Helper springs vs. airbags???

[Tronadora]

I realize my situation is different, but I believe there is still value in hearing what I experienced in my Airstream Interstate motorhome. I added a two-leaf spring lift kit to help my new Boss airbags have more clearance to operate up and down.


The extra leaf springs made my ride so harsh it was tearing things apart inside the coach; upper cabinets literally started to separate from the ceiling and now we use heavy duty closet tension rods to help support them. You would never feel how bad it might be since you don't ride in your trailer, but I'd bet you'd find problems later down the road with things coming apart from the extremely harsh bad-road jolts.


The Boss airbags are a "mixed bag" for this Sprinter 3500 chassis, but they might be OK for a trailer. Question is... how much lift will the airbags provide as you increase pressure/ride height before you get the bouncy gym ball effect? Do like the others suggest with your EQ hitch setup first.

[360]

Try looking up ( Tembren Ses ) they will probably help with your sagging problem😊

[ROBERT CROSS]

...snip
"An extra 3" length on the shank won't make one bit of difference"

No argument there...after all, you are getting the pivot point 3" closer the TV rear axle.

Notice how close we are....no ill effect.


Reference the PP hitches that project the PP even closer, preventing the sway from occurring, while keeping the wheelbarrow handles the length that's needed to provide the leverage the WD requires. 🤪

IMO
Save the bag money and put it toward a hitch that will do the job.

Bob
🇺🇸

[ROBERT CROSS]

snip.."No argument there...after all, you are getting the pivot point 3" closer the TV rear axle".

Fingers got ahead of Brain... the extra 3" improve the arm leverage and does NOT move the PP forward.

Bob
🇺🇸

[JCWDCW]

I had an extra leaf and a helper spring added to my Dakota, and they re-rolled the springs. Downside is that it raised the rear end 1 1/2 inches without the load of the trailer. Upside...I was able to ease off on the number of chain links to level the truck and it eased the stress on the hitch and frame.
JCW

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

I have Zero, Nada sway issues with my rig. It was tested at high speed crash avoidance. Not by choice. It worked perfectly.
An extra 3" length on the shank won't make one bit of difference on a F250 with the 6.5' bed but is very helpful in weight transfer.
The more marginal a TV the more one has to be concerned with inches and pounds.

. I DO KNOW YOU ARE RIGHT......over load an axle , before long it breaks....:

[Mosblech]

Originally Posted by TinShack

Although it has been a few years, in addition to weight distribution bars, I have used both on two different pickup trucks and prefer the airbags. You are correct, the helper springs are easier and cheaper but the ones I had were not adjustable so the ride with an empty bed was a bit more harsh, while you can soften the ride with the airbags.

The airbags I had were Airlift brand and were manual inflate with a Schrader type inflation valve for each bag. They require very little air to inflate so you can do it with a hand pump if needed. They also have ones that you can adjust by pushing a button in the cab to adjust, but they are more difficult to install and cost more.

I liked the airbags because I could really dial in the height of the pickup bed with the trailer for a nice level ride.

I did the installation for both the helper springs and the airbags and they were both straightforward, but with the bags you have to run air fill lines and mount the valves in an accessible location. I mounted my valves next to each other on the rear bumper near the hitch so I didn't have to run back and forth to get the air pressure equal on both sides.

One of my friends had his license plate bolts removed and valves installed there making it look like it wasn’t there at all

[Ted S.]

I believe GM discontinued the 2500 ‘Burb in 2013 so the OP is probably in a 1500 unless it is a Fleet vehicle.

[Bill M.]

Since no one seems to have mentioned it: Maybe "level" is not what you should be looking at. Maybe a couple of trips through the CAT scales and get the weight distribution worked out properly. The look at "level". The trailer needs to be level. Not necessarily the truck.