Would airbags help with this issue?

larry2c · 08-16-2020, 05:03 PM

HA - you thought I was going to ask if I could double my cargo capacity! Nope, this is completely different. My TV and TT are pretty much towing perfectly so I am not looking to use the airbags for any improvement there.

Here's what I'm wondering - my TT parks on the side of my driveway which is a reasonable slope. The tongue of the TT is about 10' from the street and like all California streets it has a fairly decent crown to it. That means when I go to hook up/unhook, the TT and the truck aren't parallel to each other - they form a shallow V. When I do hook up I have to set my Blu Ox chains at 7 links instead of the 9 link position I tow with because if I put the full tension on the TT's drag bars scrape my driveway. If I don't put the torsion bars on at all, then the hitch will drag in the street as I pull out or back in.

So that means every time I hook up I have to set the bars at 7 links, pull out to the street, jack the TT tongue up high enough to get it to 9 links and then I'm ready to go. I get to reverse that process when I get home.

So I was thinking, if I put air bags on I could leave the torsion bars off when I first hook up, pump up the bags to the right PSI, pull out in the street and install the torsion bars to the usual 9th link and then deflate the bags to whatever the minimum PSI is. When I get home I'd repeat the process in reverse.

Since I've never had airbags I don't know if this is a reasonable approach. Is it? If so, will the PSI I inflate to be consistent enough that I could count on inflating to say 35PSI every time and have a scrape free exit & entry to my parking spot (having to adjust the inflation to a different PSI every time would be another set of hoops to jump through that I'd rather not have)? If this seems reasonable, any recommendations on what airbags to get (I don't think I should have to spend a fortune to get what I'm trying to accomplish)?

Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

babock · 08-16-2020, 05:18 PM

Try putting it in the street and then put on the bars.

I used to have a driveway like yours. I just had a couple 2x6s that helped me. Cheaper than air bags.

larry2c · 08-16-2020, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babock

Try putting it in the street and then put on the bars.

Tried it and can't do it - the truck squats down to the point where the hitch drags. I guess I could cut off a couple inches of the hitch head but then if I ever needed to adjust/flip it I'd be SOL.

The Evil Twin · 08-16-2020, 05:50 PM

Yes. Air bags would be perfect for your application. I use them for the same thing, but also to level out the TH depending on how much weight is in the garage. It also makes hooking up easier too. I inflate the bags to 60 which takes the stress off of the tongue jack as I raise the rear to connect the chains. Then drop it down to 15-20 to tow.
The Air Lift wireless compressor makes it easy too. Tap a preset pressire on your phone and you are set. I use 20 to tow with all the toys and 40 for no toys, 60 to hook up. Same hitch as you.

tomkatb · 08-16-2020, 05:52 PM

Air bags would raise the rear. How much is a guess. Enough. I know the front of my fifth wheel will raise the truck several inches.

But, the cost of a system with on board air would be kind of pricey.

simiHal · 08-16-2020, 06:21 PM

I’m with EvilTwin. My trailer sits like yours near the street. I use the air bags to lift the truck rear (100psi) to Bring closer to the trailer hitch. I also makes it a breeze to hook my WDH by removing stress. When the WDH is connect I release the pressure to 15psi and I’m level for towing. I don’t have the phone remote but I do have a remote for the pump.

The Evil Twin · 08-16-2020, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomkatb

But, the cost of a system with on board air would be kind of pricey.

Just shy of $300 and 4 hours of a Saturday. Took a little longer for me because I removed the rear tires and replaced the shocks. You dont need to take the tires off though. I also added a air chuck so I can air up tires and toys.

Mr Towed · 08-16-2020, 06:41 PM

I think airbags will do the trick for your problem. I used to have them on my Tahoe to help with sag when I towed my car hauler back in the day. It will certainly make your life easier if you incorporate a compressor and maybe a small tank into the system, but it will increase the cost, of course. You also gain an air source for inflating tires, so that's a nice bonus!

Reverse_snowbird · 08-16-2020, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babock

I used to have a driveway like yours. I just had a couple 2x6s that helped me. Cheaper than air bags.

Like you, we put down a couple of wooden boards (don't remember the size) in the dip in the driveway to lift the rear tires of the truck. Worked well. One one trip, we had to drive into a private driveway to get to the backyard to camp and those boards made it possible to drive over their 'dip'.

larry2c · 08-16-2020, 07:12 PM

OK, sounds like this may be a decent solution. I did a quick Google search and there are a lot of "best" systems. Any thoughts on the best & worst (or what to avoid) from the FROG folks?

Mr Towed · 08-17-2020, 08:22 AM

my system was Ride-Rite by Firestone.
You can get it (and see some installation videos and pictures) at etrailer.com

katkt · 08-17-2020, 09:03 AM

Just an idea...maybe a bad one...
Since all you're trying to do, is get some height so nothing drags. Have you given any thought to maybe one of the wheels like some trailers have that slips onto the bottom of the tongue jack? I'm thinking of what we had as a kid with a Starcraft camper we owned. The wheel is steel and swivels. It should roll and support the hitch area as is goes across the problem area lifting both the hitch and rear of the truck.

In my case, I have a round pad on the bottom, but it is held in place with a pin, so the pad can be removed. I'd think I could find a wheel somewhere, that would replace the pad if I went looking.

It would be similar to some of the lower trailers, that have the anti drag wheels on the rear of the trailer so they roll across problem areas, instead of grinding their way into parking lots and driveways.

Carrier · 08-17-2020, 03:56 PM

If you put air bags on spend a few extra dollars and get the remote controlled compressor. You will be glad that you did.

SniperDroid · 08-17-2020, 06:14 PM

Lot's of good advice given here... but my first thought is to get the hell out of California!

babock · 08-17-2020, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SniperDroid

Lot's of good advice given here... but my first thought is to get the hell out of California!

LOL says someone from Ohio!

larry2c · 08-17-2020, 07:13 PM

I've also been looking on the F150 forums and the Firestone Ride Rite that Mr Towed mentioned seems to be the most popular setup. Some do the onboard compressor and some don't. Just curious, any reason that couldn't be added on at some point in the future? Saves a few bucks now...

Quote:

Originally Posted by SniperDroid

Lot's of good advice given here... but my first thought is to get the hell out of California!

So for the record, I was born in Ohio and left there when I was 20 to join the Navy. Been here in sunny CA 40+ years now and other than to attend a funeral, I have no intentions of going back to OH

TomatoMan · 08-17-2020, 07:15 PM

Stay away from SD Truck Springs when you purchase your bags. Their customer service is far worse than any online supplier I have ever dealt with.

Carrier · 08-17-2020, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larry2c

I've also been looking on the F150 forums and the Firestone Ride Rite that Mr Towed mentioned seems to be the most popular setup. Some do the onboard compressor and some don't. Just curious, any reason that couldn't be added on at some point in the future? Saves a few bucks now...

So for the record, I was born in Ohio and left there when I was 20 to join the Navy. Been here in sunny CA 40+ years now and other than to attend a funeral, I have no intentions of going back to OH

I put the Firestone air bags on my 2010 F150 first with both bags hooked together with a t fitting.and to one fill port. Big mistake as the truck would lean in side winds and going around corners. Some say that they don’t notice it but I sure did. I then had each bag by itself to two fill ports. It seemed as I could never get the pressure right to the road conditions plus wanting to use it for similar to what you want to do.
This was just a pain in the butt and I bought an Air Lift 72000 compressor kit with remote control and it’s been great. With a touch of a button you can adjust air pressure to road conditions or anything you want.
The only issue was it would freeze up and cause issues in -20 to -30 degree winters so I just take the bags off and plug the lines in the fall and put them back on in the spring. Sounds like a lot of work but I do it when I switch winter/summer tires in fall and spring and it’s not that big of a deal.

larry2c · 08-17-2020, 08:01 PM

Thanks for that info Carrier. I'm curious - how did the airlift compressor fix the issue? Does it constantly adjust the pressure or??? Just curious. I was thinking of going with the T fitting to keep things simple and airing it up with my little portable compressor. Since I don't think I'll need any "help" from the bags after hookup/unhookup, I would likely run the bags as low as they say to go when towing or just driving unloaded.

SlowrideHD · 08-17-2020, 08:40 PM

I have the Firestone airbags on my truck, and had them on my previous F250 as well. I have the frame mount compressor with the gauge and control switch mounted in my console. I use mine sometimes when unhitching, air the bags up to 50-60, touch down the front landing gear, let the air bags back down to 10 lbs. Easy to pull out.
I don't need the bags for towing my fifth wheel but I have another gooseneck and when it is loaded, weighs over 23,500 lbs. The bags will level my truck when under that load.

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