Have a lifted truck? Worried that you have to sacrifice comfort and safety just because you have added some height to your truck? Not sure how those air bags will fit on your lifted truck?
Well there is a solution –Air Spring Spacers. If you have a lifted truck and want the control and flexibility of air spring suspension when you tow that trailer or haul some heavy loads, you will likely need a set of air spring spacers.
Remember, it can be dangerous to run air springs lifted, without spacers as the extra height could potentially over extend and damage the air springs
So, when and where can you use spacers? How do they work and how should you go about selecting the right spacer depending on your lift? Let us answer all these questions for you.
When you can use an air spring spacer depends on air spring kit mounting and style of lift. The guidelines below are some general rules and while Pacbrake air spring spacers are a Universal fit, each application may vary and we suggest you contact us for specific information.
When an air spring sits on top of leaf springs, spacers not needed when using lift blocks. This is because when you add lift with a block, the added height is between the bottom of the leaf spring and the axle. If leaf springs themselves or shackles are changed, spacers are likely needed.
However, when an air spring sits on top of the axle, spacers are required as without them you risk stretching bag and damaging bag (voiding warranty).
The spacers remove the slack between the air bag and the axle thereby allowing the driver to enjoy a smooth and controlled ride even with a lifted truck.
Note that a six inch lift does not mean you need a six inch lift spacer! So, let’s go over the selection of the spacer. There are two ways to determine the size of rear spacer needed:
- Know the actual amount of rear lift, this will give you the height of spacer needed. Since the advertised height of lift often only applies to the front suspension, measure rear ride height before and after installing lift. Park vehicle on level surface, measure distance from center of wheel hub to the edge of the wheel arch directly above the wheel.
- Measure the distance between upper and lower air spring brackets (A). If the kit has a double convoluted AMP air spring (B), subtract 6” from this measurement. For a single convoluted AMP air spring, subtract 5” from the measurement. The difference is the required height of lift spacer (C). Consult the table below to determine the correct air spring spacer part number to order.
As always, when lifting the vehicle with a floor jack or hoist on the frame, never allow the air spring to limit the travel of the axle. Try to always jack the vehicle on the axle. Suspending the axle with the air spring limiting the axle travel will damage the air spring and void the air spring warranty.
Please refer the respective installation manuals before installing the air spring spacers.
Have additional questions? Feel free to contact us 800.663.0096 or write to us at i[email protected]