgrades - $6325

Allowing your spouse to read so you don't have to hear "slow down", "are we lost", WATCH OUT"; PRICELESS!!!!
hahahaha -

I don't have a problem with that because I make her ride in the back.....way in the back where it's like a convertible.

...ya right, like I make her do anything.
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Old 03-27-2014, 05:07 AM   #19
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Remember - happy wife, happy life.
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Old 03-27-2014, 05:59 AM   #20
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Ya I talk big when she's not around. Hope she lets me drive next time
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