stealth03ss Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 Hey guys. Just looking for some input on these. Im told you can purchase air shocks without pumps or anything and just pump these up with a reg compressor at home or gas station when your towing and this will stiffen up the rear....the reason I ask is my dynatechs and full exhaust is being installed now and the guy called me up and said "you might wanna come look at this" so I ride over to the shop and walk under the truck. Theres a nice rub mark running around the driveshaft where it hit the frame connector about three feet infront of the pumpkin. Theres rust on the frame connector where it hit and I am assuming this happened when towing my boat this summer. I dont jump the truck or take it off road so this has to be what happened since I bought it with 0 miles on it. Would these shocks be the most cost effective way to fix this? Its not like the suspension wont even close to handle it. The boat weighs around 3500lbs so the tonque weight cant be anymore than 1000 lbs. I would think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordsareslow Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 I am going to do it when I lower my truck. I am going to get the pumps and guage setup though. I think you can get just the air springs for around $250 and I think it would be a great improvement if you are towing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rays B4U Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 Now you got me worried! I tow a boat too, and I figure it weighs in at around 4500-5000 lbs. Guess I'd better check my driveline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealth03ss Posted March 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 Now you got me worried! I tow a boat too, and I figure it weighs in at around 4500-5000 lbs. Guess I'd better check my driveline. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> thats a big freakin boat. Mines only a 22ft bowrider. It bottomed out on the highway coming off a crappy bridge I remember it hitting pretty solid at about 75mph. 250 bucks! wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
03ScreaminSS Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 I have Firestone air ride on mine for hauling. It has the compressor in the engine bay. It ran me $800 installed for just the rear. Well worth the money. I run 85-90 with the boat and its solid. (Boat is a 21ft Bass Cat) I also haul a cattle trailer and that is really important then. That street tuned suspension bottomed out with the trailer empty. I got some pics of the bags in the back if you want them, and I can take a pic of the compressor and switches if you want also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rays B4U Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 Now you got me worried! I tow a boat too, and I figure it weighs in at around 4500-5000 lbs. Guess I'd better check my driveline. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> thats a big freakin boat. Mines only a 22ft bowrider. It bottomed out on the highway coming off a crappy bridge I remember it hitting pretty solid at about 75mph. 250 bucks! wow <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Mines only a 20ft bowrider (Sea Ray), dry weight is 3300 lbs, add the tandem axle trailer, 35 gallon of gas, and all of the other things you carry in a boat, it adds up. My guess is your towing weight is at least if not more than what mine is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker8 Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 I have Firestone air ride on mine for hauling. It has the compressor in the engine bay. It ran me $800 installed for just the rear. Well worth the money. I run 85-90 with the boat and its solid. (Boat is a 21ft Bass Cat) I also haul a cattle trailer and that is really important then. That street tuned suspension bottomed out with the trailer empty. I got some pics of the bags in the back if you want them, and I can take a pic of the compressor and switches if you want also. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Pics on your Firestone system would be cool. I am thinking about doing that also. From what i have seen it is a pretty straight forward air ride system. Mount the bags to the frame and leafs, mount the compressor, run electirical and pneumatic lines. Seems easy. One question, are you at stock hieght or are you lowered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hank Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 tonque weight is usually 1/10th of the trailer weight. 3500 lbs trailer = 350lbs tongue weight. i have had both air shock and air bags on my 96 silverado. definately go with the bags. the lower your truck is, the more angled your shocks are. more angle, the shock has less performance. the bags work up and down, no angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tawss04 Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 I hauled my 94 Tahoe 4x4 on my trailer (380mile trip) had no problems. If you need something to hold the weight I recommend a air bag setup. I put set on a Dodge 1500 that tows a fifth wheel camper, the customer loves them. They ordered the kit from summit racing (about $200 i think) installed at my shop for about $150. Does not effect the ride quality. Air shorhs are to overated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_w Posted March 15, 2005 Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 I was looking into suspension products to help with towing, but I ended up going with a Reese 800lb weight distributing hitch. If the TW is high enough to make the truck look like it's popping a wheelie with the trailer attached (only about 4-500lbs in my case), then I'd definitely recommend one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealth03ss Posted March 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 so 800 bucks for airbags? i think ill just drive a little slower on the highway when towing. My boat is a 2004 Sea Ray also. I know they are notoriously heavy and its actually 21.5ft long but I always tow it with the tank empty to save some weight. thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
03ScreaminSS Posted March 15, 2005 Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 Looks like there are no fishers in the group here. Any of you boat on Lake of the Ozarks? We can race I have a Bass Cat Cougar FTD with a 250 Mercury ProXB with a racing lower unit on my boat, it moves . Fastest I've gotten it was 102 on GPS. As for the bags, here are pics of the bags them self, when I get my digital back I'll snap some of the compressor and what not. And I ride stock height (for now). I know it's dirty, I live on a gravel road. (edit: fixed images) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigW Posted March 15, 2005 Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 Never had any problems with my snowmobile trailer. Tongue weight empty is 350lbs. With four sleds and the trailer its 450lbs. Trailer weight with four sleds is 6000lbs. I do get flashed saying my headlights are on high. Truck only drops about 2.5 inches when loaded. (no bags) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealth03ss Posted March 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2005 Looks like there are no fishers in the group here. Any of you boat on Lake of the Ozarks? We can race I have a Bass Cat Cougar FTD with a 250 Mercury ProXB with a racing lower unit on my boat, it moves . Fastest I've gotten it was 102 on GPS. As for the bags, here are pics of the bags them self, when I get my digital back I'll snap some of the compressor and what not. And I ride stock height (for now). I know it's dirty, I live on a gravel road. (edit: fixed images) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> haha i dunno where that even is. I go to lake wallenpaupack in the poconos and would like to go to raystown lake this summer once maybe (mid western pa). ive had my boat up to a blistering 51mph, ill give you a headstart. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordsareslow Posted March 16, 2005 Report Share Posted March 16, 2005 so 800 bucks for airbags? i think ill just drive a little slower on the highway when towing. My boat is a 2004 Sea Ray also. I know they are notoriously heavy and its actually 21.5ft long but I always tow it with the tank empty to save some weight. thanks guys. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Check out summit you can get it without the guages and compressor for cheap. Do the install yourself one weekend, and your going to be out alot less than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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