air springs/hitch

Egon · Mar 9, 2006

You quit pumping air when the proper height is reached as determined by measuring when the truck is unloaded and the alignment set.

I pull a fully overloaded twenty foot 10k bumper pull with a camper sitting in the back of the truck. Camper rarely gets taken off.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SnoFalls · Mar 9, 2006

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In heavy braking the front wheels will do around 60 % or more of the braking.

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that's exactly my point.

If a WD "distributes" the added weight to the front (via it's "spring"), then yes, you have leveled the rig for normal control, but when braking 20% of that "sprung weight" is going to the front ... and also means 30% less weight on your rear tires (or is it 40%).

That 7K load is still back there tryin to be stopped by your front tires, some of the skidding rearend, and hopefully the trailer brakes. In a slick situation, that 7K load and your little truck are likely to swap places.

Highbeam · Mar 9, 2006

Interesting way to think about it. I don't buy it though, think too many assumptions are made. Zillions of RVers using WD don't have this mistaken.

It is better to properly load each axle than to put all the tongue weight on the rear and unload the front where the large majority of braking takes place not to mention steering. Remember, you are still loading the rear end with about half of the tongue weight with a WD system.

I suppose if your trailer brakes aren't working, you have bigger problems. In my more rapid stops with a trailer, the trailer braking loads the rear end of the truck and the whole thing stops together with the trailer coupling in tension holding everything straight.

Without trailer brakes, well there wouldn't be much rapid stopping going on anyway and the setup is not legal.

So with air bags do you properly adjust the bags to level the vehicle before or after properly adjusting the spring bars? But then how do you know how tight to set the bars? Seems like you just need lots of trial and error to get it right. Hauling cargo or a camper along with a big trailer is about the only time I see that it makes sense to add spring capacity to the rear end.

SnoFalls · Mar 9, 2006

As I said ... I prefer both.

I just think that a WD *only* makes people think that they are in control since it rides well in normal circumstances. It's the "oh crap" stops that are when you can swap. Trailer brakes aren't going to save ya when your rear tires are unloaded (think icy conditions).

And ya, bags alone can get the "false sense of security", but at least then you *know* your frontend is unloaded and can drive accordingly. When that "oh crap" stop comes tho, you'll have that weight xfer in your advantage (as opposed to working against you).

Havoctec · Mar 10, 2006

It sounds like a WD will do the trick.

I like the idea of having the springs for use with a heavily loaded truck but I am not real excited about installing them.

Thanks for the input.

Highbeam · Mar 10, 2006

On the topic of overload springs and bags. I do not see their need for trailering but I do see a great need for them when hauling cargo loads.

I have installed timbren rubber overload springs. They are an hour glass shaped, thick sided, hollow rubber spring that mounts in place of the overload bumpers in the stock holes. The timbrens, like the OEM bumpers, don't do anything until the springs settle a good bit under load so empty driving they do not come into play. After about 500 lbs of bed weight, the timbrens make contact with the axle and act to make the suspension much harder to compress. No air pumps, no blown out or leaky bags, no maintenance, 15 minute installation at home, removeble, no change in empty ride, and much cheaper than air bags.

Hydraman · Mar 10, 2006

Front, Back, or in between 7000 lbs pushing a half ton should have a MAX speed of about 35 MPH-- cause any faster and you are out of control in a hard braking situation. Period. A half ton just doesn't have the brakes. Period. Just ask some one that has had a trailer get away from them.

Highbeam · Mar 10, 2006

That's the typical hogwash people spew when they botched up a setup job, had a wreck, and happened to be using a half ton at the time. Newer half tons have tow ratings into the 8000 lb range. Far higher than 3/4 tons of only a decade ago.

The size of the brakes on the tow vehicle is not a consideration when the trailer has brakes. If you're within ratings on a half ton then you are using the right tool for the job.

You know not of what you speak.

flwiii · Mar 10, 2006

What size engine is in the 1/2 ton pickup? That also is going to make an impact on the towing capacity.

I agree with using the WD hitch. I had a 30 foot travel trailer that weighed about 8500 pounds and carried 1000 pounds of tongue weight. With the small V8 in my F150 it was seriously sqatted on the ground. With the WD Class IV hitch I could tow it around town, but meet some hills and the truck was worthless. Traded up to a 3/4 ton F250 with Class IV WD hitch and had no problems.

As far as panic stops, I've had a few. One was coming down Salt River Canyon (a 6 to 7% grade), lost trailer brakes and some twit changed lanes at the wrong time. I truly believe the WD hitch saved my behind. It braked straight with no problems. On short trips I have towed the trailer without the WD hitch and there is definitely more stopping problems without the hitch as apposed to with it.

My vote is for the WD hitch. Can't go wrong with one. I don't know of many RV people that would say anything different.