Medium duty truck stuff

[blazinzuk]

Mostly suspension stuff. I have a friend who wants me to help him build an air ride for his hauler



I'm comfortable with suspension design on trucks but on medium duty stuff I'm a bit of a newb. There are a couple kits for these trucks but they are in the 7 to 10k range.

He has a weight slip unloaded and loaded on both axles. Gonna start with the front this year and likely do the back next year.

Advice, ideas? Suggestions?

 

[Blazooki]

put the fire out b4 you put that in your shop..

 

[6872xtc]

I would swap the rear first. I say this because most factory installations are on the rear only. Then he can keep consistent ride height but also dump the air to lower for loading.
On the front, I would want to have one of the factory sway bars.
And I have never found anyone who had great success with a leveling valve at each corner, so we always just tied the pairs of bags to one valve. (4 or 8 on a tandem)

 

[TuckerK5]

Ram has been offering rear air ride for a few years now on 2500s and 3500s. I have it on my ‘16 2500 and love it.
I did load a 7000 pound forklift on the front end of my bumper hitch trailer and it would not lift back up.

Suggestion is you might find a 3500 with air ride in a junkyard to scavenge some parts off of.

It has its own electric pump.

 

[vandelay industries]

1) First off, your friend doesn't appear to be a shy guy..........

2) Regarding the suspension: Can't you just take an existing air-ride off of a heavy-duty class 8 and bolt it in? i would ASSume so, since the framerails are the same width apart (i think?).

3) More importantly, to me: Are there any medium duty websites/forums around?

 

[sweetk30]

find a med duty international like a 4700 series truck . lots of them had air ride rear and the frames are all 34" wide on med duty stuff for the most part . and most med duty stuff is square axle tubes .

this will get you the fastest air ride bolt in kit and most easy list of service parts for him .

 

[blazinzuk]

Awesome info. I will have him measure the frame rails.

@vandelay industries oddly enough he is a super quite guy most people might consider him shy. But the camper matches the truck he tows with it



He wants to start with the front to improve the ride.

@6872xtc yah already looking for the largest sway bar we can put under there.

The plan is to tie the two front bags together. Then when we do the rear tie those together too. So you can raise or lower the front or back. Eventually have a leveler on it so it does it automatically too

 

[sweetk30]

i use to drive a c5500 rollback . the frame is 34" wide its the industy standard width .

and my fellings was the rear was stiffer than the front by far .

 

[blazinzuk]

i use to drive a c5500 rollback . the frame is 34" wide its the industy standard width .

and my fellings was the rear was stiffer than the front by far .

He feels like the back is a little stiff but the front is bad. I have never ridden in it.

Thanks for the info Brett I'm totally new to medium duty stuff.

 

[6872xtc]

I wonder if it never gets enough weight up front for what the springs are. I am not saying that they ever ride wonderful, but they were better when there was enough weight up there. But I also wasn't a fan of the lo-pro tires. It seemed to me that the little version rode worse than the ones that had 11R22.5 tires due to the sidewall height. Not sure if it was just my opinion.
I never drove one of the International medium trucks with air ride.

 

[blazinzuk]

This is an ex u haul truck. Had a blown motor. He picked it up for a song. It's an 8.1 backed by an Allison.

 

[sweetk30]

225/70/19.5 tires then just like i drove .

look up kelderman air ride maybe they have a good bolt in kit .

yep they sure do offer kits . https://kelderman.com/shop/?cat=4&vehicle_year=12&vehicle_make=27&vehicle_model=43

front kit 2795.00
rear kit 4000.00
air level kit https://kelderman.com/shop/mechanical-self-leveling-air-control-system-4-link-suspension

 

[imiceman44]

find a med duty international like a 4700 series truck . lots of them had air ride rear and the frames are all 34" wide on med duty stuff for the most part . and most med duty stuff is square axle tubes .

this will get you the fastest air ride bolt in kit and most easy list of service parts for him .

I agree