Steer axle air ride assist. NOT LOW RIDER.

Discussion in 'Heavy Haul Trucking Forum' started by Jace379, Mar 6, 2017.

  1. Jace379

    Jace379 Light Load Member

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    Hello everyone, im a newbie here to this forum and have a question for the veterans. I have a 379 that i some what overload the front axle on a regular basis. Its a 379ext with a 12000lb front. Right now it has a bearcat spray system on it that holds 3700 gallons. When im on the job site im doing alot of back and forth and turning around and what not so i leave the tag axles up. Well with them up it has around 18000 lbs on the front axle. So of course the front suspension is like a mm away front bottomed out so im wondering if one of these air ride assist kits would be the answer. Just looking for some input or somebody that has one, cant find anybody that does ive done all kinds of searches and cant find anyone talking about them. Also does anybody know how much weight they can support. And before anybody lays into me about road safety and all the bs about not haveing a heavy enough axle and blah blah, i know the axle can handle it when im going 30 in a 3 mile work zone it has tags for when its on the highway so it is a safe truck. Also i know i could just put heavier springs on the axle but thats a last resort. If i wanted a bouncy ####### of a truck i would have purchased a different one. I hope im not sounding like a dick but if anybody could give me some info it would be appreciated. I put in a link for the kits.

    Thank you and sorry for the long post.

    http://www.4statetrucks.com/frame-chassis/semi-truck-front-air-ride-kits_314.asp
     
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  3. special-k

    special-k Road Train Member

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    A guy l knew ran a similar setup on his mi ohio 4 axle. He had a 379 exhd and said it put 2000-3000lbs more on his front axle iirc. Said it reduced sway on off ramps and such when he was loaded with the axles up. They ran with a ohio permit that allowed them up to 17000 on the steers if they could get it there.
     
  4. Jace379

    Jace379 Light Load Member

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    Thanks for the quick reply. I was hoping it would be more then 3000 but I'll take it I guess.
     
  5. Rontonio

    Rontonio Road Train Member

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    Well let me be the first to say you are sounding like a dick and that continously overloading your axle by 50% is an issue. It is too bad that you are not willing to suffer ride quality issues to avoid a potential safety issue.
     
  6. Razororange

    Razororange Road Train Member

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    Adding air helpers doesn't increase the load rating of the axle under them. While you may only be using them to over load off road that still does long term stress damage to the steel. It will only bend so many times before it fails. Sure you may not be overloading it on the highway but the damage is already done off road. Stress fractures will be so small you won't see them until it's too late.

    Sorry to say but the guys in the Flatbed/Heavy Haul area will likely not take to well to what you want to do. You are going to have a hard time finding much info here.
     
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  7. Rontonio

    Rontonio Road Train Member

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    @Razororange you are so polite, I
    am Going to call you when my A hole tendencies start to
    Come out
     
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  8. snowman_w900

    snowman_w900 Road Train Member

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    Have you even tried going to a truck spring and suspension shop?
     
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  9. snowman_w900

    snowman_w900 Road Train Member

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    Oh yeah....how do YOU KNOW the axle can handle it. You do realize how hard being off road in a truck designed for ON road is on that axle beam, right?
     
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  10. Jace379

    Jace379 Light Load Member

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    My job site is on road, sorry for the confusion.
     
  11. Jace379

    Jace379 Light Load Member

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    I knew this would take a turn for the worse. It's on a tar road too, not gravel or a poorly prepped road, always blacktopped roads.
     
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