Not your typical bags question! Need some help please

[scooter99]

So I have a 1994 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long bed. It's a big boy truck. I love it, I love how it feels, aside of the loose steering issue that I have. But that's another episode! When you own a big boy truck you deal with big boy things! Here in Northern California our freeways, while changing over now, are all concrete and irritating if you'r not used to driving in one of these trucks. Those with 3/4 or 1 tons know what i'm talking about. After 10 minutes on one of these roads you feel like you've been in a bounce house with 50 wild kids. It's nutz! But I'm used to it. My wife and kids however, not big fans!

So in my ever long quest to make them happy, I'm trying to find a way to soften the ride of this beast a bit. I've heard people talk about leaf spring swaps that have a softer feel to them etc. I don't have coil springs on mine, they're all leaf springs. It is a 4wd btw. But I'm not sure about that. Maybe a combination of things will help, that being one of them.

What I'm wondering is, if air bags all the way around will help soften the ride at all? I'm sure this would have to be a 100% custom set up, and frankly while I'm pretty damn handy, I'm a general contractor and good with tools and mechanical things, I know nothing really, to say I have no experience is more like it, about this department. So first the question, will bags help my ride? Second, what would I need to make this happen? I'm not trying to make it go up and down and "sit rail" or anything like that. 99% of the time, it will be set in one spot and left there. Not sure if that matters or not. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

This is not a daily driver, btw, it's our families "fun truck" that we take camping and stuff like that.

I appreciate anyone's help and look forward to what everyone has to offer on this! Thanks!

Edited June 8, 2012 by scooter99

[Parentnoia]

Think these will help? I did some looking and they sound good.

https://www.sulastic.com/Default.aspx

[xx1]

yes, properly set bags will definately soften your truck. I've got an S10 with bags, it rides like a lincoln.!

[Parentnoia]

Well, dont quote me or anything, but I was reading that there's a difference between simply bagging a truck and an actual big rig style air ride system. I need to look further in, but that's what a few places have said. Lemme see if I can find the site again.

Edit: Air Ride That's the site for the "big rig style" ride smoothing system.

Edited June 8, 2012 by Parentnoia

[CLNSHVNnDRAGGN]

If you're going to go through the work of bagging it just for a softer ride why not just link it, front and rear, and put coils in it?

[scooter99]

Think these will help? I did some looking and they sound good.

https://www.sulastic.com/Default.aspx

Those do look good. I'll have to look further into them and get more info. I'm wondering if the cost is for just the rear, or just front, or if it's both front and rear.

Well, dont quote me or anything, but I was reading that there's a difference between simply bagging a truck and an actual big rig style air ride system. I need to look further in, but that's what a few places have said. Lemme see if I can find the site again.

Edit: Air Ride That's the site for the "big rig style" ride smoothing system.

Yes, this! This is what i'm looking for. But I'm not sure I want to go to the expense of it. I'll email them and see what they say. They only go down to a 1999 Ford though. I don't really want a lift kit, well really I do but I know my wife wouldn't be happy about it. But the ride comfort is the most important thing. Iv'e been told I have a 4" lift already, but I don't know about that. I don't see anything that would indicate I do, on my truck that is.

If you're going to go through the work of bagging it just for a softer ride why not just link it, front and rear, and put coils in it?

Well going to coils means I have to weld brackets on etc, cause I don't have coil springs on my truck now, they're only leaf springs, but the bottom line is I don't know how to weld. I shouldn't say that, I'm sure it's not rocket science, I just don't have any experience in welding. For whatever reason I never got into it. Maybe it's a good time to start.

But yes Coils would be great!! What do you mean by link it btw?

[CLNSHVNnDRAGGN]

Well going to coils means I have to weld brackets on etc, cause I don't have coil springs on my truck now, they're only leaf springs, but the bottom line is I don't know how to weld. I shouldn't say that, I'm sure it's not rocket science, I just don't have any experience in welding. For whatever reason I never got into it. Maybe it's a good time to start.

But yes Coils would be great!! What do you mean by link it btw?

With bags you'll have to weld too. Without any experience welding I WOULD NOT learn on something like the suspension of the vehicle you haul your family around in not to mention have on the road with other people. Sure it's not rocket science but if you don't know what you're doing and jump into a project like that you're going to kill someone. As for linking it, I mean like a 4 link setup or similar.

Edited June 8, 2012 by CLNSHVNnDRAGGN

[scooter99]

Well going to coils means I have to weld brackets on etc, cause I don't have coil springs on my truck now, they're only leaf springs, but the bottom line is I don't know how to weld. I shouldn't say that, I'm sure it's not rocket science, I just don't have any experience in welding. For whatever reason I never got into it. Maybe it's a good time to start.

But yes Coils would be great!! What do you mean by link it btw?

With bags you'll have to weld too. Without any experience welding I WOULD NOT learn on something like the suspension of the vehicle you haul your family around in not to mention have on the road with other people. Sure it's not rocket science but if you don't know what you're doing and jump into a project like that you're going to kill someone. As for linking it, I mean like a 4 link setup or similar.

This completely goes without saying. I'd never jeopardize my families lives like that. No what I mean by learning how to weld is, learn, do some other stuff, and then possibly tackle a project like this down the road when I know how to do it. I'd never try something like this without the knowledge first. But I do appreciate it being said none the less. I know people out there would have no problem doing so! Just not worth it to me to take my families life in danger for something aftermarket.

No this is simply a recon mission for myself to know what I would need and what would need to be done so I can get on picking up parts for down the road. I know a couple people around too that could help me weld and assist me and teach me along the way.

[[email protected]]

Scooter,

If I am understanding correctly, you are after a better ride but want to keep your truck as useable as ig currently is. Its really not a problem and you can do it without doing a full blown link setup. Linking the suspension would be nice but not needed. You could remove a couple of leafsprings out of the packs to soften the ride and then install air springs to get your load capacity back. This will give you a good ride and still have load carrying capability.

[scooter99]

That sounds like a good deal. How hard would it be to remove those springs? Air bags like the Firestone ones I've looked at. Seem pretty simple. Thanks for the info.