Huh, not very good being out of the box! I've had a couple that leaked internally from the brass fitting to the needle. We generally will install a set and run them up to 100 psi regardless of a pump, let them sit for a few hours and recheck. They will drop usually 8 psi or so as the bag expands a little from being new.

If they leak we usually catch it then.

With carrying weight in the bed body roll is probably more of an issue than towing off the ball......unless you have a stock sprung EX!

I've created leaks in the brass barbed fittings before when using a razor knife to cut a slice in the lines to take them off.... any nic in the brass will leak.

On your work truck do you always have air in the bags or just use them as needed? In the Firestone instructions they say they will lose up to 5 psi a week. My experience is they generally will lose more than that or just won't leak at all.

 

We try to leave air in the bags all the time but it leaks down to 0 after a couple days of sitting. While using the truck we normally have the bags set at 20, 40, or 60 psi depending on how many bins we have filled with water on the truck. They do work great! Just disappointing with the leaks right now. I would have fixed the leaks right away if we didn't have the compressor on board. Personally I would suggest the compressor kit if anyone plans on bags. It just makes the system so much nicer to use.

When I get time I plan to replace most of the push locks with some compression fittings to help with the leaking.

I agree the body roll is more of a problem with a load over towing. With my X though I noticed the biggest improvement in towing when I installed a sway bar. But to be fair I did not install bags on my X. You can see in my signature my X sits fairly level with the stock suspension so I didn't feel the need for bags or anything.

 

I put the hellwig units on front and rear....big improvement.

We towed our 27' 6000# ish TT loaded with all 6 kids and supplies last summer for about 450 miles of varying roads. I only had WD and friction sway control. Everything else was stock. Even w the bars I was still squatting a little more than I would like.

It sucked.

After reading about all the wandering / sway in regards to the spring setup, I added the sway bars and steering stabilizer. It helped a lot with roll but not wander. Other than local campgrounds didn't tow much though

A few weeks ago I did the x/modded B codes. Definitely stiffened it all up. I like the x codes alot, buy honestly the back actually feel a little to stiff.

Still lots of wander.

Last week I got the 4 Bilsteins on that CT performance does that are specially valved. The take offs actually looked good but the rubber bushings were wallered out.
Ride is a touch better.

Still wandering

So last week I had the alignment confirmed and suspension parts double checked. All was good. I had the alignment shop drive it to confirm my suspicion on the steering box, he agreed.

Monday the the redhead box goes in.

My wife rarely drives it, after all the changes she drove it a few days ago and still complained about the steering - as I do to.

In two weeks were going on a 2k mile trip. Loaded down but no trailer. I want us both to be comfortable.

After that, I think it will tow and handle well. I hope the modded B codes will only squat a touch after the WD is hooked up.

 

2 points.

First, the steering box can be tightened.

Second, maximum castor on the alignment will improve straight line stability.

 

I had adjusted the box already. Fine adjustments until the "play" felt like it was gone without having feel like it was tight and binding.

The result was better, but not good enough.

I had read on the shims but felt that might be a bandaid for a crappy box and wouldn't necessarily help in handling on curvy roads. I think I would have still been over correcting.

Pulling the TT in straight lines was not as much of a problem as the friction sway bar kept everything in line, relatively.

We will see next week!

 

I just bought a Hellwig 7643 Rear Sway Bar on Amazon for $210 Incl shipping, not too bad a price. Thanks for the advice!

 

That's where I got mine as well, remember it doesn't help the suspension hold up the weight of a trailer though.

I could tell a huge difference with it, takes a lot of the boat -e- ness out.

 

They must be backordered. I ordered mine some time ago and it still hasn't shipped. They won't be in in time for my spring break trip.

 

My backend does sag some but the next trip is in the mountains, I am hoping the sway bar will help with stability. All in all the truck handles the rig well, my ProPride is the key. I will be doing air bags next and then back to more 6.0L mods.

 

Almost all Hellwigs are on sale. Did they give you an update on when it will ship?

 

March 16- April 1st. I ordered Feb 12.

 

Hooked the Ex up and pulled it into the driveway so the wife can clean it up inside!

 

On our work trucks I have noticed quite a bit of difference in handling and sway with different tires. Soft sidewalls will cause wander. Best tires we ever had on our trucks were michelins.

 

Mine is on the truck being delivered today.

 

Anyone ever mess around with the heating ducts in these new campers with the "winter" package? Mine has a collapsed duct between the furnace and the very first vent. Needless to say, not much heat makes it out, and the thing is just out of warranty, so I'm not going to pay to have them fix it.