Timber Grove ASAM (Air Spring Assist Mount)?

[Smeds]

Hello all. First of all, new member here ... 1st post. I've been reading as much as possible (before posting), and have to say this forum is a great source of information! I'm stepping down to a 2019 1/2 ton in the next month or so from a 2016 RAM 2500 Outdoorsman. I've done my due diligence (thanks to the advice here), and have been making dealers physically get me the payload capacity from inside the door jamb on the trucks I've been shopping. I believe I've got it narrowed down to a 2019 RAM 1500 BigHorn, 5.7 Hemi (no eTorque), 3.92 gears, anti-spin rear diff, LED Lights, Level 2 equipment group, rear under-seat storage, rear wheelhouse liners, 33-gallon fuel tank, 9-speaker system, Blind-Spot with Cross-Path detection, and trailer brake control ... coming in at a VERIFIED STICKER of 1,670 payload.

My TT is a 2018 Grand Design Imagine 2800BH, which is under a cover right now ... so I can't get to the actual specs. a 2019 of the same model has a UVW of 6,238, and a GVWR of 7,995. I believe the 2018 was a little less than this. My WD hitch is a ProPride. Real world hitch weights are in the mid-900's for this trailer (I've yet to verify on mine).

Hitch weight + passengers + anticipated cargo should leave me approx. 100 pounds or so of available payload, if we pack light in the truck.

I called the owner Steve at Timber Grove (great guy) to talk about installation options. One of the things that struck me as peculiar was that he advises to 100% use the airbags to bring the truck back to "unloaded" measurements once hooked up, with the WD hitch torsion bars set just enough to help with sway. He's not familiar with the ProPride (or Hensley) requirements, but was fairly adamant that it should not matter. He stated that guys get set in their ways, and use the WD to get the truck back as close to measurements as possible, and then supplement with his airbags. Doing so almost guarantees a pogo-stick ride, per Steve.

Anyone have any real-world thoughts relating to this? I know people out there either; 1.) have air suspension. ... or 2.) have supplemental air bags. Do the bags take up the majority of your "unloaded" measurements? I've read almost everything on the subject, but can't recall this answer.

Thank you in advance ... nice little place you have here!

 

[Smeds]

Bueller?

 

[riccnick]

Here's my thought. If the vehicle's suspension is too compressed with the weight of a trailer while using a WDH, then the payload is too much. You don't want the truck at "unloaded" ride height when loaded. Manufacturers' design trucks to squat a certain amount WITH a payload, generally so that the vehicle is level, and the vehicle's handling characteristics and performance metrics are met WITH this loaded condition. Aftermarket air bags, timbrens, add a leaf's (not on a Ram obviously) and other such "Payload Enhancing" devices cover up the symptoms of an overloaded vehicle, they do NOT solve anything. To me, it makes sense to adjust the WDH to spec per the owner's manual, and then hit the road. If you can't hit the spec's, then it's a no-go.

If by the numbers you are close, then you have to look at loading the trailer, and truck, either with fewer things, or distributed differently to get a level ride within the payload specs. Don't forget to consider front and rear axle ratings as well.

 

[mike_ct]

if you can reasonable level the truck and distribute the weight with your pro pride (I'm familiar with them, I sell them, thats what they are suppose to do). there really is no need for air bags to level the vehicle. You will be "lessening" the weight distribution effect of the torque bars behind the axle..Air bags above the axle, while leveling the vehicle, will not "transfer" as much if any weight forward..

You can verify with a tape measure with unloaded wheel well height and loaded wheel well height..

You should theoretically see .5 to 1" compression on the FRONT, once your pro-pride is set correctly.

If you torque the heck out of the bars, and still can't get a level vehicle, you may need some additional supplement from the air bags, but its real easy to over-inflate them, and get a pogo stick ride.

 

[mike_ct]

as a side note, I have air bags on my truck, and as a quick solution, I will use them if I'm being lazy and moving a unit one time for somebody, and dont go thru the typical weight distribution setup. the air bags work ok with that, but nothing like what you get from a proper setup pro-pride.

 

[ram8228]

Hello all. First of all, new member here ... 1st post. I've been reading as much as possible (before posting), and have to say this forum is a great source of information! I'm stepping down to a 2019 1/2 ton in the next month or so from a 2016 RAM 2500 Outdoorsman. I've done my due diligence (thanks to the advice here), and have been making dealers physically get me the payload capacity from inside the door jamb on the trucks I've been shopping. I believe I've got it narrowed down to a 2019 RAM 1500 BigHorn, 5.7 Hemi (no eTorque), 3.92 gears, anti-spin rear diff, LED Lights, Level 2 equipment group, rear under-seat storage, rear wheelhouse liners, 33-gallon fuel tank, 9-speaker system, Blind-Spot with Cross-Path detection, and trailer brake control ... coming in at a VERIFIED STICKER of 1,670 payload.

My TT is a 2018 Grand Design Imagine 2800BH, which is under a cover right now ... so I can't get to the actual specs. a 2019 of the same model has a UVW of 6,238, and a GVWR of 7,995. I believe the 2018 was a little less than this. My WD hitch is a ProPride. Real world hitch weights are in the mid-900's for this trailer (I've yet to verify on mine).

Hitch weight + passengers + anticipated cargo should leave me approx. 100 pounds or so of available payload, if we pack light in the truck.

I called the owner Steve at Timber Grove (great guy) to talk about installation options. One of the things that struck me as peculiar was that he advises to 100% use the airbags to bring the truck back to "unloaded" measurements once hooked up, with the WD hitch torsion bars set just enough to help with sway. He's not familiar with the ProPride (or Hensley) requirements, but was fairly adamant that it should not matter. He stated that guys get set in their ways, and use the WD to get the truck back as close to measurements as possible, and then supplement with his airbags. Doing so almost guarantees a pogo-stick ride, per Steve.

Anyone have any real-world thoughts relating to this? I know people out there either; 1.) have air suspension. ... or 2.) have supplemental air bags. Do the bags take up the majority of your "unloaded" measurements? I've read almost everything on the subject, but can't recall this answer.

Thank you in advance ... nice little place you have here!

How does this setup tow? I have similar truck and trailer.