BigWig airbags

Question

I've levelled my truck, lifted the nose to be the same height as the rear when unloaded. When we go away we have A LOT of stuff in the box sometimes including 700 pounds of water and the tongue weight of our trailer is 1400 pounds. To keep it from squatting I have PacBrake airbags, when loaded I have 70 psi in the bags.

The problem is when towing on the dirt/gravel logging roads up here in BC my truck rides like a dump truck, I need to go pretty slow to keep things from bouncing. Matter of fact, I was going so slow on a road into a lake this year even my old fishing bud Bob passed me on the gravel road, and he never, ever passes anybody! ;)

I've heard with the Bigwig bags I'd be able to run a lot less air to hold the rear up because of the bigger diameter of the Bigwigs, is this true, has anyone made the switch and if so what was your experience with the ride after you converted?
Thanks

drsteve · Answer

I've levelled my truck, lifted the nose to be the same height as the rear when unloaded. For what purpose?

carringb · Answer

Its the short travel of the airbags giving you the bad ride, not the pressure. I had a single-bellow style airbag (bigger diameter than my current ones) that only have ~5" of total up and down travel. It was great on the highway, but terrible off -highway and even speed-bumps. I switched to a smaller but much taller airbag, which has 11" of travel. So much better! It rides better than stock, because axle travel isn't artificially limited, but it still keeps it off the stiff overload leafs.

But X2 on the leveling kit. Those don't below on a tow vehicle. Saggy butt syndrome on a big diesel just looks silly.

fj12ryder · Answer

drsteve wrote:I've levelled my truck, lifted the nose to be the same height as the rear when unloaded. For what purpose?I have to admit I wondered the same thing.

fisherguy · Answer

carringb wrote:Its the short travel of the airbags giving you the bad ride, not the pressure. I had a single-bellow style airbag (bigger diameter than my current ones) that only have ~5" of total up and down travel. It was great on the highway, but terrible off -highway and even speed-bumps.  I switched to a smaller but much taller airbag, which has 11" of travel. So much better! It rides better than stock, because axle travel isn't artificially limited, but it still keeps it off the stiff overload leafs.But X2 on the leveling kit. Those don't below on a tow vehicle. Saggy butt syndrome on a big diesel just looks silly.95% of the time my truck is empty, I don't like the rear end 3" higher than the front, that looks silly IMO and that's why the air bags, to avoid saggy butt syndrome.What type of airbags did you switch to Bryan, Carli's?

cummins12v98 · Answer

IMHO you are running way too much PSI in the bags when load is on.  I assume you are checking pressure with the load on??? Inflate rear tires to your actual load.

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BigWig airbags

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