Suspension help
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Forest Hill MD
Suspension help
bought this truck with the 35's so i am guessing its a 4" lift. Trailer that is hooked to it is approx 7k enclosed, that we pull for our church. This is the first trailer I hooked to it, and admit that i should have used a WD hitch, but I really did not think it would sag that much. I would prefer airbags or timbrens but with the lift will they work properly?
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 23,174
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From: Stephensville WI
I looks like the stock suspension height to me.
As for the squat, how far are you squatting? There are a few things you can do, for free, to help.
First, I would move the tires from the bed of the truck to the trailer.
Second, do you have any idea on what your tongue weight is? It might be as simple as the trailer being too nose heavy.
A WD hitch would help a lot, by moving some of the tongue weight to the front axle.
As for the squat, how far are you squatting? There are a few things you can do, for free, to help.
First, I would move the tires from the bed of the truck to the trailer.
Second, do you have any idea on what your tongue weight is? It might be as simple as the trailer being too nose heavy.
A WD hitch would help a lot, by moving some of the tongue weight to the front axle.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,619
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From: Forest Hill MD
Tires just happened to be going to the shop that day for the Jeep, they are not normally there.
I will measure the rear blocks after I snow blow today. Got a foot last night and its still coming down. I guess I assumed there was a lift on there since it had 35's I did not think they would fit stock, but i have been wrong plenty of times before.
Not sure on the tongue weight. I know when the trailers were set up by the church, they calculated everything to the oz. but there is not a way to rearrange it. Goes together like a puzzle. buying a travel trailer this weekend and still have to hook up my 18' car hauler with my Jeep on it to see how they do.
Any advise on Timbren vs airbags? or is that like asking Gas vs diesel?
I will measure the rear blocks after I snow blow today. Got a foot last night and its still coming down. I guess I assumed there was a lift on there since it had 35's I did not think they would fit stock, but i have been wrong plenty of times before.
Not sure on the tongue weight. I know when the trailers were set up by the church, they calculated everything to the oz. but there is not a way to rearrange it. Goes together like a puzzle. buying a travel trailer this weekend and still have to hook up my 18' car hauler with my Jeep on it to see how they do.
Any advise on Timbren vs airbags? or is that like asking Gas vs diesel?
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 23,174
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From: Stephensville WI
No, both work well. I think air bags are the more recommended solution. I just do not want you to spend money where it isn't needed, hence the recommendation to check your tongue weight.
Ideally, on a bumper pull, you want 10% of the trailer weight carried on the tongue. With a 7000 pound trailer, you should have 700 pounds on the tongue. Based on your squat, it looks like you have a lot more than 700 pounds on the bumper. You might try going to a local RV shop and see if they have the scales to weight the trailer and tongue weight. Being a church trailer, you might get that done free of charge.
Ideally, on a bumper pull, you want 10% of the trailer weight carried on the tongue. With a 7000 pound trailer, you should have 700 pounds on the tongue. Based on your squat, it looks like you have a lot more than 700 pounds on the bumper. You might try going to a local RV shop and see if they have the scales to weight the trailer and tongue weight. Being a church trailer, you might get that done free of charge.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 107
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From: Tampa
You can the cheaper air bags that are in the link below. Not very expensive, just needs air pumped manually.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fi...Fczm7AodmkEA-Q
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fi...Fczm7AodmkEA-Q
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Joined: Jan 2007
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AFTER the trailer's tongue weight is confirmed to be 10-12% of the trailer weight airbags can be used to level the rear. I tow landscape trailers and an RV on occasion and what I don't know the weight of I take to the scales. Check out a small hydraulic weighing device from Sherman for direct tongue weights, or there are numerous ways to use a bathroom scale and levers to get tongue weights.
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