ajriding wrote:
put up a pic.
I had a similar truck, but with long bed. Camper dry claimed 1800 lbs, so similar weights, but I also towed a trailer so actually had more weight on the truck.
Many trips across the nation, no issues at all.
The downfall is the weight, not that the truck can't handle it, but more weight means more stress on everything, so faster wear of components, but that is a universal fact with weights in in vehicles.
I moved to a trailer partly for this reason.
Check your engine block. If it is stamped with 53 then you got a lemon, otherwise that is a great engine, now the truck is junky, but the Cummins is great. The injector pump is the weak link. Put a gauge on the lift pump and never let the psi drop. An after market lift pump like FASS or Air Dog is best, but $700. If you starve the injector pump of fuel it will quickly fail. Parts $1,500 and labor close to $2k. I have taken the pump off and put back on so is not a big deal, but you will pay lots to a mechanic to do it.
The air bags take weight off the truck frame and put it on the truck axle, bypassing the trucks leaf springs somewhat (so the weight is shared). The frame can take the weight, the axles can, the tires can,(you said the wheels can?) but the suspension components will just get wear faster as will the wheel bearings.
I assume you put the bags on top of the leaf springs? Putting them inside of the leafs will cause a tippy issue with the TC that a trailer would not cause.
Exhaust brakes are a wonderful thing.
All good tips... I will look into it all tomorrow.
Photo is with the original tires before upgrade.
https://imgur.com/a/M32uINy
