Air Helper Springs

[four winns 214]

Yesterday, I took delivery of a certified pre-owned 2014 Chevy 2500HD diesel. In the glove box, I found documentation for Ride-Rite air helper springs that were installed by the previous owner. To be honest, I didn't notice them when I was looking at the truck and the dealer never mentioned them. I have zero experience with these things. What are their advantages/disadvantages? Should I have them removed? According to the manual, a certain minimum air pressure is required and they lose 3-4 PSI weekly. It seems to be a lot of maintenance will be required. My mission for the truck will be to tow a Ranger Tug R27 weighing 10,500 pounds.

 

[ondarvr]

I'd try towing the boat before deciding what to do.

 

[Silvertip]

Why remove them? They are a benefit for the load you will be tugging. If you consider adding air as excessive maintenance, then heaven forbid you should ever have to air up the vehicle tires.

 

[four winns 214]

If you consider adding air as excessive maintenance, then heaven forbid you should ever have to air up the vehicle tires.

Well, do you put air in your truck tires every week or so? I don't. The documentation says to not let them deflate below 5 psi. They were flat when I checked them after I discovered they were installed. So, if I inflate them to 10 psi for driving without trailer, I'll be adding air every couple weeks since since the same documentation says they deflate 3-4 psi per week.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I air mine up when I hook the trailer up and check the trailer brakes.

your tires also loose 1-2 psi per month

 

[Silvertip]

For a few bucks you can add an on-board compressor and adjustable regulator. Set it down to 10 psi for daily use and set it up when loaded. Automatic -- no attention needed other than turning the knob.

 

[wrvond]

So you're looking at about 840 to 1,050 pounds of tongue weight? I would imagine the rear of the truck will squat a bit under that load. You might need the air bags to bring it back up level. My question is: what is the hitch rated?

 

[Thalasso]

For a few bucks you can add an on-board compressor and adjustable regulator. Set it down to 10 psi for daily use and set it up when loaded. Automatic -- no attention needed other than turning the knob.

:thumb: Mine has a touch pad like a garage door opener. Set it and forget it

 

[BRICH1260]

I had a pair of bags on my half ton. I liked them. I did not find that they leaked air that frequent on that truck. I would keep them.

 

[four winns 214]

So you're looking at about 840 to 1,050 pounds of tongue weight........My question is: what is the hitch rated?

1,500 pounds tongue weight and 13,000 pounds trailer weight.

 

[fhhuber]

I put air "boosters" in the springs of a Ford Taurus because towing a 14 ft aluminum (not much heavier than typical Jon Boat) lifted the nose and made the low beams higher than where high beans should be...

Just a few psi and it was cured and the car rode MUCH better when not towing.

It needed air added to the bags less often than the tires.

Sold the car (after appx 12 years) to the son of a friend who is a master mechanic. He likes them. The air bags still work fine.

 

[Brandon5778]

We have a set on our family truck that is currently my daily and they help tremendously with what they're supposed to do.. Which is easing the load from our 34 foot camper. The 17 year old truck doesn't even squat. Had the option for onboard compressor but decided it wasn't within the budget. Ours definitely do not deflate that fast, we only put air in every once in awhile.. But they do hold 100+ psi.. Also with ours the important thing is to check on them to keep them within a certain psi of each other, like within 5. Not sure if this matters for what you have but I imagine its worth noting.

They sure make the truck ride pretty rough though

 

[KD4UPL]

I've had air bags on 3 trucks now. I like them for the adjust-ability. Some time's I'm empty, sometime's I'm carrying over 4,000 pounds in the bed. The bags take the squat right out of the truck. It rides and handles better. I don't know how often I put air in them just to maintian min. pressure but it's only every couple months. I used to have the onboard compressor with gauges and it kept them pumped up fine. But, after about 5 years all the plumbing started to leak a lot. I took it out and just carry a bike pump to inflate them now. It's less expensive than a new onboard compressor package.

 

[four winns 214]

.......just carry a bike pump to inflate them now.....

Great idea. They don't take much.

I haven't had the truck long enough to know what the leak down rate is. The documentation says up to 3-4 psi per week is acceptable.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I had a pair of bags on my half ton. I liked them. I did not find that they leaked air that frequent on that truck. I would keep them.

I had a set on a 1/2 ton too. Made a huge difference when towing a heavy equipment trailer and a small tractor. I too would keep them......

 

[bruceb58]

I hope you are planning on using an equilizing hitch towing that load.

 

[four winns 214]

I hope you are planning on using an equilizing hitch towing that load.

The truck's documentation specifically states a W-D hitch is not necessary up to 13,000 pounds trailer weight. The person from whom I am buying the boat has the 2011 model year of this truck and he has towed the boat from Michigan to the Pacific Northwest twice and Florida several times with the weight-carrying hitch that came with the truck. In fact, he and his wife have written extensively for Boat US magazine. One of the pieces they wrote five years ago was about selecting a tow vehicle for their new boat (the one I'm buying). Based on their research, they selected the GMC Sierra 2500 (the same as my Silverado 2500 LTZ) because it didn't need a W-D hitch. They went to the plant in Flint, MI to watch it being built and wrote about it.

I looked at Ford F-250 diesels (built right here in Louisville about 10 miles from my house), but they require a W-D hitch above 8,500 pounds.

 

[bruceb58]

Very surprised!

 

[bruceb58]

If you look at the factory hitch, does it actually say on it that it is rated for over 11K dead weight?

https://www.driverside.com/specs/gmc...3297-1720856-0
http://www.caranddriver.com/gmc/sier...-2500hd/364030

If you look at the hitch ratings for dead weight in the above links, it says 5K. Of course that is the factory hitch which often leaves a lot to be desired.

I used to own a 3/4T Chevy Suburban. The hitch that came with the truck was dead weight rated at 5K. I had a company make me a hitch that was rated for much higher.

 

[four winns 214]

If you look at the factory hitch, does it actually say on it that it is rated for over 11K dead weight?

The placard on the 2 1/2" factor?y receiver hitch:



From the owner's manual. My 2500 4WD truck is a Crew Cab Standard Box. The first colum is Axle Ratio; second column is Max Trailer Weight; third column is GCWR.







The reference for the "1" superscript in the box describing my truck model: