Watch for how much tension goes to the bars ;) Too much tension will make the truck 'shoulder' into curves (at highway speeds) which increases weight distribution to on the outside front tire (relative to the others) as the rig goes through the curve.


Just asking, when everybody is commenting about squat, are the observations that the truck appears lower in the rear relative to the front? Or just that the rear drops a bit and the truck still looks level from front-to-rear?

Jay: My vehicle actually stays about the same at front wheel measurement, but the rear drops a couple of inches when I connect the trailer. When you stand off and look at the vehicle from the side it is quite noticeable.

Wanted to also thank all of you for your input and observations. After much consideration, I decided to go the air bag route.....although the Sumosprings were a close consideration due to lack of maintenance requirements.

I chose the Firestone Ride Rite as they seemed simpler to install. Also one of my towing buddies uses them and recommended. Install completed yesterday and will be messing with them a bit in the near future to see what the appropriate pressure should be.

Hopefully the end of my "squats"! :-X22

The 4" vs. 2" block is the only mechanical difference between a F350 and F250. The 4" rear blocks simply raise the rear end a bit. Otherwise, it is just badging and "legal" weight rating difference. Lots of posts confirming this in the SuperDuty forum.

Before adding the rear Sumo Springs (airless), my truck sat level unloaded and squatted 3.5" loaded with our truck camper. Since adding the Sumo Springs, it sits a little higher in the rear unloaded and squats about 1" when fully loaded. Looks and drives so much better with the Sumo Springs when loaded. Unloaded ride is unaffected with the Sump Springs.

Sunuvabug, thanks for the feedback. Yes, that block looked to me like it had absolutely no effect other and to raise the bed. That and his 20 inch tires makes his sit quote a bit higher than mine and that is about it. I appreciate your feedback.

be sure to recheck your weight distribution setup after inflating the air bags.


by raising the rear, you will be taking tension off the spring bars and weight transfer to the front will go down. you may have to reset your bars to get the weight back up front.

I have the ArLift Ultimates with the built in Jounce Bumpers and after using these I doubt I'll change unless someone comes up with a better bag. My Prowler weighs right at 10,000 fully loaded and with 45 lbs I'm dead level before hooking up my equalizers. I get a nice ride and like everyone says I can adjust for the load. With my utility trailer with tools 8000 lbs, 30lbs of air and the tow dolly with the wife's civic is 15 lbs.

I built my compressorsystem and have a Viair twin 150 psi with a 5 gallon tank and 50'hose reel. Reel handy on the road for low tires or changing a flat. I have added the dual pressure gauge with paddle valves and I have the manual fill valves are mounted inside the fuel door in case. I had to much trouble with crap on the back bumper some of the places I go. I also have a set of Train Horns to get someone's attention when I have to.

:-headbang:-headbang

Doesn't "dead level before hooking up the equalizer bars" put you higher in the rear with them hooked up?

When I'm all hooked up with the equalizers total drop is 1/2" on the front axle, 1" on the rear. Everything rides exceptionally well anything less than 25 to 30 mph cross winds when nothing will help.
I also typically have 300 to 500 lbs in the bed not counting 80 gallons of diesel in the transfer tank.
Total weight on my truck unloaded is 9020 lbs with 5040 on the front axle.
I've run this set up for several years back and forth cross country and it tows better than most anything I've ever towed.

I have the same truck, but a gasser, same WDH, and damn near same towing weights...how bad was the squat with just the WDH?

I know this post is 6 months old and based on his post count he may not have returned.

To anyone looking for answers, if you're rear sags and the front height stays the same, you do not have you're wdh adjusted correctly.

Did you look at Timbrens? I use them on my F250 with 2400 lbs. of pin weight from my 5th wheel....mine squats about 3/4 of an inch.

I disagree completely.

The whole point of a WDH is to keep weight from transferring from the front axle to the rear axle, not level the truck. If your front height is the same or slightly lower than the unloaded then the WDH has done its job. The rear ride height really doesn't have much to do with how well the hitch is working.

Some vehicles just need more help in the rear to keep the ride height on the level.

@meborder

You basically confirmed my post. If the front is slightly lower than unloaded then you have transferred weight to the front axle. If the front is the same level loaded as unloaded,and the rear is saggy, then you need to add tension to you're weight distribution bars.

Now I do understand that you're saying there is no need to be level and I agree. But, I still say that if the rear is saggy and the front remains the same height as unloaded, you need to adjust.

I wouldn't necessarily say that. If your front height is the same as the unloaded height, then you have 100% of the front axle weight restored, or very close and your hitch is properly adjusted. Sure you can go tighter, but there isn't any need other than if you find that it improves stability.

Some will say you should see the front and rear settle the same when you hook up. IMO, that is probably too much. Some hitches will handle that better than others, but you can damage the hitch brackets by getting them that tight. I'd have to go searching for it, but there was a guy on here who bent his L-Brackets trying to get the hitch to level out his super duty.

I'll use my expedition as another example. I haven't had much luck getting mine level with the hitch either. It's a coil spring vehicle, I've got some sumo coils in there, and that helps, but with 800lbs or more hanging off the rear, it is just going to sag. I've got a little more adjusting to try, but I'm about out of what I can muster to hook up the bars. They are tight, and the front height is the same or lower when hooked up, but it still sits low in the rear. Just needs more help in the rear, but the hitch is fine.

These new super duties just sag in the rear. More spring or air bags is what it takes to level them up. Our survey rig at work sags too. There isn't really that much in there, but even with timbrens it is low in the back.

You guys are over thinking this. The OP has 950lbs of tongue weight on a 6500lb trailer. He should be shifting weight inside the trailer, never mind worrying about adjusting a WDH. You shouldn't even need a WDH for a 6500lb trailer.

As far as fixing squat; I installed a set of RideRite airbags on my truck. I've probably got an inch of squat with the 2000lbs that live in the bed at 80 psi; just a little taller than level with the front.