They are for leveling the truck when you have a heavy load in it. You know how the back end sags with a bunch of gravel or something in there? You put air in the shocks until the truck sits right. It increases the amount of weight you can carry. Sometimes people use them to level the vehicle empty too if one of the springs is sagging...Its pretty handy, I'm planning on putting a set in my '70 Ford (boo boo hiss hiss, I know).