Suspension Air Helper Spring

What helper springs do and do not do

A truck that squats under a camper, a trailer tongue or a bed full of gear steers light, brakes poorly and aims its headlights at the trees. Air helper springs are rubber air bags mounted between the frame and the axle alongside the factory leaf or coil springs. Add air and they carry part of the load, leveling the truck and firming the rear; let air out when empty and the ride returns to stock. They do not raise the truck's gross vehicle weight rating or axle rating, and overloading a truck remains overloading no matter how level it sits. What they do is restore the attitude, handling and headlight aim of a loaded truck.

Types of kit

• Double convoluted bellows for leaf springs: the LoadLifter 5000 and Ride-Rite kits and the Rough Country rear kits. Rated to level up to 5,000 pounds, adjustable from 5 to 100 psi, with vehicle specific brackets. The LoadLifter 5000 Ultimate adds an internal jounce bumper so the bag can run at low pressure safely; the Ultimate Plus adds stainless roll plates and braided lines.
• Coil spring inserts: Coil-Rite and Air Lift 1000 kits put a polyurethane cylinder inside the factory rear coil of a Ram 1500 or SUV, rated around 2,100 pounds at 5 to 70 psi, usually no-drill.
• Kits with onboard compressor: Rough Country's kit bundles a compressor so pressure can be adjusted from the cab; manual fill kits use Schrader valves and a gas station or portable compressor.

Matching the kit

Helper spring kits are model specific down to the year range and often the trim, because the bracket shape follows the frame and axle. A 2019 to 2022 Ram 3500 kit differs from a 2014 to 2022 Ram 2500 kit, and a Ram 1500 Classic takes the earlier generation kit. Check for notes about overload springs, factory air suspension or lifted trucks, which can all change the fit. Measure the space between the frame and axle at the bag location at ride height and compare with the kit's minimum and maximum heights if your truck is lifted or lowered.

Manual fill or compressor

Manual fill is simple and reliable: two valves, set pressure before the trip, done. The downside is that pressure cannot be changed on the move, and a loaded truck often wants a different pressure once the trailer is hooked up. An onboard compressor with a gauge, or a wireless controller, lets you adjust from the cab and lets the system top up a slow leak. Dual path systems fill each side independently so an off-center load can be leveled; single path systems tie both bags together and are simpler.

Installation and use

Most kits bolt to existing holes and take one to two hours, with no-drill kits faster. Route the air line away from heat, moving parts and pinch points, cut it square and seat it fully in the push-to-connect fittings. Inflate to about 5 psi and check that the bags sit straight in the brackets and clear the tires, exhaust and brake lines, then raise pressure and soap test every fitting. Never run below 5 psi, even unloaded, so the bag does not fold on itself, and never above the kit's maximum. Set pressure to level the truck, not to its maximum; a few pounds in the empty bags is normal.

After installation, re-aim the headlights with the typical load aboard, and check pressure monthly. Replacement bags for these kits are in the Air System Replacement Air Bags category when a spring eventually wears out.