Load Leveling suspension - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

AvroAero · 09-04-2006, 09:47 PM

I'm in the market for an expedition for the winter hopefully. I've been looking at some and have been trying to find one with the load leveling suspension since my current car has it and I like it. It's hard to find one with it, or they just don't advertise it well, so; Is the air suspension nessasary in a larger vehicle like that. I'll often be handleing 2 sleds on a semi heavy trailer, occasionally with 5 people in the truck to. Is it worth it? Do any of you have problems with heavy loads bringing down your truck's arse end?

ponchonutty · 09-04-2006, 10:01 PM

My dad decided to tow a small trailer behind his new F150 only to find that the rear really sagged a lot. So, I installed a set of airbag helpers with their own compressor and inside gauges with control valves. It works like a charm and ran about $350 and an afternoon worth of work.

ITriumph · 09-05-2006, 11:30 AM

A little trick my dad taught me is when you have the trailer attached to the vehicle, put the jackstand down like yur raising the tongue. This will raise the rear of the vehicle.Keep jackinging it until the rear is higher than the front. Then raise the jackstand. It should level the vehicle. My dad did this with a half ton truck hauling a 20' travel trailer. Worked great.

PolarisINDY500 · 09-05-2006, 12:06 PM

i dont think the expeditions came with the load levelilng. navigators i believe had the air suspension.

a friend of mine installed air bags on his Z71 for when he hauls his sleds. he has a 6 place (?) enclosed trailer (like 'ridas but bigger). and he did it to level out the truck/trailer and to help with fuel mpg. he said it makes for a smoother ride and does help a little bit on mpg.

his air bag setup is quite simple and installed in in an afternoon. basically it just bolts to his rear axle, and to the frame. however, i think in lieu of bolting to the frame he welded it.

when i pull my 2 place, w/ gear and a full tank, my F150 sits level. my dads does the same.

i think if your pulling a heavy trailer like that, and for what you said, the air ride would be a good investment.

AvroAero · 09-05-2006, 04:23 PM

Its optional I read. I don't think it'll be that heavy, I only say because I was carrying the steel and just one of the peices was a freaking ton. But we'll see.

Since you say your truck can handle that sitting level, I'll just purchase one weather or not it has it, and install some ride-rites if it becomes a problem. I was just saying because I drove back from Florida yesturday in a loaded, not overloaded but enough, Montana and hitting large bumps made the thing continously jump up and down.

How much would some ride-rites go for anyway?

ponchonutty · 09-05-2006, 04:39 PM

Hey, also, try to pack your gear the right way too so you don't have unnessary weight where it doesn't belong. So, inside the vehicle try to have as much weight before the axels as you can and on the trailer, try to have as much weight on the rear of the trailer in order to have a nuetral tow.

mx and sled 41 · 09-05-2006, 04:44 PM

z71 chevs come with them, my buddy blew his right rear airbag on sunday when he missed a corner and hit the ditch, and buldozed a hill beside the road doin about 75km/h in a 50 zone

i could be wrong... maybe his mom had them put in afterwards but before he bought the truck off her.. its an 01 GMC 1500

BRPforlife · 09-05-2006, 07:45 PM

I think that buick of yours could handle the weight better

If it's just a standard flat bed open two-place than the tongue weight with two sleds shouldn't be more than 100 lbs or so if the sleds are loaded correctly. I think the airbags would be the way to go if you're concerned about weight issues. But what the fudge do I know?

mattg1024 · 09-05-2006, 10:51 PM

A cheap way if your fairly mechanically inclined could be just to add a leaf spring or two from the junkyard. Probably cost less than 50 bucks for 4 of them, 2 on each side.

AvroAero · 09-05-2006, 11:24 PM

Well the buick does have air bags in the back. Now I think it'll be fine.

Formula_Canuk · 09-07-2006, 10:47 PM

Our ole expedition tows the 2 place trailer like its not even there. Just something else to break imho. I hope you don't plan on driving it a lot though, ours gets like 13mpg

AvroAero · 09-07-2006, 10:55 PM

Probably as much, if not less than the my buick. Which isn't much. Company gas

.

nice sig.

plyr2k · 09-10-2006, 01:39 AM

we have an 88 3/4 ton (6 lug but says 2500) and have pulled our 4 place open steel trailer with 5 long tracks on it. I think youll be fine.

mx and sled 41 · 09-10-2006, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Formula_Canuk

Our ole expedition tows the 2 place trailer like its not even there. Just something else to break imho. I hope you don't plan on driving it a lot though, ours gets like 13mpg

wow, expeditions must have a different engine than the explorers... my dads explorer you can feel you're pulling something when we had 3 bikes on a 2 place open sled trailer

Formula_Canuk · 09-10-2006, 02:01 PM

Yea a 5.4L in the expedition, 8,000lb towing capacity.