Air Suspension Recommendation and Needed Capacity for 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500

Question:

Looking to purchase a set of air bags to help my trucks suspension out while towing my camper but what does the 5000lb weight capacity exactly mean? Is this for just the payload of the truck? My current camper is already over that 5000lb weight... Maybe Im interpreting this the wrong way but does this mean I need a larger set of weight capacity Air Bags? Thanks for the info ahead of time.

asked by: Kevin

Expert Reply:

Airbag systems like the # AL88388 you'd looked at ARE rated at a particular capacity, but always keep in mind that the stated capacity of the system won't override the payload capacity or rear suspension capacity of the truck. A 5000 lb rated system could indeed suspend 5000 lbs, but attempting to do so would push your 1500 beyond it's design limitations.

When it comes to towing weights and their effect on the rear suspension of the truck, keep in mind that the pin weight from a fifth wheel or tongue weight from a bumper pull trailer doesn't represent the full weight of the trailer. A fifth wheel's pin weight is typically around 20% of the trailer weight, while for a bumper pull trailer the tongue weight can range from 10-15%, typically less for boat trailers. In your case, assuming that you're speaking about a bumper pull camper, the tongue weight probably wouldn't be any greater than 750 lbs.

So the airbag system becomes more about lift to correct the sag caused by the trailer's tongue weight than a capacity issue although the weight of anything carried in the truck bed would also come into play.

So which system to choose? 2019 is a split model year for GM trucks. The 2019 Silverado 1500 LD is mechanically and visually speaking, a carryover of the 2018 model. The 2019 Silverado 1500 is an all-new vehicle, the first year of the 4th generation.

The Air Lift LoadLifter 5000 Ultimate you looked at, part # AL88388 is a fit for the 2019 Silverado 1500, the all-new vehicle. If you have the 1500LD, the corresponding product would be part # AL88204. Both kits allow you to add or remove air as needed to fine tune your rear suspension as the weight being applied to it would dictate.

An on-board air compressor system like # AL25856 would allow you to add or remove air from the system on the fly with just a touch of a button. You wouldn't even need to leave the cab.