I've put Firestone air bags in the rear to assist when towing or carrying weight and am very happy with the result.

The only thing is when I have no extra weight and air at minimum psi the reaction of the suspension has changed, it now feels 'floaty' at the front when going at speed over crests.

Will revised shocks at the front (with stiffer 'low speed' damping) equalise the handling out ?

If so, what is the best option, I don't want to make it crashy over pot holes etc just stiffen the bouncy feel at speed.

Thanks

 

I don't see how bags with the minimum air just to retain their shape can change anything. My Air Lift bags only require 5 psi when unloaded and even with 10 psi I can't even tell I have them.

How much air are you leaving in them with no load?

 

I do notice my bags even with 5psi in them. 5psi raises my rear suspension about 1/2" which tells me that it would be slightly stiffer.
Handling is improved, and I can feel the suspension is slighyl stiffer(for the good) This makes the front seem very bouncy and floaty. I promise that your truck was bouncy and floaty long before the airbags, but it's the stifness and support the airbags are giving in the rear that makes you notice the front that much more.

Guys who do mostly onroad driving see to be pretty happy with the bilsteins. They give the option to lift the front 0-2" for a leveled look(optional)

 

I guess that's the difference in the mounting system, I have absolutely no added lift with mine at 5 psi, and actually measured them at capacity (100 psi) for the hell of it one day and didn't gain but 5/8". I would imagine with the Air Lifts not lifting the rear at all when at low air, I wouldn't feel a difference from stock whereas, with 1/2" of lift in the rear at only 5 psi, y'all would...

 

Yeah, as soon as you initially get lift, your down travel is limted which makes your front end do all the moving and not allow the back to squash some.
The ride is minially changed because the stock set-up is horrible to begin with.

 

Yep, you've hit the nail on the head, it's the tighter rear end highlighting the soft standard stuff, I will give the Billsteins a go but you mentioned they may only be good for on road, I do drive on forest roads quite often, are they horrible over rutted, washboard gravel roads ?

 

Then I'd opt for a set of Rancho 9000s, they are adjustable for firmness....

 

Thanks, the 9000s seem ideal. I haven't found a price yet but I noticed the Rancho site says "excludes Mega Cab and TRX", mine is a TRX off road, not sure what the difference is. Any ideas ??

 

Specs I find for the 2008 TRX package adds:

Special badging
LSD Front tow hooks
skid plate package
HD front shock absorbers
Extra HD rear shock absorbers
Added suspension height over standard models (funny thing is, I can find NO reference from Dodge on how much this height is over standard. Some forum descriptions list it as 1/2" over and some at 1" over).

My guess is the TRX shock is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1" longer than a normal shock. Since Dodge lists TRX sales at 1.9% of the over-all 2008 Ram 1500 market, it might be why nobody lists a shock specifically for it. You may want to try a front shock made for 2" level kits...
Shame it's not pushed like the Z71 in GMs, more 4x4s have that package than without it and there is a huge aftermarket for it.

The thing that gets me is, IMO an "All Wheel Drive" system, which is basically what you have would be a hindrance for real off-roading, and is generally a poor weather, on-pavement type of system. Funny the genius engineers at Dodge included it in a marketed "off-road" truck.

Would have made more sense to me to put a good 'ol manual stick in for 4 Wheel Drive operation and ditched the pathetic stock LSD system for at least a selectable locker in the rear axle like the ones they put in both solid axles in the Power Wagon. Maybe sales of the TRX would be higher than 1.9% of total sales. But then again, what the hell do I know???

 

My brother's 4Runner is fulltime AWD and still has low range, lockable center diff, and hill descent control. AWD doesn't necessarily mean less offroad capability.