Air Helper Springs

[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' factory 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:

 

[four winns 214]

Sorry about the gooned up double posts. The dang preview looks like one thing and when posted, looks entirely different. Sorry.

But the bottom line is that the max trailer weight is actually 15,800 pounds. Conventional weight-carrying limit is 13,000 pounds.

 

[bruceb58]

Sounds like a better hitch than what used to come standard. Your placard picture didn't come through.

 

[Blind Date]

So you're looking at about 840 to 1,050 pounds of tongue weight?

5% or around 500 pounds is all the weight you should have on the tongue. This is a boat, not a travel or cargo trailer. The springs in that truck shouldn't need any help with that kind of tongue weight.


From Shorelander Trailers:

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]To determine proper tongue weight, total the package weight (boat with fuel/battery, motor with maximum horsepower, and trailer) and multiply it by 6% on single axles and 5% on tandem axle trailers. ShoreLand'r suggests that tongue weight may be acceptable in a 5-7% range.[/FONT] [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Example:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Boat with fuel and battery[/FONT]	[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]2,000 lbs.[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Motor[/FONT]	[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]500 lbs.[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Trailer[/FONT]	[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]900 lbs.[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Total Weight[/FONT]	[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]3,400 lbs.[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Single Axle Figure[/FONT]	[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]x 6%[/FONT]​
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Tongue Weight[/FONT]	[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]204 lbs.[/FONT]​

 

[four winns 214]

Sounds like a better hitch than what used to come standard. Your placard picture didn't come through.

The picture with white and gray type on black is the hitch placard. The truck and trailer illustrations are labeled "1500 lb" and "13,000 lb" max.

 

[wrvond]

Well you have successfully defended your weight rating to us "weight police", so back to your actual question. My airbags have internal jounce pads and no minimum air pressure required. I don't know if the leak down or not, but they've never been "flat" when I've checked them. All the connections should be push type fittings (just like Shark Bites PEX connectors). You might consider pulling them apart to make sure the ends of the tubing are clean, smooth, and cut square. This will minimize any air loss. In fact, it might be easier to simply replace all the airline with new. I'd also recommend you fill both bags from one valve. This will ensure they fill (and remain) balanced.

 

[oldjeep]

Sounds like a better hitch than what used to come standard. Your placard picture didn't come through.

1/2 tons come with better hitches than they used to put on 3/4 ton trucks. Most trucks (not suv's) come with a minimum class 4 hitch .

 

[bruceb58]

On my dad's 2008 Chevy 1T Dually, it has separate lines for each side. One does leak more than the other. Not sure what brand he has.

 

[Thalasso]

On my dad's 2008 Chevy 1T Dually, it has separate lines for each side. One does leak more than the other. Not sure what brand he has.

It's usually where the line goes into the fitting. There just a push type fitting where the line just slides in.

I have a leak also but when i start the truck the pump automatically kicks on. I'll find it this summer

 

[jkust]

I've had three suv's that have the air springs and the onboard/automatically adjusting air compressor that comes with a certain option package. I still have two of those vehicles. What I will say is that the springs adjust all the time whether it me more air or less air to keep the rear end level no matter the load, incline, number of passengers or trailer that is connected to it. It'd be a royal pain to have to adjust it manually as much as it does in a day by itself. For a single tow, I could live with it but even then, they are constantly adjusting as the incline changes.

 

[four winns 214]

Here's an illuminating video about the merits of a weight-distributing hitch verses air bags:

http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/blog/weight-distribution-versus-air-bags

 

[four winns 214]

And to clear up the uncertainty caused by the failed posts with pictures, the 2 1/2" factory-installed receiver hitch on my 2014 Silverado 2500HD is placarded 13,000 pounds max trailer weight and 1,500 pounds tongue load. For comparison, the 2" factory-installed receiver hitch on my 2011 Silverado 1500 was placarded 5,000 pounds max trailer weight and 600 pounds tongue weight.