Why the LiquidSpring Suspension is the Best Upgrade for Your Truck

Elevation Off-Grid (EOG) builds the best, most capable pickup truck on the planet. As a matter of fact, EOG is the only Ford F-550 and Ram 5500 pickup manufacturer in the world. Pickup is the key word here. All Class 5 trucks are shipped as a chassis only. EOG has filled that void by offering a Ford F-550 and Ram 5500 chassis with an enlarged, OEM-style pickup bed. Indeed, EOG’s proprietary bed maintains the factory interior dimensions, while perfectly mating to the company’s 10,000-pound rated bed mounting structure. The bedsides are 4 inches longer to accommodate the F-550/5500’s longer wheelbase. With a GVWR of 19,500 pounds, this gives EOG’s trucks a massive amount of payload, while still allowing all standard bed accessories to fit. Add MIL-SPEC 41-inch super single tires—and the amazing LiquidSpring Smart Suspension—and you have a Class 5 pickup truck quite unlike anything else on planet earth.

When we test drove a Ford F-550 Black Edition, we were awed by the LiquidSpring’s handling, control, and silky-smooth ride. It was like driving a Ford F-150 or a Ram Power Wagon, it was that comfortable. If you don’t own a Ford F-550 or Ram 5500 truck, no problem. EOG can install the LiquidSpring Suspension on the Ford F-350 too. Why is the LiquidSpring Smart Suspension the best upgrade for your truck? Because it will transform the quality of your ride and how you camp in ways you can’t imagine. To tell us more about the LiquidSpring system and how it works, we spoke with CEO and co-owner, Jerime Monroe.

Thanks, Jerime, for talking with us. What is the LiquidSpring Smart Suspension and how does it work?

Jerime Monroe: The LiquidSpring Smart Suspension is a revolutionary suspension system providing unparalleled comfort, ride quality, and immediate active damping. The system utilizes a compressible silicone fluid moving from reservoirs into the struts, with sensors making adjustments 40 times a millisecond to driver input and environmental conditions.

Five components make up the LiquidSpring Smart Suspension system:

• On-board Microprocessor: The brains of the operation, the Microprocessor attaches to the Power Module to monitor and adjusts for speed, steering, braking, and road inputs 40 times per millisecond.
• Power Control Module (PCM): The Power Control Module keeps everything running and adjusts the pressure in the system to consistently manage the load on your vehicle.
• Liquid-Based Strut and Secondary Volume: The signature struts and patented secondary volumes do all the heavy lifting. By varying the amount of fluid in the system, the smart suspension can provide a soft or stiff spring, or anything in-between.
• Remote Interface: Drivers can engage with the Driver Interface to manually control suspension height, adjust ride modes, and simply troubleshoot should any error occur.
• Five-Link Suspension: The non-torque, reactive design of the five-Link Suspension maintains alignment, minimizes noise, and cuts down on vibrations.

Can you tell us more about the remote driver interface?

Jerime Monroe: The system is controlled via a remote interface, allowing the driver to control ride height and spring rate. Spring rate adjustment sensitivity is managed via three buttons on the driver interface, allowing you to choose a setting that best fits your environment and payload. This setting allows the driver to select between Normal, Comfort, and Sport. Comfort mode provides softer damping, while Sport stiffens the ride, ideal for hauling large campers in windy conditions. There are three adjustable height settings consisting of normal, high, and low. The high mode raises the vehicle 4 inches while the low mode drops the vehicle 4 inches.

What are the key differences between the LiquidSpring system and the Kelderman system?

Jerime Monroe: LiquidSpring is a full active system that adjusts spring rate independently every 40 milliseconds whereas air ride utilizes a fixed spring rate. LiquidSpring maintains the same ride frequency while instantly load leveling, delivering incredible ride quality regardless of payload. With air ride, load leveling is accomplished by increasing air pressure in the rubber bladder. As spring rate is increased, damping is also increased, adversely affecting ride quality. Because LiquidSpring is totally sealed, it is unaffected by humidity, temperature, and is not plagued by typical issues that affect air ride systems.

Can you elaborate on the benefits of the LiquidSpring system?

Jerime Monroe: First, it minimizes shock. The suspension is making adjustments 40 times a millisecond from multiple data points, including steering angle, roll, pitch, and yaw sensors, creating an optimized and safe driving experience. The system immediately counters environmental and road conditions.

Second, the LiquidSpring Smart Suspension improves handling and controls sway. Both are virtually eliminated by the aforementioned adjustments made from the sensors.

Third, it raises and lowers ride height. The system provides 4 inches of height adjustment up and down from the standard ride height. High Mode is ideal for maneuvering over obstacles or water crossings, while Low Mode provides more clearance entering garages or passing under low-hanging objects. Both High and Low Mode are speed limited to 15mph, and will automatically adjust back to normal ride height once that speed threshold is crossed.

Fourth, the LiquidSpring Smart Suspension reduces maintenance. The system is essentially maintenance-free outside of the desiccant filter, which is easily accessible under the truck, requiring replacement between one to two years on average.

Speaking of height adjustments, does the LiquidSpring system provide load leveling at campsites?

Jerime Monroe: Yes. LiquidSpring has a campsite leveling function that will be released and implemented very soon at Elevation Off Grid.

Which EOG makes and models can get this system?

Jerime Monroe: All of them. Elevation Off Grid only builds trucks with the LiquidSpring suspension system.

How much does the LiquidSpring Smart Suspension cost?

Jerime Monroe: The LiquidSpring system costs just under $20,000. Due to varying labor costs by region, owners can expect to pay between $6,000 to $10,000 for the installation.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about the LiquidSpring Smart Suspension?

Jerime Monroe: Some people think that LiquidSpring is a new company, but they’re not. The company has been around for over 30 years. Fifteen years ago, all ambulances were using Kelderman Suspension Systems, today 98 percent of all ambulances are using the LiquidSpring Suspension System. That should tell you something.