Rear suspension- air bag VS Carli add a leaf pkg

Team Pigeon · Jan 6, 2020

2019 F350 8" box SRW. Carli 2.5" levelling front end which is new coils, track bar and shocks all around.
Truck front end rides a little better, sits level with 250L diesel slip under my sled deck. But with 1 sled, her rear end sags 1", 2 sleds sags about 2". LAME. PLUS I have a harsh ride when i hit onto the overloads on the highway commute to alberta for work with no sleds, haven't driven on highway with 2 sleds yet (she's slowwwwww in the West kootenays)

https://www.snowandmud.com/tow-vehicles-rv-s-trailers-and-accessories-for-them/120198-airbag-ones.html?highlight=airbag

Airbags- So I've read this above- firestone and the wireless compressor.
https://www.amazon.ca/Air-Lift-2598...s=air+lift+wireless+one&qid=1578373985&sr=8-1
&
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000CMEXB8/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1
=$885

But I'm also considering Carli add-a-leaf pkg below- leaf pack of 6. Had the exact 2.5 front coils and rear add-a-leaf in my 2007 6.0 and she rode mint.

https://carlisuspension.com/product.../2017-plus/ford-2017-progressive-add-a-packs/
prolly looking $1000

THOUGHTS WELCOMED!! Thanks.

Dawizman · Jan 6, 2020

Team Pigeon said:
2019 F350 8" box SRW. Carli 2.5" levelling front end which is new coils, track bar and shocks all around.
Truck front end rides a little better, sits level with 250L diesel slip under my sled deck. But with 1 sled, her rear end sags 1", 2 sleds sags about 2". LAME. PLUS I have a harsh ride when i hit onto the overloads on the highway commute to alberta for work with no sleds, haven't driven on highway with 2 sleds yet (she's slowwwwww in the West kootenays)

https://www.snowandmud.com/tow-vehicles-rv-s-trailers-and-accessories-for-them/120198-airbag-ones.html?highlight=airbag

Airbags- So I've read this above- firestone and the wireless compressor.
https://www.amazon.ca/Air-Lift-2598...s=air+lift+wireless+one&qid=1578373985&sr=8-1
&
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000CMEXB8/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1
=$885

But I'm also considering Carli add-a-leaf pkg below- leaf pack of 6. Had the exact 2.5 front coils and rear add-a-leaf in my 2007 6.0 and she rode mint.

https://carlisuspension.com/product.../2017-plus/ford-2017-progressive-add-a-packs/
prolly looking $1000

THOUGHTS WELCOMED!! Thanks.

I have a Thuren setup on my Ram with King 2.5 shocks all around. Very similar to Carli, and I absolutely love the ride. I am on the fence still in terms of adding the leaf packs in the rear. I already had air bags on the truck when I upgraded. I added the cradles for the bags so they are no longer attached top and bottom in order to allow unrestricted travel.

Personally, I love the side to side stability that the airbags provide when hauling sleds on the deck. It really helps compensate for the higher center of gravity, and you can fine tune based on the load. They are also nice when I drop 2k of pin weight on the hitch, something I'm not sure the leafs would handle as nice without sag. I still just have manual fill valves, but a compressor is on my to do list.

OVERKILL 19 · Jan 6, 2020

I’m not a Ford guy but I’ve bought pretty much every thing Carli at some point. Except the crazy huge 3” shocks.
Everyone likes to spend money on the front and forget about the back. 65% of ur ride quality comes from the rear of ur truck. I haven’t looked at the Ford stuff but if Carli sells a set of leafs.... it will make ur truck ride way better. I bought a set for my Ram with Thuren shackles and Dons shocks too “ I prefer Thuren “ shocks as I think they ride as good or better that my Pintops I had before... but that’s a long story!
Air bags are a must for Ram anyway as you lose 20% of ur load capacity with Cali leafs at least I think it’s 20 if I remember right. I have Airbag cradles on this truck too they worked out great as i need the gap filled from the leaf lift. I personally let the air out of my bags entirely when I’m not hauling... I know it says keep 5lbs in at a min. Crawl under there and squeeze them with 5lbs... hard as a rock.
I strap mine up out of the way when not in use , thats my 2 cents!

sirkdev · Jan 7, 2020

You used to be able to take your overload off and add it to your spring pack.. cheap and easy to try not sure about the 17+ though this was on previous trucks

pfi572 · Jan 7, 2020

https://carlisuspension.com/product.../03-09-components/dodge-long-travel-air-bags/

If you go bags get the long travel ones like Carli use .

https://alberta-air-suspension.myshopify.com/

These guys are great to deal with as well from what I have found .

OVERKILL 19 · Jan 7, 2020

pfi572 said:
https://carlisuspension.com/product.../03-09-components/dodge-long-travel-air-bags/

If you go bags get the long travel ones like Carli use .

https://alberta-air-suspension.myshopify.com/

These guys are great to deal with as well from what I have found .

I agree the Carli bags are very nice but I bought my firestone bags and wireless remote compressor for the dam near the same price as the carli bags, throw a set of cradles on and you accomplish the same thing. Imo most guys,my self included won’t wheel hard enough to warrant the carli long bags. I had a set and after I thought that was dumb, $1000 for driving down the hiway 99% of the time!!
They look great thou!
I’ve steered away somewhat from the Carli Koolaid, it’s all great stuff but it’s $$$$
I find Thuren stuff is just as good but cheaper! Plus I can pick up the phone and talk to Don.... I’ve never talked to Sage and I’ve called them 100x more than Thuren

Lunch_Box · Jan 7, 2020

Air bags all the way. The adjustability is well worth it, no matter the load you are always riding level and when you have no load you keep the same ride as factory. I have the Air Lift LoadLifter 5000 bags and their SmartAir compressor/control setup. It is nice having the bags fill or deflate as needed to keep the truck level based on the load.

pfi572 · Jan 7, 2020

OVERKILL 19 said:
I agree the Carli bags are very nice but I bought my firestone bags and wireless remote compressor for the dam near the same price as the carli bags, throw a set of cradles on and you accomplish the same thing. Imo most guys,my self included won’t wheel hard enough to warrant the carli long bags. I had a set and after I thought that was dumb, $1000 for driving down the hiway 99% of the time!!
They look great thou!
I’ve steered away somewhat from the Carli Koolaid, it’s all great stuff but it’s $$$$
I find Thuren stuff is just as good but cheaper! Plus I can pick up the phone and talk to Don.... I’ve never talked to Sage and I’ve called them 100x more than Thuren

Thank you ,
Yeh the Carli stuff is crazy IMO as well .

Travco28 · Jan 7, 2020

Carli Add -A-Pack and rear air bags with onboard compressor is the way to go . Truck sways less and corners like a sports car.
If somebody is interested i have a wire less Fire stone kit for sale F7 , new in box .

OVERKILL 19 · Jan 7, 2020

pfi572 said:
Thank you ,
Yeh the Carli stuff is crazy IMO as well .

If my numbers come in tonight I’ll part with a little of the 70 mill and get Carli to build a Ram diesel that can jump 8 ft in the air at 90mph in Glamis sand dunes.

Team Pigeon · Jan 7, 2020

Travco28 said:
Carli Add -A-Pack and rear air bags with onboard compressor is the way to go . Truck sways less and corners like a sports car.
If somebody is interested i have a wire less Fire stone kit for sale F7 , new in box .

Yup. Pm me details please. Links. Price. Pics if any.

Team Pigeon · Jan 7, 2020

Only one mention from the above comment in Carli add a leaf pkg.

The harsh rebound off the overload is pretty lame when I’m hauling 120 back to work on the sunchild and through the parkway.

Without making the truck stuff as a coffin, are airbags gonna help get rid of that bottom out rebound feeling? If not then I’d rather go for carli’s as it’s pretty rare I haul sleds mid winter as I sled from my house.

Do you guys remove the overload leaf when you put it your airbags??

OVERKILL 19 · Jan 8, 2020

Team Pigeon said:
Only one mention from the above comment in Carli add a leaf pkg.

The harsh rebound off the overload is pretty lame when I’m hauling 120 back to work on the sunchild and through the parkway.

Without making the truck stuff as a coffin, are airbags gonna help get rid of that bottom out rebound feeling? If not then I’d rather go for carli’s as it’s pretty rare I haul sleds mid winter as I sled from my house.

Do you guys remove the overload leaf when you put it your airbags??

Sorry I’m zero help in the add a leaf dept, I’ve only ever run the full leaf.
To the air bag ? On one truck I cut my overloads down to 14” overall length which is a old Don Thuren trick for the Dodge world, it works but full leafs are better but again way more $$
Fricken trucks, drives me nuts how much ya have to spend chasing that Cadillac ride in a one ton!

Stg2Suby · Jan 8, 2020

Team Pigeon said:
Only one mention from the above comment in Carli add a leaf pkg.

The harsh rebound off the overload is pretty lame when I’m hauling 120 back to work on the sunchild and through the parkway.

Without making the truck stuff as a coffin, are airbags gonna help get rid of that bottom out rebound feeling? If not then I’d rather go for carli’s as it’s pretty rare I haul sleds mid winter as I sled from my house.

Do you guys remove the overload leaf when you put it your airbags??

The add-a-leaf replaces the single thick factory overload spring with a progressive 5 spring pack. It provides more compliance and better ride unloaded. The loaded sag of the truck is supposed to end up similar to stock is what they say; my experience with the add-a-leaf on my '01 2500 ram was it sagged significantly more when loaded than stock.

edit: sorry I see its' 6 springs now not 5 and looks a little different design. I think the intent is the same though as the link in Post #1 states "oem load capacity is maintained". Ie the sag will be similar to stock for any given load.

sirkdev · Jan 8, 2020

Team Pigeon said:
Only one mention from the above comment in Carli add a leaf pkg.

The harsh rebound off the overload is pretty lame when I’m hauling 120 back to work on the sunchild and through the parkway.

Without making the truck stuff as a coffin, are airbags gonna help get rid of that bottom out rebound feeling? If not then I’d rather go for carli’s as it’s pretty rare I haul sleds mid winter as I sled from my house.

Do you guys remove the overload leaf when you put it your airbags??[/QUOT

This in my opinion is where slipping in the overload spring into your main pack is the winner.. gets rid of slap, adds capacity and is pretty much free, besides labor. I’ve been in your position exactly before. It did not change ride quality at all on my 2012.

Dawizman · Jan 8, 2020

sirkdev said:
Team Pigeon said:

Only one mention from the above comment in Carli add a leaf pkg.

The harsh rebound off the overload is pretty lame when I’m hauling 120 back to work on the sunchild and through the parkway.

Without making the truck stuff as a coffin, are airbags gonna help get rid of that bottom out rebound feeling? If not then I’d rather go for carli’s as it’s pretty rare I haul sleds mid winter as I sled from my house.

Do you guys remove the overload leaf when you put it your airbags??[/QUOT

This in my opinion is where slipping in the overload spring into your main pack is the winner.. gets rid of slap, adds capacity and is pretty much free, besides labor. I’ve been in your position exactly before. It did not change ride quality at all on my 2012.

Click to expand...

So wait, you do what? Remove the factory overload?

sirkdev · Jan 8, 2020

On the 15 and below I used to remove the overload and insert into the main spring pack. By looking at my 17 I think this is doable as well but I haven’t done it yet because I don’t need it. Seems to me it added about 4-500 lbs capacity and plus 1” ride height. Depending on where you insert in your leaf pack will determine the outcome.

skegpro · Jan 8, 2020

sirkdev said:
You used to be able to take your overload off and add it to your spring pack.. cheap and easy to try not sure about the 17+ though this was on previous trucks

Do you have any link on how to do this properly?

ZRrrr · Jan 8, 2020

I'm a big fan of Superspring products. Have run these on my last 2 350's: https://www.supersprings.com/products/sumosprings/

skegpro · Jan 8, 2020

ZRrrr said:
I'm a big fan of Superspring products. Have run these on my last 2 350's: https://www.supersprings.com/products/sumosprings/

I have these and they work good, no harsh bottoming.
Help to support the load a bit.

My springs on my f350 are simply worn out.

The stock springs on my srw are 2700lb +450lb overload and I am going switch them out for Dayton 43-1705 which are 3600 lb + 450lb overload.

City spring Edmonton, price is $467 per leaf.

Rear suspension- air bag VS Carli add a leaf pkg

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