If your truck is riding rough or seems hard to handle? Worn air springs could be the culprit.

The leading cause of air spring failure is overextension due to missing or incorrect shocks. When overextended, the air spring can travel too far, tearing it apart. The second most common cause is abrasion of the rubber bellows. This can occur when you’ve got the wrong air spring for the job or because of debris buildup on the piston.

HERE’S A QUICK CHECKLIST OF THINGS TO LOOK FOR:

• Signs of irregular wear or heat cracking
• Contact between the air lines and air spring
• Improper ride height
• Broken or improper shock absorbers
• Loose mounting hardware
• Debris on the piston

What should be my next steps if I’m experiencing one of the above symptoms?

Step 1: Inspect the shock absorber. Shock absorbers are specially designed to utilize a hydraulic lock-out which limits the extension travel of the suspensions.

Step 2: Replace worn shock absorbers with the proper part for the right applications. As noted, all shock absorbers are not the same although they may look identical.

Step 3: Inspect your air springs for uneven wear.

Step 4: Replace if necessary with the correct air spring for the correct applications. Most air springs look alike but, as noted with the shocks, perform differently depending on the application.

Inspecting and replacement of your air spring and shocks can make your truck feel brand new. Comfortable ride anyone?