Air bags vs stabilizer bar - Diesel Forum

Painted Horse · 03-17-2006, 01:08 PM

Ford is offering such great rebates to us 2003 owners right now I decided to get a new truck.

Problem is the rebates are on 2005/06 models and they are disappearing very quickly.

I can get a truck with everything I want except it doesn't have the Camper package which includes the rear stabilizer bar. Dealer wants over $500 in parts and 2 hours labor to install one. His is recommending to skip the stabilizer bar and just install air bags.

Claims its a better solution, softer ride when the bags are deflated and all the advantages of the rear stabilzer bar when inflated. and the cost is only $250 or so

So is this a Crock of salesmans lies or is it true?
I won't carry a camper. But I do tow big trailers (both gooseneck and bumper) a lot. Most of my trailers are around 12,000 to 14,000 pounds. The gooseneck trailers are no big deal, but the bumper trailers seem to be a tail wagging the dog.

allenp412 · 03-17-2006, 02:20 PM

Two different animals.
The air bags keep your back from sagging under load by automaticly adding or subtracting pressure as needed to maintain ride height.
The sway bar resists leaning from one side to the other. It does NOT affect ride height or load capability.

Allen

Painted Horse · 03-18-2006, 01:08 AM

That's what I always thought, The dealer is back to telling stories.

IHI · 03-18-2006, 09:15 AM

We use air bags all the time in drag racing for a cheap solution to prevent body roll in stock suspended chasies. It does not cure body roll completely, but I can tell you with 100% certainty it almost eliminates it.

So from my racing background and hauling trailers for years with about every concieveable configuration of suspension enhancers, for your purposes the air bags will work perfectly in this situation. If it's just trailer towing your concrened with, hooking the bags together with the Y connector will suit your needs just fine and will make a HUGE difference in tag trailer towing, depending on tounge weight we've had the bags upto 100psi with equalizer hitch to get a level ride, coupled with a single stage sway control and it's 1 finger driving in almost all conditions.

Think of the air bags when inflated as an almost solid suspension piece with enough give to have a decent ride, but stiff enough it twarts body roll.

Save the $500 and install the bags, you wont regret it.

444turbodiesel · 03-19-2006, 12:48 PM

The antirollbar option was not on my truck either, I bought the parts from the dealer for less than $200 (it's been 4yrs) and installed them myself in about an hour.

Airbags will offer some resistance to roll (depending on how you plumb them) but you will give up some ride quality (yes, even empty they have some pressure to prevent collapse and do effect the ride).

The bags used on pickup applications are very small and as a result, have extremely high spring rates. Larger bags have lower spring rates, but will not fit in this application. You could install ping tanks to soften them up or, like most, you'll get used to it.

Painted Horse · 03-19-2006, 02:46 PM

I kinda suspected that. I may try and order the sway bar later. I tore all the ligaments in my wrist this winter and am not to interested in turning wrenchs until it heals.

I know I'm pushing the towing limits when I haul my skid loader in my dump trailer. I may be better off getting a flat bed trailer for the skid loader, they are lighter and easier to load the skid loader on. And the flat bed allows me to better center the skid loader over the axles. In order to get the back doors to shut on the dump trailer I have to pull the skid loader a little to forward, putting to much weight on the bumper.

444turbodiesel · 03-19-2006, 03:45 PM

If you plan to haul excessive weight (up to 20,000#) with a rear hitch type trailer, I'd go with a PullRite hitch.

They offer the highest load rating you can get, turn like a GN (eliminating the tail wagging dog syndrome) as well as the ability to transfer more weight to the FA than a conventional WD hitch.

You will probably find with one of these, airbags/swaybars are not necessary. You'll get the best of both worlds, low CG from a rear hitch trailer with the stability of a 5th wheel (or GN)