Do the 3rd gen leaf springs suck as bad as the 2nd gen?

Thinking about going from a 2nd gen DCLB to a 3rd gen DCLB. I haul my dirt bikes with my truck and sometimes load up 2 bikes and gear for long trips. On my 2nd gen I added ride rite airbags. Thinking I should take them off and keep them for the 3rd assuming the 3rd gen springs are no different.

 

Yup! Take them off before you sell and use them on your Gen3.

 

OR upgrade your springs on the new truck! There's always that.

 

That's always an option but I have no plans to lift the truck so airbags work for me.

 

i was hauling about 500lbs of tile and thinset and the truck was hitting the bump stops when going over slight bumps.

 

I believe the third gen has one more spring than the second gen, but still they arent world beaters.

 

I noticed my rear hit the bump stops on my 18 yesterday. It was on a paved country road, but it's in horrible condition. I don't remember that happening on the same road in my 2nd gen after the leaf pack was replaced under recall. I may think about upgrading mine eventually, but I don't want a rough ride.

 

install super bumpstops up front and sumo springs in the back and you will be fine..

 

i found the sumo springs on Amazon for about $200. are they easy to install?

 

Why would I do that when I already have ride rite air bags? Besides those sumo springs make the ride much stiffer and the air bags don’t unless I fill them with high psi.

 

Then get a progressive add a leaf

 

very easy to install, took me about 30 minutes total if that..

 

the sumo springs don't make the ride harsh since the frame doesn't ride on them, they are just there to help prevent the sag with heavy loads, my SS are about 1/2 to 3/4" below the frame.

 

in your initial post, you said you had the airbags on your 2nd gen, I was telling you about the 3rd gen..if you buy a 3rd gen then put the SS on or the air bags, but with the SS, you don't have anything to worry about, install and be done with them,

 

I had a Gen 2 ‘08 before getting my Gen 3. I needed Hellweg helper springs to support the weight of the canopy and drawer system I had in the Gen 2 (plus all the crap I kept in the drawers). Later added a single AAL when I lifted the front end.

On my Gen 3, also carrying a canopy and the same drawer system, so pretty much the same weight on the stock leaf springs and ended up being lower in the rear than the front. I added Sumosprings and that did exactly what I needed it to do: support the rear and brought back the factory rake instead of being butt low while I decide on what lift I want to do on the Gen 3.

If the OP has airbags on his Gen 2, I agree with the suggestion to move them over to the Gen 3 and see how it rides. He can always upgrade from there.

 

My 2017 has a taco lean of 2 inches with the gas tank almost empty and nobody in the truck. The springs suck!!!

 

Yes

 

Yes

 

8 cases of Beer, 4 bottles of Vodka and it dropped an 1". 4th of July party at cabin.