The air suspension, sometimes called a pneumatic suspension or air bag suspension, has been around for a long time. Its first patented design came out in the early 1900s. Obviously, the design has advanced quite a lot since the early days, but the idea remains the same.

Your suspension is a hard-working system that supports your vehicle's weight, absorbs rough roads, and keeps your tires on the pavement -- or off the pavement if you happen to be riding the trails.

Another place where your suspension comes into play is towing. Towing is pretty rough on your suspension and can wear parts out faster than if you weren't towing. An air suspension is designed to take some of that pressure off your vehicle and aid in controlling it.

What is An Air Suspension?

An air suspension system is made up of several parts, including flexible bellows and an electric pump or compressor to add air. Another way to describe it is a replacement of the regular suspension that includes airbags made of rubber and polyurethane.

A compressor inflates the bags to various pressure levels so that they will act like springs. You can buy an air suspension kit to install on nearly any type of vehicle, and these augment your stock suspension rather than replace it entirely.

Air Suspension Basics

The purpose of an air suspension is to achieve a smoother ride and consistent driving experience. For towing with heavier vehicles like trucks and SUVs, the air suspension is used to make towing easier from both a control and wear and tear perspective.

If your vehicle doesn't currently have an air suspension, you can get an air suspension kit that works alongside your existing suspension. This setup provides additional support and keeps your truck or SUV from sagging or swaying under heavy loads.

Benefits of Air Suspension vs Standard

Whether you have a manual or electronic air suspension system, several benefits can improve your vehicle's ride and make towing easier and more comfortable. Compared to a regular suspension, an air suspension has the following benefits:

• More comfort for the driver thanks to noise and vibration reduction, both of which can cause driver fatigue on long road trips.
• Reduced wear and tear on stock suspension components during regular driving and especially when towing.
• Trailers also last longer when the tow vehicle has an air suspension thanks to less vibration.
• Air suspensions can reduce the tendency of short-wheelbase SUVs and trucks to bounce around on rougher roads when not hauling.
• Air suspensions improve ride height.
• Cornering is easier and more controlled with an air suspension installed.

Air suspensions can be adjusted based on how you want your ride to feel. For example, if you want a soft feel for cruising on the highway, you can adjust for this. When it comes to towing or hauling, the air suspension keeps all wheels even and the vehicle level from side to side.

How To Use Air Suspension for Towing vs Regular Driving

One of the most common issues with air suspensions is that drivers don't take time to properly learn how to use them. If your rig is riding rough, there's a good chance that the airbags are too inflated.

When towing, you should start by adding air into the bags and then load your vehicle. You can adjust the air in the bags after to get the correct feel. Typically, between 70 to 80 pounds of air is used while towing.

However, the amount you need can vary depending on your vehicle and what you're towing. If you air up to 70 pounds and your truck is still riding rough, then it's probably a good idea to take it down to around 50 pounds and see how that feels.

If you're towing light, you won't need a higher amount of air. If you're towing over 12,000 pounds, then you might need more air to get a good ride and control over your trailer.

It also depends on your truck. If you're close to maxing out your towing capacity, which is not recommended anyway, you'll probably need more air versus if you're towing something light for the vehicle in question.

If your truck looks like this, add more air

Enthuze Air Suspension Kits

To get started with using an air suspension on your vehicle, Enthuze air suspension kits fit a variety of models and use helper springs that work with your existing suspension. These kits also include brass fittings instead of plastic for more durability.

The Enthuze air suspension kits don't use onboard air systems, but you can easily add one.

Installing an air suspension kit isn't a particularly easy DIY mechanic job, so it's best to get it done by professionals. You can get Enthuze air suspension kits installed at any Action Trucks location or your local auto shop.

You can always count on Enthuze for the highest-quality aftermarket truck accessories and parts to upgrade your truck, Jeep, or SUV.

When you invest in quality Enthuze truck accessories like our air suspension kits, you can rest assured that you're getting superior quality and durability.