 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / January 2006Spring Boosters and Shocks for Pickup?
1997 F-250 HD 8600 GVWR 460CID Std Cab RE: Spring Boosters and Shocks for Pickup? I want to install spring boosters to help support a 2750-Lb cabover camper, and to install shock absorbers to reduce vehicle sway. This is my first camper and I don't know what is available, what works best, or if a spring/shock combination is recommended. Thanks for any suggestions. Rodan. ______________________________________ >1997 F-250 HD 8600 GVWR 460CID Std Cab > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > >Rodan. I think I'd sell it and get something with a camper certification. I have Ride-Rite air bags on my motorhome. They are good for about 40 lbs of support for each pound of air. If your cabover weighs 2750, that weight will mostly be supported by the rear wheels. Say, about 1400 lbs per wheel. A pair of air bags on the rear will support up to an additional 5000 lbs on your rig. What you can do is to use the air bags to return the body to level after installing the cabover. Good luck! > 1997 F-250 HD 8600 GVWR 460CID Std Cab > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Rodan. > ______________________________________ > I have Ride-Rite air bags on my motorhome. They are good for about 40 lbs of > support for each pound of air. If your cabover weighs 2750, that weight will [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Good luck! snipped I think the OP needs to research his situation better. He needs to check his truck spec sheet and determine if his allowable bed load weight is sufficient to handle the camper. I have serious doubts whether an F250 of '97 vintage is heavy enough in the spring and axle department. He's talking about a much bigger load than 2,750 lbs as he hasn't even added in the stuff which will live in the camper (food etc.). Hugh >> I have Ride-Rite air bags on my motorhome. They are good for about 40 >> lbs of support for each pound of air. If your cabover weighs 2750, [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > in the stuff which will live in the camper (food etc.). > Hugh I agree, the 8600 GVWR will be eat up fast with the dry weight of the vehicle XX XX what ever it is along with the dry weight of 2750 and add the rest of the cargo liquids/ fuel and water, people, dogs and food. Dont expect any increase of the GVWR as a result of adding additional springs, shocks and air bags, just dont forget to add their weight to the list of cargo.  SignatureBILL P. Just Dog & ME Most of the folks we have talked with in person run the air bags on their trucks with the slide in heavier campers. These are usually on 3/4 and 1 ton rigs(including duallys). They can be adjusted as mentioned to add support for xx lbs per lb of inflation. They are especially good for if one side of the camper is heavier than the other (it normally is) and you squirt them up individually so the camper/truck bed is level while on the road/inuse (which is the primary reason along with increase load capacity of the truck). You can let some air out when the camper is not on the back to allow a smother ride. With the spring booster they are always there, do not allow for as much added gross weight as the bags, there is no side to side adjustment for leveling, and the ride will be harsher when the camper is not in the back. The springs are cheaper to buy/install the bags should go around $250 by themselves and $350 installed around here in SE WI? JCB 03 GMC Sierra/2500HD/4X4/EC/LB/Diesel/Allison/RBW 06 Open Road 296RLDS Fiver > 1997 F-250 HD 8600 GVWR 460CID Std Cab > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Rodan. > ______________________________________ > Most of the folks we have talked with in person run the air bags on their > trucks with the slide in heavier campers. These are usually on 3/4 and 1 [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > road/inuse (which is the primary reason along with increase load capacity > of the truck). Excuse me, but adding air bags, springs, vocal incantations or blessings by the local priest won't increase the load capacity of any truck, only the manufacturer (or a complete rebuild including frame, axle, wheels, suspension, etc.) can do that. However, air bags may very useful for leveling an uneven load. Ron > You can let some air out when the camper is not on the back to allow a > smother ride. With the spring booster they are always there, do not allow [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] >> Rodan. >> ______________________________________ >Most of the folks we have talked with in person run the air bags on >their trucks with the slide in heavier campers. These are usually on 3/4 [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >buy/install the bags should go around $250 by themselves and $350 >installed around here in SE WI? Most of the trucks hauling campers you see are overloaded. Airbags can't add load capacity; airbags, stronger frame, bigger brakes and heavier running gear can. I see where Jayseebee <Jayseebee@nowhere.com> suggested that air bags . . . . > are especially good for >if one side of the camper is heavier than the other (it normally is) and >you squirt them up individually so the camper/truck bed is level while >on the road/inuse (which is the primary reason along with increase load >capacity of the truck). As others point out, suspension mods do NOT increase the capacity of the truck. At best they allow a more level attitude when overloaded. I dunno how many truck campers are overloaded, but it's certainly more than half. I'd encourage the OP to get a much lighter camper. Will Sill The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.