Ladder Bar & Air Suspension
With a 6" lift already installed, the goal was to eliminate axle wrap and improve ride quality without reducing load capabilities. Possibly adding control to ride level and loading level of vehicle.
I started with removing leaf springs in the stock spring pack. This was done with two ideas in mind. One, to allow the suspension to flex down to the bump stops when empty. Two, still use the remaining spring pack to control the axle location. Designing supports for the added air bags allowed me keep the spring blocks, shocks, brake lines and U-bolts in place. With the truck being lifted 4” at the rear, this allowed for a much taller air spring, giving the truck much smoother ride and limiting the chance of over extending the spring. The truck was given two operating options, one being manual to dump the air lowering the truck for loading the bed or sneaking under a trailer and then airing up to lift the trailer off its jack. And the second option would be auto-leveling.