Air bags and shocks to smooth out ride

[Baja_Man]

Just picked up a 2009 Thor (MVP) Tahoe 284SA. GVWR is 13K.....see pic below


Starting off with maintenance and necessities first:
Purchased a new Blue Ox BXW2000 hitch. Tongue weight is approx. 1600#. Set up was straight forward and all sits very close to level. Towed 10 miles at 55mph and all feels solid and no sway. Freeway and wind will later determine how it feels under adverse conditions.
Purchased new Good Year Endurance tires ....285/80R/ 16E
Next few weeks....I will have roof professionally resealed with Dicor self leveling sealant (all protrusions) and a complete roof coating will be applied (Dicor). Normally I would do this maintenance myself....but older age and heights....drove me to decide on having it done.

Questions:

1. Can air bags be added to smooth out bouncy ride? If so, any brands recommended?
2. Shocks on my truck are OEM Motorcraft. My truck has 66K original miles. I prefer a smooth factory ride and do not go off road much unless I am traveling to a camping spot. What shocks are recommended for a smooth factory ride yet capable of the heavier tongue weight of this toyhauler (1600#)? I read the Bilsteins 4600 are stiff.

Thanks!

[Baja_Man]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to go with a set of 4 Bilsteins 4600. I'll see how she rides after the new shocks are installed.

[Acdii]

Air bags, Timbrens, Sumo springs will increase the road bumps felt, especially Sumo or Timbrens that contact frame to axle tube. As others suggest, start with shocks.

[Grit_dog]

I don't see 1600lbs on a 1 ton needing airbags. Especially with a wdh.

[myredracer]

I installed 4600s on our F250 and love them! Doesn't feel uncomfortable to me at all. I like a stiffer ride in any vehicle for better handling. Also have shocks on our TT which helps a lot and reduces vertical bounce motion at the coupler from being transferred onto the truck's ball. I run our spring bars on the tight side which also helps reduce vertical movement somewhat. All adds up...

When I removed the original OEM shocks from the F250 at 3 years old, to my surprise the rears were 100% shot and weren't doing anything. Any new shock would've been an improvement, lol.

[KD4UPL]

Bilsteins are good, so are KYB Monomax. Basically anything is better than your current worn out factory shocks.
In my experience air bags don't reduce bounce; if anything they might make it worse. I suppose if you replaced your current springs with softer ones and then added air bags it might be a smoother ride. I'v never tried that. I've always had stiffly spring vehicles for big weights and don't worry to much about how it rides. If I want a nice ride I drive my Buick sedan.

[Lynnmor]

Air bags are just an additional spring, the ride may get worse. I replaced the OEM shocks with Bilsteins and the ride got much worse. Only softer springs and shocks will help, but you then might be overloaded.

[MitchF150]

With 66k on your OEM shocks, they are dead... Get any aftermarket shock, or even new OEM shocks and it will be a better ride... 🙂

I went with some Bilstein 5100 shocks on my truck and the ride is completely smoother than OEM..

Changed them out at around 60,000 miles and it made a world of difference in both daily driving and towing..

Sure, I'm only a little F150, but I don't tow all that much weight either, but it did make a difference for sure...

Good luck!

Mitch

[wanderingaimles]

If this is the same truck you towed the prior Timber Ridge with, how did the truck do then? Was it harsh?
Not sure why you expect this one to be worse.
A shock upgrade can help with some, but a one ton truck, with a 1600 lb tongue weight should just be coming into its own. Usually empty is the harsher ride, and you are nowhere near the max side of the equation.