Air bags yes or no?

[Micahluna]

Hey All!!

I have a F-250 Turbo Disel 6.7L pulling a Torque T32.

Ride is really bumpy. Feels like a boat most the time.

I bought a weight distribution hitch (still in box) and just heard about airbags.

Should i skip the hitch and get bags? Or do both (is that posssible)?

thanks!

 

[cookie]

You really do need a weight distribution hitch.

Peace
Dave

 

[Power247]

Get the weight distribution hitch installed first and then see how it feels. I added air bags last season and it made pulling our camper that much better.

Greg
2012 | RAM 2500 | CCSB | MM3 tuned by Double R Diesel
2016 | Heartland Pioneer | DS310

 

[Go-Fly]

Hey All!!

I have a F-250 Turbo Disel 6.7L pulling a Torque T32.

Ride is really bumpy. Feels like a boat most the time.

I bought a weight distribution hitch (still in box) and just heard about airbags.

Should i skip the hitch and get bags? Or do both (is that posssible)?

thanks!

I had trailers before we went to 5th wheels. Started out with the equalizer hitch and ended up with bags. Used two sway control bars to stop the whip or make it a minimum. After we packed the trailer and hooked up, I would level the trailer to the truck using the bags. A level trailer, with the correct tongue weight pulls so much better. You can't do that with the bars. All you can do is add or subtract a link. I had a tape measure in the center console and knew what the fender height should be to the 1/8". Would run the on-board compressor until the truck was up to that ride height. A good pair of shocks and you will never go back to the old grease bars. I even had a stinger made that only had the mounts for the sway bars. Much lighter to handle too.

 

[Oldelevatorman]

Air bags will certainly help but don't get rid of the WD. I'm adding air bags to my dually when we get home in a couple weeks.


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[PondSkum]

I would go ahead and install the WD Hitch and try it out. You'd be surprised how much they help. You probably won't need airbags after you do that, but if you really still feel like you need them, you could add them.

 

[redevil]

Installed air bags on my 2015 Ram 1500 this season and they are great to tow with. Also have the Equalizer WDH as well which is an awesome setup. Wanted to reduce the sag on the truck and add a little more stiffness at the back with the air bags.

 

[farside291]

I had tag trailers for years before fifth wheels, my understanding is the WD hitch distributes the tongue weigh over the entire chassis of the truck/SUV and not just on the hitch. I remember going over a very hilly road and it felt like the truck and trailer were floating over the hills and not pivoting at the hitch point. I would definitely go with a weight distributing hitch. Properly set up you shouldn't need air bags. I pulled a very heavy trailer with a very soft sprung suburban with no issues and it pulled perfectly level. I used 750 lb. weight distributing bars and twin sway friction sway bars. Take a look at the new Blue Ox setup, very nice (and pricey).

 

[Micahluna]

Do you you use both now?

Get the weight distribution hitch installed first and then see how it feels. I added air bags last season and it made pulling our camper that much better.

Greg
2012 | RAM 2500 | CCSB | MM3 tuned by Double R Diesel
2016 | Heartland Pioneer | DS310

 

[Power247]

Do you you use both now?

Yes is do. I have found that 40psi is the perfect pressure for the airbags. For me it works like this... The WDH transfers some weight to the front axle to keep from going too nose high and the airbags raise the rear to level us out and help soak up the bumps in the road.

Greg
2012 | RAM 2500 | CCSB | Custom tuned by Double R Diesel
2016 | Heartland Pioneer | DS310

 

[khuffmanjr]

I had trailers before we went to 5th wheels. Started out with the equalizer hitch and ended up with bags. Used two sway control bars to stop the whip or make it a minimum. After we packed the trailer and hooked up, I would level the trailer to the truck using the bags. A level trailer, with the correct tongue weight pulls so much better. You can't do that with the bars. All you can do is add or subtract a link. I had a tape measure in the center console and knew what the fender height should be to the 1/8". Would run the on-board compressor until the truck was up to that ride height. A good pair of shocks and you will never go back to the old grease bars. I even had a stinger made that only had the mounts for the sway bars. Much lighter to handle too.

Are you saying there is no benefit to the Weight-distribution part of the weight-distributing hitch if you have air bags? I think such a message is a bit misleading. Having bags will increase the lever's distance from the fulcrum - which makes it a little harder for the trailer tongue to lift the front of the truck - but it does not eliminate the need for weight distribution. Weight distribution doesn't just get the rear of the tow vehicle back to the right ride height, it also moves some of the weight back to the front of the tow vehicle. Even with bags, you can put enough weight on the rear of the truck to lift the front - the steering/control end of the truck - high enough to create a risky situation. Weight-distributing hitches are really a good idea when towing travel trailers.

That said, folks seem to have positive experiences combining both mechanisms. I towed my large travel trailer for a few thousand miles with a BlueOx Sway-Pro after getting my new truck with rear air. It worked fine, and the truck was much closer to where it started without a load. The old truck would still squat a bit, though with weight distribution it stayed level and my front end stayed planted on the ground so I could control the vehicle without problems - braking and steering!

Ken

 

[pegmikef]

I use them mainly to keep the truck and trailer level with each other. Run at about 40 pounds hitched and 10 unhitched.