Air Bags

[Vetl82]

Do the air bags help your tv ride better?

[jesilvas]

Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Depends on the rig combination.
Unloaded, usually it's a rougher ride, loaded could be better. But not all vehicles have the same suspension under them.

Is this an extension of the last thread?

[Vetl82]

Yes , I asked the wrong question by referring to air shocks instead of air bags my bad.

[Vetl82]

I have a ram short bed 2500 diesel 4x4.

[jesilvas]

It would've been ok to keep going in the last thread, just FYI.

What are you towing? Do you need them or just wondering?

[Vetl82]

I'm a newbie , and I was just wondering if air bags helped that much.

[Vetl82]

Towing a 35 ft Jayco eagle

[Gordon Dewald]

Air bags may level your TV but do not increase the GAWR (rear). On the surface it looks like you are near the limit of your TV or overloaded.

[Vetl82]

I'm close but it's just me and my wife and we pack light , I have tow and jake break on TV , the tv is paid off and it being a 2012 3/4 ton , and I don't have to put the additive in is great , if I had to do it over would have gotten a dually or found a 32 ft but the wifey wanted this one.

[JDT]

I had a set of Air Lift bags on my 2012 GMC 3500 single rear wheel and they definitely helped smooth out the ride, both empty and hooked up. Our fifth wheel has about a 3100 pound hitch weight which was just a little too much for the truck. The bags made a difference in helping smooth out the ride of the fore and aft motion of the fifth wheel. I ran about 70 pounds of pressure which seemed to work the best.

I took the bags off the 2012 when I sold it and put them on the new truck. Empty ride is again improved with the constant 5 pounds of pressure in the bags. I now run about 25 pounds when hooked up and honestly can't say they make that much difference but I think that has more to do with the truck than the bags.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by Vetl82

I'm close but it's just me and my wife and we pack light , I have tow and jake break on TV , the tv is paid off and it being a 2012 3/4 ton , and I don't have to put the additive in is great , if I had to do it over would have gotten a dually or found a 32 ft but the wifey wanted this one.

I used this site to check out how I am doing with my TV and 5er.

RV Trailer Weight Calculators - Towing Capacity - Ratings

[jimcumminsw]

Originally Posted by Vetl82

I'm close but it's just me and my wife and we pack light , I have tow and jake break on TV , the tv is paid off and it being a 2012 3/4 ton , and I don't have to put the additive in is great , if I had to do it over would have gotten a dually or found a 32 ft but the wifey wanted this one.

OK, what model of truck is the Ram 3/4 ton is it a Mega Cab or a SLT or a Laramie? Each of these trucks has different weight carrying ability and towing limits. Also what gear set; this is the real item that will provide you with the max weight of trailer you can tow with.

Here is a link for you to keep and down load on your computer. It is called the Ram Body Builders Guide. The guide has most of everything you will need to understand what is required to utilize the truck for towing.

http://www.rambodybuilder.com/year.pdf

The real ride improvement for me was a different pin box that I installed on my Cougar. The pin box is called the TrailAir and is made by Lippert components. This box will eliminate almost 90% of the ride complaints that occur when towing the other 5% the air bags will eliminate.

Jim W.

[Vetl82]

The Ram is a Big Horn SLT has a 3.42 gear ratio , has tow package and jake break .

[jesilvas]

Originally Posted by Vetl82

The Ram is a Big Horn SLT has a 3.42 gear ratio , has tow package and jake break .

Unless a Jacob's brake was added, you don't have one.
It is a compression brake that actually move the pushrods on the valves and opens them at different times.

You may have a variable geometry turbo (VGT) or a butterfly valve in the exhaust. The VGT has vanes that close around the exhaust turbine, spinning up the turbo and increasing boost and compression, and slowing the engine. The exhaust valve just increases back pressure, slowing the engine also.