Install air bags or wait!

[Starbrightsteve the First]

We sold our truck and Escape fifth wheel. Just got the call that the new F-150 we ordered is in so we went to look at it. It wasn’t ready to pick up just yet. XL trim, 4wd, Supercab, 8’ bed and 5ltr V8. I was most interested in the payload rating and was pleased to see 2583 pounds. I will recertify the payload rating after I remove the trailer hitch, the tailgate and the larger of the two rear seats. We also ordered a Hallmark Guanella Overland which with the extras is supposed to be less than 1700 pounds. We live in Pennsylvania and load the camper in Colorado.
My question is should I install air bags before we go to Colorado or wait and see how the truck handles the load without them. We are going camping after we load the camper and may not get home for a month.
This is my first post and I can’t wait to see how much controversy this post causes. I am also hoping for some helpful suggestions.

 

[Alloy]

Ordering a 3/4 ton would have made allot more sense.

 

[NatersXJ6]

You might as well put them in now. Even for balancing purposes you are likely to want them, and they are easier to do without a camper in the bed.

 

[vintageracer]

Now!

 

[mkish]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[OverlandNA]

The bigger truck with the bigger engine also has bigger brakes. Air bags won't help you in an emergency stop coming down a steep grade.

 

[jeepers29]

[Quote removed - language and community spirit violation]
Great way to introduce yourself to the group. With a post like that, I would not expect a lot of help.

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

[Quote Removed - Language and Community Spirit violation]
Give your ego a rest.
Instead of asking a bunch of opinions of novices, ask the professionals.
Example; the professionals that install air bags and/ or camper manufacturer.
I know, what a concept..

 

[Hegear]

I think you will need them. I have owned at least a dozen trucks the last 25years and have installed on all of them. It’s the first thing I do. Regardless if its a 3500 2500 or 1500. I think it just makes the truck more versatile and you can make adjustments on the go!

 

[FordGuy1]

The bigger truck with the bigger engine also has bigger brakes. Air bags won't help you in an emergency stop coming down a steep grade.

Ringing the neck on a small engine all of the time will yield horrible gas mileage. My Superduty with a FWC, and my jeep towed on a flat bed got 16MPG@ 70mph.

 

[Alloy]

Ringing the neck on a small engine all of the time will yield horrible gas mileage. My Superduty with a FWC, and my jeep towed on a flat bed got 16MPG@ 70mph.

My buddy tows with a 2018 F150 that is loaded to the max. His fuel while towing is worse than my F350 and the wear and tear on the truck is costing him $$$. The fuel economy for daily driving is great but at the same time wishes he got something bigger but can't afford it. He's been using his wife's car as a DD to limit the wear and tear on the F150.

 

[AbleGuy]

1. Please take a moment and chill out a bit. There’s really no call for the attitude and quite frankly you’ve kinda embarrassed yourself.

2. Put the bags on now. They’re a great, cheap investment for a more relaxing driving experience. They’ll greatly help reduce side to side sway on winding roads (like the Colorado mountain roads you might encounter or want to explore), and they’ll help level your rig both front to back (avoiding rear sag) and side to side (campers often aren’t equally balanced as to the weight distribution on each side).

3. This is based specifically on our experiences hauling different 8’ pop ups on a long bed K2500 4wd for many years while traveling in the Rocky Mts.

4. You’ve already ordered your new truck so you can pass on the ‘bigger is better’ advice perhaps. One would have to think/hope that Ford would not offer the HDPP without kitting out the truck to handle the advertised load properly. No need to lose sleep there.

5. You live a long way from Colorado so since you might not get this way again soon, hopefully you guys can squeeze in a few extra days to explore a bit of the incredible beauty the Colorado mountains offer. There are lots of free disbursed camping areas on the public lands there so you can test out all of the functions of your Guanella before going home and being too far away from the builder to get any needed tweaks done.

 

[FordGuy1]

I just installed air bags on my 2023 Tremor 5.0. I used the Daystar cups, and bought the kit that goes in place of the factory bump stops. Worked very well.