Airbags VS Sumo VS Active Suspension - Ride Quality?

Have a 2016 TRD Pro now.
Looking to improve stability towing without using a weight distribution hitch. I'm typically towing friends trailers that don't have this setup and I don't have time to install it on the occasion I'm just grabbing a buddies trailer.

So looking to reduce squat the once a month or so I'm towing 6-8K lbs.

All other times I just want the truck to ride like stock.
I was thinking of going bags and cradles and just deflating them after I'm done towing, but the Firestones internal bumpstop seems to really mess up the ride even un inflated.

Any thoughts?

 

Bags are the best, but I never had them with built in bump stops.
Are kits available without the internal bump stops?

 

i think there is but supposedly they”re stiffer and supposedly none of them are supposed to be run without pressure in them.

This is my first truck so I’m just going off what others have discussed here previously.

 

Unless there is a hole in the bag or one of the lines, they will always have some air in them. I add air during cold months because they loose pressure, but they have never dropped to zero.

 

Firestone ride rite bags don’t have internal stops. You are supposed to keep 5psi in them. You can also run them with daystar cradles to keep your full droop.

 

I have airlift bags with the internal bumper and cradles. I usually leave 10 psi in them. Airlift says leave at least 5 psi. I also have new shackles that lift about an inch, so that raises the truck off the internal bumper some. I wouldn’t say it rides worse but I’m used to the way trucks ride and aren’t looking for a smooth car ride.

With airbags you can control the amount of air depending on load. But if you only tow once a month, maybe look into other options like the timbren bump stops. I have those up front.

 

The original idea was bags with cradles, and a couple shrader valves to pump up with a 12v compressor before hitching the trailer.
When I'm done with the trailer, right before unhooking it, depress the shrader valve and let the tongue weight compress the suspension/bags to deflate them.

Unhook the trailer and leave them that way while driving around town (hoping they're deflated enough to not make contact with the cradles during daily driving meaning it should feel like they're not there.

That seems like the best solution to me, but I don't know airbags.
Sumo springs and Active suspension look like nothing more then increasing spring rate at the end of the day, and having been a long time car guy increasing spring rate just typically means your ride quality goes down almost proportionally.

 

Due to the limited space, even empty bags will make contact with the cradle. But I don’t think you’ll feel 5 psi.

 

I had Firestone Ride Rite's on my previous 2007 Tundra and later on I added Roadmaster. Now with my 2010 Tundra, I have the Roadmaster installed. With the Roadmaster, it's just a subtle lift. 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Roadmasters also act as dampers, resisting up and down movement of the suspension.

For Pro suspension, I would recommend the Firestone's. Double convoluted bags offer more flexibility on the bags and reduce harshness compared to single convoluted. When at 5 psi, you won't feel the kick ups too much. But if you go off-road and hit big bumps, the bags will compress and then uncompress pushing the rear of the truck up. But with the Pro shocks, it may not be as bad. As far as portable compressor, you can use a small cigarette power outlet type or you can get the high volume ones that connect directly to the battery like a jumper cable.

Bags don't take a lot of air to build pressure. 10 to 15 psi is probably all you need to keep the rear height stock. If you raise the rear up some more, the ride becomes stiff and bouncy. So the reference is stock height. Bring tape measure with you.

 

Had some airlift bags in my 2016 DC for no other reason then they came installed on the truck when I bought it used. Most airbags require a minimum of 5 psi to be run. Maybe they are worth it if you tow a bunch, only time the truck rode good was if there was a couple hundred pounds in the bed otherwise it was very stiff riding in the back. Now that I have a newer 2021 without airbags I can say they will make your truck ride like shit. Maybe the daystar cradles would've improved things but was too lazy to do anything with it.

 

Thats what I have been doing for years. You dont have to keep any psi in them when you are running cradles. You might tap them on hard hits but it doesnt feel that bad.

 

I really want to try that Roadmaster Active System. How do you like it, especially after running bags.

 

This is what I’m worried about, otherwise bags with cradles is perfect.

 

I run the Firestone ride right bags with daystar cradles. System was very easy to install and still have all the articulation of the axel and the ride is very smooth when deflated. I usually run about 10lbs of air in each bag just to keep the ride level. I will attach some photos .

 

I put Firestone bags and Daystar cradles on my 2020 about 3 months after I bought the truck. With about 10-12psi in the bags you can hardly tell they are there. Only time I feel them is going over a speed bump or rail road tracks, basically any time I hit a bump/joint at speed with the axle parallel to the bump/joint. Hitting a bump or hole with one wheel or on an angle and you can't really tell they are there. Overall it's had very little impact to the ride quality, only in specific situations could I tell a difference.

I found them to be more noticeable at lower pressures (~5psi), you go from not feeling them at all to feeling like you hit a bumpstop. I played around with different pressures until I found what works best. My advice is to start with 10psi for a few days and then experiment up or down from there. It'll never be 100% like stock, but I'd say with experimentation you can get to 90+% of stock ride quality. That said I would totally install them again if I got a new truck tomorrow.

I still need to try running them with 0psi or vacuuming them empty as some have suggested, but haven't been motivated enough by how it currently rides to try it.

 

Another consideration, with my airlift bags I believe that the warranty is void if you deviate from their installation directions. Meaning, if you run the daystar cradles and you bust a bag your SOL.

 

Just another thought, why not add a leaf spring to the back, that would probably compensate for your squat when towing.

 

This is true of both airlift and firestone and a good thing to keep in mind. Replacement bags arent too expensive though.

For OP
Here is how tight you can get a empty bag. I had a 1k lb load and let all the air out prior to unloading. Dont take the gap between bag and craddle as normal, that wheel is in a low spot.

 

So when you're riding around unloaded hows the ride with the bags like that? Do they have internal bumpstops?

 

They will slap the cradles on a big bump like a speed bump. Dosent feel bad to me, softer than hitting a normal bumpstop. Not sure on how the cradles will handle it long term. But even with a load and air in them they will slap the cradles when you flex off camber like turning into a parking lot with a slopped entrance.

Not sure if firestones have internal bumps. You can send them a email, just dont mention cradles.

What @pman9003 mentioned about 10psi feeling better than 5 is interesting, and not something I have tried.

In my experience across multiple trucks, you will hear the bags hitting and moving around in the plastic cradles, they are not quiet like when solid mounted top and bottom.

 

Decided to google it and there are some reports of broken cradles.

https://forum.powerwagonregistry.com/viewtopic.php?t=4156

 

Modify leaf springs with the icon kit.

 

I just added the 47 sumos (middle/black) to mine today. They don’t touch the frame unloaded but are very close.

the ride unloaded is not ideal. Makes the front feel like a pogo stick. Will probably drop down to the lightest blue sumos for unloaded ride quality.

 

I have the yellow highest load rating installed because I want a truck not a Lexus. The only problem with sumo springs is you need to remove them if off roading to restore articulation of the axle. The benefit of the yellow is my leaf springs will not wear or become flattened near as fast as stock. So over the years stock ride height will always remain and I can hang a 1000# tongue trailer on it every weekend I feel like heading out. Get to the trails remove the sumo springs and let the games begin!

 

My truck has 5,000 miles on it so not older. I don’t expect it to ride like a Lexus. The back feels like it is welded to the frame and the front on a pogo stick. Not acceptable.

 

Are you unscrewing the sumo springs or removing their mount from the ubolt?
I have sumo springs too and the one thing i do not like is that you cannot simply unscrew it and have zero bump stop

 

What you do is have 2 sets, cut the top 45% off the second set with a suitable saw. Then use your hi lift on the hitch to gain clearance to swap them out by simply spinning them off/on. Boom in minutes your off road ready.

 

I'm surprised, I also have black sumo's on my truck and don't feel they compromise ride quality much. I suppose unloaded on larger more abrupt road irregularities there is a bit of ride harshness, but not enough to bother me. It's a truck and I don't mind it riding like one.

I like the sumo's a lot, maintenance free and when I hook up the boat with the back seat area and box full of vacation stuff, less than 1.5 inch squat. Head to the builders store and load up the back, no problem.

 

Firestones do not have internal bump stops. I run 10lbs and feels like floating on a cloud in the back end.