Ford Ranger suspension load assists

If you carry heavy loads or tow trailers with your Ranger, installing suspension load assists can help improve performance and make your ride smoother and safer. These aftermarket components are designed to provide additional support to your vehicle's rear suspension, reducing sag and sway and helping to distribute weight more evenly.

Here are two products we recommend. They’re intended as a starting point, to give you an idea of what’s available.

• What it is: Extra load carrying devices for your suspension
• Why you need it: If you run your Ranger light most of the time, and only tow heavy occasionally then your suspension can’t do both jobs – unless you fit auxiliary helpers than stiffen up the suspension when loaded. These are typically airbags that fit on the rear axle to supplement the leaf springs.
• Buying tips: Look for in-cabin controls, and whether the kit will still fit if you have a suspension lift.

Airbag Man Helper Kit

Airbag Man Helper Kit

Specifications:

• Replaces Bumpstop: Yes
• All Parts Supplied: Yes
• On-Board Compressor Needed: No

Buy now from Air Bag Man

Boss Air Suspension Load Assist kit

Boss Air Suspension Load Assist Kit

Specifications:

• Replaces Bumpstop: Yes
• All Parts Supplied: Yes
• On-Board Compressor Needed: No

Buy now from Boss Air

Buyers’ Guide – Suspension Load Assists

What It Is

Suspension load assists are airbags fitted to the rear suspension of a 4WD. They help level the vehicle when carrying heavy loads or towing.

A level vehicle is a stable vehicle, especially during cornering.

When there’s not enough weight over the front wheels, they’ll tend to wander and lose grip with the road surface. The vehicle will be twitchy and unpredictable to drive… and downright dangerous.

It’s important to note that fitting suspension load assists does not mean you can overload the vehicle. They do not increase GVM. They are designed only to level the vehicle by stiffening the rear suspension.

Why You Need It

From the factory, utes and 4WD wagons are designed more for on-road manners than for carrying heavy loads or towing. As a result, the suspension tends to be quite soft. When you load it up, chances are the nose of your 4WD will point skyward.

Ideally, you want a soft suspension for ride comfort when empty and a stiff suspension when you’re loaded up. Achieving both from one suspension is impossible… unless the vehicle has airbags.

Luxury vehicles have airbags instead of conventional coil or leaf springs. You can adjust the suspension at the turn of a dial. When you turn that dial, you’re increasing or decreasing the air pressure inside the airbags.

Other luxury vehicles like Range Rovers automatically detect vehicle height and adjust the airbag pressure accordingly. This is called self-levelling suspension.

By fitting airbags to your 4WD’s rear suspension, you gain the ability to level your 4WD.

Airbags are springs, in exactly the same way as leaf and coil springs are springs. As you increase air pressure inside the airbag, it becomes stiffer. By fitting an airbag inside the rear coils or on top of the rear leaf springs, you can adjust the stiffness of the rear suspension.

Buying Tips

Before we go any further, let’s talk about airbags and chassis cracking or bending.

Do Airbags Cause Chassis Bending?

We’ve all seen photos of dual cab utes bent like a banana. The chassis bends between the cab and the tray or tub. A good proportion of those vehicles have aftermarket airbags.

So are airbags the cause of chassis bending? Yes and no. There’s usually more to the story…

Picture this. You buy a new dual cab ute, hook on a heavy off-road caravan then fill the rear canopy to the roof with gear. The ute’s decidedly low in the tail and the front’s pointing way up in the air. So, you decide to fit airbags because you’ve heard they level the suspension.

Bad idea.

Your first stop should be to a weighbridge. You’ll likely discover the rear axle is overloaded, sometimes excessively.

But if you instead fit airbags, pump them up to within an inch of theirs lives then head off… you’re heading for trouble.

On leaf springs, airbags fit where the bump stop normally sits. The chassis is designed to withstand the odd hard thump from the bump stops in this location. But it’s not designed to be massively overloaded while you hammer down a rough dirt road.

Rather than the odd hard thump from the bump stops, the chassis’ now subjected to a continual pounding at that one point on each side.

When the inevitable happens and your ute now looks more like a banana than a ute, people take one look under the ute and see airbags. And the airbags cop the blame.

Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, it’s not the airbag bending the chassis. It’s gross overloading.

Don’t expect airbags to work miracles. They’re not designed to compensate for overloading. And they’re not designed to compensate for springs grossly under-rated for the load you’re carrying.

Used sensibly and within the vehicle’s GVM, airbags will not damage your vehicle in any way. If you’re running high but legal weights, upgrade the rear spring pack before deciding to fit airbags. The front and rear hangers distribute the load into the chassis at the points designed by the manufacturer.

Then and only then… if you want to tweak the ride height, add airbags for the final adjustment. Go here for more information on airbags, bent chassis and what the experts have to say.

Can I Use Airbags on Rear Coil Suspension?

Some suppliers offer airbags which fit inside rear coil springs. These are great for fine-tuning the rear coils to suit the load. But again, don’t be tempted to use airbags to compensate for under-rated coil springs. First fit upgraded suspension, and then fine tune with airbags.

Another super-important benefit of upgrading the suspension over “band-aiding” with airbags?

The shock absorbers match the heavier duty coil springs. There’s no way you can expect factory shocks to last if the vehicle’s loaded to maximum GVM, then flogged over outback roads.

In-Cab Control

You’ll need an on-board air compressor for the airbags. If you don’t already have one installed, airbag suppliers have compressor kits available.

And while you’re at it, consider fitting an in-cab controller. This allows you to adjust the airbags from the driver’s seat.

What to Look For

Airbags are a fantastic option when used properly. But if you use them to level a ute that’s dragging its tail in the dirt, you’re headed for big trouble.

Look for a supplier who’s upfront about the limitations of airbag aftermarket kits. If they try to sell you a story of how you can just fit airbags instead of upgrading your suspension, run a mile.

If you use them as intended, airbags are ideal for fine-tuning your vehicle’s ride level.

How we review products

4X4 Australia has been reviewing four-wheel drive vehicles and aftermarket products for more than 40 years.

When looking for the best accessories for your make and model of 4WD, there are some things essential to making sure you have the best off-roading experience.

When we compare products, here are some of the things we consider:

• Warranty
• Build quality
• Value for money
• Time and ease to set-up/install
• Weight
• Fit and finish
• How well it gets the job done
• What materials they’re made from
• Corrosion/UV resistance
• Coatings
• Compatibility with other accessories
• Compliance with ADRs and vehicle safety systems
• Country of manufacture
• Load ratings,
  to determine what's the best product across each price point.

We also consider user reviews and our own experience with these products to make sure our recommendations are for the best on the market.

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