Community Forums

DieselGod · 01-07-2016, 11:18 PM

We have a 2015 Cougar 313 and a F350 1 ton Dually with air bags. I have been mulling over the pin box with air bag as an added ride enhancement but they are not cheap and we don't ride too bad to begin with. However I'm all for mods that make substantial gains, so some feedback from people who have had both would be most appreciated.

Fulltimer · 01-08-2016, 07:15 AM

I figure that the airbags on the truck do the same thing as an air bag hitch. I too have airbags on my F350 dually. I have had good results playing with the airbag pressure. I used to use around 50# now use around 30#.

450Donn · 01-08-2016, 07:34 AM

My fiver is nearly 11 years old now. My Trailair pin box has been on it for almost 10 years. Towing is night and day different. No more up/down clunking. It smoothes the ride out substantualy.

JDT · 01-08-2016, 07:41 AM

Something else you might consider. Our best improvement was a Trailer Saver BD3 air hitch. Costs more up front but it stays with the truck and can be easily moved if we ever change trucks again. I also have a set of Air Lift bags on the truck that were taken off from a previous truck before I sold it. I put them on because I couldn't stand to see them just be stored. I have an auto level compressor for them so not sure how much pressure we are running but the combination of the bags and the hitch give us the best ride in any rig we have ever owned.

Cummins12V98 · 01-08-2016, 09:33 AM

OP's RV dry weight is about 10K. Loaded may be 13K max with 20% pin he is at 2,600# or so. My question is why do you have bags on a Dually with that light load? My advice is to run the bags at 20# loaded and see if that helps with your ride. A BD3 would be a complete waste of money. Also I would be looking at your rear tire pressure with that load 50-55# on the rear tires should be plenty. Weigh your rear axle and adjust using the weight/inflation guide for your tire. Add 5psi to what the chart recommends.

If you really want an air hitch the TrailAire with the flex option would be the best choice. Look at your basics before spending money for no reason.

DieselGod · 01-08-2016, 10:38 PM

I run bags with compressor on my dually because they improve ride even without load, it certainly has nothing to do with increasing the trucks load capacity. Air bags ride so much nicer than springs. I adjust pressure to compensate for road conditions. If I take them up to about 50-60 on the crappy concrete roads in some states it transfers weight more to the rear axle of my trailer and adds more cushion to the truck...if you don't have air ride with in cab controls you probably can't comprehend the difference I'm talking about. I also have a 430 litre slip in the box that full adds another 500 Kg in my box. I'm less worried about spending a few G's on things than I am about achieving as ultimate a ride as I can. If you stick to the Trans Canada Highway or big interstates you probably wouldn't notice much, but that's not my style

we use rougher secondary roads quite frequently. I really don't need stage 2 injectors, Gtp38R turbo, meth/water injection, 6 stage custom programming, Banks intercooler, exhaust brake or train horns either to mention a few of many mods to this truck, it's want more than need...not to mention good advertising for our high performance diesel business. ��
I appreciate the feedback!

jacknife · 01-09-2016, 10:08 AM

To say an air ride fifth wheel is a waste of money is to say you have never owned one. Airbags on the suspension help but your trl still takes a pounding. I have a BD3 and also had a solid 5th wheel . The difference was phenominal!
If you already have a fifth wheel then l would opt for the trail air with the flexhead which works similar to a moryde with the added benefit of airbag and shock absorber.
The best preventative to trl damage is suspension and hitch / pinbox. IMHO

Captjake1 · 01-09-2016, 10:18 AM

On my previous fifth wheel, I installed an Fifth Airborne pin box that I found used (saved a bunch of $$). BIG improvement in towing. Took all of the jarring and chunking away. Took a bit of fiddling with the settings to get is soft enough to make a difference; without bottoming out the box. But it was a simply procedure.

I had previously installed air bags, but that was more to increase the carrying capacity of the truck. But those also made a big improvement as well.

Pin box was a good investment.

JDT · 01-09-2016, 03:27 PM

I didn't mention it previously but besides the Air Lifts on the truck and the Trailer Saver air ride hitch I also have a Demco Glide Ride pin box which came with the fiver and Trail Air Center Point air suspension system on the axles which I later added. We've put a lot of miles on the Winslow over some really bad roads, here and in Canada. So far so good and the ride is great. Maybe overkill but the wife does not like a rough riding truck and I aim to please. The bags on the truck do help with the empty ride also.

glennwest · 01-09-2016, 04:26 PM

Air bags on my dually made it ride stiffer. Air ride hitch made it better in rv and truck. So overloaded truck rode like a sled and camper done well. Now have HDT.

cashmore · 01-09-2016, 05:30 PM

We have a trail air pin box that make are ally big difference in the ride. Gets rid of the jerking and chucking especially over bridge connections on interstates.

We were unsure of spending the money but now will never have a solid box again.

scout4eagles · 01-09-2016, 05:57 PM

Our DRV has the Trail Air pin box and it works great. I wish it had the other lower MorRyde type pad on the bottom but I may upgrade later after I see more comments.

DieselGod · 01-09-2016, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacknife

To say an air ride fifth wheel is a waste of money is to say you have never owned one. Airbags on the suspension help but your trl still takes a pounding. I have a BD3 and also had a solid 5th wheel . The difference was phenominal!
If you already have a fifth wheel then l would opt for the trail air with the flexhead which works similar to a moryde with the added benefit of airbag and shock absorber.
The best preventative to trl damage is suspension and hitch / pinbox. IMHO

Agreed! However I have a 4 way hitch which I bought because it makes for much easier hookup on uneven ground and allows the trailer to rock in transit with less stress on the pin and wheel. I was unaware of an air ride 5th wheel when I bought this one or I absolutely would have bought one, so now this is why I am investigating air ride pin boxes. To the comment that was made that air bags made the truck rougher, there's no way you were running proper pressures...again not putting in a compressor and in cab controls with pressure gauge is such a waste of an otherwise fantastic and dynamic ride system! You can't set bag pressure with an air hose and expect it to be the best pressure for all road conditions. I agree that bags aren't the be all end all of ride performance for pulling, it is a big help and I'm seeing a trend here that the pin box is going to be money well spent both for cab ride and also no less importantly to help reduce pounding my trailer! We all know that results in less maintenance costs and let's face it they aren't built as well as we would like them to be and the less beating they take, the longer they stay together!

hone eagle · 01-10-2016, 07:41 AM

Remember air bags at near max load will ride rougher -like a solid.
Only bags at around 50% loading will have any kind of 'squish' same applies to bags on a pin box ,not big enough because of lac of space,most are too close to max (90psi) and are essentially solid rubber ,only good to dampen vibration.
Air hitches have bigger and more bags (up to three) and therefore the most squish.