Do I need Air Lift air bags? Other suspension help?

[marter]

Originally Posted by RandyNH

And this is where you learn that not everything you see on here is good information.

The hitch on your truck, as are most ½ tons, is rated for 500lbs without weight distribution (please correct me if I'm wrong there) your stated tongue weight is 510lbs and you already have the hitch, why would you remove it?

Your very detailed measurements clearly demonstrate that with the WDH in use, you've almost perfectly leveled out your setup, again why would you remove it?

Let common sense apply and weed out the "I've done it like this and never killed myself" bad advice you'll get every now and then.

Couldn't agree more. Ford says the Class IV receiver hitch in the Max Trailer Tow package is rated for a maximum of total weight of 5,000# and a tongue weight of 500# without a weight distribution hitch (directly coupled to ball/receiver). With a weight distribution hitch, the maximum load goes up to 12,200# with a tongue weight of 1,220. No decision required here.

Thanks for the reply.

Mike

[marter]

Originally Posted by gr.austin

Air bags are only used to help out your TV springs support the load and level out the vehicle. The air bags cannot increase the TV's tow capacity or max payload capacities. Don't make the same mistake I did in assuming a 3/4T pickup has a higher max load that a 1/2T. I traded my F150 for an F250 because my F150 was continually overloaded. My mistake. The F250 only had 250" more Max Load than my F150. What an expensive mistake. The catalog ratings are what could be not actual. The only actual max load for your TV rating is on the door column. This is the only place in the world this is located. I assumed the F250 would be 1000"s more than the F150 (per the catalog) but just another mistake in this RV adventure.

Happy Streaming

I've long been aware of the door jamb sticker and the fact that it's the only place you can find a payload figure to rely on. I'm amazed how many truck salespeople are unaware of this. In fact I had one tell me once that the tongue/hitch weight of a trailer didn't count against the payload rating of the truck. Scary.

And I'm convinced now that I'm good with what I have as long as I watch the load out weight when we go camping. Lots of good responses here to confirm that.

Thanks,

Mike

[Adventure.AS]

Originally Posted by marter

I've long been aware of the door jamb sticker and the fact that it's the only place you can find a payload figure to rely on. I'm amazed how many truck salespeople are unaware of this. In fact I had one tell me once that the tongue/hitch weight of a trailer didn't count against the payload rating of the truck. ...

It is also interesting that a lot of truck owners also don't realize that anything they carried in the truck (payload) is subtracted from the the truck's tow rating.

[Wconley]

Originally Posted by marter

I've long been aware of the door jamb sticker and the fact that it's the only place you can find a payload figure to rely on. I'm amazed how many truck salespeople are unaware of this. In fact I had one tell me once that the tongue/hitch weight of a trailer didn't count against the payload rating of the truck. Scary.

Thanks,

Mike

In my first truck purchase after we bought our Airstream I found that none of the salespeople either understood the door sticker or out and out lied to me regarding it compared to the theoretical max ratings in the brochure to make the sale. My bad that I didn’t understand it either and ended up buying a Platinum F150 with a payload of only 1100 pounds. I’m always watching what goes into the bed of the truck. And I’m always watching for a new/newer truck to replace my F150. It’s an expensive lesson.

[Goonies]

I have a similar situation with my 20 ft FC. I added RAS Roadmaster Active Suspension to my Chevy and like the way it handles the payload. It doesn’t increase payload, only makes it handle much better. Etrailer.com has some good info on it.

[ROBERT CROSS]

.....you should have three CAT weights.

TV alone, TV & AS no wd, TV & AS with WD set. Fully loaded with all gear, fuel & peep's.
Get an accurate read on your loaded TW, you will be surprised.
As noted...A/B's = level, not much more...if your rear end droop's when hitched a properly set WD should un-droop-it.

When done the rig should be level, 1"-2" tongue low is my limit, never tongue high.

As you can see from my tickets I'm 100# light on the steering axle with WD set and a level rig. I have towed with the 100# restored with no improvement in drivability.

Bob
🇱🇷

[LY007]

Very nice work on the weight measurements and subsequent calculations!

When traveling on the interstate highways, I see a lot of people pulling uhaul trailers. They never have WD setups, none have done any weighing, and I assume that the drivers generally haven't much towing experience. Yet almost all of them manage to get there safely. I asked the local uhaul manager how often he torques the lug nuts and checks the air pressure. He said he has never checked the torque, and checks the air pressure once a month. Remarkable.

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by Goonies

I have a similar situation with my 20 ft FC. I added RAS Roadmaster Active Suspension to my Chevy and like the way it handles the payload. It doesn’t increase payload, only makes it handle much better. Etrailer.com has some good info on it.

I second the Roadmaster experience. On my previous 2012 F-150 I installed Firestone Airbags, it was a disaster and had to remove them. I than experimented with the Roadmaster Active Suspension it improved handling tremendously when loaded and hitched.

[marter]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

.....you should have three CAT weights.

TV alone, TV & AS no wd, TV & AS with WD set. Fully loaded with all gear, fuel & peep's.
Get an accurate read on your loaded TW, you will be surprised.
As noted...A/B's = level, not much more...if your rear end droop's when hitched a properly set WD should un-droop-it.

When done the rig should be level, 1"-2" tongue low is my limit, never tongue high.

As you can see from my tickets I'm 100# light on the steering axle with WD set and a level rig. I have towed with the 100# restored with no improvement in drivability.

Bob
🇱🇷

Bob,

I assume you saw my weight tickets in my initial post. I didn't weigh with the trailer and no WD, but the tickets I do have show me that the trailer without water or contents is 3,980 with a tongue weight of 500#. I did a lot of measuring (height of front and rear wheel wells, the rub rail on the AS) and I'm close to recommendations.

We're taking the AS out for the first (short) trip next Tuesday so I plan on weighing with full tanks, my wife and gear. We're just starting so won't have the gear that we will probably grow into, but at least it will show me where I'm starting out. I'm anxious to weigh and measure the height of wheel wells as we load it up.

Thanks for your input.

Mike

[marter]

Originally Posted by LY007

Very nice work on the weight measurements and subsequent calculations!

When traveling on the interstate highways, I see a lot of people pulling uhaul trailers. They never have WD setups, none have done any weighing, and I assume that the drivers generally haven't much towing experience. Yet almost all of them manage to get there safely. I asked the local uhaul manager how often he torques the lug nuts and checks the air pressure. He said he has never checked the torque, and checks the air pressure once a month. Remarkable.

Thanks, Steve. And yeah, there's some pretty scary stuff out there; I''m trying not to add to it.