Air Bag set up.

Randy_K · 12-28-2012, 05:45 PM

I am going to Have my 2010 Ford F150 right at max for payload < or a bit over> with two motorcycles in the bed and then my TT behind. I am going to add air bags to the truck before i use it. What is the best way to set up the air bags ? I want to make sure they will do what i want before i buy them.The dealer was not sure how to set them up . My best guess is to load the bikes then air up until level, then hook up the TT and use the hitch to re level . < Husky Centerline >

All of this is new to me and i don't even have the trailer yet but i want to get the truck ready. I already mentioned in a earlier post that i have upgraded the tires to 10 ply.

Thanks

Randy

NoCellService · 12-28-2012, 06:03 PM

I put Air Lift 5000 bags on the back of my truck and they work great, but I went cheap and I did not purchase the built in pump so I have to fill each side with a separate pump. I plan on installing a pump on the truck to take care of the bags with just a push of a button. Right now I fill my bags to 100 psi and then I connect to my 5th wheel. I then adjust the bags if I need to afterwards. I think that if you loaded first then you would have to be careful to not crush the bags and brackets.

davidjsimons · 12-28-2012, 11:10 PM

I have a set of Firestone bags in my truck. I actually took them off of my old truck and re-installed them on my new truck, so I've had this set up for about eight years. I don't think that there is any threat of crushing the bags and brackets when loading with no air , but you do want to keep about 5 psi in them at all times at a minimum to prevent them from rubbing a hole in themselves. I would try about 30 psi. See where that sets the rear end of your truck. Then hook up your trailer with WDH in place. If the truck is still sagging, add some more air or adjust your hitch height a bit. I would not recommend towing your TT with more than 60 psi though. In my opinion, it is going to make the rear of the truck ride real choppy coming off bridges and overpasses. With my Firestone set, the manufacturer recommends never exceeding 100 psi. I raise them to that limit just before I unhook, lower my landing gear, and them dump the bags to pull out from under the trailer. This is just my opinion though, and I'm sure that there are others with plenty of experience who can weigh in on this topic. Just remember, the airbags are not increasing your capacities, only your ability to level. Good luck and I hope this helps some.

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PerryB · 12-28-2012, 11:18 PM

Randy, it seems like you've done your homework as your proposed method is just about spot-on. If you want the ultimate in convenience you can go with the on board air system, but it doubles the cost and adds a lot of installation labor. I've always just gone with manual inflation. Once you figure out what the right pressure is for your situation (which should initially be done loaded-as you correctly stated) then you can make note of what the pressures are when empty and just pre-inflate to that figure prior to loading next time out. Its too easy. I personally prefer the simplicity of this system.

NoCellService, I've installed lots of airbags on trucks over the years including all of my own haulers and have a few questions if you don't mind. I want to be helpful, and am NOT picking on you,but your comments in the above post cause me some concern. If you have to pre-inflate to any significant degree prior to hook-up in order to avoid flattening the bags and/or damaging hardware then there is a problem with your installation, like insufficient space between the upper and lower brackets. When your truck is unloaded and the bags empty, how much clearance do you have between the brackets? I like to see about six inches. I have a feeling your brackets are WAY too close together. Why are you putting 100 psi on board PRIOR to hooking up? That would put you at something like 115-120 with the tongue weight applied. Even at "ONLY" 100 pounds you are running a considerable risk of breaking off the upper brackets or cracking the truck frame. With this much pressure the air bag is carrying all the weight, and it is now all focused at the upper bracket attach point instead of being spread across two (or three) points on the frame, several feet apart. If that trailer has the tongue weight I suspect (2600-2700 lbs as typically loaded) you shouldn't need more than 50-60 psi loaded to get the truck back to a proper ride height. If the high pressure is to keep the bags from bottoming out due to insufficient installation height, that's usually an easy fix. I really think 100(+) psi is way too much.

Randy_K · 12-29-2012, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PerryB

Randy, it seems like you've done your homework as your proposed method is just about spot-on. If you want the ultimate in convenience you can go with the on board air system, but it doubles the cost and adds a lot of installation labor. I've always just gone with manual inflation. Once you figure out what the right pressure is for your situation (which should initially be done loaded-as you correctly stated) then you can make note of what the pressures are when empty and just pre-inflate to that figure prior to loading next time out. Its too easy. I personally prefer the simplicity of this system.

No homework , just a educated guess

I have a compresser in my shop at home so adding air should not be a issue. I am likely to be a few hundred over my Max weight but have no choice. with just the bikes in my truck the rear is only slightly lower then the front of the truck. Normally the rear of the truck is about 2" higher then the front

My truck is almost new and dealer wants another $30,000.00 to upgrade to a new F150 with the towing and payload packages. Not possable if i want to get the trailer i have on order.

SteveC7010 · 12-29-2012, 08:33 AM

Here's a thought that might solve your overloading issues for the truck:

If the frame of the trailer can handle it, have a motorcycle carrier fabricated for the rear of the trailer. That way, you'd eliminate the weight of one bike from the truck's payload.

Here's a link to a detailed write up about a highly customized travel trailer, including a custom and removable motorcycle mount for the back end of the TT. http://www.everymilesamemory.com/ourtrailer.htm

concours · 12-29-2012, 08:45 AM

I have used Firestone RIDERITE and they say to use a minimum of 5 psi and 1psi for each 50 pounds of load eg. 10 psi in each bag for 500 pounds of load. Their formula seems to work well. Don't forget that by adding air bags and extra srings will not increase pay load they just level the rear of the truck

Ken / Claudia · 12-29-2012, 11:06 AM

I have had air bags on 2 different trucks since 2002. I load up, then air up. You will find out the best psi only by trying different psi. To much and the ride is way to bouncey. They do not take much air. I use a portable air tank or a small tire inflator. I ran first truck air hoses to the inside of fender well (no good), I always got dirty or wet getting air to them. I now have hoses to bumper at license plate mounts. Good Luck.

rhagfo · 12-31-2012, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy_K

No homework , just a educated guess

I have a compresser in my shop at home so adding air should not be a issue. I am likely to be a few hundred over my Max weight but have no choice. with just the bikes in my truck the rear is only slightly lower then the front of the truck. Normally the rear of the truck is about 2" higher then the front

My truck is almost new and dealer wants another $30,000.00 to upgrade to a new F150 with the towing and payload packages. Not possable if i want to get the trailer i have on order.

I look at your picture and it looks like you have 7 lug wheels, that is only on the max payload F150. Am I seeing correctly or do you have fewer lugs.

With the F150 the Payloads are already maxed out around 95% of the GAWR, where do you stand against that?

If you dealer wanted $30,000 for new F150, you would be better off going to a F250, or a 2500 from Dodge or Chevy.

Randy_K · 12-31-2012, 08:12 AM

My Truck is only 5 lug. I never knew there was so much more then a tow rating to consider. Truck dear did not know or just did not say. A new Super Duty is in the $60,000.00 and up range here. The F150 with the Payload package and tow package is in the mid $40,000 and up. They offered me $19,000 for a trade in. < Canada>

I'm only at half of the two rating of the truck. If the tongue weight is what they claim < 600 lbs > and my bikes are 650 lbs < claimed > i have 400 pounds for things i did not know mattered. < firewood, gas, propane , people , and anything in the trailer.>

I'm going to try the air bags as has been recommended and set them up as described in this thread. The only other option is to make my wife ride on the back bumper of the trailer.

On the motorcycle thread my tag line reads

" What could possibly go wrong ? "

Randy

Bob Landry · 12-31-2012, 02:59 PM

The airbags are going to change the WD on your hitch setup, so when you get everything loaded as you are going to tow and the truck leveled with the bags, you may have to readjust the WD to get the right amount of weight transferred to the front axle.

Javi · 12-31-2012, 04:19 PM

When we bought our trailer everyone was very positive that my '11 F150 with tow package would have no problem. After towing it a thousand miles and trying everything that anyone I knew (including a lot of the same folks on the various forums that had assured me that I would have no problems) said to try; I bite the bullet and took a similar hit on a trade in for a truck that really would handle our trailer.

The difference was I was a lot smarter after the previous experience and didn't buy all the useless stuff on my new truck and found one for $36K ...... '12 F250 XL CC, 8' bed with the 6.7 diesel, air, power windows, power locks, hitch and brake controller.

Now we have everything we need and have enough truck to up grade the trailer in a year or two.

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Randy_K · 12-31-2012, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javi

When we bought our trailer everyone was very positive that my '11 F150 with tow package would have no problem. After towing it a thousand miles and trying everything that anyone I knew (including a lot of the same folks on the various forums that had assured me that I would have no problems) said to try; I bite the bullet and took a similar hit on a trade in for a truck that really would handle our trailer.

The difference was I was a lot smarter after the previous experience and didn't buy all the useless stuff on my new truck and found one for $36K ...... '12 F250 XL CC, 8' bed with the 6.7 diesel, air, power windows, power locks, hitch and brake controller.

Now we have everything we need and have enough truck to up grade the trailer in a year or two.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

That truck sounds great. Here in Canada you would be in the mid $60,000.00 for that truck. If i had a choice i would upgrade but i don't. If i buy that truck i'm sure the bank wont give me the money for the trailer. No sense in having a $60 thousand dollar truck to haul my tent.

I will upgrade the truck in a few years. In the mean time i am only 2 hours of flat roads to where i will camp most of the time. I will do the truck upgrade before i do my dream trip to Colorado.

Randy

Randy_K · 12-31-2012, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

The airbags are going to change the WD on your hitch setup, so when you get everything loaded as you are going to tow and the truck leveled with the bags, you may have to readjust the WD to get the right amount of weight transferred to the front axle.

If i load the bikes in the truck and level it with the air bags THEN hook up the trailer and re-level with the WD i would think i will be OK. I plan on taking it to the scales my first trip out.

Randy

Bob Landry · 01-01-2013, 06:45 AM

It won't matter how many times you level it. Every time you change the level, the weight transfer to the front axle is going to change. Consistent weight transfer is going to depend on the truck and trailer being loaded the same way every time. I may be mistaken, but it sounds like you are trying to get out of adjusting the WD by making the truck level with the airbags, and it just doesn't work that way.
Also, don't get caught into thinking the purpose of the adjustment, airbags or WD is to get the truck level, it's not. Current thought is to transfer the amount of weight to the front axle to restore it to the original height or whatever your truck's manual specifies, and let the rear take care of itself. The only way you will know if your WD is right is by measuring the front end height or weighing the rig on a Cat scale.

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