Champagne and TrailAir hitch

[spock123]

At 100lbs I can't see the arrows head, at anything below a 100lbs is heading to the bottom of arrows. Riding down the road and trailer hits a bump you don't even know there are two arrows there. I have a trip planned on February 16 I'll take some more pictures


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[SilverbackMel]

Could be a defective shock, slow leak or maybe the unit front weight exceeds the hitch capability? I have no issue with same BUT, pretty sure I am SIGNIFICANTLY LIGHTER on the hitch point.

I have front washer/dryer "prep"; no machines. No extra heavy stuff in the lower front compartment, such as a generator or portables.

My TrailAir does lose pressure if sitting around. When traveling for several days, no need to refill; holds.

Just say'n something obvious is the issue. Lot's of things go kaput on these rigs and I wish you well in finding the cause.

[18CrewDually]

That's definitely sitting to low, Spock. With it like that it's going to constantly bottom out. I'd top it off with air until it's at the point of the arrow and try it. Maybe your gauge is off or being misread?
Have you ever weighed it to figure pin weight?

[spock123]

I have a air compressor that I use to air up my tires plus I use a digital gauge. I use a extra 507 flow-thru sensor so I can check the air on my TPMS. I think my unit might be bad. I have never weighed my camper. I do have a stacked washer/dryer but it's not on the nose, it's next to the dining table. I have two Honda's, like a hundred pounds in the basement. I should have got a Mor/ryde pin box. I had Firestone air bags on a 2500 and they leaked, I had a onboard air compressor with them and I could air them up riding down the road. They were no help with what I wanted to do.


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[Cumminz]

Spock, consider a DemCo pinbox.

[18CrewDually]

Originally Posted by spock123

I have a air compressor that I use to air up my tires plus I use a digital gauge. I use a extra 507 flow-thru sensor so I can check the air on my TPMS. I think my unit might be bad. I have never weighed my camper. I do have a stacked washer/dryer but it's not on the nose, it's next to the dining table. I have two Honda's, like a hundred pounds in the basement. I should have got a Mor/ryde pin box. I had Firestone air bags on a 2500 and they leaked, I had a onboard air compressor with them and I could air them up riding down the road. They were no help with what I wanted to do.


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I have my basement loaded plus a generator in the front storage along with other stuff. I don't think that's a problem.
I've never seen an actual air bag leak. Everytime there was a problem it was the fitting that connects to the line to the bag. The newer push lock fittings work well but upon install you have to make sure the tubing is round with a straight perpendicular cut at the end on the line. I also wrap them with tape after installed and checked for leaks. The tape keeps out moisture and dirt so there's no leaks in the future.
But back to the pinbox. Try adding more air to expose the arrow to the point. You really don't need to worry about pressure that much. The indicator arrow is more important because it puts the movement close to the center of the stroke so you don't get it bottoming out.
I wouldn't regret buying it yet. So far I don't think you've experienced its benefits. Post back your results after putting in more air.

[BandJCarm]

Spock, you have a leak.

Many of them do it. Google how to fix it, or call them. USUALLY it is at the valve. IIRC, and I may not, the fix is to let ALL air out, all of it. 100%........remove the valve with a wrench. Work on the needle and see if it is caterwampus. You are from Carolina, you know what caterwampus means. IIRC the two possible problems are that either A) the valve is screwed on cross threaded (more common) or B) the needle is caterwampus inside that valve.

Yours isn't doing much good without air. Go do that, THEN air it back up and see what's what.

Mine leaks but not too badly. It's been in shop so much I haven't had time to fiddle with it. When it warms up and now that it's out of shop, I'm going to do the above process to mine, also.

[W5CI]

For what its worth I run 40 to 45 lbs of air pressure in my TrailAir and it works great on my Cedar Creek

[Cumminz]

W5, I am sure due to capacity ratings of air bags used they are different capacities. My '17 CC 38' Champagne has 21k TrailAir. Mty it has 2,760# pin load Mty. I still has a 200#+ generator to add. By the time I add 1k of gear and 500#s of fresh water I may have a pin load of 3.5k. You can't compare a much smaller coach with 2k pin load. Bag air pressure is kinda nil. Just load your rig the way travel and air up till top of arrow can be seen. Simple.

[spock123]

Mine does not lose the air all at once, it takes a couple of days for the pressure to start dropping. But with the Cedar Creek hooked up there is no way I can put enough air in that bladder to move it to the top of the arrows. My compressor stops at 125lbs of air pressure and the arrows stay hid. I thought something might be wrong and I called the factory and I was told not to worry about trying to get to the top of the arrows


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[Cumminz]

You ever thought it has wrong air bag?

[spock123]

Originally Posted by Cumminz

Spock, consider a DemCo pinbox.

If I buy another pin box it will be a Mor/ryde. I don't want to buy another pin box. This one works, if I hit a big bump I can see the pin box drop to the bottom and then come back and I can see it move above the arrows but hooked up and riding the arrows stay hid


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[spock123]

I went to the Cedar Creek factory and I really didn't notice but where are the pin boxes installed at, when the camper is just starting to be built or the last thing installed.


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[BandJCarm]

I believe the person who told you that, factory or not, told you wrong. I believe you, like me, have a leak. I believe you SHOULD be at the top of the arrows. And I believe you need another air compressor.

And I believe I'll hush now.

[spock123]

When I had my cap replaced at the factory I was rambling around at the back just looking and I found a entry door that had a window cut out and I was asking about that and I found two Trailair pin boxes back there and I asked about would they fit and if so what was the price. I was told one would fit my camper and was told the price(rally price) and installed for free, seemed like a good deal. The factory aired the bladder up and I thought the arrows were supposed to show and when the arrows didn't show I called the factory back and was told not to worry if the arrows showed or not. I have seen a lot of other Trailair pin boxes and every last one shows the arrows. I have been told 40lbs, 50lbs, up to 65lbs. But no one has told me 125lbs, I have been told that much air would mess up the bladder. I have tried 100lbs, normally without the flow-thu the air would go to zero when I start to put the air in and then air up the bladder to 100lbs. I have tried this with the camper hooked up and camper not hooked up. I can't put enough air in the bladder to see the arrows. I see other people that have the same pin box hooked up and I can see the arrows but not mine. I kinda of wonder if I didn't get a bad one, I have done that before


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[spock123]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

I believe the person who told you that, factory or not, told you wrong. I believe you, like me, have a leak. I believe you SHOULD be at the top of the arrows. And I believe you need another air compressor.

And I believe I'll hush now.

I may have a slow leak, the air pressure will stay at 100lbs for a day before it starts to drop. My air compressor pumps up my G614 tires to 110lbs with out a problem


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[17 Oaks]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

I believe the person who told you that, factory or not, told you wrong. I believe you, like me, have a leak. I believe you SHOULD be at the top of the arrows. And I believe you need another air compressor.

And I believe I'll hush now.

I am just an observer, but shocks have always played an important role in my world and every shock I have come across in order to optimize its functionality the shock will need be centered in stroke. Stroke = the max-min travel distance. Whether it has only 1 in or 1 ft, the proper position for the shock to perform is at the middle.

I will assume the top of the arrow is midway. You could always undo one end of the shock and pull it out to max, then compress to min and measure and see if the arrow is at the halfway point. I would bet it is.

I will say that when I look at the setup pic on post #21 my head spins, wow, lot of stuff going on....

[spock123]

I can't say say for sure but when I went to the factory for cap replacement and before I got the new pin box. My residential refrigerator was on its mount but on the return trip the refrigerator fell off the mount, it cost me $200 bucks to get refrigerator reinstalled. I'm not saying the new pin box was at fault but I know the refrigerator came out. I think traveling I hit a bump and the refrigerator came up and when refrigerator came down it destroyed the mount. Like I say I don't know if the new pin box was the problem or not. If I could do it over I would not have the Trailair. I know a lot of people like them but it just doesn't seem to work for me.


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[Cumminz]

You all have heard the politicians say: "The fact of the matter is":

Well here is the truth:

Photos below will show that some of you are partially right and some of you partially wrong. The design of the TrailAir hitch by design has a mechanical stop on top and bottom to limit movement. This movement is not limited by the shock. At the rear of the jaw there is 1.5"s of movement. I do not know how much that is out the end of the hitch. If you over inflate the bag the hitch will be toward the upper end of the travel. If you under inflate the bag you are at the lower end of travel. Actually what you should do is mark the hitch with marker in the center of the movement. Then load your RV and air up till the hitch is in center of that range. NO matter what the PSI is and no matter where the arrow is. The photos I show will show hitch completely open under no load and will show range of movement with no load which is about 1.5"s. It will also show a photo of my '06 DayDreamer with double shocks and the decal is ALL the way at the bottom of the shock. The photo also shows my '17 Champagne with decal within 1/4" of the upper part of the shock. (shroud of shock). Now if you look at photo the mark is within 1/4" and also the frame of the TrailAir is wide open with NO movement possible. WHOEVER placed the decal on both my hitches DID NOT place one of the at the proper height. Now all of you chew on this and decide where your arrow should lineup. ENJOY.



Above photo shows decal toward bottom of shock

Below photo shows decal close to shroud of shock with frame bottomed out.



Frame movement area. 1.5"s




Frame bottomed out.

[JohnF]

Mine leaked as well. I brought it up in Goshen to the Lippert people and one of their technicians told me it was almost always the air valve stem. I removed it when I got home and put some teflon tape on the threads. It has not leaked since.