New Ride. Do I need airbags?

Found a deal on a 2016 F350 Lariat, 4×4, CC, LB, SRW. 67000 miles but 4200 hours. We will be pulling our, 2015 Lifestyle 37CKSL. The last weight slip on the trailer had 17780lbs with 13920lbs on the axles or 3860lbs on the pin. I know I’m going to be over by the numbers and don’t want to debate that on this thread(Please start another and I will be happy to support it!). The plan is to lighten up on the 37CKSL and hopefully get us down to around 3000lbs. At that point by the time I add dogs, us and whatever else in the cab we will be over. I have to take in consideration the tire limits also. Which is the one I worry about the most! Hopefully down the road a bit will be another DRW and I won’t have any more concerns.

If everyone could give me comments on airbags or helper spring it would be appreciated. Just real world experience.

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[JohnD222ParticipantTopics - 8Replies - 517Total - 525]

Way too heavy.  Yes bags; even if it was a dually.  Firestone.  Even with …  Little or no fresh water.  Empty holding tanks of course.  Move lots of weight behind the 5er axles  This is difficult.  Anything heavy goes into the rear storage area or behind the slides inside the 5er – in between recliners or under the rollout bed if you moved it there.  This lightens the pin weight.  Be sure your 5er brakes are adjusted and wires are not broken.  I feel your pain.

JohnD222
Based in Florida except summer
2013 36FWS Lifestyle (our great 2010 Cameo 36FWS has happy owners)

[PartimewagesParticipantParticipantTopics - 4Replies - 61Total - 65]

Thanks John,

Our former TV was a 2016 Chevy DRW D-Max. We could drop the pin on it and it would sink about 2.5″ and off we went! No bags, I really miss those days.

[expired-memberBlockedTopics - 86Replies - 191Total - 277]

Air bags will not increase load capacity’s, they are only intended to level the load. If your only concern is to level the load, then air bags will do the trick. I noted you do not want to debate the over the weight issues, but that is pretty hard to overlook. If the tow vehicle is not properly equipped to tow the weight of the 5th wheel, you are not only risking your safety, but safety off off other motorists on the road. Does the tow vehicle have a factory tow package?

[expired-memberBlockedTopics - 86Replies - 191Total - 277]

Yes air bags. They keep the headlights on the ground.

For a 2016 get Firestone Airbags. They use a solid block between the steel plate under the airbags and the arm the jounce block lands on.

I have Pacbake. The plates under the airbags bent (logging roads) because they didn’t have a solid block. It was added for the 2017 trucks. PacBrake gave me a full refund but I didn’t get around to ordering Firestone aribags until March. They arrive in Blaine WA two days after the US/CAN border closed and there they sit.

In the meant time I straightened the (1/4″) bent plates out and welded 3/8″ x 2″ doublers to them.

At 4,200hours it was probably an oils field truck from up North. In winter they leave them running  24/7

 

[PartimewagesParticipantParticipantTopics - 4Replies - 61Total - 65]

78Shovel, We can start a new thread if you want but I’m on your side with the weight. That’s why I’m trying to figure out how to lighten the pin. If we get rid of 1000lbs we will be at 100% capacity which I’m comfortable with. Yes it has factory tow but not pucks.

Alloy, that’s exactly what I was looking for. Ordered Air Lift and then looked at the brackets and compared them to the Firestone. Air Lift is like Pacbrake. I guess I will return the and reorder.

 

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