xcntrk

I'm a huge proponent of proper weight distribution and believe it or not, I agree with your statement above. If the tongue weight is under 500lbs I too wouldn't mess with WDH unless it was already installed and setup.

speedycop

I just bought a 24" enclosed and it makes my truck sag waaaaay low, even with the WDH. I came here lookin for help choosing a air bag set up.

stormrider151

I have Airlift ultimate 5000 bags on my FX4 screw. I tow a 30 ft. travel trailer that weighs about 7500 lbs. loaded. My WD hitch levels out everything fine but I use the bags to stiffen the ride and help with sway. Works great. The ultimate's have the internal jounce bumpers so I can deflate the bags and go back to the original ride.

badercubed

I have Air Lift bags with a Air Lift wireless compressor. I tow a heavy TT and actually do not need them to level out my ride, but like the added suspension feel when inflated to around 30PSI.

smokeywren

Hi, speedycop, and welcome! to F1.50Forum.com.

Sounds like you may have too light duty spring bars for your WD hitch. Use 15% of the GVWR of the trailer as your probable max tongue weight, and be sure your spring bars are rated for at least that much.

For example, the Pace American Shadow GT 24' enclosed trailer model SCX8.5X24TE3, the GVWR is 9,900 pounds and the max tongue weight of a properly-loaded trailer could be as much as 1,485 pounds (15% of gross trailer weight).
Shadow GT specs

If your trailer has a GVWR of 9,900 pounds and you have a WD hitch rated for 1,200 pounds or less tongue weight, that's your problem. You need a heavier-duty WD hitch, and then use more muscle to tighten the spring bars to remove more weight from the rear axle of the tow vehicle.

For some brands of WD hitches, including Reese, you can buy just the heavier-duty spring bars for a coupla hundred bucks. But for others you need a new WD hitch rated for 1500 pounds or more hitch weight. Reese makes the wonderful Strait-Line WD hitch rated for hitch weight (tongue weight or TW) up to 1,700 pounds. (Ignore the GTW rating and go by the TW rating).
Strait-Line WD - Trunnion Bar - 1,700 TW

Reese, Curt and Blue Ox all make WD hitches rated for 1500 pounds max tongue weight:
http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Weig...-1400_lbs.aspx
The Curt is an el-cheapo, but it works if you don't want sway control. Personally I use the Reese Strait-Line with dual cam sway control, but that cost more money than the el-cheapo Reese or Curt hitches.

There are three or four good brands of air bags available, but by far the most popular is Firestone RideRite air bags. You can install them at three or four different levels of cost and convenience.
www.riderite.com

Least expensive is plain ole air bags with manual valves. You'll need a source of air to pump them up, but to deflate them you just let the air out - similar to airing up a tire or letting the air out of a tire.

A cheap source of air is a portable 12-volt air pump that runs off your battery - perhaps plugged into a cigarette lighter plug. Inexpensive, but very slow to pump up tires or air bags to operating PSI.

Next up the scale is an air compressor mounted under the hood and connected to the air lines of your air bag system. RideRite sells those as options to the air bags.

Another step up is an automated air pressure distribution console (or smartphone app) that you can operate from the driver's seat to adjust the pressure in the air bags. RideRite sells those too.

So you make a choice and pay your money. Whether you choose plain and simple or sophisticated and automated or something in between is up to you and your budget. The air bags work the same way regardless of how much you spend to install the air pressure control system.

Most of the air compressors people use are 12-volt electric. They are all slow. Folks in a hurry mount a belt-driven air compressor that runs off the fan belt. Some folks run the old York air conditioner compressors as their air compressor. Do a Bing search about how to use a York compressor as a fan-belt-driven air compressor.

raceman

Air Lift ride rite bags with a Air Lift wireless compressor and 1 1/2" level. add 60lbs of air when boat is hooked up brings truck back to level

Andrew Hofmann

A little help when it comes to my 2014 SCREW EB FX2. I cant find any airbags that state for sure they will work with the FX2, most actually exclude it. Anyone have confirmed experience with an FX2 brand of airbags that I should check out?

jeffinthebag

Supersprings for me. Simple, easy, nothing to adjust and and when not carrying a load it doesn't effect the ride either. My preference if you haul heavy constantly.

smokeywren

Firestone definitely says their RideRite air bags will not fit an FX2. But AirLife doesn't. One of the AirLift products will not fit a 2010 Raptor, but no mention of any other exceptions.

So I would find an AirLift dealer that has an install shop and have them confirm that the AirLift LoadLifter 5,000 kit will fit your truck. If any doubt, then have that dealer install the air bags on your truck. Yeah, that will probably cost more than DIY with on-line parts, but the dealer is then responsible to be sure it fits right and works right.
http://www.airliftcompany.com/shop/88228/

Here is the dealer directory for AirLift. When I put in my zip code, it shows me lots of retail stores that do not install the parts, but it also shows me one truck accessories shop and one RV shop that does the installs.
http://www.airliftcompany.com/dealer/

MachinistALB

2010 fx4 firestone riderite with onboar compressor. They work great