Community Forums

Being Frank · 06-09-2021, 02:09 PM

Hello,
I added airbags to my Toyota tundra crew Max over the winter and when I hooked up to my travel trailer this spring, I realized that with the added height of the airbags (or less sag I guess) I need to adjust my weight distribution hitch in order to still get the weight distribution.

I am running an Anderson weight distribution hitch with Firestone bags. What would be the proper way to set this up… Should I inflate the bags to a certain amount and then re-set the hitch up like I did from new where I check the hitch height of the level trailer, then check the height of the hitch ball and maybe change the height of the hitch ball if needed? Is there anyway to know how much air I should put in the bags before I do that process?

I feel like I'm making it more complicated than it needs to be, however it did not tow as well when I had it out this past weekend. I just had shoulder surgery yesterday so I'll be out for several months but I'm hoping to learn a little now so when I'm back to being well I can get it all adjusted and set up the way it should be.

Thanks for any info/help it is appreciated
Frank

Bill Gail · 06-09-2021, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Being Frank

Hello,
I added airbags to my Toyota tundra crew Max over the winter and when I hooked up to my travel trailer this spring, I realized that with the added height of the airbags (or less sag I guess) I need to adjust my weight distribution hitch in order to still get the weight distribution.

I am running an Anderson weight distribution hitch with Firestone bags. What would be the proper way to set this up… Should I inflate the bags to a certain amount and then re-set the hitch up like I did from new where I check the hitch height of the level trailer, then check the height of the hitch ball and maybe change the height of the hitch ball if needed? Is there anyway to know how much air I should put in the bags before I do that process?

I feel like I'm making it more complicated than it needs to be, however it did not tow as well when I had it out this past weekend. I just had shoulder surgery yesterday so I'll be out for several months but I'm hoping to learn a little now so when I'm back to being well I can get it all adjusted and set up the way it should be.

Thanks for any info/help it is appreciated
Frank

What I do with my Ford F150 is take the airbags and set to the minimum pressure recommended by Firestone 25-30# . I then set-up the trailer and WDH as normal . I then inflate the airbags until truck is level , but not over 80# . I also use a Quiet Hitch to take the slop out of the receiver .

I know Firestone says max inflation is 100# but I like a margin of safety.

I tried several different ways of setting the airbags and hitch , but I find it tows great with this procedure .

Being Frank · 06-09-2021, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Gail

What I do with my Ford F150 is take the airbags and set to the minimum pressure recommended by Firestone 25-30# . I then set-up the trailer and WDH as normal . I then inflate the airbags until truck is level , but not over 80# . I also use a Quiet Hitch to take the slop out of the receiver .

I know Firestone says max inflation is 100# but I like a margin of safety.

I tried several different ways of setting the airbags and hitch , but I find it tows great with this procedure .

So just that I understand, did you already have the weight distribution on the truck before the airbags? I put 35 pounds in the airbags and hitched up like usual and found that I had almost no weight distribution happening. Do I need to do the 25 to 30 pounds you suggested, then set the weight distribution up like it had never been on the truck before?

Cumminsfan · 06-09-2021, 02:44 PM

When I had bags on a previous F150 I loaded the truck with everything that went in the bed. The aired up the bags to the OEM rear height.
After that I hitched up the TT and used the WDH to set the front.

The reason I used air bags was because I put a ton of gear in the bed of the truck. I had a relatively light TW but I needed 1000# bars to get the front back to near 100%. It made for a really jerky ride. So I added the bags and got lighter spring bars. It rode like a Caddy after that. Best smoothest riding combo to date.

You shouldn't need air bags under normal conditions. You don't say why you're using them.

Being Frank · 06-09-2021, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cumminsfan

When I had bags on a previous F150 I loaded the truck with everything that went in the bed. The aired up the bags to the OEM rear height.
After that I hitched up the TT and used the WDH to set the front.

The reason I used air bags was because I put a ton of gear in the bed of the truck. I had a relatively light TW but I needed 1000# bars to get the front back to near 100%. It made for a really jerky ride. So I added the bags and got lighter spring bars. It rode like a Caddy after that. Best smoothest riding combo to date.

You shouldn't need air bags under normal conditions. You don't say why you're using them.

Thanks Cumminsfan for the info. The trailer I tow is around 7000 pounds and at that weight it made the back of my truck sag pretty good, even though the weight distribution made towing tolerable I wanted the back end up a little so the trucks are more level.

bneukam · 06-09-2021, 05:16 PM

Personally I am not a fan of air bags. Yes, many people use them, but I just prefer letting the springs do the work, even if you have to remove, and add slightly higher rated springs. That with a proper WDH set up correctly should provide a very nice ride, without the worry of one of those bags getting a leak.

Had airbags on a Class C, and then factory air suspension on the Ram, and they both worked great for a while.

When the factory 4 corner air went out I opted for aftermarket higher rated coil springs, instead of going with the factory coils and adding air bags. The ride is more supportive unloaded, but not harsh. With the added Fox shocks, it handles the trailer smoothly.

Most importantly is that you don’t push your front end down more than what it sits without a trailer. This can cause handling issues. Always set the airbags to the desired psi before setting up your WDH.

It’s another layer of complexity that I prefer to not have to deal with.

Cumminsfan · 06-09-2021, 11:27 PM

With that TT you should have around 900 lbs for TW. I know Andersens are rated for 1400 lbs but on lightly sprung 1/2 tons they struggle to transfer weight.
My guess is that if you went to an Equalizer or Blue Ox WDH rated at 1200 lbs you'd be able to keep the rear end from sagging.
Nothing wrong with rear end sag as long as the rear doesn't sit lower than the front.
The main goal is to return the front of the truck back to what the manufacture recommends.
If you're returning the front back to where it needs to be and still don't like the sag then do the bags. The front is the main concern though.