Air bag question and suspension in general I guess

[silverbullet555]

2007 Chevy 2500HD Crew Cab Diesel 6.5' bed 4wd
1994 Northland Grizzly 860 2355 pounds.
2002 Cobalt 226 boot. 6000 lbs with 600lb tongue weight (estimated) most likely with a 24" supertruss extension.

I gave all that for reference.

Have the trailer on the truck. Compressed the rear suspension 4" approximately. If I wasn't going to add the boat to the back end of the truck, air bags wouldn't likely be a priority. But, I intend to tow the boat with the truck and camper which is why I bought it.

So, I am considering air bags to help level the truck out and to potentially provide some level of side to side control in the wind.

I got one quote from a place and they quoted 88275 air bag kit and a 2168 Dual air command controller. Is anybody familiar with them enough to know the benefits of the combined and more expensive option they recommended vs the all in one kit w217602808 from firestone?

All in one kit

88275 Bags

2168 Dual Controller


As part of this conversation, are air bags the best solution to this problem? Are there better and much more cost effective solutions? I know a hellwig sway bar is advised and if I can find an option that combines the sway bar and something else to support weight on the suspension for a similar cost, that would be cool.

This is also a frequent daily driver so taking that into consideration is important.

[silverbullet555]

jaycocreek wrote:

I ordered Hellwig 3500LP springs and their swaybar to give some lift and stability to the rear end.

All told, this $3100 camper will cost me $5500-$6000 after upgrades to the truck, additions to the camper, etc. I still haven't decided on the final tiedown system. I'm hoping to find a torqlift system used locally. I missed one last week.

That Helwig helper springs should be all you need for that TC..I had a 8.6 Lance on a 3/4 Ford with those springs on to haul a heavy fifth wheel..I have had two truck campers on that Ford without needing anything else...

As to the money spent,you only have to do it once and remember..LOL..I bought to much truck for this last TC because of where I travel in the mountains and the sidehill type roads..Don't throw anything out and don't include the extra's you bought if you sell your TC...May need them later..

I have not put a penny in either my new to me truck or the truck camper because I was very picky and remembered the other truck campers and what they needed and what you had to have and what you do not have to have...I take that back..I did by a horse mat..LOL

I had horses for hunting and they are spendy and why I eventually sold them..Pasture/hay etc adds up if you don't own acreage to keep them..They require a lot of time and effort...They are a nice addition to a truck camper for hunting though...

Some of the service roads we go on might be sporty, but other than too bumpy I think will be ok. It's going to be lots of slow going during deer and elk season. Antelope season it should be pretty flat.

I have no intention of replacing this truck anytime soon. So, while we could upgrade campers, the springs, swaybar and other improvements should be long term investments. And, when it is time to change trucks, I'll be sure to pull that stuff off.

Now I need to find helper springs for our 1988 Suburban since it is towing the boat on weekends a lot more. If I don't have to unload the camper, I really don't want to.

[jaycocreek]

I ordered Hellwig 3500LP springs and their swaybar to give some lift and stability to the rear end.

All told, this $3100 camper will cost me $5500-$6000 after upgrades to the truck, additions to the camper, etc. I still haven't decided on the final tiedown system. I'm hoping to find a torqlift system used locally. I missed one last week.

That Helwig helper springs should be all you need for that TC..I had a 8.6 Lance on a 3/4 Ford with those springs on to haul a heavy fifth wheel..I have had two truck campers on that Ford without needing anything else...

As to the money spent,you only have to do it once and remember..LOL..I bought to much truck for this last TC because of where I travel in the mountains and the sidehill type roads..Don't throw anything out and don't include the extra's you bought if you sell your TC...May need them later..

I have not put a penny in either my new to me truck or the truck camper because I was very picky and remembered the other truck campers and what they needed and what you had to have and what you do not have to have...I take that back..I did by a horse mat..LOL

I had horses for hunting and they are spendy and why I eventually sold them..Pasture/hay etc adds up if you don't own acreage to keep them..They require a lot of time and effort...They are a nice addition to a truck camper for hunting though...

[chloedecker2013]

Grit dog wrote:

silverbullet555 wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
I had air bags on my flatbeds and loved them.
But 600lb tongue weight will squat F250 alone, so with camper you are walking thin lane. Will you need hitch extender?
For side to side control timberines (?) might be better and if you don't have rear sway bar, get 1 for sure

I'm actually going to measure the trailer today. I'm hoping the tongue on the trailer is long astroworld merch enough that I may not need an extender. It would save me over $1K ***Link Removed***here? Even if I have to remove the tongue box I installed a number of years ago .

It also brings up the question, would it be cheaper and better to have the trailer tongue extended than to put on a 20K hitch and get an extender? I might have to go to a fold away tongue if I do that, but other than some wiring extensions, it shouldn't be too rough to have done.

If you think it's close to working with no extension, a 12-24" extension in the OE hitch will work fine unless you have alot of tongue weight.
Air bags, you're shopping for the Cadillac of automatic systems. Unless you somehow will need to adjust air frequently, you can get a set of bags manual fill for like $250.
True story on the bags unloading the suspension. Will likely want a sway bar and then some wedges and stable loads so you load the suspension up quicker in the travel range.

I use air bags and extended bump stops to engage the spring overloads. It works for me. I don’t think it’s possible...

[Geo_Boy]

Buzzcut1 wrote:

silverbullet555 wrote:

mountainkowboy wrote:
ain't nothin cheap about RVing

Same with boating

try horses fastest money pit on the planet. I could buy a new car in cash every two years for what the upkeep on the horse runs...

Yes, but your wife and best friend loves her horses.:W

[specta]

Buzzcut1 wrote:

silverbullet555 wrote:

mountainkowboy wrote:
ain't nothin cheap about RVing

Same with boating

try horses fastest money pit on the planet. I could buy a new car in cash every two years for what the upkeep on the horse runs...

How bout a divorce??

[Buzzcut1]

silverbullet555 wrote:

mountainkowboy wrote:
ain't nothin cheap about RVing

Same with boating

try horses fastest money pit on the planet. I could buy a new car in cash every two years for what the upkeep on the horse runs...

[silverbullet555]

mountainkowboy wrote:
ain't nothin cheap about RVing

Same with boating

[mountainkowboy]

ain't nothin cheap about RVing

[specta]

silverbullet555 wrote:


All told, this $3100 camper will cost me $5500-$6000 after upgrades to the truck, additions to the camper, etc.

Isn't that how it always goes?

I had purchased the Happijac and tie downs when I purchased my previous camper so I don't count those.

The only "upgrade" I did to my truck was airbags and this last time I bought better tires.

The camper however is a different story. I paid $5000 for it and I'm in to it at least another $5000. $3000 of the $5000 was for a new generator.

I seriously doubt that I could buy what I have for $10,000 and I have ended up with more than I had hoped for.

[silverbullet555]

Grit dog wrote:
IMO, don’t screw up your boat trailer unless you plan on keeping it forever.
It’s a solution with limitations even for you and will not be desirable to most buyers.
If you don’t trust your hitch with the required length of extension bar and don’t want to shell out for a super hitch, just get a heavy 2.5” receiver and a solid bar extension.
$300-400 will get you everything you need.
FWIW, I’ve been towing a 6000lb + boat/trailer for years on the OE receiver on the 07 Dodge with more than 500lbs tongue weight. Idk what it weighs but 2 men can’t lift the tongue of the trailer up.

That's a fair point. Solving the boat trailer would have made it less desirable for someone else though I already did that by putting electric brakes on it. Also, modifying the tongue of the trailer doesn't do anything if we someday buy another trailer or another boat which is certainly something we look at as I would like a fishing boat for some of the rivers. The tongue weight concern was mostly with it becoming too low causing sway in the trailer. There would have been little we could do to fix it at that point.

To somewhat close out this thread for those that look.

I ordered Hellwig 3500LP springs and their swaybar to give some lift and stability to the rear end.

I found a supertruss locally used for $330 which is now sitting in my garage. My hitch is a 2" hitch so unless I find an extension that exceeds the 6100 lbs, I'll bight the bullet and add a superhitch to the back of the truck.

All told, this $3100 camper will cost me $5500-$6000 after upgrades to the truck, additions to the camper, etc. I still haven't decided on the final tiedown system. I'm hoping to find a torqlift system used locally. I missed one last week.

[noteven]

... - - - ...

[Grit_dog]

IMO, don’t screw up your boat trailer unless you plan on keeping it forever.
It’s a solution with limitations even for you and will not be desirable to most buyers.
If you don’t trust your hitch with the required length of extension bar and don’t want to shell out for a super hitch, just get a heavy 2.5” receiver and a solid bar extension.
$300-400 will get you everything you need.
FWIW, I’ve been towing a 6000lb + boat/trailer for years on the OE receiver on the 07 Dodge with more than 500lbs tongue weight. Idk what it weighs but 2 men can’t lift the tongue of the trailer up.

[jimh406]

silverbullet555 wrote:
I was a little surprised when I checked the hitch on the truck. 7500lb with 1K tongue weight. Assumed it would've been higher. In retrospect, I put a Class V on the suburban many years back so I shouldn't have been surprised.

Wow, that is surprising. A hitch upgrade is probably a very good idea either with a takeoff or aftermarket hitch.

[silverbullet555]

jimh425 wrote:

silverbullet555 wrote:
Extending the tongue would have been so much easier and cost effective. I need to rule that out before placing an order for the super hitch.

You can go to higher capacity 18s as well. The disadvantage of just extending the tongue is you have to extend all that you tow, and couldn’t use it for a luggage rack/bike rack etc. I have a 2 1/2” extension that is 18 inches long. It’s just long enough to work with my 9 1/2 ft model camper. It doesn’t extend past the camper bumper so it’s not a tripping hazard. I had to cut a 24” extension down.

If you have the 3” hitch, it would certainly be strong enough although I think the 18 would as well. Might be an option for you.

I was a little surprised when I checked the hitch on the truck. 7500lb with 1K tongue weight. Assumed it would've been higher. In retrospect, I put a Class V on the suburban many years back so I shouldn't have been surprised.

I might look at some combination of an upgraded hitch and a longer ball mount using a 2.5" hitch. Might be a good balance of cost and performance.

billtex wrote:


Then your RAWR = 7500#.

Try extending the hitch, or just moving the winch post. I would experiment with the boat/trailer loading before spending the $ on a super hitch. It worked for me with the Classic Whaler we had at that time.

Winch post is welded. Thought about removing the tongue mounted tool box, but it doesn't extend past the winchpost either. Continuing to explore this option before dropping the coin.

For this year, it is certainly possible we will either camp or boat on a given trip, not both. It may reduce our boating a little this year as my oldest is super anxious to go camping in the trailer.

I bought this to try as it got me 16" which I was hoping would be close enough. It was not to be given the weight of the trailer at 6100lbs.

http://hiddenhitch.com/products/ball-mounts/class-iii-iv-ball-mounts-2-/class-iv-trailer-hitch-ball-mount/Ft6J97!qk61S1nwc4xA!RU7QCMsOX1m8