Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-19-2016, 01:41 PM   #1
Blog: RVroadtripper.com
 
hbillsmith's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Near Dallas Texas
Posts: 1,000
Hey 3/4ton drivers: What's your airbag PSI?

My TV is 2015 2500HD GMC that I installed Firestone Airbags on in prep for towing my Wildcat's 1900# pin weight. What I've learned is I probably didn't even need the airbags. The 2500HD is plenty capable without them...but I have them now.

When towing I'll keep them at a minimum 10 to 20 psi until I hit a stretch of bad highway (think Shreveport I-20). Then I'll use the wireless compressor and pump them up to about 40psi (seems to help). But is that enough?

I've seen messages over time where others talk about running their bags at 50,60 even 90 or 100 psi. Granted some of these have heavier pin weights, some have put them on 1/2 tons trying to handle greater pin weights.

What I'm interested in with this posting is to hear from the 3/4ton drivers that like me have airbags. What's your psi?
__________________
2016 Wildcat 295RSX - 2015 GMC 2500HD DblCab Duramax/Allison 4x4 Z71 6.6' Bed
Maxxis 235/80/16E; AirBags w/AirLift1; mor/Ryde Rubber Pinbox; Andersen UltimateII Alum. 5erhitch on Reese Flipball w/Curt 4" offset; LCI Ground Control3; King Dishtailgater; Traveling with 10' Portabote;
hbillsmith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 02:55 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
brookstone345sa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Wilmington, De
Posts: 239
I run mine at about 40-50 lbs. Pin weight about 2200
brookstone345sa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 03:34 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Splendora, Texas
Posts: 1,314
I have a Wildcat 327 ck and I tow it with an 2011
F250, CC, longbed, diesel and I don't have airbags.
I have no sag.
whj77372 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 04:34 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
PhoneDude 8289's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,183
I have a 8289WS. No airbags, no sag. Truck and RV are close to level after a 3" lift on the RV. Previous truck was a Tundra with Firestone airbags @ 30psi with the same RV.
__________________
Joe & Beverly
2014 Ram 2500 CTD, CC, SB
2014 8289WS lifted
PhoneDude 8289 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 04:56 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Rutland, VT
Posts: 343
hbillsmith
what is the payload capacity of your 3/4T?
__________________
2016 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Duramax LTZ Z71 Extended Cab, Long bed
2012 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7L Hemi
(with K&N Air Intake) (traded)
2012 Rockwood 2109S (Sold)
2014 Cougar X-Lite 21RBS

wbdvt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 05:32 PM   #6
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 34
Empty bags are at 5, towing 20-25.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
USMC2010 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 06:01 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Chantilly, VA
Posts: 1,075
See my sig...I run 15-20 psi towing. In fact, I just leave it there since I only drive 2 miles round trip to work each day. I played around a lot with pressures and actually found that anything over 20 had a detrimental effect on towing comfort.
__________________
Lee and Anne

2016 F250 2WD CC SB XLT 6.2 3,295 lb payload cap.
2014 Salem Hemisphere 282RK 8k lbs loaded, Equal-i-zer WDH, TST 507 TPMS
2021: 35 nights already booked so far
Teamfour is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 06:25 PM   #8
Georgia Rally Coordinator
 
aceinspp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: GA
Posts: 24,293
In installed Timbrens and towing a 9000 # tt loaded with equalizer wdh works great. No sag Timbrens also control bounce and sway . Later RJD
__________________
2020 Shasta Phoenix SPF 27RKSS (sold)
2018 Dodge Ram 2500 6.4 3:73 gearing. Traded 2015 Chevy 2500 6.0, 4:10
Traded 2015 30WRLIKS V-Lite
Days camped 2019 62
Days camped 2020 49 days camped 2021-74 2022-40 days 2023 5 days
aceinspp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 06:37 PM   #9
Blog: RVroadtripper.com
 
hbillsmith's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Near Dallas Texas
Posts: 1,000
Quote:
Originally Posted by wbdvt View Post
hbillsmith
what is the payload capacity of your 3/4T?
Truck sticker is 2,515# but I've CAT scaled it and with passengers, fuel and a generator in the bed I'm only left with 1,997# available for pin weight. According to my latest CAT I'm using 1,905# of that. Now I leave the 85# genny at home unless I'm heading out to dry camp.
__________________
2016 Wildcat 295RSX - 2015 GMC 2500HD DblCab Duramax/Allison 4x4 Z71 6.6' Bed
Maxxis 235/80/16E; AirBags w/AirLift1; mor/Ryde Rubber Pinbox; Andersen UltimateII Alum. 5erhitch on Reese Flipball w/Curt 4" offset; LCI Ground Control3; King Dishtailgater; Traveling with 10' Portabote;
hbillsmith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 06:46 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 222
I have a 2016 F250 6.2 3.73 SB CC Lariat, my TT is a Flagstaff 27BEWS Ultra Lite.
I am considering some air bags for my TV, so I am looking over the fence at this thread for some info. Sometimes a bad spot on the highway can send a jolt all the way through the cab and up my spine when towing. So air bags may be the ticket for a smoother ride.
The only concern that I have is that some post on the subject suggest that the air bags cancel out the automatic anti-sway controls (with competing motion offered by the air bags, I guess?)
Anybody know the real reason and if it is true?
Wheels Down is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 07:10 PM   #11
Blog: RVroadtripper.com
 
hbillsmith's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Near Dallas Texas
Posts: 1,000
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wheels Down View Post
I have a 2016 F250 6.2 3.73 SB CC Lariat, my TT is a Flagstaff 27BEWS Ultra Lite.
I am considering some air bags for my TV, so I am looking over the fence at this thread for some info. Sometimes a bad spot on the highway can send a jolt all the way through the cab and up my spine when towing. So air bags may be the ticket for a smoother ride.
The only concern that I have is that some post on the subject suggest that the air bags cancel out the automatic anti-sway controls (with competing motion offered by the air bags, I guess?)
Anybody know the real reason and if it is true?
I don't think you will see any benefit from airbags on a 250 pulling an ultrahigh TT. With a heavy fifth wheel, maybe. I'm not sure you even need a wdh, sway control though yes
__________________
2016 Wildcat 295RSX - 2015 GMC 2500HD DblCab Duramax/Allison 4x4 Z71 6.6' Bed
Maxxis 235/80/16E; AirBags w/AirLift1; mor/Ryde Rubber Pinbox; Andersen UltimateII Alum. 5erhitch on Reese Flipball w/Curt 4" offset; LCI Ground Control3; King Dishtailgater; Traveling with 10' Portabote;
hbillsmith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 07:19 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
northstar1960's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: in my new 29hfsxlr
Posts: 1,658
Quote:
Originally Posted by aceinspp View Post
In installed Timbrens and towing a 9000 # tt loaded with equalizer wdh works great. No sag Timbrens also control bounce and sway . Later RJD
Timbrens control bounce AND sway . news to me . didn't think they could even improve a ride let a lone help with sway .
northstar1960 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2016, 08:09 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 222
hbillsmith,
I have the heavy Equalizer WDH and that helps a lot with sway.
The trailer weighs around 7800# loaded. I know I am well within limits for payload,tongue weight and TT for this TV.
Just looking for something to take the sting out of some nasty sections of highway. Thought air bags maybe the answer. If not what is, more pillows?

Thanks,RMc
Wheels Down is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2016, 12:42 PM   #14
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 83
No psi will be right for everyone. Add air til bed rails are level.
JR Smith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2016, 08:32 PM   #15
Member
 
hicksie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sutton Ontario
Posts: 76
I have an F-250 towing a 40 ft Crusader I keep my air bags at 20 psi and they haven't bottomed out the suspension yet When empty I run around 10+15 psi
__________________
Les Hicks
Canadian Army,Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement,
Supervisor Courts Services (Retired)
Living the dream with Carol my best friend/Wife for 50+ years2011 F-250 6.2ltr 2 WD ext cab / 2015 Crusader 350 touring edition
hicksie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2016, 09:50 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Jim34RL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Oswego il
Posts: 2,428
What I did to determine my proper air pressure for my air bags, is as follows. Place truck on a level surface without a load in the truck or camper attached. Measure bumper height from road surface, in my case top of bumper; save this dimension. Now attach the camper to the truck and add air to the airbags up to this measurement. This is about how much air pressure you will need in the airbags to level your truck. You may want to +/- this air pressure by 5 or 10 PSI to improve ride when loaded.
__________________
Jim W.
2016 34RL CC; 2008 Ram Mega Cab 2500HD, 6.7L, 68RFE 6 speed, 4X4, Smarty S67, TDR 145K+miles
Jim34RL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-22-2016, 10:38 AM   #17
Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 71
I had to play with it for a while to get the best ride with the least amount of bounce. I have a 2500 Dodge short bed,pull a 28' Grey Wolf, with a 3000 Honda Gen mounted on the tongue of the TT and about 300lbs of gear in the bed of my pick-up. I found the best ride for me is 12lbs of air. If I load 800lbs of motorcycle I raise it to 16lbs.
Las Cruces is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-22-2016, 07:09 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
muddyrode's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: SE Iowa
Posts: 628
when i had my 2500HD i had bigwig air bags pulling a wildcat at 1900 pin weight also, i put 15 to 18 psi when pulling to stable up the rear and that would lift it off the overloads, and it helped a lot with the cross wind roll also,
drop down to 5 psi when not towing
__________________
2016 SANDPIPER 35ROK
2013 Silverado Duramax 3500HD DRW LB

Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey
muddyrode is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-22-2016, 07:13 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
CaptnJohn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Eastern NC
Posts: 3,963
My 2016 F250 did not sag even though the pin weight put it very near max payload. The bed only dropped 3/4" with 2100# pin dropped in.
__________________
2022 Montana 3855 BR
2019 F350 6.7 4X4 LB Dually
Edgewater 205 EX 150 Yamaha
CaptnJohn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-22-2016, 07:15 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: West Hills, CA
Posts: 200
I hadn't planned on adding bags, the truck squat some with the load but looked level and drove okay.

However, I weighed the trailer and found 600lb difference between front and rear axles, with the front being the heaviest. The trailer was sitting a little nose down and I was able to raise my hitch two holes to compensate to even out the difference between the two axles.

A trip to the scales to see if there's a difference in axle weights.
A fully loaded truck and trailer may require more air than empty.
__________________
2015 Rockwood 8289WS
2003 Dodge Cummins w/Banks 3:73
CraigBean7672 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:29 PM.