Do I neeed it the air bag helper suspension.......

[Traisc]

Let me start by saying what this novel is about. SHORT ANSWER WITH MY SETUP DO INNEED THE AIR HELPER suspension or not? And what would be the big monumental difference I would make.

Greetings everyone. New to the forum here. Well I’ve beeen around reading over the years but new to actually registering and posting. So here’s my dilemma. I’m not an expert rv’r by any means but I’ve driven my fair share around to places. Daughter plays travel soft ball for y’all that knows how all that goes. Anyway I have a 2012 Jayco Eagle 375BHLT. Factory weight around 12.7K added a 7kw gen making weight with a full take of water pushing 14k. That’s before clothes food and all the other things that come from having a camper. I WAS (keyword) using a 2011 F250 diesel for tow vehicle. Used it awhile but it just didn’t feel like the power was there and that I was at the top end of towing capacity. Which I learned I’m pretty sure I was. Wife got in a mood one day and made a comment maybe I should get a bigger truck. Well that was all I needed to hear... CHALLENGE ACCEPTED ,,,,,,, BOOOM, One week later I had a 2017 Chevrolet 3500 HD crew cab diesel Dually sitting at my house... yay for me. So I had gooseneck hitch installed in bed, used our gooseneck to 5 adapter rails. Dropped in 16k Hidden Hitch and took off. My. GOD st the difference that made. Ride was smoother more comfortable. Not jerky. Had power. Quieter, It was insane! I can’t give you tongue weights are anything because I don’t know. So I have heard a lot and read a lot and researched a lot on these air helper springs ride rite and airlift, which they sound great but no one has addressed if a person needs them. Or how to know if your truck needs them. Do you judge on the sag of the bed? How much it drops or what? I mean if you have a light load all the time then spending 800 dollars for a wireless system is pointless if it never does anything. My truck sits up in the rear as is supposed to. After dropping 5r on it it drops about 2inches. Kinda levels out. Would I benefit any from air bags or not? I don’t want drop that kinda money if it’s not gonna save me money later or may not make much of difference that I would feel? Every site talks about they make it smoother or they make it ride better? Well ok this is from the people that had sagging trucks. Or they were talking about f150s or some 2500s. I just want some advice. I would love to hear that it won’t make difference with that truck and to save my money. ;). But only if it’s true. Hahah. Just your honest opinion. Is my sag too much? Does it warrant the system or is no you don’t need it your not hauling enough. Or is hey it’s not about sag you need to check such a such and what it’s doimg? It’s already a phenomenal improvement over my ford 250. But if it’s something saves suspension or creates a ride is godlike then tell me. Everything is comparative I know. My truck camp are was like saying well he’ll if you take a frigerator and push it up a hil and take that same fridge and put it in a dolly and pull it up then yeah it’s gonna be phenomenal. Sorry for the tangent. Just please give me good advice on what I’m looking for. How do I know if I need them for my setup? And if so what would I expect on top of what I already feel? Thanks y’all.

[Traisc]

Thanks guys I appreciate it. I wanted to hear from y’all that have had more experience than the people That have been telling me that the air bags are so great and that I need them. I wasn’t sure if I did. I had nothing to compare it too. All I knew is that my new TV felt extremely more stable and better quality than my old and I was ecstatic. So I just didn’t know any better.

Thanks for all your responses and help. Gonna spend the money on a new hitch for now. Then maybe come back in a few months and get one of those Air pin boxes. Happy traveling you guys. Y’all be safe.

[ACZL]

I agree w/ others that as long as your level, headlights not aimed up in the trees as if raccoon hunting, leave it alone. Although we haven't done much night towing w/ our new coach and tow rig, only thing I added was lower Torque Lift Stable Loads and truck hits aux spring, but only drops 2" and level and NO flashing thus far from oncoming cars. I get a harsher ride from tires having 80 PSI in them than from weight on it's back. Perhaps OP should look into the Stable Loads. One downside with them I admit is it is a pain at times to engage/disengage them and having a dually may be worse. Still, all in all, I like the results of having them. Long handled 3/8" flex head ratchet works best.

[Old-Biscuit]

Air Bags.band-aid fix for an overloaded condition

They do NOT increase capacity
They can help with leveling
If leveling needed then too much weight for tow vehicle

Your 'Dually' does NOT need air bags.

[Lar_s]

Air bags made a huge difference because my bump stops would hit at many quick bumps. With air lift, the bump stops are inside the bags and others removed. I run 5 psi while empty and around 25 when hooked... smooth as silk. If I hit certain roads that want to porpoise me, I can change a few lbs. up or down and most times solves the bounce.

[Super_Dave]

I just switched over from a cabover camper to a fifth wheel. The heavy cabover needed air bags. From what I saw with my fifth wheel hitched the first time, the overload spring wasn't engaged. FWIW, I like just a little engagement of the overload spring for a smoother ride. So, IMO, if you are hitched up and your bump stop isn't even close to engaging the overload, you probably don't need air bags.

[IBcarguy]

If you are happy with the ride and it's level...leave it alone. You are lucky. My rig had a bad "chucking" problem over bumps but a Moryde pinbox made a huge difference.

[Me_Again]

You got rid of the Ford and the need for air bags.

[Edd505]

I pull 12K+ with a SRW F350LB crew and it does not squat, the 3500 DRW should be fine with no additions

[Traisc]

Gotcha thanks. Sorry for the rambling. When I made that post I was in the bed and on my iPad after taking my ambien meds so it very well could have been rambling out loud.

Most places I see that check headlights are inside a garage. How would they do it with a trailer hooked up?

I’m really hoping for the I don’t need them answer. That they won’t make THAT big a difference for my needs. Heck I just bought a bigger newer truck. But yeah I didn’t think about the headlights. I think I’m gonna hold off on the bags but I will check my lights.

[Lantley]

Just a heads up.You need to add line breaks and paraphrase / paragraph your post it is hard to follow as is.
You will get better responses if people can read your post. It reads like one long rambling sentence.
You need to go to the scales and get some real world weights. You also need to determine if the sagging is impacting your headlights. Some sagging is to be expected. However if your headlights are now pointing upward you need to take action.

[lee_worsdell]

I have added airbags to my 17 gmc 3500 just because of the sag. It dropped 2 inchs when I hitched up. And was always getting flashed at night thinking I had high beams on. I had to put almost 80psi to level up.

[diazr2]

Durb wrote:
Don't see any problem with your truck's rear sagging a couple of inches to level. If your headlights are pointing up to become blinding or non functional then maybe bags. If your 5er is level and your truck is level then you are in good shape. Air bags won't improve your ride much. An air hitch or air pin box will. Sounds like you are already happy with your tow.

I installed air bags on my dually and have yet to use them; I have less truck and less trailer.

X2

[Durb]

Don't see any problem with your truck's rear sagging a couple of inches to level. If your headlights are pointing up to become blinding or non functional then maybe bags. If your 5er is level and your truck is level then you are in good shape. Air bags won't improve your ride much. An air hitch or air pin box will. Sounds like you are already happy with your tow.

I installed air bags on my dually and have yet to use them; I have less truck and less trailer.

[Traisc]

Thanks jay5er. I really wasn’t looking for what brand to buy. I was looking for the answer a little premature to that. Do I need them? And why do you think I need them It’s the why’s and how’s more than the what kind that I’m interested in? Just wanting to know if the 800 is worth or if that money would be better spent elsewhere.