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06-19-2013, 10:18 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Alberta
Posts: 1
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air bags vs 5th wheel air pin box?
I'm debating whether to install air bags on my 2011 GMC 2500HD 6.6L Duramax or replacing the 5th wheel hitch with a Trailair air pin box to smooth my ride. Any idea which system improves ride quality more?
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06-19-2013, 10:21 PM
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#2
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Starman
I'm debating whether to install air bags on my 2011 GMC 2500HD 6.6L Duramax or replacing the 5th wheel hitch with a Trailair air pin box to smooth my ride. Any idea which system improves ride quality more?
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IMO I'd start with air bags.
What a difference when I added mine.
Turbs
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06-20-2013, 08:03 AM
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#3
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Now a "Top Member"
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Roman Forest, TX
Posts: 4,352
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The pin box probably will quiet the ride down more than the air bags. But if you have any squat, the air bags will probably help as well. If you can, I'd do both. But if you can only do one, I'd start with the pin box.
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Ed and Sharon
2010 Wildcat 28RKBS
2019 Ford F-250 XLT - AWESOME Truck!
Retired AF MSgt
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06-20-2013, 09:49 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 152
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Air bags would give you overall more flexibility as far as towing anything else or if you were to be putting other loads in the bed of the truck.
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06-20-2013, 10:46 AM
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#5
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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I found out putting shocks on the trailer did more than anything to smooth out the ride. It is a lot of work, but IMO, the best bang for the buck! I already had airbags. They stopped all the 'dolphining and chucking' and smoothed the ride out in both the truck and 5er.
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06-20-2013, 11:01 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 630
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Can you fill us in more on what your rig consists of? What Camper? What Hitch?
Air bags are going to help stiffen the ride... So if you are wanting to smooth out a kind of squishy wavy feel in the rear end then air bags would be the way to go. If the ride is sort of hard currently and feels more like the camper is beating up on the truck then the trailair would be more affective to help solve that.
If you are pulling a fairly hefty 5er I would highly recommend air bags regardless. Several people have used the timbren springs and say they like them. I would prefer to have the ability to adjust the height of the back of the truck as well as stiffness of the ride with air pressure. vs the timbrens that are an install and forget product.
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TV- 2015 Ram 2500 CCLB 6.7 Cummins 3.42 gears
Camper - 2015 Saber 322BHTS
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06-20-2013, 11:11 AM
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#7
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Don't understand the reluctance to address the issue at the source of the problem and that is the trailer's suspension being uncontrolled. No other vehicle has an uncontrolled suspension. Even top line boat trailers have shocks as do top line rv trailers like Airstream.
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06-20-2013, 11:59 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Gruene, TX.
Posts: 343
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We're preparing to leave tomorrow for our first long trip (2800 miles). We have the Firestone air bags (Highly recommended!); but we wanted to soften the ride a bit, so we had the dealer install a Trail Air pin yesterday. Now the 5er sits four inches higher in front than in the rear, so today it's spacers to bring the rear end up. Seems there's always something else to drain the wallet.
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06-20-2013, 12:00 PM
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#9
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Denver, CO
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 2,102
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Cause it's more work, than bags.. I think its the better solution to, including the bounce if the trailer itself...
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2017 Fuse 23T
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06-20-2013, 12:01 PM
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#10
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scratch
We're preparing to leave tomorrow for our first long trip (2800 miles). We have the Firestone air bags (Highly recommended!); but we wanted to soften the ride a bit, so we had the dealer install a Trail Air pin yesterday. Now the 5er sits four inches higher in front than in the rear, so today it's spacers to bring the rear end up. Seems there's always something else to drain the wallet.
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Can you not lower the hitch in the truck?
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06-20-2013, 12:21 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 630
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I'm with Oldcoot... see if you can lower the hitch in the truck and or raise the pin box up!... I'd hate to lift the camper up higher... Brings in all sorts of other issues...
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TV- 2015 Ram 2500 CCLB 6.7 Cummins 3.42 gears
Camper - 2015 Saber 322BHTS
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06-20-2013, 08:54 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 103
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I have the same truck. Installed Firestone bags and I am satisfied with results. Did it myself in driveway. Took about 4 hours.
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2013 Palomino Sabre 34 TBOK
2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD SRW CrewCab SB
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06-20-2013, 09:55 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Gruene, TX.
Posts: 343
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldCoot
Can you not lower the hitch in the truck?
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That was our first course of action yesterday. Much of the problem lies in the fact that it is a 4X4 with the camper package which makes the truck sit higher than a comparable 4X2.
We picked it up late this afternoon after installing the spacers and the trailer now sits near level. Great ride on the drive home helped to calm the frustration of drain, once again, on the ole wallet.
Just packed up and we're almost ready to head out tomorrow morning for our first long trip... 1st stop, Lake Livingston, TX...
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