No helium, no magic or illusions. I was frankly surprised at how stout the truck suspension seems to be. Now it is brand new - only about 1,000 miles, so I'm sure it will soften up over time but I was pleased with the out of the box result.

And I see by your avatar you might be a Marine. Thanks for your service.

 

Wow. The paint on this truck was already starting to get rubbed off the overloads just from like a week of driving with the trailer

 

Miles at first I thought your friend had a 5er trailer, now that I see its a bumper pull with the info you have provided it sounds like a WD hitch setup properly would make a big improvement, it would at least get the frontend back down and allow for safer handling. As opposed to the front going sky high as you said.

 

My 2013 dually has about 2000lbs. of tools and stuff and I have to have 40psi of air in the bags just to keep it level. In my 2008 f350 SRW I really did not need bags to keep it level, I just put 10psi so I didn't hurt the bags. That 4" block makes a huge difference. Putting a 2" block on a dually is a mistake on Ford's part in my opinion.

 

Here's the best pics I can get

 

Here is mine. About 2800lbs weight in the bed, including tongue weight, and 50psi if air in the bags. This much sag is embarrassing.
photo2021_zps4f76e1fe.jpg Photo by dualwheels66 | Photobucket

 

In comparison here is mine with about 2600 lbs...before air bags.

This was my 2011 5er.

 

I don't think I've ever seen a dually squat that much. I'd be mad too if I was the owner.

 

X2 on air springs. If you have proper pressure for the weight it wont sag no matter how mushed the springs have become.

 

I think I'd like to get some air bags on my dually. Had them on my 250 and did a great job. My truck gets a little too much nose up with a 3800lb dump trailer with maybe 1000lbs in it in tow. 8 yards of dyed black mulch and I was dragging the safety chains. Max that would be 8000lbs so ~12k total, but more likely 6400lbs for a 10,400 total. I wish the guys at the local yard would learn how to load trailers though. He put almost all 8 yards from the forward axle to the front of the dump box. Serious tongue weight!! Anyone ever use weight distribution with a trailer like a dump trailer where the load varies quite a bit? I've upgraded my hitch to a 18,000lb, 2000lb weight carrying, 2500lb weight distribution.

But I agree, too much sag for my dually with lighter loads. Guess I'll just need to upgrade to that new F-550 dump......and get then get used to sleeping on that basement couch!!

 

I too have dump trailers and find trying to put a WDH hitch totally impractible. How do you adjust from 4300 # to 14k 6 times a day. At least with a dump trailer you don't have to account for a massive frontal area or sway with a low profile side. To all the weight police and insurance companies out there show me the way to do a practical WDH. Ford also knows guys with dump trailers aren't running WDH but dont notice that a 14k dump trailer isn't exactly legal without a WDH which isn't available. And finally my 08 F450 dually squatted with a 4300lb dump trailer and 7k skid steer on it. So much for stock payload ride.

 

I'm not sure if my upgraded hitch (Reese Titan) follows the rules but that hitch compared to the stock 2 1/2" is a, well there is no comparison. It's massive and has extra attachment points along the frame. The ball mount is also one massive piece. I'm sure it's not the "correct" way to do things but gives me a little piece of mind when the dump is loaded. If I would have thought this through I may have opted for the gooseneck.

 

Putting airbags in may not be the answer. The bags may act like a fulcrom when used with a bumper hitch trailer. Even more so on a regular cab truck. Heavy tongue weight with a short truck with filled bags could jack up the front end. I bet if he had a cc/lb like his 04 it would make a difference. Airbags work great for us with 5ers or haul things in the bed.

 

It really wouldn't affect that. This is why WD kits are required for loads over 5,000 lbs, but the fulcrum is always on the rear axle. This is why you will always have a greater weight placed on the rear axle than the actual tongue weight, as weight from the front end is levered onto the axle. What matters is the distance from the hitch ball to the axle, not the wheelbase of the truck.

 

3700 pounds of truck camper and no air bags.