Air Bags

Ron Gratz wrote:

transamz9 wrote:
---The natural arch in the leaf spring is flattened out when the load is applied so the front of the leaf spring is naturally going to lift the front of the SUV.---

Yes, if a downward force is applied to the hitch, there will be an increase in the upward force on the frame at the rear spring's front mounting point. And, if we assume the chassis is pivoting about the rear axle, the increase in upward force at the front mounting point will tend to cause the front of the TV to lift.

However, there also will be an increase in the upward force on the frame at the rear spring's rear mounting point. And, that upward force will tend to cause the front of the TV to drop. The net effect on the front end of the TV will be essentially zero.

The downward force on the ball will cause the load on the TV's front axle to be reduced, and that is what causes the front of the TV to rise.

Now when you add air to the bags, the weight on the truck is not changing but you are relieving pressure from the leaf spring allowwing the spring to relax also allowing the weight the spring was taking off of the front axle to return to the front axle.

Yes, you now are relieving load from the rear leaf spring. But, you must keep in mind the loads will be reduced on both the spring attachment point in front of the rear axle and the attachment point behind the rear axle. Again, the net effect on the front axle will be essentially zero.

Ron