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6 Posts
Hi Everyone!
My name is Jeff and over the years I've become a bit of an expert on pickup suspensions. Specifically the rear suspension. In fact I've spent a number of years developing an airbag overload kit specifically for 1/2 ton pickups that I now call Total Load Control. Now I'm not here to hock my products, although I wouldn't mind if you happen to find my website and look around. One of my customers is someone who frequents this site and he suggested that I introduce myself and impart to you guys some of what I've learned over the years. I have over 25 years experience dealing with airbag suspensions in one form or another that does NOT include big rigs. I started out with an outfit that built custom car carriers called the Squatdown that used the big 12" double convoluted air springs from Goodyear. It was with that product I learned about relationship between volume and pressure. The greater the volume of the air spring the less air pressure was required to level a given load. This is why on a typical over load setup the amount of pressure required can be up to 80 psi. While effectively leveling a load, that amount of pressure makes the suspension so stiff you might as well not have suspension. This is the problem, as I see it, with the bags that go inside the coil springs. However, the problem is twofold. First off, the position of the coil spring, while being ideal for the suspension itself, it the wrong position for a leveling system. You might as well just get heavier coil springs, but that would defeat the purpose of the coil spring suspension which is specifically for a nice ride. The correct placement for a leveling system is between the bottom of the frame and the axle. There is a "sweet spot" where the "arc" between the frame and axle is ideal and where the load is properly transferred back to the front axle. As I'm sure many of you are aware, the Ram 1500 struggles with loads greater than 800 lbs. Past that, weight that is intended for the front axle is transferred to the rear. Steering and braking are diminished and the rear suspension tends to drift. When a large air spring, such as that utilized by Total Load Control, is placed in that "sweet spot" then the additional load is leveled and the weight intended for the front axle is put back where it belongs thus restoring proper steering and braking. The larger air springs require less air pressure than the coil bags and unlike other setups that don't use air there is no harsh shock in those situations where the suspension tries to bottom out. With the large air springs there is also substantial improvement is the handling. But that's another story altogether...lol...If any of you have any questions for me please feel free to PM me or on the open forum and I'll do my best to get back to you as quickly as possible.
Happy hauling everyone!
Jeff Boeing
My name is Jeff and over the years I've become a bit of an expert on pickup suspensions. Specifically the rear suspension. In fact I've spent a number of years developing an airbag overload kit specifically for 1/2 ton pickups that I now call Total Load Control. Now I'm not here to hock my products, although I wouldn't mind if you happen to find my website and look around. One of my customers is someone who frequents this site and he suggested that I introduce myself and impart to you guys some of what I've learned over the years. I have over 25 years experience dealing with airbag suspensions in one form or another that does NOT include big rigs. I started out with an outfit that built custom car carriers called the Squatdown that used the big 12" double convoluted air springs from Goodyear. It was with that product I learned about relationship between volume and pressure. The greater the volume of the air spring the less air pressure was required to level a given load. This is why on a typical over load setup the amount of pressure required can be up to 80 psi. While effectively leveling a load, that amount of pressure makes the suspension so stiff you might as well not have suspension. This is the problem, as I see it, with the bags that go inside the coil springs. However, the problem is twofold. First off, the position of the coil spring, while being ideal for the suspension itself, it the wrong position for a leveling system. You might as well just get heavier coil springs, but that would defeat the purpose of the coil spring suspension which is specifically for a nice ride. The correct placement for a leveling system is between the bottom of the frame and the axle. There is a "sweet spot" where the "arc" between the frame and axle is ideal and where the load is properly transferred back to the front axle. As I'm sure many of you are aware, the Ram 1500 struggles with loads greater than 800 lbs. Past that, weight that is intended for the front axle is transferred to the rear. Steering and braking are diminished and the rear suspension tends to drift. When a large air spring, such as that utilized by Total Load Control, is placed in that "sweet spot" then the additional load is leveled and the weight intended for the front axle is put back where it belongs thus restoring proper steering and braking. The larger air springs require less air pressure than the coil bags and unlike other setups that don't use air there is no harsh shock in those situations where the suspension tries to bottom out. With the large air springs there is also substantial improvement is the handling. But that's another story altogether...lol...If any of you have any questions for me please feel free to PM me or on the open forum and I'll do my best to get back to you as quickly as possible.
Happy hauling everyone!
Jeff Boeing
