Can air system be used to get over low spot in a drive way?

JRscooby wrote:
Lose several inches of ground clearance from load? Don't they use leveling valves on MH? I don't know RVs, but on trucks and trailers load it, rig goes down, opens valve to increase pressure to raise it back up. (My last tractor, 62 lbs of air was 34,000 on the tandem. 95 lbs, was 45,000)

You can only put so much pressure in the bags and then BOOM you flat.

The air bag works kind of like a spring in that if you put pressure on a sprint... it bends and lets you down.. Same with the air bag only there is a more complex relationship between pressure of the "load" and air pressure ... But if you exceed the maximum air pressure (The real maximum not the rated one) BOOM. the bag blows and you are flat.

So yes. you can lose several inches. Now there are other ways to do it where you'd need like 100 tons of cargo to compress. but that's goiong to give you a very rough ride and loss of control so I won't even speculate as to those methods other than say "Eliminate springs and air bags entirely" (I've worked on farm wagons like that)

But air bags are kind of like springs in that the more load you put on 'em the more they "let you down" only difference is the math is a lot harder.

For example if 100 pounds compresses a spring 1" then 200 pounds likely would compress it 2
But with an air bag if 100 pounds compressed 1" I'd expect 200 only to get to about 1 1/2.

Great info. Probably going to run some sticks together versus tackle the complicated stuff. Thanks for the input!

wa8yxm wrote:
Though I agree with planking it.. If you have an air bag system. you can try it. but two cautions.
one Make sure you do not exceed max pressure BANG you drop

Two How much lift you get (maximum) depnds on how much Stuff you have on board. You can easily lose several inches of ground clearance when you load 'er up.

Lose several inches of ground clearance from load? Don't they use leveling valves on MH? I don't know RVs, but on trucks and trailers load it, rig goes down, opens valve to increase pressure to raise it back up. (My last tractor, 62 lbs of air was 34,000 on the tandem. 95 lbs, was 45,000)
Also on trucks, the bag could stand full compressor pressure. Wear from abrasion most common cause of fail. I have seen some torn from over-extension, but never blowout from over inflation.

OP, I never did it but I'm sure you could plumb in a couple of solenoid valves, 1 to bypass the leveling valve, another to block the LV exhaust, and do what you want.
On my little trucks, where I did lawn deliveries, sometimes needed to jump curbs I carried couple of 2X8 and 4X4s. 1 each was 2 ft, the other 3 ft long. Each pair was tied together so I could lay 1 where I could see a tire would hit, and with the cord tight I knew the other tire would hit other board. Might do something like that with the blocks you put under leveling jacks...

Great info. Had thought about rigging up planks or something. Good to know I’m not completely for considering using the air system. Just not a 100% comfortable I can figure out how to do it with the new system

Though I agree with planking it.. If you have an air bag system. you can try it. but two cautions.
one Make sure you do not exceed max pressure BANG you drop

Two How much lift you get (maximum) depnds on how much Stuff you have on board. You can easily lose several inches of ground clearance when you load 'er up.

x-2 on Bgum's low tech solution, and not even a sheet, one foot wide by 3/4 will likely do it.

A sheet or two of 3/4 inch plywood would if properly placed do the trick