mwebber78
New England
Senior Member
Joined: 08/07/2005
View Profile
 Offline
|
My Forester came with Firestone Ride-Rite airbags standard (started around 2011 model). The beauty of the airbags is you can compensate for changing loads and shifting loads. Helper springs are of equal stiffness and most can't be tuned to a changing load.
Michael 
2 DD's and my DW 
2011 Forester 3171DS Class C
Nissan Altima "The Fun-Box"
|
super_camper
Ontario, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 08/22/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
I just removed the Hellwig helper springs that came with the camper and put on a set of airbags. My main complaints withe the helper springs are
- I could not adjust them enough to level the ride height
- they are noisy, not a big deal but I didn't like it
- even though they have been on the rig since new the ride height is lower than it was and I now scrape my driveway
The air bags solved each of these problems
|
Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
Senior Member
Joined: 07/22/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
super_camper wrote:I just removed the Hellwig helper springs that came with the camper and put on a set of airbags. My main complaints withe the helper springs are
- I could not adjust them enough to level the ride height
- they are noisy, not a big deal but I didn't like it
- even though they have been on the rig since new the ride height is lower than it was and I now scrape my driveway
The air bags solved each of these problems
As far as I know all steel springs sag over time that set fully loaded or more. Sometimes just fully unloading springs for a while helps them recover a bit but it does not seem to last long.
I plan to jack up my rear at the hitch a bit to save the springs from setting fully loaded all of the time.
|
akrv
Green Valley , AZ
Senior Member
Joined: 02/02/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
The biggest prolbem you may face with springs.Is you will want to add more weight in the back of the motorhome. Your tires are at max they can carry know.
2005 Coachmen Concord 275DS
2004 Malibu Maxx LT
|
sjn7708
illinois
Full Member
Joined: 05/02/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
super_camper wrote:I just removed the Hellwig helper springs that came with the camper and put on a set of airbags. My main complaints withe the helper springs are
- I could not adjust them enough to level the ride height
- they are noisy, not a big deal but I didn't like it
- even though they have been on the rig since new the ride height is lower than it was and I now scrape my driveway
The air bags solved each of these problems
thanks- that was the info i was looking for. i thought helper springs would be different from adding a new leaf since the helper spring isnt supposed to engage until needed. my next option was the air bags, which several other people on this have addressed.
|
|
|
sjn7708
illinois
Full Member
Joined: 05/02/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
follow up question on air bags, since that seems what a lot of folks like. front and rear, or rear only? advvantages of front air bags? I already have Bilsteins, steer safe on front.
|
rvten
Crossville,TN
Senior Member
Joined: 11/30/2000
View Profile
|
I only had front coil spring air bags on my P-32 chassis. Real pain.
Have had the Ride Rite air bags on One class A and this C. Prefer rear only set up.
Tom & Bonnie
Crossville, TN.
Aspect 29H 2008 Type C
Ford Flex SEL 2010
There is no B+
.jpg)
|
Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
Senior Member
Joined: 07/22/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
sjn7708 wrote:follow up question on air bags, since that seems what a lot of folks like. front and rear, or rear only? advvantages of front air bags? I already have Bilsteins, steer safe on front.
The P series chassis was used in Class A only MH's as far as I know.
The factor front axle shipped for only 4200 pound loads period for many years when MH's went from 20' to 36' over time. The air bags had to be used for most all MH's after some period of time.
They most often did not ship with pumps and/or PSI guages like most cars with air bag usage today. We lost a new tire and damaged the other front tires last year due to air bag failure so we bought new coil springs designed for out front end weight to get away from pain in the butt air bags.
The cost was the same because the OEM coils had sagged so even with air bags at max ride height was nearly 2" too low. We added the Helwig helper springs to the rear. In fact I ordered new springs from S&D Truck Springs but they sent in ones too short for our P-30 chassis. We have not tested the helper springs because the MH is still on jack stands waiting for the new parking brake cable to be installed when it gets warm again.
I was going with the new springs and helper springs but due to the mess of being shipped the wrong new springs we are trying the helper springs only at this time. The rear was 2" too low we learned after getting the front end ride height correct per P30 specs.
Incorrect ride height messes up the tow in/tow out setting.
Again this is a Class A Chevy concern and may not apply to a Class C chassis which is the subject of this tread.
|
carringb
Corvallis, OR
Senior Member
Joined: 07/28/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Helper springs can increase Harshness. We have a set of SuperSprings on the rear of our Dodge 4500, and they will be coming back off. The ride is so harsh, it makes headlights burn out quicker than it's twin truck without helpers. Yes, the truck squats without them, but for us it's only an aesthetic issue.
You may also want to check with BENZ springs in Portland. They will make you a complete new spring set, which will add ride height without harming ride quality. And it will probably only be a little more than helper springs.
Bryan
2000 Ford E350 DRW Wagon (14-pass all captains chairs)
V10 w/ Banks PowerPack, Diablo Predator, 4.56 LS, 300,000+ miles
Had: Weekend Warrior 41' FSW
|
noe-place
somerset, ky
Senior Member
Joined: 02/20/2005
View Profile
|
Our C came with factory bags on rear axle. Works great for me.
|
|
|
