1500 towing nessicities

[mpoi]

Hey guys

I've purchased my brake controller and the dealer ordered WD hitch
Prodigy P2 brake controller and a 10000lb Eqal-i-zer sway control hitch.

My question is about Airbags vs. Timbren for my back rear sag that I expect. I was going to wait till I get my trailer before I get either but wanted some input to witch is better.

It seems the firestone airs bags are the popular choice but Timbrens seem like an easy cheap solution.

Ordered a 29rbk Cougar with 835lbs of hitch weight. My truck is Dodge 1500sxt. maxim payload of 1414lbs. I've seen a similar set up and his back end was fairly low. I plan on doing some 4-6 2hr trips and 1-2 24hr trips during the camping season.

Thanks for any advice inadvance

[chuckster57]

Wait until you have hitched up with the WD, it will stop some sag. You may not need any additional suspension modification.

Beauty of air bags is the ability to deflate and keep a soft ride without the trailer, and pump up as needed for towing. Firestone or Air Lift, both are of equal quality IMO.

[shane772]

I've done both and the Timbrens are FAR easier to install/use.
I didn't like the air bags because when not in use the instructions said to leave 5-10 psi minimum in bags when not using them. This still raised the rear of my truck a small amount and I didn't like the way it looked.

[sourdough]

My personal choice would be the Air Lift 1000 air bags. I've never used the Timbrens but based on their design I don't think they will do what you need them to do in your application.

Timbrens mount between the body and the axle and help support weight when you put it in/on the vehicle. The Air Lifts do the same BUT they also expand inside your coil springs and get very stiff. This makes a big difference in the sway you will encounter, not just sag - and coils are more susceptible to sway than leafs in my experience. I don't believe the Timbren will do that and sway will be THE thing you want to eliminate.

Your Equal I Zer wd hitch will eliminate all but a small amount of sag which is normal, and what the installation instructions say you should have. The air bags, when inflated, then help with any bounce and most importantly, sway.

Air Lift 1000's cost about $100 if I recall and about 2 hrs of installation. Getting them inside the coils is the most difficult part - the bags being warm and not ice cold helps a lot. My thoughts after having done this with a Ram 1500.

[TomHaycraft]

I've done both and the Timbrens are FAR easier to install/use.


x2

In my Silverado, unloaded, it takes a pretty sharp bump/jolt to sense they are back there. With weight of trailer on them, really stabilized the feel. Very happy with them as as mentioned, easy to install.

[Desert185]

I just put them on my 2500, but won't tow with them until next month. I couldn't bag it due to the B&W gooseneck hitch interfering with the airbag frame mount.

The Timbrens seem to be a simpler solution for my needs, anyway. No noticeable ride difference as I have almost 1 1/2" of travel before they make contact. I added them for ride height adjustment only. The truck normally rides high unloaded, and I had no handling problems while towing. The truck has a sway bar and good shocks, BTW.

[bobbecky]

If you were towing a 5er, I would say go with the Timbrens. I put them on our 2500 Chevy and they work great with our rig. But you are talking about a TT, and you should be planning on some sort of equalizer setup, which will spread your load to both the rear axle and the front axle. I would hold off, like was said already, until you have everything hooked up and adjusted properly, before thinking about suspension upgrades.

[08quadram]

If you get your equal-izer set up correctly, you should only have about an inch of sag from unloaded ride height of your tow vehicle.

[RamRider]

I have Air Lift bags on my Ram, and air them up to 32 psi when pulling our TT. Empty I drop them the down to about 5psi,
I had some installation issues (winter time) and recommend that you attach the air lines before installing them into the coils. Warming with a hair dryer helps, also when they are 95% in the coil and you are ready to give up use a air pump to increase the pressure and they will slide right in (one of two reasons to attach the air lines before installing; the other being it is difficult to attach the lines after installing the bags).

When the pressure is released they have no effect on the ride or height.

[cabinfever]

Remember when you set up you WD hitch you are looking to get the weight on the front back to unloaded weight. When you achieve the correct front weight the rear measurement from the ground is not important. I would imagine once set up your truck would be close to level, if not up a little in the rear. My truck sits high in the rear when not loaded. Once the TT is on and set up the truck sits about level, but most important my front weight is back to unloaded weight.

[theeyres]

I'd agree with those who are saying "wait and see." Your Equal-i-zer will level the load. There will be insignificant sag in the rear if it is set up properly.

[audio1der]

After driving with Timbrens ONE WAY I ripped them out and replaced with Airlift 1000s. Those who state you may not need anything aren't familiar with the soft rear suspension of the RAM.With Timbrens, you may well be sitting on them when towing, and your wife will get out and walk instead; the ride is THAT bad.
Getting rid of the sag in the rear not only gives you more suspension travel but more control when towing and consistent geometry for your WD hitch to work properly.
If you buy a set of Airlift 1000s, (can be had for $79) warm the bags up and connect the air lines to the top of the bags before you put them in the coils. I've installed and uninstalled 3 times due to changing my rear coils...

[natedog_37]

I have the Timbren on my Ram 1500 4X4 and they work great. Truck sites even. I also have a 2 1/2 lift in front.

[GaryWT]

I have the equilizer and when I towed with a 150 it took most of the sag out once I tightened it up and set it up to the loaded trailer. It will most likely come from the dealer set up for the unloaded trailer, the 835 lb tongue weight. Once your tongue weight is at a 1000 or so when you are loaded you might need to adjust it some. Also watch your payload as once the trailer is loaded to go, you will most likely only have about 400 lbs left in payload. Good luck.

[mpoi]

That doesn't really leave much payload for the dog, wife and kids.

[08quadram]

That doesn't really leave much payload for the dog, wife and kids.
That is what I was thinking. Mine is 600 lbs and I carry very little in the truck. Except some wood.

Mike

bx2350d
Farm King 50" blower
Taylor Way 48" tiller

[brittsnbirds]

I pulled a 27' Wildwood using the Equal-i-zer hitch with my 1500 Chevy. My RV dealer set up everything and did a great job. I had to tweak the adjustment a little once trailer was loaded (increase pressure to front) and it worked great! I didn't need bags on my 1500. Only change I made was upgraded the crappy shocks. I ran the same brake controller you have, it was very good as well. The only complaint I had with my 1500 was after I upgraded my truck to a 2500 HD. I realized I had to drive the 1500 much more than I do with my 2500 now.

Your Dodge 1500 should be able to handle the trailer using the Equal-i-zer as long as it is set up correctly.

[GaryWT]

That doesn't really leave much payload for the dog, wife and kids.

No not much. My 150 had a payload of 1700 so as long as I had nothing in the bed of the truck we were ok. Good luck.

[x96mnn]

I used air lift 1000s when I had a trailer that was 30ft bumper to hitch and about 8000pds loaded up. Did a great job levelling out the truck and improved the sway feeling from the back.