Fill air bags...before or after?

[AMink]

Is it better to fill the bags before or after hooking up and dropping the weight onto the truck? Or does it matter?

[drdarrin]

I doubt it matters. It's easier for me to do it before hooking up, but I'm 6'6". It would make no difference to my DW.

[TBS-POPS]

After you hook up and dump air before you drop otherwise the nose will have to be way up to hook or drop.

[ralphie]

Before, but I'm not sure it matters.

[jonnyaiks]

I've done it both ways, doesn't seem to matter. Most of the time I do it first, hook up, then let air out until I'm an inch or two of unloaded height.

[RoadrunnerII]

I fill the air bags on the truck after I actual back in to hitch. Us the bags to lift the rig some off the front legs. Retract legs 1/2inch or so off ground. Test I am connected then stow the front legs via the spring pins. When I 'm hitching I drop front legs by releasing the spring pins and air down the bags. Then engage the lift a little on the legs to clear hitch. Remove electrical connection and emergency brake cable. Then pull away. Then auto level.
I figure less wear and tear on the front leg motors.
RoadrunnerII

[jimcumminsw]

There is no right or wrong way for inflating your air bags on the truck.

My way is to inflate the air bag to an intiall air pressure of 10 PSI. I then connect the fiver to the trucks hitch. I will than inflate to what ever pressure is required to level out the load. When detaching from the truck. I will lower the hydraulic rams to ground lever taking the load off of the truck and hitch. I will than deflate the bags to 5 of 10 PSI.

Why this way? I do not have to extend the king pin has high to clear the hitch. If the bags are inflated to a higher pressure the rear of the truck will continue to rise as the load is removed from the truck. Thus the king pin has to be raised higher to exit from my hitch. I also have the Blue Ox Bed Saver on my hitch so, the king pin needs to clear this.

[45Auto]

I have an ANDERSEN HITCH, and airlift 5000 with wireless remote To fill. I back up under the funnel on the pin, push my preset on the wireless for 35 pounds then drop the front jacks.