OK, so my air bags are on, but I haven't pulled the trailer yet. Pre air bags, I had my hitch set up where I liked it, pulled great, and had it set to get as minimal rear end sag as possible...but, the rear settled more and more over time (without any change in the WDH settings) thus the air bags.

So, with the air bags, do I leave everything else alone and just pump them up to level or do I need to re-do my settings on the hitch??

 

You can leave the WD setting alone but you will notice with only about 10-20PSI in the air bags that you can reduce some tension on the WD set-up. The rear suspsension with the help of the bags will be better able to take the load and keep the rear end from sagging.

Remember not to reduce the air pressure below 10PSI so that the bags can not get pinched and develope a leak.

Your rear ride height should determine what pressure should be in the bags when loaded.

 

Are you sure your tongue weight wasn't getting heavier? More and more stuff in the trailer?

 

Yep!

 

Also...what air pressure are you guys normally seeing required in the bags?? I've got my trailer on, have no idea exactly what the tounge weight is, and it took 80 psi to level the truck..but that's completely perfectly level. Same heigth as zero load.

 

80 is probably too much.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=329562

 

Not trying to be argumentative by any means, but what determins what "too much" is? Why is 80 psi too much?? It does the job for what the air bags are on there for. They're rated for up to 100psi!

 

Read that whole thread and see how it drives.

 

I did read it...mine drove great with 80. I originally tried 60, which gave me lift about 1/2" shy of the goal ride heigth. 80 brought it up that last 1/2" and actually rode no different to slightly better.

The intent I got from that thread was trial and error to find out what works best for your truck!

You and Colorado Osprey both made comments similar to "too much air in the bags", so that's what I'm trying to determine. Firestone says anything over 100 psi is too much air. Why do you guys say 80 psi, or "if the truck is to its unloaded heigth" is too much air??

 

I said "probably" where I should have said "possibly". You nailed it on the intent.

 

I sort of have the same question. I realize that there are a lot of adjustments that can be made to find the "sweet spot." But the whole theory behind these devices is to level everything back to no-load height so there is more weight on the front tires for steering. Why am I towing better with a little sag?

 

If you pressurize the bags to a no load height your bags are acting as your suspension and your rear suspension is not working. By reducing the pressure a little your suspension will actually work as it was originally intended absorbing uneven road surfaces and utilizing the suspension dapening of the shock absorbers. With just the air bags supporting the weight your tires become the cushion in your suspension and you can get evil bounce of road expansion joints or a bad vibration from even a slightly out of balance tire.

 

HA HA!!! That's funny you mention this, as I was going to and forgot...the first thing I noticed (at least on my truck with my trailer) was that no matter what psi I had in the air bags, at no time what so ever did it feel like it put more weight back on the front wheels. My front end felt as light at it did with no bags! I noticed zero change in that area. It wasn't bad to begin with, just an observation.