Air Bags

Yea I've seen this before. $4500 just for the rear without air compressor. Way out of budget for me for a work truck.

 

Finished my airbag install today. Tomorrow first load with airbags. When unloaded bobtail I can raise the rear about an inch and a half at about 60-70 psi. Bags can take 100 psi.

If you can see, the rear bracket that holds the mud guards/wheel well is mounted in a weird place. When I am heavy the leaf springs will bottom out and hit the rear bracket because it is mounted lower than the the bump stop. Hoping the airbags could keep that from happening.

Had to do some drilling to mount the top bracket but other than that its all just bolt on.

 

That's pretty simular to how I'm looking to do mine but I'm thinking of doing dual air bags. I'm planning to build my own brackets though. I have more open frame on each side of the axle ubots so I can do an airbag each side of the ubolts.

Did you notice any diffrence in the ride?

 

I think 2 airbags each side is overkill. A pair will level out up to 5000 lb pin weight. Ride is a bit better but its no cadillac. I think maybe it helped cause my rear shocks were done and needed replacement. Looking for a heavy duty shock set for the rear now.

Get a big air tank as I noticed filling up the airbags from 20 psi to 90 psi takes 3 full tanks and the compressor can't fill them up directly so have to wait for the tank to fill. I'm gonna swap out the 1.5 gal tank it came with with a bigger one.

 

Yeah but my truck is a 5500 so rear axle rating is almost 9k

 

Sounds like you may have already fixed your truck. But my F450 I did a Reyco rear suspension, it cost around 3500 and is build more like a tractor trailer rear air suspension. It rides real smooth loaded or empty. Was cheaper than the Kelderman and looks better designed.
I have used the add on air bags before but didnt notice a big improvement so this truck I decided to do it right, and think it was well spent.