Helper bags should be standard.
03-22-2014, 04:43 PM
#11
Senior Member
One summer I rented a 17 ft holiday trailer, and towed it with an F250 with the ball on the bumper. No problem with weight , or keeping the truck level.
BUT, on roads with many dips, the most pronounced feeling was the back and forth push-pull of the trailer. As you go through the dips and over the humps, the horizontal distance between the truck axles and trailer axles changes a little bit, just due to geometry, and gives the push-pull. I didn't like it. I've pulled bigger trailers with smaller trucks with WDH's without that effect.
And to me air bags may well carry more load, comfortably, but they will never replace a WDH. Different issues.
BUT, on roads with many dips, the most pronounced feeling was the back and forth push-pull of the trailer. As you go through the dips and over the humps, the horizontal distance between the truck axles and trailer axles changes a little bit, just due to geometry, and gives the push-pull. I didn't like it. I've pulled bigger trailers with smaller trucks with WDH's without that effect.
And to me air bags may well carry more load, comfortably, but they will never replace a WDH. Different issues.
03-22-2014, 04:52 PM
#12
I guess air bag companies would be out of business if everyone was as ignorant as some around here. They not only would not sell any product but since everyone who uses there truck would kill no less then a full family due to the unsafe hauling a real load! Not to mention everyone who bought a truck and installed air bags would destroy the rear axle in a short period of time!!!
if you are a safety freak then you are best to have air ride. You can add the WDH if you want to waist a bunch of money. But the helper bags will do much more for your safety then the hitch.
if you are a safety freak then you are best to have air ride. You can add the WDH if you want to waist a bunch of money. But the helper bags will do much more for your safety then the hitch.
03-22-2014, 05:37 PM
#13
I guess air bag companies would be out of business if everyone was as ignorant as some around here. They not only would not sell any product but since everyone who uses there truck would kill no less then a full family due to the unsafe hauling a real load! Not to mention everyone who bought a truck and installed air bags would destroy the rear axle in a short period of time!!!
if you are a safety freak then you are best to have air ride. You can add the WDH if you want to waist a bunch of money. But the helper bags will do much more for your safety then the hitch.
if you are a safety freak then you are best to have air ride. You can add the WDH if you want to waist a bunch of money. But the helper bags will do much more for your safety then the hitch.
03-22-2014, 06:48 PM
#14
OP must be trolling. He has to be. There is no way that a $200 dollar device that supposedly defeats the laws of physics and weight distribution has remained hidden for so long 
custm2500, seriously man, everyone else is telling you- this is the wrong advice. A level truck handles better- yes- but with airbags you are still keeping all of the weight on your rear axle. I don't care how level it sits. The idea of the WDH is to actually take some weight off the rear axle and move it back to the steering axle and trailer axles so it doesn't feel like you're driving on grease and you don't overload your rear axle- which is a recipe for bad things to happen eventually. That 2500lbs you had in the rear of that F150? All that weight was sitting right on your rear axle. All of it. Do that too often- your bearings will be, at the very least, sloppy doughnuts. At worst, they will fail.
Please, don't preach this advice to others, you are making for a very dangerous road for them and the rest of us.
custm2500, seriously man, everyone else is telling you- this is the wrong advice. A level truck handles better- yes- but with airbags you are still keeping all of the weight on your rear axle. I don't care how level it sits. The idea of the WDH is to actually take some weight off the rear axle and move it back to the steering axle and trailer axles so it doesn't feel like you're driving on grease and you don't overload your rear axle- which is a recipe for bad things to happen eventually. That 2500lbs you had in the rear of that F150? All that weight was sitting right on your rear axle. All of it. Do that too often- your bearings will be, at the very least, sloppy doughnuts. At worst, they will fail.
Please, don't preach this advice to others, you are making for a very dangerous road for them and the rest of us.
Last edited by smurfs_of_war; 03-22-2014 at 06:50 PM. Reason: clarity
03-22-2014, 06:51 PM
#15
I did some reading and have seen info for both sides. Personally I have pulled a lot of trailers and like I said some very heavy(over 10,000 on the trailer) with just air bags. Never had an issue when stopping, turning or going over bumps. I would take air bags any day over a WDH because the air ride allows for virtually any load.
I also read that if you use a WDH and it is too light for your application then it can cause more issues then it helps. I am not sure about all that..
No trolling here. I have reason to troll about towing trailers. If I were going to do anything childish I would show chevy's stomping all over fords.
I also read that if you use a WDH and it is too light for your application then it can cause more issues then it helps. I am not sure about all that..
No trolling here. I have reason to troll about towing trailers. If I were going to do anything childish I would show chevy's stomping all over fords.
03-22-2014, 07:25 PM
#16
I did some reading and have seen info for both sides. Personally I have pulled a lot of trailers and like I said some very heavy(over 10,000 on the trailer) with just air bags. Never had an issue when stopping, turning or going over bumps. I would take air bags any day over a WDH because the air ride allows for virtually any load.
I also read that if you use a WDH and it is too light for your application then it can cause more issues then it helps. I am not sure about all that..
No trolling here. I have reason to troll about towing trailers. If I were going to do anything childish I would show chevy's stomping all over fords.
I also read that if you use a WDH and it is too light for your application then it can cause more issues then it helps. I am not sure about all that..
No trolling here. I have reason to troll about towing trailers. If I were going to do anything childish I would show chevy's stomping all over fords.
An overloaded rear axle makes for a light steering axle. A light steering axle is a recipe for disaster in less than ideal conditions. You are talking about short trips- the rental yard to your house, or 35(?) miles one way. You have gotten off lucky. Here's a test for you. Fill up your airbags and hook up that huge bejesus travel trailer to your Tahoe. hit 35mph on a gravel road then try to turn. Now, provided you haven't torn your front end off and rammed the a-frame of your trailer through your back seat while unceremoniously ripping into the ditch, try the same test with a WDH and a properly weighted steering axle.
Anyways, I have said my piece. Continue on with the discussion
03-22-2014, 08:01 PM
#18
Junior Member
03-22-2014, 08:02 PM
#19
Junior Member
I did some reading and have seen info for both sides. Personally I have pulled a lot of trailers and like I said some very heavy(over 10,000 on the trailer) with just air bags. Never had an issue when stopping, turning or going over bumps. I would take air bags any day over a WDH because the air ride allows for virtually any load.
I also read that if you use a WDH and it is too light for your application then it can cause more issues then it helps. I am not sure about all that..
No trolling here. I have reason to troll about towing trailers. If I were going to do anything childish I would show chevy's stomping all over fords.
I also read that if you use a WDH and it is too light for your application then it can cause more issues then it helps. I am not sure about all that..
No trolling here. I have reason to troll about towing trailers. If I were going to do anything childish I would show chevy's stomping all over fords.
03-23-2014, 08:12 PM
#20
Senior Member
I come to this forum as a beginner RV guy to educate myself on the proper way to setup my truck to pull a heavy trailer. There is lots of good advice here and some bad. custm2500, you are one not to listen to as your statements are obviously stupid.