Question for those running airbags

[smlobx]

I measured the height of my bed empty but with a full fuel tank and the left side where the tank is located is about 1/2" lower.
Then when I loaded my Hallamark the difference went to about an inch. I realized that the appliances are on the left side as well.

I inflated the airbags to raise the truck to preloaded level and to level the sides and ended up putting 75 psi on the left side and 36 psi on the right side.

My question is does everyone use the same pressure on each side or do you level the truck?
Thanks!

 

[kmcintyre]

I'm not sure what brand of airbags you have but on my Dakota with Firestone airbags I wasn't near that psi. Maybe 30. On my RAM 1500 with TLC airbags I'm about 25.

I think your method of measuring the right way to do it but I'd check w/ the manufactuerer to make sure you are exceeding some spec.

Also I suspect your camper is heavier than my Eagle. One option if you keep the camper on a lot of the time is to add a spring (if those trucks have them; my RAM doesn't). That would help reduce the psi you need.

 

[DesertDave]

When I carried a hard shell camper I used airbags, and because I'd set up the suspension to fully engage the overload spring when I had the camper on, I used the airbags to level the truck. In my case I think the pressure was 48/36 or thereabouts. I was near the GVWR for the truck.

 

[hebegebe]

I have deaver springs on my Tundra but I installed them before I thought about a hawk so it is soft for max articulation after adding airbags I run about 60-70 psi to make things level
The drivers side squat is there but it never seems to bother me on or off road. I have about 110,000mi on this set up

 

[NivekD]

I just installed air bags on my Silverado and run 65psi on both sides and its level and the ride is great. I think it is a case by case situation. No two set ups will be the same. I think you are fine the way you have it.

 

[XJINTX]

I have a superduty but have airbags just in case. I usually run 50 each on road and go down to 10 ea off road. I use them a lot to balance when parked and the wireless controller is a big plus. Heck I'm not even sure I can go to 75 as 60 is the most I've tried.

 

[Rockcod]

36 to 75 psi from R to L seems like a big variant. Airbags may stop lifting and just start to firm up at some point ?

I am using Firestone airbags on an F150 4x4. I watched the weight closely as I added the 1075 lb ATC camper. A bit of a surprise for me was the split between front and rear axle weights. Front axle weight increased by 61 lbs. The remainder went all to the rear axle. I am within 8 % of my max GVWR, plus or minus depending on activity I am doing. Im still fiddling with air bag and tire pressure, though I believe 35 psi in the bags provides the least bouncy,best freeway ride. The drivers side usually rides 1/2 inch lower. There is a 36 gallon fuel tank slightly biased on the drivers side. I don't think I will be 100 % comfortable until I install a Deaver or similar spring pack. Primarily because I don't know how to test the load with a flat air bag without damaging it. Driving home more than an hour or two with a flat bag might just suck. . I marvel at threadless airline connectors, from brass to plastic. I also may never accept Pex plumbing fittings either.
In conclusion air bags have proven worthiness for bazillions of miles.

 

[rando]

I have airbags in addition to an upgraded spring pack. The airbags are really just to make fine adjustments for varying loads - I have never run more than 25 psi in them, and typically am at about 10 - 15 psi which is the minimum recommended pressure. I do run it a little higher in the drivers side to compensate for the lean - maybe 15 psi on passenger side and 20 -22 psi on the drivers side. I would be a little bit concerned about running 60 - 80 psi in the airbags. To me this would suggest the airbags are carrying most of the load of the camper - which could put some odd strains on your frame and suspension system and lead to some weird dynamics.

One way to think about this is to consider the area of the top and bottom surfaces of your airbags. With my relatively small firestone bags, it is about a 4" diameter circle - or 12 sq inches - at 20 psi, that is 240lbs being carried by each airbag. At 75 psi, it would be 900 lbs of resting load on each airbag! If you are running that high, you should definitely consider a spring upgrade.

 

[Esus]

I'm only using ride rites on my Chevy Colorado. I inflate one side to something like 85 and the other side to something like 65. Works great for me. I think that is pretty common with the way a lot of campers are built with appliances on one side like you mentioned. For what it's worth, a lot of people have mentioned better results when they inflate the bags first and then lower the camper onto the bed.

 

[MarkBC]

....My question is does everyone use the same pressure on each side or do you level the truck?
Thanks!

My simple answer: Yes, I use different pressures side-to-side in order to level the truck side-to-side.

I don't know what the different pressures are, quantitatively -- I usually just inflate to whatever is necessary to level it, not to a target pressure...but I'm pretty sure they aren't as different side-to-side as yours are.
But if that what it takes...

 

[smlobx]

Thanks for all the responses. To answer a few questions my truck is a '16 F-350 cc, lwb and I installed the Air Lift 5000 Ultimate air bags
https://www.airliftcompany.com/products/air-springs/loadlifter-5000-ultimate/

I don't have my owner's manual here but I believe I can run anywhere from 5 to 100 psi in the bags.
At the pressure I mentioned I don't believe the overload springs are touching....should they be?
My camper weigh just over 2000 pounds loaded.

 

[hebegebe]

I think 120psi is recommended high pressure but watch your gauge when you hit a g-out an pressure spikes dramatically. A trucker buddy said they can take abt 400 psi easily

 

[OpenSpace]

Firestone airbags on a Chevy 3/4 ton with a Hallmark Guanella. With camper off I run bags pretty low - overload springs aren't touching main spring pack. With camper on and for highway driving I inflate to greater psi (not sure what it is) for stability, cornering, etc. Noticed that overload springs are close to being engaged here, but not quite. With camper on and for off-road driving I deflate bags (alot) so overload springs are engaged. Reason for this is I lose ride quality if bags are overinflated; i.e., they act like giant bumpstops, reduce articulation, and increase harshness. In all cases I try and level the truck.

 

[SCUD]

My truck sat low on the driver side. Torklift StableLoad lower overload devices were installed, using 3 insert "fingers" on the driver side and 2 on the passenger side. The truck now sits level side-to-side, and is much more stable when driving.

Equal air pressure is used to level front-to-back. With the camper empty 45# works well, and fully loaded requires 55#. At freeway speeds I often increase by 10#. My Air Lift WirelessAir 7200 remote lets me fine-tune the air bags while driving, and can level the rig when camping.