Airbags or WD hitch? opinions advice...

[73guna]

With the recent purchase of a wildwood 31qbts I need to start thinking about some suspension or hitch upgrades and am looking for advice or opinions.
My truck is an 2007 Chevy classic 2500hd with the lbz Duramax.
GVWR-9200#
GAWR-4670# front and 6084# rear.
Hitch is a classv B&W 16000# gross and 1600# tongue wd hitch or not.
Tires are 285/70 17 nittos load range E 3750# @ 80psi.

Trailer is a 2016 Wildwood 31qbts.
Legnth-35'
TW-885#
Dry-8140#
Max-11000#

When hooking dry trailer to truck it drops 2" so I have a little sag in the back. BTW my truck is leveled.

This past weekend I made the trip to Michigan to pick it up.
While the truck pulled it fine There were some issues with bounce/rocking while traveling on some not so nice interstates.
A little sway was present also.
The bouncing literally beat me up, I felt like I was on one of those vibrating machines from the 50's. :B
Question, would a well balanced rv/truck with airbags and upgraded shocks cure the bounce and sway or would I have to get a wd hitch.

My options, I figure, are an Equalizer wd hitch or a set of airbags(firestone or airride, whats the better choice?) and upgrade to Bilstein shocks or made just going for it all for different towing options.

The reason Im thinking about airbags as opposed to wd hitch is having to deal with that heavy hitch all the time.

Opinions and advice are welcome.

[tatest]

Air bags are not a substitute for WD. If the load is lightening your front end, air bags might reduce the sag, but will not shift load to the front axle.

I went through this 50-some years ago. Although the weights were much lower, single axle trailer and station wagon, nothing we did to beef up the springing in the rear took care of the handling problems caused by lifting the front end. A WD hitch, once properly adjusted, took care of it.

[Bobandshawn]

Oops! Forgot you have a GM. You don't have coils!

[Bobandshawn]

I've had 5 sets of the Air Lift stuff. Bags and sleeves. You'll use the in the coil bags. There is also other options. As to air supply---I've had the Air Lift pumps on 3 vehicles and they are fool proof. But for an RV rig may I suggest the Slime brand portable 12 volt set up. It comes in a handy carry case and works very well. You can store it in the trailer or the truck and air up whatever you need.

Although I have never used a ProPride I want one. In your case you may want to save the 100-125 lbs and go with something else.

[73guna]

Hey, thanks all for the replies.

I'll dive into the few wd hitches Ive looked at and see what fits my needs/budget best.

The bucking as Dutchman stated is what I really need to control and if bags along with the wd hitch will help more Ill go that route, but for now i'll try the hitch and do some trial runs.

What brand of airbag is better air ride or firestone?

Sorry if I brought up a subject thats overly discussed, but my search left me with more ques than answers.

[Bobandshawn]

Campfire Time wrote:


Thank you for highlighting this point. In nearly every thread on this subject the importance of getting the weight back on the front end is often overlooked.

Think of it this way, it's about steering control. If the front end feels "light" or "squirrelly" when the trailer is hooked up and the WD hitch adjusted, you have some more adjusting to do.

GM says to bring the front end back down to factory height.

Yes, a key tool to hooking up any trailer is a tape measure. With my auto level system once I drop on the ball the truck automatically goes back to level, or close to. The rear bumper will come back up to exactly where it was light but the front will sit about 3/4" higher. I have that "count the chain links" type of WDH and I have figured out where to set it. Once I lock the chains in place the computer and air system buzzes and clicks, and basically goes through an R2D2 thing for a while and the rear comes back down as does the front. I have it set where the front is about 1/8"-1/4" higher than stock but I wager I can do some fine adjustment to the tilt on the hitch and get it nutz on.

[Campfire_Time]

handye9 wrote:

Just to add to this.

When you hang all that tongue weight on the back of the tow vehicle, besides adding a bunch of weight to the tow vehicle's rear axle, it also takes a bunch of weight off the front axle. Air bags will help level the vehicle's body, but, they won't restore any of the front axle's lost weight. Restoring that lost weight is a primary function of the WD hitch. Towing with bags only could increase the possibility of swaying.

If you're towing with insufficient weight on the front axle of the tow vehicle, it is less stable and more susceptible to bouncing and swaying. Even the slightest movement (could be simple as subconscious hand movement caused by breathing, could be bad roads, could be wind) can cause the steering wheel and axle to move back and forth, causing the trailer to sway.

The truck's owners manual should show the manufacturers recommended "front axle weight restoration percentage", or, it may say something to the effect of restoring fender height measurements.

Thank you for highlighting this point. In nearly every thread on this subject the importance of getting the weight back on the front end is often overlooked.

Think of it this way, it's about steering control. If the front end feels "light" or "squirrelly" when the trailer is hooked up and the WD hitch adjusted, you have some more adjusting to do.

GM says to bring the front end back down to factory height.

[handye9]

camp-n-family wrote:

Question, would a well balanced rv/truck with airbags and upgraded shocks cure the bounce and sway or would I have to get a wd hitch.

No. Airbags and hitches serve different purposes. A WD hitch is to distribute tongue weight which in turn will give better control, less sag and usually less bounce. Bags will just level the rear and may reduce a bit of bounce but do nothing else. Only the hitch will reduce or control sway. Having "a little sway" is like being "a little pregnant". Neither is good unless you wanted it, and sway, you don't.

You should start with a proper hitch with built in sway for that length and tongue weight. A properly loaded tt with a correctly adjusted hitch should eliminate your problems. Make sure your tires are aired up and your shocks are not worn out as well.

Just to add to this.

When you hang all that tongue weight on the back of the tow vehicle, besides adding a bunch of weight to the tow vehicle's rear axle, it also takes a bunch of weight off the front axle. Air bags will help level the vehicle's body, but, they won't restore any of the front axle's lost weight. Restoring that lost weight is a primary function of the WD hitch. Towing with bags only, could increase the possibility of swaying.

If you're towing with insufficient weight on the front axle of the tow vehicle, it is less stable and more susceptible to bouncing and swaying. Even the slightest movement (could be simple as subconscious hand movement caused by breathing, could be bad roads, could be wind) can cause the steering wheel and axle to move back and forth, causing the trailer to sway.

The truck's owners manual should show the manufacturers recommended "front axle weight restoration percentage", or, it may say something to the effect of restoring fender height measurements.

[DutchmenSport]

As others have stated above, you need the WD hitch. With the size of your truck and camper, get a WD system that has built in sway control.

About those rough roads! The only alternative is to simply avoid them! No matter what you do, when you hitch the trailer, those roads will buck like a wild horse! It's because of this very thing that several forum members avoid certain roads ... in Indiana, I avoid all interstates, because they all buck like that.

I-465 on the East side of Indianapolis, along where I-70 crosses is unbelievable horrible. When driving in the car, you really don't feel it. But hitch that trailer to the truck and you might as well kiss your cabinets in the camper "good-bye!" I-65 South of Indianapolis is like that, so is I-74 near Cincinnati (in Indiana), section of Interstate I-70 from Indianapolis to Richmond, Indiana. I-69 North of Anderson and Muncie and South of Fort Wayne.

No matter what you do, you'll experience that bucking on those rough roads!

[Bobandshawn]

You may want both and some sort of sway control. A trailer behind a big truck will sway just like if it was behind a small truck.

Air bags like the Air Lift 5000 are fairly cheap and do miracles. They are not a band aid like many say.

On my truck I have that auto level system which is cool. Drop the trailer on the ball and it the truck comes right back up to where it was. But, the front of the truck comes up 3/4"-1" so i use the WD bars to bring the front back down. My trailer weighs about 8,500 and has a 85-900 hitch weight.

If I ever get a new TT I'll put the ProPride 3P hitch on. Not cheap, but just talk to anyone who has one. It'll make the TT feel like there's a FW back there.

[dodge_guy]

You NEED a WD hitch for the trailers loaded tongue weight which will be around 1300lbs! Either the EQ or the Reese Dual Cam. You won't need airbags unless you are putting a lot of cargo (weight) in the bed.

[camp-n-family]

Question, would a well balanced rv/truck with airbags and upgraded shocks cure the bounce and sway or would I have to get a wd hitch.

No. Airbags and hitches serve different purposes. A WD hitch is to distribute tongue weight which in turn will give better control, less sag and usually less bounce. Bags will just level the rear and may reduce a bit of bounce but do nothing else. Only the hitch will reduce or control sway. Having "a little sway" is like being "a little pregnant". Neither is good unless you wanted it, and sway, you don't.

You should start with a proper hitch with built in sway for that length and tongue weight. A properly loaded tt with a correctly adjusted hitch should eliminate your problems. Make sure your tires are aired up and your shocks are not worn out as well.

[kennyzzz]

I made this for my hitch , chevys are known to have sloppy hitches..http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28407973/gotomsg/28408590.cfm#28408590

my reciever does not move anymore.

[scrubjaysnest]

Need the WDH for sure, that should take care of the sway if you go with that type of WDH. Another possible cause for sway can be the use of LT tires, softer side wall, vs ST tires. A lot of folks don't like ST tires and switch to LT.

[donn0128]

Possibly both. You definitely need a weight distributing hitch. Air bags are not going to do much for the rest. With that big of a TT you might consider something likemthe Hensley Arrow or a similar hitch.