2001 2500hd/sled deck without airbags?
- Thread starter ullose272
- Start date
I know a lot of people run without air bags and don't have any problems. I installed airbags this yr because I have an 11.5ft camper. They do provide a more stable ride. Definitely not mandatory though. My brother hauls his 10.5ft camper without airbags. His truck squats and my truck doesn't. That is the biggest difference.
I had airbags in my 2500 GMC. You can go without, but it does help stabilize the load. I would run at about 20lbs. Just help with any sag or sway. You can get away w/o them though. Just ask the 1/2 sled bed guys, they don't need a 3/4 ton truck!
I have a 2002 duramax 2500 with a 3 inch lift and a toyup deck. I ran it for a year without airbags, and it was fine. I put the bags on last year only because of my toy hauler, and it makes a difference. I was never worried about it without them though. If I didn't have the toy hauler, I wouldn't have installed the bags.
I completely agree. I think I spent like $280 for mine, and install was super simple. Now that I have them on and know the difference, I'll be putting them on any truck I own.
If you want to maintain a stability with a heavy load in your bed, look on any Truck Camper/RV forum. They use Tork Lift Stable Load's which are less than $200 or Super Springs to augment your suspension the way it was designed. You keep a smooth ride when empty and level stable ride under heavy load, no air compressor to deal with or sway like you can get with airbags.
My Dodge 2500 came with airbags. They have a REALLY slow leak at the switch that I've not gotten around to fixing. I have a deck, two heavy sleds (~650 & ~750, respectively), plus a bunch of crap in the bed.
With the airbags and 40ishpsi, no problem.
They bled down one day, and it was cold enough that something in my compressor/tank froze - could not refill.
It was not SCARY, but the additional sway made me nervous.
Doable, yes. Heck, about what you'd expect putting 1200# on the back of your truck.
WITH airbags, though, I barely notice the sleds up there.
So...doable, sure, absolutely, but you'll feel them flopping around occasionally. I'd put airbags on, personally, but had I not gotten used to it WITH airbags, I'd probably not mind without.
With the airbags and 40ishpsi, no problem.
They bled down one day, and it was cold enough that something in my compressor/tank froze - could not refill.
It was not SCARY, but the additional sway made me nervous.
Doable, yes. Heck, about what you'd expect putting 1200# on the back of your truck.
WITH airbags, though, I barely notice the sleds up there.
So...doable, sure, absolutely, but you'll feel them flopping around occasionally. I'd put airbags on, personally, but had I not gotten used to it WITH airbags, I'd probably not mind without.
I have a 3/4 ton dodge and don't run air bags with my deck. have a 4 inch lift. May be just me being crazy but i fill with the long bed you get a lot more weight transferred forward. For example you have about a foot and a half from front of bed to axle on a short box vs two or two and a half feet on a long box. "Numbers are a ruff estimate so please don't jump me" but case in point the motor and front of sled is past the axle on a long bed vs short bed and helps i think
