Do you think I need air bags?

[gregbridwell]

I am deferring to the experts here. Do you guys think I need some helper air bags. I don't think so but this is my first truck camper. I have E load tires so I'm good there. Picture 1 is the profile of my truck and camper. Picture 2 is my rear wheel well before my camper is placed on the truck and picture 3 is the wheel well after the camper has been placed on my truck. Would love to hear any thoughts ya'll may have! Thanks

 

[chnlisle]

Well for openers the smallest Bronco (600) weighs over 1000 lbs dry. I don't know which one you have but at a grand you've exceeded the capacity of a half ton pick up. By the time you've added your food, water, LP and the rest you are pretty over loaded. Are your springs flat when the campers on? It looks pretty saggy in the back with almost no escape angle. You could lose the jacks and save a lot of weight. I'd say helper springs would make a huge difference but I'm sure greater minds than mine will weigh in on this.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I have had 3 different Ford F-150's over the past 6 years and have carried a few different campers on them.

By looking at the pictures, my personal opinion would be "YES", you should do a simple rear suspension upgrade.

Add an over load spring or air bags.


http://www.supersprings.com


http://www.ride-rite.com


http://www.hellwigproducts.com



I think you will notice a huge difference in the handling of the truck.

It will take the sag out of the rear, your headlights will be better adjusted during night driving, and your front alignment will be more accrurate.

Your braking might be improved in wet weather (I think?). When I really over-loaded my old little import truck and the truck was sagging in the rear, the front tires didn't have as much traction in wet weather (the front tires would lock up if I braked really hard on a wet surface). It was an old truck & I had it over-loaded. The new trucks with anti-lock brakes might not have this problem ?

It will make the driving safer and more enjoyable.


Happy Camping !





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[gregbridwell]

Thanks guys for the help.

Is there a particular benefit to either springs or bags? I will be taking it off in the winter and storing it in my garage. So it is not a permanent addition.

It is the 1251SB and claims to be 1463 lbs dry though I did modify it by removing the shower portion to allow it to fit in my Flareside (kept the potty!). The plumbing didn't allow it to go completely up to the cab. My point being that my particular camper is 1463 lbs (+) or (-), probably (-). The way you're seeing it in the pictures it is fully loaded with our equipment (no groceries), full LP and no water (Maybe a little in the wastewater tank, for some reason that is always the first thing my 5 yr old son wants to do in a new camper )

Regarding the overweight issue, I was under the impression that you subtract your total truck weight from the GVWR. My GVWR is 7050 and my trucks weight as shipped is 5065 leaving 1985 lbs to play with. Is this not correct? I realize fully loaded with personnel and gear we'd still push that number but it doesn't make us as overloaded as 1000lb payload capacity would.

Also, a dealer (not the one who sold me this unit) told me you could add the Front GAWR and Rear GAWR together and subract the total truck weight which would leave me with 2385 lbs to play with. I was dubious but felt confortable that I was close enough using the first method I described above.

 

[Barko1]

Ideally what you need is an F250 longbed I have a Granby that I had on an F150 4x4 longbed that I added ride rights to, big help, but the truck was still a 150 and the poor 4.6 had to work too hard so now I have a 7.3L 250. I get vastly better mileage and can pass when going uphill.

I know that sounds like a leap but seriously looking at that picture makes me cringe. The weight is so far back and the rear is so over loaded that I wonder how safe it is. GVWR is one thing but what is the weight on just the rear wheels? Looks like the weight of the camper is balanced behind the rear axle. The E tires are essential so good that you have that.

I can't recall where I saw this but on some roads the max weight was limited to 75% of GVWR which I think is a better number to use rather than trying to get to the max.

I may sound like gloom and doom and wonder what others think but the picture says a lot.

 

[chnlisle]

My understanding is a half ton is designed to carry a half ton including the people fuel etc. What does your owners manual say your payload is? Not towing capacity. If it were me, and its not I have a 3/4 ton, I'd use overload springs. But there are lots of folks here that prefer air bags. there is a lot of discussion about the 2 but I still think all air bags do is raise up the load they dont increase the carrying capacity. But I've been wrong before.

Oh Where Oh Where Is Salty When We Need Him!!!

 

[Bat]

I would think you are going to push the limits of that truck

 

[mtn-high]

I agree with Bat/everyone else.

With it sagging like that you certainly aren't gonna be going off-road. (unless it's to fix something)

I don't have airbags but lotsa guys here are happy with 'em.

I would pass on the supersprings with that kinda weight. They help....but not THAT much. Your $350 will go farther elsewhere, IMO.

Only one other guy I can remember other than me has the Timbrens....and he wrecked his truck/camper (we never got pics either..now did we?) after a bad bratwurst and ...um....some beer.

They sure work well on my truck. Everytime i drive it I'm amazed. I hit some good washboard action a few days ago and it suprised me how stable it was... and as I said previously...the SWAY is almost nil now too...

good luck whatever you decide.........

mtn

 

[Barko1]

My F150 long 4x4 says capacity is 3600 front and 3200 rear.(the F250 is 4970 each front or rear). The rear probably carries about 2400# from the factory which leaves 800# rear load? Putting 1400 seems like trouble. Springs or bags don't increase capacity, wish it was that easy. I put new/stock leaf spring on the rear of my 250 and still am planning airbags just to be able to make it level side to side.

 

[EdoHart]

Barko1 said everything I would have, except...

Ideally what you need is an F250 longbed I have a Granby that I had on an F150 4x4 longbed that I added ride rights to, big help, but the truck was still a 150 and the poor 4.6 had to work too hard so now I have a 7.3L 250. I get vastly better mileage and can pass when going uphill.

I know that sounds like a leap but seriously looking at that picture makes me cringe. The weight is so far back and the rear is so over loaded that I wonder how safe it is. GVWR is one thing but what is the weight on just the rear wheels? Looks like the weight of the camper is balanced behind the rear axle. The E tires are essential so good that you have that.

I can't recall where I saw this but on some roads the max weight was limited to 75% of GVWR which I think is a better number to use rather than trying to get to the max.

I may sound like gloom and doom and wonder what others think but the picture says a lot.

You definitely need some kind of suspension upgrade. You have to consider not only the static weight on that rear axle, but also the dynamic loads. Considering how far back that camper sits, I'm guessing the center of gravity is behind the rear axle, hence the camper has a lot of moment, so the forces on the axle and suspension while driving are going to be multiplied because the load isn't centered over the axle.

Think about loosening a tight nut (and no, I don't mean me, which only takes a little whiskey). It can be hard to break a nut loose with a short wrench, but easy with a long wrench. The long wrench adds more moment by multiplying the force applied to the end of the wrench by the distance from the pivot point.

 

[zonker]

I would have to agree with everyone. From my side of the fence.. it truly looks like one corner on the road that is a little tight for your speed and your camper and you will be in pieces. Let alone if you had to perform some kind of quick change of direction.. like a minor swerve. With the weight that far to the rear, coupled with the camper weight and height and it is going to be like the tail wagging the dog! Another thing to consider is what the drivetrain on an F150 can put up with. A half ton is a very light truck. The transmission, driveshaft, clutch if you have one, differential, engine and last but not least the frame are completely overloaded.

You really only have a half ton of carrying capacity on a new truck on a good day... and that means a half ton of the people, the coolers, the water, the dog, your camera and especially the camper.

Sorry to add to the not so positive comments.. but I thought another one telling you that your setup was unsafe might help.

 

[pods8]

Yeah that sag is bad and even though I'm pushing my payload some with just a FWC you are REALLY pushing it. Sure it'll work for a bit but expect lowered safety and longevity out of that rig.

 

[HERR42]

all of those weight ratings dont relate to carrying capacity.

look at the manufacturers specifications and see what the rated payload is!!
that truck is probably rated near 1500 pounds max.

that camper, dry, with no supplies and wife....and no gas, is going to put you over the limit.

that looks dangerous. i assumed you were kidding!

thats a lot of weight aft of the rear axle.

 

[pvstoy]

I might add that the rear tie down is up and down. You could get some streaching on the front. If you went uphill and was bouncing then the camper could slide back.

 

[griz]

Yup. over loaded all the way. Even with all the modifications your will still be illegal, at least up here in these parts. Not to mention the safety factor.
And problems will come sooner than later. Not a good combo.
My 2 cents, and I to have a 1/2ton and we are very limited, (big time).
Sorry about the neg. reporting but its the fact, jack.............cheers

 

[Alex]

that looks dangerous. i assumed you were kidding!

thats a lot of weight aft of the rear axle.

2nd this, it really looks dangerous. Be careful.
Drive it full load to a scale and have a weight in then you'll have an idea how much you are actually over GVWR.

 

[BSS]

Skip the airbags and use the money for a down payment on a casket, because there is absolutely no way to operate that contraption safely.

 

[the fisherman]

What's The Problem

What I want to know is when you bought the camper, did the outfit you bought it from know what you were going to put it on? Don't listen to these guys, they're just jealous. If you decide to haul to haul some lead around, I think I'd put it up front. Good luck, and stay off Usal Rd.

 

[gregbridwell]

Thank you all for your replies! (Positive & Negative!)

They're all helpful. I had a leaf added on each side in the rear and it made a huge difference in how it sits and how it handles. There is no sag at all anymore. I will post a new picture this evening if I can.

It handles as if there were no weight on it at all (don't anyone take that to mean I drive it as if there is no weight on it at all, though!) The truck doesn't struggle with the weight and it feels very stable when compared to before I had the leaf added in the rear.

I have to admit it feels very good when I drive it now that I've added the leaf in the back, wouldn't it feel worse to me driving it if it were taxing my vehicle in anyway? I do admit it DID feel like it was taxing my truck BEFORE I added the leaf to the springs. The change was a 250% improvement in the ride and how it felt.

 

[DLN]

I went through the same process with my Tacoma, started with an add-a-leaf, then heavier shocks, and finally the ride rite air bags gave me the final stability I wanted. Now keep in mind that was only for a FWC Eagle, around 900 to 950 pound loaded and wet, but all together it made the truck handle very well. I also liked the redundancy of the leaf and air bag combination for peace of mind while in the woods, if one fails you can limp home on what's remaining.