Summer Starts Here - Save up to 70%
To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
3,000-lb Capacity. Convert your vehicle's leaf springs into a mechanically active suspension system. RAS adjusts to your load to level your ride. The system also increases stability, handling, and control by improving traction and reducing sway.
Features:
Specs:
All-In-One Suspension System
When towing or hauling a heavy load, you may encounter a number of problems that can make your driving experience difficult or dangerous, such as sway, body roll, or bottoming out. When your vehicle is weighted down, your factory leaf springs can't counteract these problems to the extent that they are supposed to. The weight will overpower the leaf springs and cause them to twist or flatten out. When that happens, they cannot support, level, or stabilize your vehicle effectively. Additionally, because your factory leaf springs are passive, they won't begin to tackle problems such as sway until those problems have already started.
RoadActive Suspension (RAS) kits enhance those passive leaf springs by converting them into a mechanically active, all-in-one suspension system. RAS kits have variable-rated coil tension springs that automatically adjust to your heavy load. Other suspension systems only solve a few problems and usually at the expense of other improvements your factory leaf springs may need. RAS, on the other hand, is a unique kit that provides everything you want in a suspension system without any trade-offs. It eliminates bottoming out like air springs, reduces sway and body roll like sway bars, keeps your ride level like helper springs, and improves traction and braking control like traction bars. This improves your vehicle's stability, handling, and control while you are towing or hauling, as well as when your vehicle is unloaded. RAS also makes your overall driving and towing experience safer and more comfortable, which greatly lessens driver fatigue.
Each RAS unit has a powerful variable-rated coil tension spring that converts your passive leaf spring into a mechanically-active system. Once your vehicle is loaded, the tension springs immediately activate to absorb and support the weight. This allows your leaf springs to maintain their bowed position and keeps them from flattening out or flipping over, which greatly hinders their ability to bear a heavy load. The tension springs are variable-rated, which means that the heavier your load is, the more assistance they provide to your leaf springs. Because of this design, RAS reacts instantaneously, whereas hydraulics, air springs, and other suspension systems take time to react. And unlike your factory leaf springs, RAS stops sway and sag before they even start to happen. Additionally, when your vehicle is unloaded, the tension springs disengage, allowing your leaf springs to perform as intended without hardening your ride. RAS won't hinder your leaf springs' movement, nor will it cause any friction between any of the brackets.
When under a heavy load, leaf springs are especially susceptible to axle wrap, which can cause wheel hop. Wheel hop is when the tires lose their grip on the road, causing a jarring, up-and-down movement. Axle wrap occurs when the circular motion of the tires cause the leaf springs to twist or rotate. If the leaf springs twist far enough, wheel hop can occur. RAS stabilizes your leaf springs by absorbing the force of the load they're trying to support. This eliminates axle wrap and wheel hop, as well as prevents your vehicle from bottoming out. Because of this, less strain is put on your vehicle. And by reducing some of this wear and tear, RAS helps extend the life of your leaf springs, shock absorbers, shackles, and even tires.
When driving along a curve while towing or hauling a heavy load, the back end of your vehicle or trailer can start to shift with that weight. If your factory leaf springs have flattened or twisted under this load, they won't be able to prevent it from shifting. Because of this, your trailer will sway away from your vehicle. This makes driving challenging and dangerous, as it increases the risk of body roll, which is when your vehicle drastically leans to one side. This can often cause you to completely lose control of your vehicle. Body roll is especially prevalent with multi-passenger vans and vehicles towing long campers, trailers, or boats. RAS provides a much safer ride by reinforcing your factory leaf springs and stabilizing your load. This helps prevent sway from occurring and reduces the chance of body roll while cornering, turning, and swerving. RAS also lessens the rocking motion that happens during windy conditions or when a semi passes by on the road.
When your vehicle is overloaded, the bulk of the weight transfers to the rear axle. Your factory leaf springs then become overwhelmed by this weight, as they are not strong enough to support it. This causes the back end of your vehicle to sag and the front end to rise, which means that the front tires have lost some of the grip they need with the road. In addition to loss of traction, it can also cause poor headlight aim, unintentional swerving, and an extremely bumpy and uncomfortable ride. RAS bolsters your factory leaf springs and enables them to provide support for your load without compromising ride quality or comfort. This keeps your ride level from front to back whether you are hauling a load in the bed or towing a boat, trailer, or camper. RAS also ensures that your tires have the traction they require while braking and accelerating, which improves the overall driving experience.
RAS is also customizable. During installation, the coil tension springs can be adjusted to 2 different tension settings or anywhere in between for improved road handling and support. To do this, rotate the springs while keeping the threaded rod still. As you turn the spring, use one of the 2 included spacers as a gauge to measure the widening gaps between the coils. In order for the RAS units to work as intended, you must tension the coils to a minimum of 25 percent with the 1mm white spacer and no more than 40 percent with the 2mm spacer. The springs can also be independently adjusted to compensate for off-center loads such as a handicap lift.
This custom-fit kit comes fully assembled and is easy to install. Each RAS unit simply bolts onto your factory leaf spring with the included hardware, and drilling, welding, and cutting aren't required. First, position the eye hook bracket so that it wraps around the top of the factory leaf spring eye. Then the axle bracket secures under the leaf spring and around the factory U-bolts on the other side of the leaf spring pack. Once the maintenance-free RAS units are fully installed, you won't need to monitor them as you would with air springs.
RAS is extremely durable and corrosion-resistant. The units are constructed of high-grade alloy steel, and they have an epoxy e-coat on the coil springs to provide extreme corrosion resistance. The brackets on the ends of each unit resist the effects of water and other elements, and they have a salt spray rating of more than 800 hours.
Average Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (726 Customer Reviews)
3,000-lb Capacity. Convert your vehicle's leaf springs into a mechanically active suspension system. RAS adjusts to your load to level your ride. The system also increases stability, handling, and control by improving traction and reducing sway.Really like this product. Was super easy to install and instructions were easy to read. Amy was very helpful in recommending the correct part and even took the order for me. Its winter here in the Rockies so I haven't had a chance to test out the load of my 5th wheel, but the ride still feels smooth. I have ordered from etrailer before and always have a good experience. Choose them with peace of mind.
So far I like the product it comes with good instructions and easy to install . Also the ride of the truck is better than the airbags I had a lot smoother and not so bouncy .
This is the 2nd pair I purchased. My first was for a 2017 Ford F150 and the
first thig I did when I purchased my 2021 F250 Super Duty was to get a pair for that truck. I don't know that I will ever have a truck without a Leaf Spring Enhancement Kit.
I use it with my Timbrens and it give the truck a great ride when not towing. It also seems to help the Timbrens with a relaxed reflex response to dips and bumps when towing. I'm very happy with it.
Well I just installed them today so I went ahead and loaded my excavator just to see how much the rear of my truck squatted and it didn’t squat near as much as before, I’m pulling 16000 lbs trailer and excavator with a 2020 F250 super duty and before I installed I normally would have to park my excavator in just the right spot to give me enough tongue weight that I needed but I always had that seat of the pants feeling that I didn’t like while towing it, drove down the road with everything installed and loaded and it honestly felt like a completely different truck, didnt pull it but about 4 miles but so far so good, think I’ve finally found my solution
I really like these. I have a pair on both my trucks. They don't take away all the bouncing, but they take a whole lot of the bouncing away.
Pretty bouncy, not as good as other opt ions.
Great product! It does what it advertises and is a breeze to install on my F-150 but a little harder on the 350 since you have to remove the overload spring. Works great helps keep truck perfectly level when towing my 10k lb trailer. Highly recommend.
Installing was not difficult, not as much sag when connected to 1080lb tongue weight trailer
Great improvement. Much more stable and level towing my 8000 pound travel trailer with my 2016 F250.
Made a huge difference in the way my truck sits with a 12,000 lb. RV on it
Outstanding quality fast delivery.
Install took about 30min. Seems my rear is a hair higher at 25%. Going to tow 7k about 650mi this weekend. See how much if helps.
Easy install and really reduced squat!
I received this kit in a very timely manner always do from etrailer have some issues with the instructions that come from roadmaster not a trailer the bump stop spacer didn’t say that you need to use the original bolt from the bump stop so it slowed me down greatly on the install however I took it out on a quick run without a load I do feel that this has made the unloaded ride smoother tomorrow I’ll be taking the trailer out for a bit and we’ll see how it works there and I’ll update this rating.
Admitedly, I haven't even rolled my '07 Silverado 2500HD classic out of the garage yet, but I'm already very pleased. I had to go to a neighbor for a 10mm hex key socket and was slowed down by my 7yo kid 'helping', but it was still only 90 minutes my jack stands were in use. Easiest thing to do!
My only small downsides so far:
* needed to find a 10mm hex key that I apparently don't own, not sure why they picked that fastener
* wish I put some loc-tite on; just to make me feel better
* distance to drop the axle so the suspension fully hangs was way further than I expected; barely had my jack stands tall enough to get the job done.
These aren't really bad on the product, just notes for future customers. We're towing the 5er about an hour an a half this coming week, hopefully it steadies up a lot!
Overall, very happy with the product. GMC didn't have any way to improve the truck from squatting when I hooked up my trailer. This kit didn't stop the squatting but significantly reduced the bounce on bad dips in roads, bridge/road transitions and bad railroad crossings.
Do you have a question about this Vehicle Suspension?
Info for this part was:
At etrailer.com we provide the best information available about the products we sell. We take the quality of our information seriously so that you can get the right part the first time. Let us know if anything is missing or if you have any questions.
Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully. You should be able to view your question/comment here within a few days.
Error submitting comment. Please try again momentarily.