Are Air Bags Full Of Hot Air?

[Road-King]

After reading the thread on pulling a missile launcher, I was wondering why someone pulling a travel trailer (not a 5er), using a properly set up weight distribution hitch and within their weight ratings for their TV would feel the need for air bags?

Seems to me, it shouldn't be needed and it really complicates hooking up and setting up the WDH.

BTW, I have a dully, pulling a TT, I don't need them just wondering.

[crasher]

Some softly sprung vehicles, will still sag even with a wdh setup. You are still putting a load on the rear axle - can still be significant even with wd.

[KyDan]

I have airbags on my truck.
My previous trailer setup did not have WD hitch so I installed airbags.
Current trailer does have a WD hitch but I still us the airbags on occasion.
Sometimes I haul a motorcycle in the bed of my truck. Rarely but it happens,
I've been known to stack firewood around the motorcycle and maybe even
fill my fresh tank (which is in the front end of my TT).
On those occasions the airbags work great to level my truck.

Also very rarely I have hauled heavy stuff in my truck with no trailer and
the airbags are great to level me back up.

I don't see that they make hitching any harder. As far as complicating
WD setup-- maybe but that's a one time thing so it's not a biggie.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by Road-King

After reading the thread on pulling a missile launcher, I was wondering why someone pulling a travel trailer (not a 5er), using a properly set up weight distribution hitch and within their weight ratings for their TV would feel the need for air bags?

Road-King, I think in the case of the OP of that thread, he did not have the WDH properly set up, leading him to believe that air bags were needed. With that particular TV and trailer, if his WDH was dialed in correctly, his truck should have been riding nice and level. From the pictures in that thread, he needed the WDH tilted back several more notches to get enough weight taken off of his rear axle and put back on the front axle where it belonged.

I believe that airbags were an unnecessary expense for that truck, as well as now making the truck ride too high, maybe necessitating a longer dropped shank to make the trailer run level.

[ironj]

all good points....also i may add that i have bags on my truck....it towed fine without, but the bags take out the "bounce" on horrible roads .

Second to that, the main thing i like about them is that my headlights dont get messed up...even with the wd hitch on there adjusted properly i gained an inch of height on the front and about 2 inches of sag in the rear...

i have retrofitted bi xenon projector headlights in my truck, and any of you who have stared down the barrel of a new lexus, bmw, or other high end true bi xenon setup know how blinding they can be if not aimed properly...my light shield cutoffs are adjusted for normal everyday ride height, but with the trailer end up being aimed up and blinding other drivers as if they were on high beam. with the bags i can get the truck level and have correct beam throw, and not be "THAT" guy blinding everyone else.....

and mind you i was only at half my available cargo capacity with my trailers tongue weight, and my wd was set up correctly and cat scaled to be sure....

[KyDan]

I don't tow much at night but on rare occasion I have seen my headlights
bounce up onto the semi in front of me. With the airbags inflated that
happens much less.

If we move on to a larger 5th wheel and a diesel Chevy 2500 one day
I donno if I'll use airbags or not. Can't haul a motorcycle and tow a
5er