Air bags

[Lowlysubaruguy]

I put air bags on my smaller truck which is GMC Canyon I load it to the max or more and haul different trailers and changing loads. I like them a lot takes away the bounce and I can tune it while driving to certain loads and conditions on the spot.

I also have a one ton Gm dually which makes me wonder if I will benefit from them as well. my boat and trailer with fuel water and gear might hit 14,000 pounds which is well under specs for this truck but I do get some bounce on certain roads. Eventually I will trailer the boat cross country and it might be worth the money. But I also know this truck handles this load in a worst case scenario first hand quite well already air bags may not improve it enough to justify the costs.

any thoughts

 

[jhande]

Don't think I would spend the money and just run it as is.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Air bags might make for a more comfortable ride, but they don't include your payload or towing capacity.

 

[bruceb58]

Air bags do NOTHING for your payload. In fact, they reduce it by the weight of the bags themselves. If you have too much tongue weight for a dead weight hitch, you need a weigh distributing hitch.

I wouldn't even consider towing a a 14K boat without a weight distributing hitch....even with a 1T truck.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Air bags might make for a more comfortable ride, but they don't include your payload or towing capacity.

Ugh... I meant to say, air bags don’t INCREASE your payload....

 

[bruceb58]

Ugh... I meant to say, air bags don’t INCREASE your payload....

I knew what you meant!

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

I’d be more interested in a weight distribution hitch except theres a few variables

the first of which is I have never had a weight distribution hitch that improved anything as mush as the air bags did on my canyon. I have owned a number of travel trailers with high end weight distribution hitches and stabilizer systems and I am in no way discounting the need of them. I’m just saying the air bags really change everything from height stability and not to mention being able to adjust it for changes in loads or trailers two of my trailers are loaded me way and empty on return. And you just dial down the pressure.

the next is my bigger boats trailer is an aluminum frame I’d have to do some modifications to be able to in stall a weight distribution hitch

and lastly I have to drive it all out of my driveway and then install them and when this boats leaving ive been packing gear its all loaded I’m showered up clean and ready for a road trip. Id hate to have to drag the bars out and install them down the road and get dirty and then spend half a day in the truck. My approach onto the road wants to eat the low end of them on my travel trailers and the boats even lower By a fair margin I also think they might be an issue in many places.

Was hoping someone had air bags on a one ton and could tell me directly what I might gain.

 

[bruceb58]

A weight distributing hitch puts some weight back onto the front axle which was removed by putting the heavy tongue weight on the back of the truck. Makes handling WAY better since the front axle weight isn't too light anymore.

 

[H20Rat]

If I'd have a choice (and need), a weight distribution hitch should be done first in almost all cases. Air bags don't fix the underlying problem, they don't transfer weight to the front of the vehicle. Bags are most useful for a heavy 5th wheel load.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

I put air bags on my smaller truck which is GMC Canyon I load it to the max or more and haul different trailers and changing loads. I like them a lot takes away the bounce and I can tune it while driving to certain loads and conditions on the spot.

I also have a one ton Gm dually which makes me wonder if I will benefit from them as well. my boat and trailer with fuel water and gear might hit 14,000 pounds which is well under specs for this truck but I do get some bounce on certain roads. Eventually I will trailer the boat cross country and it might be worth the money. But I also know this truck handles this load in a worst case scenario first hand quite well already air bags may not improve it enough to justify the costs.

any thoughts

I bought a new travel trailer and towed it home Yesterday. A couple weeks ago I found a used Anderson anti sway hitch For $100 and bought it for this trailer. I have a traveil trailer thats almost dead on weight length as the new one it has load levelers and sway bar its a curt and is the right weight for this trailer. I never use it with my dually because it makes minimal difference in any part of it. It helps with my GMC Canyon quite a bit.

I drove it about 100 miles before I installed the Anderson anti sway hitch jus to give me an idea of what the difference was. I love this hitch for sway control I drove this thing through Boise Idaho in heavy traffic and literally forgot the trailer was back there its almost as if the trailer was part of the truck drove though the mountains effortlessly.

While it really wont change the bounce you get on some roads much it helps some. It wont give you any lift which in my case I drop about 1/2” with a 29 foot travel trailer so i dont have an issue supporting my load any way.

So if your truck doesnt need lift the Anderson anti sway hitch would be a good thing. Fact is if you need more lift air bags are so much better than a load leaving kit and in so many ways. The Anderson hitch is also much easier to install and take off lighter and takes up less room

 

[bruceb58]

I bought a new travel trailer and towed it home Yesterday. A couple weeks ago I found a used Anderson anti sway hitch For $100 and bought it for this trailer. I have a traveil trailer thats almost dead on weight length as the new one it has load levelers and sway bar its a curt and is the right weight for this trailer. I never use it with my dually because it makes minimal difference in any part of it. It helps with my GMC Canyon quite a bit.

I drove it about 100 miles before I installed the Anderson anti sway hitch jus to give me an idea of what the difference was. I love this hitch for sway control I drove this thing through Boise Idaho in heavy traffic and literally forgot the trailer was back there its almost as if the trailer was part of the truck drove though the mountains effortlessly.

While it really wont change the bounce you get on some roads much it helps some. It wont give you any lift which in my case I drop about 1/2” with a 29 foot travel trailer so i dont have an issue supporting my load any way.

So if your truck doesnt need lift the Anderson anti sway hitch would be a good thing. Fact is if you need more lift air bags are so much better than a load leaving kit and in so many ways. The Anderson hitch is also much easier to install and take off lighter and takes up less room

Travel trailers typically don't have surge brakes like boat trailers have. Anderson hitches are incompatible with surge brakes.

Please tell me you aren't towing a 29' travel trailer with a GMC Canyon.