Today I learned. Airbag recommendations?

[JShort880]

Officially over 1 year of full timing and maybe this post will help a newbie not be a jerk like me.

Last night I drove from Kansas to Arizona. I was driving down 24 west and genuinely getting confused at why 1/2 of the oncoming semi-trucks were high beaming me. I knew I had my low beams on and I have just stock headlights (2022 f250)

So after I get beamed enough to know that I’m pissing off oncoming traffic, I pulled off to a truck stop to fill up while trying to figure out what in the hell was wrong.

Ended up asking a trucker next to me if he noticed anything wrong. He instantly said, “your truck is loaded and your headlights are pointing up at us”.

When I initially got my rv. The guys at the dealership noted I could get airbags to level out the truck. But they were saying this for other reasons and didn’t note the headlight affect.

Maybe common sense to most. Maybe just a dumb oversight on my part. But the post might help someone else getting rv/truck set up figured out another thing to note.

Feel bad. I’ve been blinding people without realizing it for the past year.

So. Any airbag recommendations?

[jsb5717]

Firestone or Air Lift are the main brands. I have Air Lift and they've worked great.

Can you give us more info on what truck you're driving and what you're pulling?

Edit: I just looked at you're profile and to me it's obvious that a huge part of your problem is that you don't have nearly enough truck for that trailer. You are WAY over weight on the truck's payload capacity and airbags aren't going to fix that. For that trailer you definitely need a 1 ton dually. Air bags can then help smooth the ride.

A Fusion 379 has a loaded pin weight of nearly 4000 lbs. The payload on your F250 truck might be half of that. It's a very unsafe set up. It's no wonder it's squatting so badly. I would also be afraid of that truck's ability to safely manage that trailer in a strong cross-wind or emergency braking scenario.

[JShort880]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Firestone or Air Lift are the main brands. I have Air Lift and they've worked great.

Can you give us more info on what truck you're driving and what you're pulling?

Of course. I’ll just add a photo so you can see the rise on the front.

2022 diesel f250/2021 fusion 379 (~26k weight)

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by JShort880

Of course. I’ll just add a photo so you can see the rise on the front.

2022 diesel f250/2021 fusion 379 (~26k weight)

Look at my edit above. You seriously need a different truck to keep you and your family safe.

[Max23]

I'm not a do or die 1 ton dually guy, however, I must agree with him in this case. Do the research and do the math. You are seriously over loading that truck. At least a 1 ton is in order, probably a dually to be sure safe. However, math equates out to the truck u are using is dangerously overloaded.

[dutchmensport]

I agree with others posted above, your truck is under par. Fuzion fifth wheels are very heavy. Your truck may be pulling the weight, but it's not carrying the weight well at all. Your headlights are telling the entire story. Airbags may help level the truck but it's only putting a band aid on a broken bone.

[jasin1]

full timing in the fifth wheel means it’s probably maxed out weight wise…Dunning- Kruger effect maybe?

seriously though OP i’d listen to the advice on a more capable truck…i had to upgrade and i wasn’t even close to your weights…i went with a dually in case i get a toyhauler in the future…good luck..your front end is probably really light and poor handling as well

[JShort880]

Originally Posted by jasin1

full timing in the fifth wheel means it’s probably maxed out weight wise…Dunning- Kruger effect maybe?

seriously though OP i’d listen to the advice on a more capable truck…i had to upgrade and i wasn’t even close to your weights…i went with a dually in case i get a toyhauler in the future…good luck..your front end is probably really light and poor handling as well

Sadly, it’s 100% a case of Dunning-Kruger affect. Not my expertise at all and we moved too fast on our purchases (having faith in the wisdom of others (not just salespeople).

I’m going to follow up on this later and ask a couple q’s. Would love to get some knowledge and follow up from you guys.

Last year I travelled more than 4k miles with this set up….

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by JShort880

Sadly, it’s 100% a case of Dunning-Kruger affect. Not my expertise at all and we moved too fast on our purchases (having faith in the wisdom of others (not just salespeople).

I’m going to follow up on this later and ask a couple q’s. Would love to get some knowledge and follow up from you guys.

Last year I travelled more than 4k miles with this set up….

You can ask questions, get hypothetical answers, get personal experiences from others and a whole host of other responses, but you still won't have the "real world status of your rig"....

OR: You can hitch your trailer to your truck, drag it to the nearest CAT scale and run across the pads to get a "TRUE AND CERTIFIED REAL WEIGHT" so you know beyond any doubt or speculation, EXACTLY what your rig weighs and then you can KNOW (not guess or hypothesize) EXACTLY the situation you're facing.....

Until you get some "real world weights" you'll never know "for sure" just how much overweight you are.

I'd suggest getting weighed as a starting point, so there is some meaning to what questions you ask and the answers you receive.

From Lakeland, the two closest are:

MTC Petroleum
I-4 & Exit 44
Polk City, FL 33868

Love's Travel Stop
I-4 & Exit 44

If you are traveling and are away from Lakeland, you can access the CAT Scale locator here: https://catscale.com/cat-scale-locator/ Just put in the ZIP code or the city/state and the website will give you the 3 closest scale locations.

[sourdough]

Just to add a little to what has been pointed out;

the dry weight of your Fuzion is 14,485lbs. which by itself will greatly overload your 250. At 23% pin weight your truck is probably about 1,000lbs. over payload before you even add a battery to the trailer. Not good.

All this doesn't address the issue of the high beams, and air bags could probably mask the underlying problem, but that will only put you and others in harms way if you are going to tow that trailer anywhere - I would be seriously, as in today, looking for an answer to the actual problem. Good luck.

[JShort880]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

You can ask questions, get hypothetical answers, get personal experiences from others and a whole host of other responses, but you still won't have the "real world status of your rig"....

OR: You can hitch your trailer to your truck, drag it to the nearest CAT scale and run across the pads to get a "TRUE AND CERTIFIED REAL WEIGHT" so you know beyond any doubt or speculation, EXACTLY what your rig weighs and then you can KNOW (not guess or hypothesize) EXACTLY the situation you're facing.....

Until you get some "real world weights" you'll never know "for sure" just how much overweight you are.

I'd suggest getting weighed as a starting point, so there is some meaning to what questions you ask and the answers you receive.

From Lakeland, the two closest are:

MTC Petroleum
I-4 & Exit 44
Polk City, FL 33868

Love's Travel Stop
I-4 & Exit 44

If you are traveling and are away from Lakeland, you can access the CAT Scale locator here: https://catscale.com/cat-scale-locator/ Just put in the ZIP code or the city/state and the website will give you the 3 closest scale locations.

Perfect advice. Heading to get the rv/truck weighed now and then I’ll take the truck to get solo weighed tomorrow.

Thanks.

[JShort880]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Just to add a little to what has been pointed out;

the dry weight of your Fuzion is 14,485lbs. which by itself will greatly overload your 250. At 23% pin weight your truck is probably about 1,000lbs. over payload before you even add a battery to the trailer. Not good.

All this doesn't address the issue of the high beams, and air bags could probably mask the underlying problem, but that will only put you and others in harms way if you are going to tow that trailer anywhere - I would be seriously, as in today, looking for an answer to the actual problem. Good luck.

Yeah I’m not worried about the headlight issue anymore 😂. Happy I posted about it though.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by JShort880

Perfect advice. Heading to get the rv/truck weighed now and then I’ll take the truck to get solo weighed tomorrow.

Thanks.

That is an excellent decision! You won't be guessing, maybe worrying, but not guessing or using "calculations". Be sure and note the black/yellow sticker inside the driver door for your payload when you have the weights.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by jasin1

full timing in the fifth wheel means it’s probably maxed out weight wise…Dunning- Kruger effect maybe?

seriously though OP i’d listen to the advice on a more capable truck…i had to upgrade and i wasn’t even close to your weights…i went with a dually in case i get a toyhauler in the future…good luck..your front end is probably really light and poor handling as well

Likely over max on the 5er also, that Fusion only has a 2,424# payload, not very much if full timing.

[wiredgeorge]

The big Fuzion has a 17K gross weight; dually territory and definitely over payload for a 3/4 ton regardless of great the payload is on the OPs tow vehicle. What is the payload placard (yellow/white thing in your driver door frame) say that your actual payload capacity is? I think your trip to the scales may be a tad depressing.

[JShort880]

I’ll post everything up in a bit. Yeah it’s no bueno.

[RollaMo]

Originally Posted by JShort880

I’ll post everything up in a bit. Yeah it’s no bueno.

Well, post them back up anyway.

Members will still be able to view them.
I clicked on one to look at, but you deleted your post and they all went away.

[JShort880]

Originally Posted by sourdough

That is an excellent decision! You won't be guessing, maybe worrying, but not guessing or using "calculations". Be sure and note the black/yellow sticker inside the driver door for your payload when you have the weights.

Truck stats coming in next photo

[JShort880]

Originally Posted by RollaMo

Well, post them back up anyway.

Members will still be able to view them.
I clicked on one to look at, but you deleted your post and they all went away.

Yeah I did needed to make an edit.

[JShort880]

Just adding all info for you guys