overloads vs airbags

[Wing Nut OOA]

after doing some searching i've ruled out the timbrens without even researching price.


my cousin has has a couple sets of airbags in the past and they've all sucked.

they were on everything from 68 Dodge 3/4 ton to his 3500cummins dually

also a 76 C30 and an 85 K30 SRW

1 of them we had to re make brackets for and when we air'd them up to level height the truck was doing the bathtub stroll down the freeway with a 3,000 lb camper on it.

not a good combo.

the other sets would clank around when he'd go over bumps. the brackets would hit.

twice he lost a bag. once it got pinched and another time from rubbing the inside of the tire.

and the last set he had, when bolted on to his 3500 cummins, the bolt heads would hit another bracket.


all this aside my brother has airbags on his 05 duramax.

he hauls a 28FT Sandpiper enclosed trailer, bumper tow.

no problems.






are air bags a NO NO with a camper?


and also what are my options as far as bolt on overload springs?




*i do not currently have a sway bar but will be getting one.





1972 Monaco 11.5ft
3,000 lbs.

i will be towing a 2500lb sand rail behind this during the summer months.

[Kennedy]

Bags would be my suggestion. The Air Lift bag kits are very good these days. Add an on board compressor and you'll get 2 year warranty. Bags pinch/wear when there is no air in them so if you add a compressor kit that keeps them at 4psi they double the warranty. With a dual feed you also get somewhat of a sway control too as the bag taking the weight load increases pressure as the vehicle tries to lean.

I had bags on my 96, and also 2002 and 2005 trucks. Basically, I liked them so well that we started carrying them several years back.

[DmaxMaverick]

RE the Airlift airbags. I have them, along with the SureSet compressor/controller. It's worked very well for about 3 years now, and thousands of HEAVY towing miles. Unless they've changed their warranty policy recently, it is better than what John stated. According to the documentation I have (less than a year old), if the compressor/controller is installed with their airbags, the warranty for the compressor/controller is doubled, and the airbag warranty is extended to lifetime.

The advantage of airbags over all the others is, they are infinitely adjustable, on the fly (or after a short stop if you don't have the onboard compressor), according to your immediate needs. And, the kit I have, and have installed on several other trucks, is a complete, well designed kit. I have seen no issues of fitment or conflict. I don't have a stabilizer, but several I have looked into assured me there would be no interference. I don't know of the other airbag mfg's, but my experience has been very positive, and the most effective towing upgrade I've ever made. An added bonus is onboard high pressure air for emergency use (like a flat spare).

[raunch]

Bags are great. Having had both overload springs and bags, the bags worked the best for me. With the overloads, I was left with a extra stiff ride if the truck was not loaded heavy. Airbags can be fine tuned to meet the demands of the load.

The brackets are tack-welded to my springs and bolted to my frame, with some small tackwelds for extra assurance. No problems to date.

[Wing Nut OOA]

i'll definetely be going with the airlift system, thanks for the input.

i won't be able to afford the onboard compressor and cotroller yet but should be able to get the bags/brackets/lines in the next month or so.



and just to double check.


i should be fine towing a trailer and a 3,000LB slide in camper with only bags, no sway bar?

[DmaxMaverick]

I can't say the need for a sway bar will be eliminated, but I've decided I don't need one. With the airbags, stability is greatly increased. Be sure to install them according to recommendations. You have two options: Independent, or combined. Independent has each side separate from the other, with their own pressure/fill valve (valve stem, like on tires), and the L/R airbags are not interconnected. Combined (NOT recommended for heavy loading, like yours), tee's the airbags together with one pressure/fill valve, so air can transfer from one side to the other, creating a "sway" potential. There may be conditions making this desirable, like running empty, but definitely not for campers/towing. I installed my manual fill valves in the license plate, but you can drill/install them anywhere the tubing will reach. Be sure to guard/route them against chafing/heat (regular electrical harness split loom works well). The kit's I've used weren't too generous with tubing, so unless you get more, you may be limited. The tubing is standard 1/4" air system nylon (black, but NOT irrigation tubing), the same used on MD/HD truck air systems. You can get all you need at any medium/heavy duty truck center, and it's cheap. The fittings are also standard.

[Wing Nut OOA]

yeah my brother's got his plumbed under the bumper on L and R sides.

i never plumb air shocks or bags into a T fitting, just for that reason.

[More Power]

Airbags can stress the frame when towing a heavy tongue-weight trailer. The lever fulcrum is directly over the axle, perhaps 6 feet ahead of the ball. This might be more of a problem when the truck is a 1500 series due to the lighter frame. When towing a fifth-wheel or gooseneck, the problem is eliminated because the weight is directly over the airbags.

Subscribers can read more about a step-by-step airbag installation in a 6.5 equipped Suburban.

Jim