Ray I would advise getting in touch with a driveline and chassis shop to talk to them about what you want to do.

I am sure you know that those air bags when inflated are adding to the spring rate.

Taking out leaves could allow for too much axle wrap. May require a pan hard bar to be fashioned.

You may also consider checking out what leaf packs and spring rates are under the newer 4500 and 5500 model trucks now and retrofit them with their shocks as a matched system.