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RAS w/scales, smart hitch

Snakebitten

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Hey, don't tell your scales what's up. Shhhhhh

You just gained 300#'s of Payload capacity. What the scales don't know won't hurt them. 🤣

Good job!
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UGADawg96

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Just got back from Discount Tire for a rotation and balance at 8500 miles. Went to a flat spot in a parking lot and retested the onboard scales. Now I've trying to lose some weight, but I haven't been doing this good. I set it to scale mode, zeroed it out, and then put my fat but in the seat. It went from zero to 100 lbs (-100 to 300 on the scale). LOL - Now that seems to be like a 66% preload. Way more than the 25% I set it for with the white disc. Will be interesting to see what happens when I test the TT tongue weight next opportunity and rerun it across CAT scales.

PSA: RAS renders the onboard scales tool useless.
 

Snakebitten

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PSA: RAS renders the onboard scales tool useless.
Perhaps not useless, but it would be necessary to measure and then calibrate for a necessary formula to apply to the onboard value rendered.

You could always keep a few 100lb bags of feed in the barn, and after adjusting your RAS you could add known quantities of weight in the bed. Known VS displayed would provide you your new formula to translate with.

Someday those Forscan gurus will figure out the VDM module AsBuilt values and we RAS fellas will just edit the onboard scale algorithm and wallah! The actual values on the Sync4 and FordPass will be as accurate (or more accurate) as factory. :)
 

UGADawg96

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ok, so went down to the TT (6440lb/840hitch/13% - link to CAT weights, etc) today in storage and decided to do some measurement testing.

w/o TT - at gas station within 1/4 mile of storage:
Front Fender 1/4 Tank 38 1/4
Rear Fender 1/4 Tank 40 1/2
Front Fender Full Tank 38 1/8 (down 1/8 with 23 additional gallons of 87)
Rear Fender Full Tank 40 1/4 (down 1/4 with 23 additional gallons of 87)

TT connected with out WDH bars:
Front Fender Full Tank 38 3/8 (raised 1/4 compared to no trailer)
Rear Fender Full Tank 38 1/2 (lowered 1 3/4 compared to no trailer)

TT connected with WDH bars:
Front Fender Full Tank 38 1/8 (back to same as no trailer attached)
Rear Fender Full Tank 38 3/8 (1/8 less than w/o bars)

The only difference between truck and trailer connected today and when we normally take it out on the road is about 500lb of humans up front and maybe 50-100lb of stuff in back seats/bed.

So @jordandev & @Snakebitten, the question is RAS or no RAS ? They have a sale for the holiday and debating if RAS will help or if it is even necessary for my setup ?

Any questions about how it currently drives, this post goes into detail.
Did the install today. Started around 9am and finished around 2pm. I ended up having to make both a Walmart run and a Home Depot run for tools. And also to my neighbors house to borrow another tool since I didn't want to run back to Home Depot again.

For reference, I installed the HD kit which uses slightly bigger hardware than the regular kit. I used the second hole per the recommendation from others and the picture on the box. I used the white 25% disc and had it set so there was a little friction when setting it, but it went between the coils no issue. After lowering the truck back on the tires, the white disc goes between the coils with no friction at all and the black 40% disc doesn't fit at all. This raised the back wheel well 1 inch. These measurement were taken when the truck was backed into the garage with the front tires on the edge with a slight lean towards the driveway. I also sprayed some surface shield on the rusty leaf bolts I missed when doing the pumpkin in April. I set the torque at 120 ft/lb, although the spec is 150 ft./lb. I have an appointment Monday at Discount Tire for a rotation and balance. They'll retorque the lugs at that time. Took a quick 5 mile drive to the UPS Store to return some Amazon things and couldn't tell any difference with the RAS installed.

Another point of reference. This truck is a 302a 157" wheelbase Powerboost with Max Tow.

I checked the onboard scales and it said the truck was almost at zero empty. In the past it would say that the truck had 300lbs in it when actually empty. I need to spend more time looking at the scales, but it was raining.

Before
F: 37 7/8
R: 40 7/16

After
F: 38
R: 41 1/2

Tools needed for the HD kit:
Lug nuts: 13/16 deep socket 1/2 drive with 24" breaker bar
Bump stop: 9/16 deep socket (3/8 drive with extension okay)
New bump stop hardware (used short bolt from kit): 15mm deep socket (must be 1/2 drive, 3/8 bottoms out)
Leaf arm bolt: 10mm Allen
Leaf arm nut: 19mm socket or combination or ratcheting wrench
Cap screw: 14mm combination or ratcheting wrench
Big nuts: 15/16 combination wrench
150ft/lb. torque wrench



1658002430263.png

1658002402620.png


1658002447151.png


1658002475523.png


1658002500452.png


1658002515306.png


1658002548079.png


1658002595273.png
Finally got down to storage today to see difference when hooked up to our 6500lb TT with 840lb Tongue weight. Both measurements were with a full tank of gas. These were taken on gravel, so could be 1/8" off here or there. Overall, it appears the RAS raised the truck about 1" empty and maintains about 1" higher with the same trailer load. With the current setup now with RAS, both the truck and the trailer have a slightly nose down lean. This is without 500lbs of humans and stuff in the truck.

Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1660558253876


Before hooking up:

Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1660420580845


After hooking up with bars engaged:

Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1660420634226


Bed rail above rear tire:

Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1660420672739


Inside TT:

Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1660420734155


Looking forward to our next towing opportunity to see if any effect on the ride.
 
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UGADawg96

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Did the install today. Started around 9am and finished around 2pm. I ended up having to make both a Walmart run and a Home Depot run for tools. And also to my neighbors house to borrow another tool since I didn't want to run back to Home Depot again.

For reference, I installed the HD kit which uses slightly bigger hardware than the regular kit. I used the second hole per the recommendation from others and the picture on the box. I used the white 25% disc and had it set so there was a little friction when setting it, but it went between the coils no issue. After lowering the truck back on the tires, the white disc goes between the coils with no friction at all and the black 40% disc doesn't fit at all. This raised the back wheel well 1 inch. These measurement were taken when the truck was backed into the garage with the front tires on the edge with a slight lean towards the driveway. I also sprayed some surface shield on the rusty leaf bolts I missed when doing the pumpkin in April. I set the torque at 120 ft/lb, although the spec is 150 ft./lb. I have an appointment Monday at Discount Tire for a rotation and balance. They'll retorque the lugs at that time. Took a quick 5 mile drive to the UPS Store to return some Amazon things and couldn't tell any difference with the RAS installed.

Another point of reference. This truck is a 302a 157" wheelbase Powerboost with Max Tow.

I checked the onboard scales and it said the truck was almost at zero empty. In the past it would say that the truck had 300lbs in it when actually empty. I need to spend more time looking at the scales, but it was raining.

Before
F: 37 7/8
R: 40 7/16

After
F: 38
R: 41 1/2

Tools needed for the HD kit:
Lug nuts: 13/16 deep socket 1/2 drive with 24" breaker bar
Bump stop: 9/16 deep socket (3/8 drive with extension okay)
New bump stop hardware (used short bolt from kit): 15mm deep socket (must be 1/2 drive, 3/8 bottoms out)
Leaf arm bolt: 10mm Allen
Leaf arm nut: 19mm socket or combination or ratcheting wrench
Cap screw: 14mm combination or ratcheting wrench
Big nuts: 15/16 combination wrench
150ft/lb. torque wrench



1658002430263.png

1658002402620.png


1658002447151.png


1658002475523.png


1658002500452.png


1658002515306.png


1658002548079.png


1658002595273.png
The one thing that RAS did not instruct was that the bolts will interfere with the scales hardware if you don't make sure to install the R vs L piece correctly. So make sure you install them with the threaded end of the bolts facing out, otherwise, they will hit the scales hardware as shown in the below thread. Pics also for reference. So now I need to uninstall it, swap sides, and buy new scales hardware. :rolleyes:

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/roadmaster-active-suspension-in-a-long-bed.16476/post-339922

Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1682438784196


Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1682438804132


Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1682438823512


Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1682438839518


Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1682438856889


Ford F-150 RAS w/scales, smart hitch 1682438866817
 

KBCoggin

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The one thing that RAS did not instruct was that the bolts will interfere with the scales hardware if you don't make sure to install the R vs L piece correctly. So make sure you install them with the threaded end of the bolts facing out, otherwise, they will hit the scales hardware as shown in the below thread. Pics also for reference. So now I need to uninstall it, swap sides, and buy new scales hardware. :rolleyes:
I am about to install mine next week, this is vital information! Thanks for the heads up, sorry about the inconvenience you experienced.
 

ohsobrown

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Arrived yesterday.
Unlike my typical old-man procrastination-self, I had received a text notification they would arrive in hours.

I went to the barn and prepped the truck.

20220527_125727.jpg


My research revealed that they recommend installing them with the rear suspension at full-droop basically.

20220527_125925.jpg


For this particular application they include bump-stop spacers, which I assume is because depending on which of the 2 recommended settings you choose, the truck height will increase from 1/2 to 1½"

The spacers are aluminum and cleverly designed to also move the stops inboard slightly to clear the added width that the trucks springpack will now take up.

20220527_142100.jpg


At this point I deviated from what is instructed because my purpose for adding them is different than what I suspect the vast majority of buyers is. I'm not looking for Payload management or towing prowess. Rather I am using them as a second source of damping, similar to a second shock absorber. Afterall, they are definitely a coil spring that acts to dampen the leaf spring.

The installation instructions offer 2 degrees of initial damping. One choice is the amount of tension that leaves 1mm of space between each coil, and the other choice is twice that, 2mm of space between each coil. Included are nylon disks of each thickness to use as a feeler gauge.

I chose to only tension the spring enough to ensure that the entire mechanism was not loose and wouldn't rattle or move. My thinking is that if I ever went over some bump hard enough to completely unload the truck and momentarily be at full droop, the RAS would stay where it is. I don't intend to drive the truck in a manner that would have both wheels off the ground. Lol

After getting everything buttoned up and the truck back sitting on its own weight it was clear that the truck did NOT gain considerable rear height since I had not pretensioned to the degree that would have bowed the leafpak. I was rather pleased because it set no codes on the VDM module and I wouldn't have to recalibrate the module either.

20220527_152438.jpg


So the mission now is to grab a couple of 22mm wrenches and keep them in the truck with me. Actually look for the rough roads and the railroad crossings. Note how it feels over the worst of the encounters with the truck bed empty. (other than my toolbox)

I intend to incrementally dial in additional damping until the CCD is managing the truck in Normal mode very similar to how it was managing the truck in Sport mode prior to adding RAS. If this works and I really can attain a well composed empty ride in Normal mode over crappy surface conditions, I will keep the CCD suspension and consider it a bargain!
Afterall, CCD is $650 and RAS is $499

Combined that wouldn't buy the rear shocks that I normally purchase for a truck. I'm optimistic.
How is your truck handling now after this installation?
 

Snakebitten

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I'm pleased enough to leave the adjustments (RAS & VDM) alone for the last year or more.

Although I'm often tempted to tweak.
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