First 5th Wheel--Do I Need Air Bags???

[bowler1]

Just got my first 5th wheel, moving from a bumper pull. I bought a 12.5k trailer with 2500 pound pin weight. I am pulling with a 2018 Ram 3500 diesel which has a pay load of 4200. I am well within the payload of the truck and with good margin and the truck appears to be pretty level when hooked up with the trailer.

I only drove the setup once coming back from the dealer and noticed a lot more sway than I would have anticipated. Would air bags be a good investment for me and would they help with this even though the truck does not necessarily require leveling?

thanks
matt

[garyp4951]

JIMNLIN wrote:
New 2018 truck with new tires can sometimes cause sway till the tires are broke in especially all terrain type tires with the larger lugs and voids.

I would bet this is your swaying problem. Firestone Transforce tires are known to do this for a few hundred miles. 70psi front, 80psi rear is what I run in mine.

[rhagfo]

bowler1 wrote:
Well...the tech had a party to make it to and was in a rush. He did not even look at the truck and camper hooked up until I asked him to sue to the fact it was so obviously not close to level. Not sure how much the loaded weight will bring it down. Will see this weekend

With a pin high and lite condition you might feel sway with a 5er. Level it and get it weighed so we can see where you are at.

[Allworth]

Not if you have enough truck!

[packnrat]

one thing not seen sofar.
what type of tires are you running on both the truck and trailer?
manf tend to skimp on them. factory tires are not as good as what can be bought on the open market .. even same brand and lable, factory rubber has less plys and tread to reduce over all weight.

[bowler1]

Well...the tech had a party to make it to and was in a rush. He did not even look at the truck and camper hooked up until I asked him to sue to the fact it was so obviously not close to level. Not sure how much the loaded weight will bring it down. Will see this weekend

[azrving]

laknox wrote:

bowler1 wrote:
It was way nose high from the dealer which is why I questioned them. It towed poorly and in bumpy spots of the highway it felt like it was porpoising. Definitely not the experience I was expecting with a 5th wheel. I definitely knew it was there

How much is "way nose high"? If more than 2-3", then it needs correction and, IMO, you have one lazy dealer not to have adjusted it better.

LYle

Not lazy and not beginners. When you goes back at a later date they will sell him and axle flip or subframe and claim that they never ran into that problem. 🙂

[laknox]

bowler1 wrote:
It was way nose high from the dealer which is why I questioned them. It towed poorly and in bumpy spots of the highway it felt like it was porpoising. Definitely not the experience I was expecting with a 5th wheel. I definitely knew it was there

How much is "way nose high"? If more than 2-3", then it needs correction and, IMO, you have one lazy dealer not to have adjusted it better.

LYle

[laknox]

donn0128 wrote:
By your quick numbers Im guessing your spouting brochure numbers. Totally worthless.
You need to load the trailer up and hit the scales. Get true accurate weights, then let us know what you have. I suspect with fiver sway, youe either not level or way pin light. The only other possability is that your trailers axles are not true to the pin. If that were the case that fiver would be back to the dealer in a heart beat. That is a rarity though so Im guessing your setup is not level.

What he ^^^ said...

Easy to check gross axle alignment with a string-to-king pin, though king pins have been known to be off-center by upwards of an inch, or more, as reported here.

Lyle

[JIMNLIN]

New 2018 truck with new tires can sometimes cause sway till the tires are broke in especially all terrain type tires with the larger lugs and voids.

[Pop-Pop_C]

Wait till you are loaded. Check air pressure in all tires. May need more weight on the nose.
Take on a trip first. Good luck have fun. Oh. With that beast the e should be no problem,

[corvettekent]

B&W has an adjustment for fore and aft also.

[MFL]

The B&W is easily adjusted, so if you have enough bed rail clearance (S/B 6"s minimum), I'd adjust it down, and raise the pin box to get trailer as close to level as possible. Yes, the dealer should have done this for you, and you still could have them adjust the pin box.

Jerry

[bowler1]

Thanks for all the replies. My truck is a SRW with factory pick system so the hitch should be in the right place. Looking at my hitch ur appears that I can only lower the hitch...b&w..by one hole. Not sure if I have any adjustment on the pin box itself

[corvettekent]

Is your pin over the rear axle or forward of it? If it is behind the axle it is not set up correctly.

Do you have a dually or single?

I agree with the others that you need the trailer level.