Hi all, it's been awhile since I have posted. We recently took our first spring trip this year to do some fishing. This was the first time I had hooked up the bass boat with my TC, and I noticed that it has a little more squat than I would like, even though my boat trailer tongue weight is only 220 lbs. My truck sits fairly level when unloaded to begin with, so the resulting squat is no real surprise even with the Stabiloads. I also noticed some porpoise when going across bumpy roads as well, which has got me thinking I need to install air bags to get me back to level, and increase handling. I can get a set of Air Lift bags for my truck for about $340. Any thoughts?I knew that I was pushing my trucks limits, so I wanted to get weighed with a full load. My previous calculations had me right at GVWR (8600 lbs.), and 1000 lbs. under my rear axle rating (6000 lbs.). After being weighed with this setup I was 480 lbs. over GVWR, and 520 lbs. under my rear axle rating. The GVWR doesn't really bother me, but dang I didn't want to get that close to my rear axle rating! I know air bags don't increase your carrying capacities or ratings, but I am thinking they would help the handling and the ride. I know I am going to get an array of opinion on here for my setup, but I was just wondering if any of you are operating within similar limits and your experiences doing so. This is our first TC and we really like it, but this pop-up is HEAVY!! I really don't want to get rid of it, but maybe we should have gotten the model without the toilet? :(

If you go with the air bags make sure that you get the ones with the internal bumper, then you will not have to worry about running them without air!You don't mention anything about tires or shocks, I upgraded both and it made a world of difference.

WNYBob wrote:If you go with the air bags make sure that you get the ones with the internal bumper, then you will not have to worry about running them without air!You don't mention anything about tires or shocks, I upgraded both and it made a world of difference.I am running Michelin M/S load range E, and my truck is equipped with the adjustable orange HD shocks from the factory, but I believe they may be Delphi?

WNYBob wrote:If you go with the air bags make sure that you get the ones with the internal bumper, then you will not have to worry about running them without air!Wouldn't the internal bumpers make the truck ride rough unloaded? Similar to Timbrens? That was the biggest complaint I heard with them.

The internal bumpers don't contact until you are below the normal installed height of the bag. Empty you will be running above the normal installed height of the bag if they are installed correctly, so they won't be touching except on nasty bumps, just like the OEM stops. The bags replace the OEM bump stop in most applications, so it really shouldn't change your empty ride. Timbrens are just a great big rubber bump stop that always has to be pretty close to contact or it won't do any good. Always wondered about the quadrasteer truck - seems like it could be pretty neat in some situations.

Airbags, timbrens, overload springs, any of them will take care of it. You're not too overloaded by the numbers and based off you can haul it unassisted.How's that q steer work with a load in the back.

Air bags and cat scale shock | Good Sam Community

TN_Sportsman
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
Kayteg1 wrote:
Also it might be the angle of the picture, but looks like you might shorten your hitch.

Well, I actually had to extend my hitch for turning clearance when towing with the camper. By doing so, it lowered my factory receiver ratings so I had to upgrade to a heavy duty class 5 receiver, which was probably 3 times as heavy as the factory one. Torklift frame mounted tie downs, the upgraded receiver, and extensions could explain some of the added weight.
eHoefler
Explorer II
Apr 18, 2016
Any helper spring will not help your situation. It is the extended hitch causing your porpoising. While you only have a 200-pound tongue weight, the extension multiplies the tongue weight.
MN_Ben
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
A little difficult to tell, but is the center of gravity of your camper above or forward of the rear axle? Just from the pics it seems rer of the axle.
Btw, I love my airbags. and when not in use I keep 5# of air in them per the instructions.
Boatycall
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
I'm a huge fan of the Torklift Stableloads. No airbags to mess with, easy to install, and won't affect your empty ride.

They simply engage your existing overload springs sooner, making them do a little more of the work. Air bags can leak or pop.

Torklift StableLoads

I have an EXTREMELY heavy camper and trailer, I'm running these instead of bags. Never had a problem.
ticki2
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
230# is not enough tongue weight for a 9000+ trailer , that's less than 3 percent , 5 to 10 percent is recommended for boat trailers .It is probably the biggest contributor to the porpoising . A weight distributing hitch will help move some of the rear axle weight to the front . You are at or over most of your limits GVWR , GCWR , GRAWR . Air bags will lift the back of the truck but will not necessarily fix all the problems . Take a hard look at all the parameters before deciding on a direction .
Otterman
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
There's no way that boat and trailer are 9000 lbs.
mdpay
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
Ditto. The only way that boat and trailer weighs 9000 lbs is if it filled with 500 gallons of water. My 28 foot Formula with twin 5.7L engines was just weighed at 9300 lb.(+800 tongue weight) This was with triple axle trailer.
ticki2
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
Well I don't know what the boat is filled with , just going by the OP's weight slip .
TN_Sportsman
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
ticki2 wrote:
Well I don't know what the boat is filled with , just going by the OP's weight slip .

My boat, motor, and trailer completely loaded only weighs 3,120 lbs.
The gross weight on the slip is misleading, because the wonderful folks operating the scales couldn't grasp the concept of what I was trying to do. They essentially just doubled the weight of the truck, camper, and trailer tongue weight (Trailer axle weight figure). Steer axle was front half of the truck, and the drive axle figure was the rear half. It took them a half our, and me driving across the scales three times to just get a split weight on my front and rear axles. There were three platforms, and the front of my truck fit on one, the rear on the second, and the boat on the third. Should be simple right? Not in Kentucky :D
TN_Sportsman
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
MN Ben wrote:
A little difficult to tell, but is the center of gravity of your camper above or forward of the rear axle? Just from the pics it seems rer of the axle.

According to my owner's manual the COG for my model is 40 1/4". After measuring my truck bed, it puts it 1 1/4" rearward from the center of my rear axle. That's pretty darn close to being center axle. Now I do have a few things in the rear cargo area, but it's not very much weight, and we don't really add a ton of stuff in the camper itself, we try to pack most in the truck and boat.

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