Additional spring leaves or airbags?

[Trackrig]

I bought a 2007 Nash / Arctic Fox 26X TT last year to tow behind my 2005 Ford F250 CC 4X4 diesel truck.

The TT weighs 8,600 to 9,000# with about 900# of tongue weight. It currently has two 6V batteries on the tongue, but it will get heavier as I plan to add two additional batteries for a total of four and I plan to install about 300W of solar on the front part of the roof.

In the truck bed I have a 130 gal tank which weighs a little over 1,000# when full. Then, throw in a generator and other junk.

The truck does have a WDH with 1,200# bars but it sags more than I want. I called the local spring shop and they want $700 to add a leaf. They make them there in the shop. I priced air bags and they're about $500 if I do the work or about $650 installed.

I've used additional spring leaves on the front springs of snow plow trucks with good results, but have never used air bags.

Which way would you go?

Bill

[portablevcb]

I had airbags on my Tundra. It needed a LOT of help with our old fiver and the bags worked really well. Onboard aircompressor was REALLY loud but worked well. If I used them again I'd probably just air them up with an air hose.

Timbrens. Our Dodge needed a bit of help with the new fiver so I installed Timbrens. They are too easy. Four bolts without even needing to jack up the truck or remove the wheels (for my truck, YMMV).

The Timbrens are usually not noticed at all. But....when riding without a load and you hit one of those big 'whoops' bumps you will feel when the axle hits the overloads.

So, if you want a perfectly stock ride without the load, go with the airbags. If you want simple...and save money...get the Timbrens.

[Grodyman]

Bags no question.
Gman

[nremtp143]

The cheapest way would be to add Timbrens or bags, but for the $800 you are talking about a local spring shop adding a leaf, you can buy an entire heavy duty set of replacement springs for the rear of the truck from ATS or The Suspension King with new U-bolts cheaper than that. I've put all 4 springs on my Excursion and F250 for under $800 for each truck. And that's all four corners with me doing the work which can be done in your driveway with common hand tools, jack and jackstands. Just throwing out another option.

[cpaulsen]

Trackrig wrote:
I don't really want to mess with adjusting airbags. It can be cold outside in the winter. I could go to the on-board air compressor but don't want the expense.

Having said that, I decided to go with Timbrens. The problem was trying to buy them. No one in Anchorage had them in stock. Amazon won't ship them to Prime to Alaska. I sent my good buddy Jeff an email and they don't know why either, but they haven't changed anything on them yet. I contacted Timbren and they said they only weigh 9# in a 8.5" x 10.5" x 6" box. Amazon won't ship those Prime, but they will ship the six gallons of oil for free that I just ordered.

You should see my list of all the vendors I went through trying to find someone that will ship them for a decent cost. My list has 32 vendors on it. Some of them wanted $130 to ship them to Alaska - probably the same people that fell asleep in school and think Alaska is a foreign country....

Anyway, Summit Racing would ship them to Alaska for $18 parcel post or for $2 more, for $20 they'll ship them 2nd day. Summit has my order.

I had forgotten about Timbrens when I posted my question, so I thank the various posters for mentioning them.

Bill

A local parts store cannot order them without high shipping costs??

[Trackrig]

I don't really want to mess with adjusting airbags. It can be cold outside in the winter. I could go to the on-board air compressor but don't want the expense.

Having said that, I decided to go with Timbrens. The problem was trying to buy them. No one in Anchorage had them in stock. Amazon won't ship them to Prime to Alaska. I sent my good buddy Jeff an email and they don't know why either, but they haven't changed anything on them yet. I contacted Timbren and they said they only weigh 9# in a 8.5" x 10.5" x 6" box. Amazon won't ship those Prime, but they will ship the six gallons of oil for free that I just ordered.

You should see my list of all the vendors I went through trying to find someone that will ship them for a decent cost. My list has 32 vendors on it. Some of them wanted $130 to ship them to Alaska - probably the same people that fell asleep in school and think Alaska is a foreign country....

Anyway, Summit Racing would ship them to Alaska for $18 parcel post or for $2 more, for $20 they'll ship them 2nd day. Summit has my order.

I had forgotten about Timbrens when I posted my question, so I thank the various posters for mentioning them.

Bill

[spoon059]

Bags are significantly cheaper, here they are for $313 on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/Firestone-W21-760-2400-Ride-Rite-Spring-System/dp/B001FEOSGC

Bags are adjustable, inflate them when you need them, dump them when you don't

Unless you are a one time "set it and forget it", bags seem to be the answer. If you don't like the adjustability and want something put on once, try Timbrens. They are cheaper than an add-a-leaf and work in the same fashion.

[Edd505]

Air Bags no sag dump pressure down w/o trailer, my F250 rides like a truck with & without air bags. DW's 1500 GMC rides like a car but couldn't pull a under 5K 5W.

[cpaulsen]

VoodooMedicineMan wrote:
X2 on the Timbrens

X3 on the Timbrens......on my 08 F250 and 2300 lbs. pi weight for my 5th wheel....sagged without the Timbrens.......installed the Timbrens and no sag when hooked up and thee ride is good when empty.

[Trackrig]

GeoBoy wrote:
You will find that AF 26X has a tongue weight of 1,200+ lbs. when loaded, before you add 2 more batteries.

I ordered a tongue weight scale a couple of weeks ago and it arrived yesterday. I weighed it today and got two weights. The first was about 980# and the second was 1,050#. The trailer is basically empty, two batteries, electric jack and yes, I forgot the WD hitch bars were laying on the tongue so the weight is right at 1,000#. That's heavier than I thought, but not 1,200#, or at least until the DW gets everything in it. For a 2007 26X, Nash lists the empty tongue weight as either 800# or 860#. Like most mfgs, they were a little light - maybe I should rent them my weight scale?

Bill

[Dave_H_M]

I run bags. my Ford rides like a log wagon and i sure would not want to have a stiffer spring under there when tooting around empty.

[blt2ski]

I did an add a leaf on my 96. Broke one of the springs ea 12 months. Had a complete new spring pack built with the 6th leaf in my case, added to it, along with ea leaf being a 1/16" thicker, went from a6400 to about 8400lbs of springs. Worked better than stock, or with the add a leaf with my equipment trailer that has a 1500 or so lbs of HW. It varies fully loaded plus minus 100 lbs depending how the bobcat and mini trackhoe are loaded, and other accessories on the trailer too.

I also lowered the front axel from losing 300 lbs, to 200 lbs. So drove better too. THis is with NO WD system attached mind you!

Marty

[AlmostAnOldGuy]

VoodooMedicineMan wrote:
X2 on the Timbrens

My buddy with his 2012 Chev diesel 2500 is happy with his Timbrens. No change to unloaded ride. Removed the sag and stable when loaded.

Good luck,
Stu

[VoodooMedicineM]

X2 on the Timbrens

[PDX_Zs]

Wow. That is a lot of weight back there.

Can't speak to the spring vs air idea. That is a personal choice.

I will say the shops quote for a leaf install in insane. I frequently overestimate the ability and willingness of other posters to get dirty, but it is still a super common mod to just pull a leaf out of a junkyard spring pack for similar vehicle and slide it into your pack with a longer bolt.

🙂