Learn me Load Leveling kits?

I know the correct answer is buy a bigger van, but that's not happening right now. We have a 2010 town and country and pull a 8' popup camper. When loaded up, the van is squatting pretty good. I see air-bag leveling kits for $91 to help things out. Any feedback on these style kits or is there a junkyard tear-out option to search for?

A friend has those on his Mazda 5 for towing duties (Miata and similar cars with tow dolly). He said they make the car much happier towing but don't quite level it out completely.

At $91, I don't see how you go wrong.

Try it and let us know! I'm hoping to rig up my Odyssey for towing at some point, and considered these as well.

I've looked into these for our Expedition. It has the factory load-leveling suspension, and while it does something, it's not much. I'd specifically like to level it out more when towing our travel trailer. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any good options for this vehicle.

Pops has helper air bags on his Tundra so he can haul a 2000lb camper.

When it's up and sitting level, the rear load-sensing proportioning valve is all "nothing to see here, no extra brake pressure needed," and we go through front brakes like crazy.

I have load-leveling air shocks on my El Camino and my old Roadmaster wagon. Both had a little schraeder valve on the bumper you could fill up with a bicycle pump. They work incredibly well, but not sure how they compare to the in-spring bags you mentioned.

For Chrysler vans specifically, the magic word is "Nivomat" shocks. They're some type of OEM self-adjusting rear shock that eliminate rear squat, without having to add air. The system is completely built into the shock. They look like a fatter version of a normal shock. Wife has them on her '02 Town and Country (Nivomats come standard with tow package), and they are AMAZING with heavy loads. No squat at all.

But they are pricey, like $250+ PER SHOCK. Go to a junkyard and look under Chrysler/Dodge vans until you find one with these big fatties hooked up:

In reply to maschinenbau:

I just learned that Jaguar has automatic self-leveling shocks available in Europe (not sure why not in NA). They work by "pumping themselves up" when you drive over bumps and the shocks are below regular right height. They use the up and down motion of the shock as the pump. Sounds like Nivomat is the same idea!

In reply to maschinenbau:

I'll take a look into those. Thank you.

I installed the equivalent Airlifts on our '05 Odyssey. They definitely help on trips with a full van + cargo. Both sides were slightly leaking, so I would pump them up on a regular basis. I checked the Schraeder valves and they were both loose, so I bought new ones and tightened them. One side is 100% with no leaks, the other side leaks a few psi per week. I have to check all the connections with Windex next.

In my opinion, they're a life saver in a minivan, especially if you use the third row and rear storage well as much as we do.

I had some Monroe Air Shocks in my old lowered Nissan Hardbody for a time. Theory was I could air it up a bit for carrying loads.

Generally, they felt really floaty, and while it raised the rear significantly empty (jacked up '70's look), it only sat a half-inch higher when loaded.

My old e150 has helper air bags and a load distributing hitch by pullrite or some such company. The two together meant absolutely no squat at all, and when pumping up the air shocks you can see the rear end raise up. Pretty cool.

Ended up going the bag route. found an open-box kit for $60. Makes you giggle a little when the ass-end of a mini-van lifts under pressure