Forum Discussion

atwowheelguy's avatar
atwowheelguy
Explorer
Jan 23, 2015

Would air bags help any?

On a recent trip, my fourth ever towing my toy hauler camper, I experienced for the first time what I think others describe as the pogo effect on a short section of interstate hwy.

Would air bags help my ride and handling any?

Here are the numbers on the last trip:

Top of wheel well to ground measurements:
............................Front...........Rear
Unloaded.............36-1/4"..........37-1/8"
Loaded w/o WD....36-11/16".......35"
Loaded w/WD.......36-1/2"..........35-3/8"

So the front went up 7/16" with the load, and came back down 1/4" with WD, so a final rise of 3/16".
The rear sagged 2-1/8" with the load, and came back up 3/8" with the WD, so a final sag of 1-3/4".

The final setting resulted in 2-1/8" clearance between the axle and the jounce bumper.



I didn't weigh it this trip, but on a previous trip when the truck and camper were weighted more heavily, the truck was 180# under GVWR and the rear axle was 50# under GAWR with a 780# tongue weight. Of course, with only one motorcycle in it this time, the tongue weight may have actually been higher, but there was less weight in the truck.

WD hitch is an EAZ Lift with 1000# bars, three washers, level bars in the 7th chain link.

Would an air bag help the ride by lifting the rear?
  • Cummins12V98's avatar
    Cummins12V98
    Explorer III
    Jan 25, 2015
    atwowheelguy wrote:
    Cummins12V98 wrote:
    Sorry but rating are ratings! It's all about who can do what and the bigger the better claim is going to get the most attention.

    If your truck sits level when loaded or a bit higher in the rear when loaded you are fine. But soft tires are dangerous when you start to sway, I know from experience. Rolled over!

    Use my words of experience if you want but quality shocks and a firmer tire may save you from a bad experience.


    Are you saying that whenever the rear is lower than the front, it is unsafe?

    Is measuring from the top of the wheel well to the ground a good place to measure "level"? When unloaded, the rear wheel well is 7/8" higher than the front wheel well. When loaded, the rear wheel well is 1-1/8" lower than the front. It is within all weight limits of the truck, but the rear is 1-1/8" lower than the front.

    I would be interested to know how many trucks have the rear level with or higher than the front when loaded with a camper.

    I am a newbie, but I have experienced very little sway. It sometimes gives one slight oscillation when a truck passes, but nothing alarming.

    The only uncomfortable action has been the brief episode of pogo effect.


    Put a level on top of the bed that will tell you a lot.

    I an here to tell you any sway can turn into a major problem! All depends on road conditions like no or little bank coming into a corner and on a down hill run. That is what got me heading north into Portland on I-5. Yes I was "properly setup" load levelers and sway bar.

    Soft tires will only make things worse. Mine were.

    Anyone looking into a RV for the first time take my advice and STAY AWAY FROM TT's!!!!
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    Jan 25, 2015
    BarneyS wrote:
    Personally, I think you are making too much of the results of 1/2 mile of uneven pavement. Just live with it and change your speed a bit when on that section. From what you have said, everything seems ok otherwise.
    Barney


    Worse advice so far!

    That 1/2 mile has a telling story. I went over a bridge before the Bil's, not the ride I wanted. I then put Bil's on the truck and the next time over that bridge way better, truck was fine, but I could feel a little bounce from the 5er (no shocks). I then installed shocks on the 5er. I then had to drive down a 4 mile stretch of old concrete road that had been chip sealed. ZERO proposing!!!
  • wandering1's avatar
    wandering1
    Explorer
    Jan 25, 2015
    Sounds like you need a truck capable of towing the trailer you have not just airbags. What about the suspension system, brakes, rear end ratio, engine, transmission?
  • BarneyS's avatar
    BarneyS
    Explorer III
    Jan 24, 2015
    Personally, I think you are making too much of the results of 1/2 mile of uneven pavement. Just live with it and change your speed a bit when on that section. From what you have said, everything seems ok otherwise.
    Barney
  • atwowheelguy's avatar
    atwowheelguy
    Explorer
    Jan 24, 2015
    Cummins12V98 wrote:
    Sorry but rating are ratings! It's all about who can do what and the bigger the better claim is going to get the most attention.

    If your truck sits level when loaded or a bit higher in the rear when loaded you are fine. But soft tires are dangerous when you start to sway, I know from experience. Rolled over!

    Use my words of experience if you want but quality shocks and a firmer tire may save you from a bad experience.


    Are you saying that whenever the rear is lower than the front, it is unsafe?

    Is measuring from the top of the wheel well to the ground a good place to measure "level"? When unloaded, the rear wheel well is 7/8" higher than the front wheel well. When loaded, the rear wheel well is 1-1/8" lower than the front. It is within all weight limits of the truck, but the rear is 1-1/8" lower than the front.

    I would be interested to know how many trucks have the rear level with or higher than the front when loaded with a camper.

    I am a newbie, but I have experienced very little sway. It sometimes gives one slight oscillation when a truck passes, but nothing alarming.

    The only uncomfortable action has been the brief episode of pogo effect.
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    Jan 24, 2015
    Cummins12V98 wrote:
    Sorry but rating are ratings! It's all about who can do what and the bigger the better claim is going to get the most attention.

    If your truck sits level when loaded or a bit higher in the rear when loaded you are fine. But soft tires are dangerous when you start to sway, I know from experience. Rolled over!

    Use my words of experience if you want but quality shocks and a firmer tire may save you from a bad experience.


    Start with the Bilstein's, you will likely do fine with the 4600's. Yes, not cheap, but if bounce is the issue, the Bil's will take care of it.

    The better tires can come later.
  • Cummins12V98's avatar
    Cummins12V98
    Explorer III
    Jan 24, 2015
    Sorry but rating are ratings! It's all about who can do what and the bigger the better claim is going to get the most attention.

    If your truck sits level when loaded or a bit higher in the rear when loaded you are fine. But soft tires are dangerous when you start to sway, I know from experience. Rolled over!

    Use my words of experience if you want but quality shocks and a firmer tire may save you from a bad experience.
  • atwowheelguy's avatar
    atwowheelguy
    Explorer
    Jan 24, 2015
    Cummins12V98 wrote:
    Bilstien shocks and E rated tires will do wonders. After that a 250/2500 will be the best answer.


    Thanks. I spent 53 weeks looking for this camper that is within all the specified weight limits of my truck. The truck is not overloaded in any way. Is 1-3/4" rear sag even something to be concerned about?

    I experienced the pogo effect for just one section on concrete interstate, maybe a half mile.

    I will likely get some new shocks before long. I don't think I will be buying any LT tires and definitely the HD truck is not on the menu. This is my only four wheeled vehicle and my daily driver. Unloaded it gets 26 mpg highway, 17 mpg city, with no particulate filters or urea injection, and is very comfy. I don't want to give up any of that.
  • Cummins12V98's avatar
    Cummins12V98
    Explorer III
    Jan 24, 2015
    Bottom line TT's are a PITA unless you have a lot of truck for the TT size.
  • atwowheelguy's avatar
    atwowheelguy
    Explorer
    Jan 24, 2015
    1wayhighway wrote:
    I have noticed the same problem at times and I adjusted my WDH and it improved but didn't go away. With the load changing in your trailer you may want to change your hitch setup to account for the change in weight. I have a reese dual cam so it's not to hard to adjust.


    Ford says to adjust the WD hitch to remove 1/2 of the front end lift. It went from 7/16" rise back to 3/16" rise with the WD adjusted. So it is at 43% of the unadjusted rise, within 1/16" of the target. I don't think I can get it any closer than that. One more chain link or one more washer will make a change more than 1/16".

    What should I be doing differently?

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