[00buck]

The easy answer is to buy an F-350 instead of a 250, but since I didn't...

What is the best way (money is a concern) to make this nose up look go away-

To be fair there are some totes in the bed, but then again there is a fully loaded cooler on the back of the trailer that should be helping ease tounge weight as well.

For Comparison, here is my last ruck with the same load, sitting flat, no aftermarket dohickeys required-

What I'm considering is Overload springs vs. Air bags vs. blocks.

Blocks- If I could block the rear up another 1/2" or so it would have a nice mild rake to it unloaded then flatten out when loaded. I was in traffic next to a 2011 short box CC F-350 the other day & LOVED the way it looked compared to mine.

Airbags- If I go airbag, which brand looks & works best? Can you just add air when needed or is it best to have the onboard compressor & gauges.

Springs- Overload springs that only take effect when loaded- I've heard they last longer than bags, but are unadjustable. Are they a more heavier duty cost effective option?

Thx for the help.

I knew the ride was smoother in the F-250, now I know how they made it happen. There is no magic to the smoothness.

 

[Hdslider]

Air bags.You can keep it where you want it. personal preference would be on board pump and guages. but $$$control what you may want to do. Firestone bags. Look up Epic Cowlicks airbag installation. very sweet.

 

[PerryB]

The airbags would probably be the most versitile choice for the obvious reason of adjustability. The firestone "NO-DRILL" kit number is 2535 and it is truly no drill. I have it on my '11 F350 and its great for leveling the truck with the 5th wheel attached. My kingpin weight runs right at 2700 lbs - dierctly over the axle. Ironically I just finished LOWERING my rear end because it was so high. It caused the trailer to run more nose high than I liked. I took the original 4" blocks out of the rear and installed the 2 inchers (for an f250). Now when I'm empty and no air in the bags I sit about 1-1/2" high in the rear. With the trailer hooked up and 50psi in the bags I still sit about 3/4" up in the rear and the trailer is almost perfect (1" higher in front than rear). I'm taking my numbers off the upper body line at 2 places. 1) At the rear of the truck. 2) At the rear of the front fender. You can't measure at the very front because that line slopes down slightly once it gets to the front fender. If you choose to go the block route you'll need the blocks, U-bolts and shocks for a 350 SRW.Also longer sway bar rods if you have a sway bar. Be aware that the left sway bar rod is a pain to remove thanks to the DEF tank, which must be loosened and moved aside. Forget it, get the bags. They run about $350 and you don't have to run around with your fanny in the air when empty (that tailgate gets awfully high).Also, if you're having any of the infamous driveline shudder issue,the airbags will either eliminate or dramatically reduce it. I needed the bags primarily to help the shudder issue, but got too tall in the rear by the time I had any meaningful pressure in them, thats why I swapped in the shorter blocks. As far as durability/longevity, you'll probably wear the rest of the truck out first, and in my opinion you don't need the onboard air system. I'm sure its a nice thing to have but more than doubles-probably triples-the installation labor. If you look under the tailgate,above the bumper, you'll see two holes just outside the licence plate that are perfect for the air fittings. Hook them up seperately and you can adjust for uneven loads and you get better vehicle stability (hooking them to a common fitting can cause increased body roll with top heavy loads.

 

[00buck]

Great responses fellas, thanks for taking the time to lay it out for me.

Looks like air bags are in order, after a bed liner that is.......

 

[chuckster57]

On board air

I have to say that after having it both ways, the on board air is the way to go. I had bags and the bumper fills on my old '86 F250. Put about 45 Lbs in them when I hauled the fiver in sig. Biggest problem was the stiff ride after we dropped the trailer and did any runing around or sight seeing. My present truck has on board air and the ability to adjust (add air) when your on a bad stretch of road is awesome, and my set-up allows for bumper fill or compressor fill and the ability to dump air from one side or both. Now when I pull the trailer to the campground, I deflate the bags to 5 PSI for a much better trip to the store.

 

[HorseMan-AR]

PerryB-how difficult was it to change out the 350 blocks to create the 250 rear end height? I'd like to do the same. Have you had any issues? Wouldn't this impact how the overload springs sit? Can you PM me, or may I do the same to discuss?