Towing sag

[Trooper4]

It actually ends up with the defender of the 1500 pointing out that the ET 3.92 geared hemi 8 speed can pretty much tow any TT. What's lacking is the payload and overall "heft" or weight of the truck so that it doesn't get pushed around by the heavy trailer. That's something that happens to every 150/1500 regardless of make.

Fiver pushes it around very very little, but it's more of a rocking motion from wind and road. Tow behinds are the worst because the pivot point at the hitch. But with good equalizer with sway control properly set up it is certainly a lot better.
I do agree that it is way too long though. That is a whole lot of sail back behind the truck.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Fiver pushes it around very very little, but it's more of a rocking motion from wind and road. Tow behinds are the worst because the pivot point at the hitch. But with good equalizer with sway control properly set up it is certainly a lot better.
I do agree that it is way too long though. That is a whole lot of sail back behind the truck.

5vers are certainly a superior design from a towing standpoint.

 

[Hogzfan]

No i don’t have one yet, it is a new set up and still getting it situated. Just wasn’t expecting the sag with the tow rating of this vehicle

Coil springs just don't carry tongue weight very well, just a fact. As others have said, probably should get on some scales.
I learned a lot from this video. (I do wt/balance on trucks, trailers, tracked vehs, aircraft, ect) It is the best have seen for the differences between WDH and air bags, showing actual scale weights.

 

[JasonLBess]

Here’s what mine looks like with a similar load (just shy of 7000 lb dry). I have a wd hitch, but no air bags. It definitely sags a lot — more than I like, if I’m being honest — but not as much as yours. A wd hitch set up properly should help.

 

[Nels]

I have a 23 ft (overall lenght) TT with stated weight of about 4800 pounds. I pulled it one time last fall after buying my truck in September, with a very worrying level of sag. No WDH or airbags at that point. I have a line on a pre-owned Curt WDH at a good price that I will likely buy before spring. I am expecting this to help a lot, but this may not get it entirely back to level? Especially given I have a 2" level on the front. Does anyone recommend, or have experience with, using a WDH AND airbags together? One last question - about how much is the cost for airbags, installed?

 

[Willwork4truck]

Well Firestone bags for a 1500
cost is shown below so add maybe $150 labor.

SKU RR2595

$425.50

Coil-to-Air Spring Conversion Kit | Firestone Ride-Rite | Dodge Ram 1500, Rear​

And thats just one option...

And heres another:

Air Lift 89375 | 2019-2024 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 - "Load Lifter 5,000 Ultimate Plus" Air Spring Kit

This

www.suspensionconnection.com

• $412.91
  ON SALE !!
• Save $160.57 (Reg. $573.48)

So less than $450 in parts seems about average.

 

[devildodge]

I have a 23 ft (overall lenght) TT with stated weight of about 4800 pounds. I pulled it one time last fall after buying my truck in September, with a very worrying level of sag. No WDH or airbags at that point. I have a line on a pre-owned Curt WDH at a good price that I will likely buy before spring. I am expecting this to help a lot, but this may not get it entirely back to level? Especially given I have a 2" level on the front. Does anyone recommend, or have experience with, using a WDH AND airbags together? One last question - about how much is the cost for airbags, installed?

The 2 inch level is why you have what appears to be a worrying level of sag...you took away the first 2 inches of it.

When you stated weight of 4800...this means you have well over 500lbs of tongue weight.

RAM recommends a WDH with any tongue weight of 500lmbs or more.

When properly setup the WDH will take care of this sag...but the level (the worst thing for some one towing ir hauling to do...my opinion) is still going to hinder the appearance of being level.

And you will have to use a CAT scale to get it right...as you cannot accurately use the old fender height method

The WDH will definitely give you a better experience.

 

[redevil]

I am still undecided with what to go with, Airlift 1000HD or Timbren. I've used Airlift 1000 on my 2015 before and they were great but not sure I want to go that route on my 2020.

 

[ChadT]

The 2 inch level is why you have what appears to be a worrying level of sag...you took away the first 2 inches of it.

When you stated weight of 4800...this means you have well over 500lbs of tongue weight.

RAM recommends a WDH with any tongue weight of 500lmbs or more.

When properly setup the WDH will take care of this sag...but the level (the worst thing for some one towing ir hauling to do...my opinion) is still going to hinder the appearance of being level.

And you will have to use a CAT scale to get it right...as you cannot accurately use the old fender height method

The WDH will definitely give you a better experience.

That was one of the things the 4x4 shop told me about before I ordered the falcon shock setup.
Even with the falcon's payload knobs, sag is impossible to prevent. Not how it works.
So if I had set it perfectly level when EMPTY, as weight is added, sag will occur.
Might it be lessened? Yes.
Will the rear shock's stiffer setting with the knobs help?
Very likely yes. Is it sag proof? No.

As such we set it to the medium setting and not level to avoid the "headlights in the sky under load" situation.
No free lunch when it comes to that.
"Perfectly level" as a setup, while visually appealing, will become un-levelled under payload/hauling conditions.

I'm going to guess that a WDH, airbags, and reducing from fully levelled to "Honestly pretty nice looking but not level" (+1inch from stock) would go a long way. A happy medium between un-loaded appearance, and true truck performance.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Ive always thought of “leveled “as street looks vs using it to work with. Now the guys who do the nose 2’ up in the air, havent quite figured them out...

 

[ChadT]

Ive always thought of “leveled “as street looks vs using it to work with. Now the guys who do the nose 2’ up in the air, havent quite figured them out...

Yes. People use their trucks for whatever they want to.
If they're not using it to haul a ton of weight? I don't lose sleep over that. They got the vehicle they wanted.
If it's levelled on 35x12.5s? Awesome. Some of the nicest looking setups on this board are running them like that.

BUT.
If we're operating in that 500lbs+ in the bed environment? Rake isn't just there for EPA/Aero concerns, it's actually really there for payload/hauling.
If we think the stock rake is bad because it isn't level? Take a look at the stiffer riding F150s with the maxtow packages.
That rear end is like +3in in the air. It's not by accident, and it's not for aesthetic reasons.

That said, 1foot nose high is disgraceful and no one should do it.

 

[Willwork4truck]

I’m just surprised they can see what’s in front of them. Going to work last week an Escalade on about 24’s went by me at 80+ and he had to be twice as high as that image. Doubt he could see much of the road.

 

[ChadT]

I’m just surprised they can see what’s in front of them. Going to work last week an Escalade on about 24’s went by me at 80+ and he had to be twice as high as that image. Doubt he could see much of the road.

 

[Willwork4truck]

“Get off my grass.”

 

[Rebelguy2020]

I was getting ready for a recent trip and hooked up 25ft travel trailer got unusual a amount of sag.
Is there a way to correct this without adding airbags? Is this amount of sag normal?

You must use a weight distribution hitch, once set up, you will have the trailer and truck level.
Best way to set up your truck and trailer is:
Put your trailer level (and on level ground)
Measure the height of your trailer hitch, usually around 20”
Put your unloaded truck on level ground
Install the weight distribution hitch on your truck and measure the height, it should be the same height as your trailer. Hopefully you have a hitch that is adjustable.
Best if your truck and trailer is loaded, full fresh water, propane, battery and gear, ready for your trip.
Attach your truck to the trailer and crank up the tongue jack 3 or 4 inches up, attach the distribution bars, lower the tongue jack, your truck and trailer should be level, if it sits too high, or sit too low, crank up your jack again and adjust the distribution bars according.
Happy trailering.

 

[Jeeper]

I was getting ready for a recent trip and hooked up 25ft travel trailer got unusual a amount of sag.
Is there a way to correct this without adding airbags? Is this amount of sag normal?

I have the same size trailer as well as a 20' pj buggy hauler I haul my Jeep with and mine doesn't sag much at all

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk

 

[LakesAZ]

I was getting ready for a recent trip and hooked up 25ft travel trailer got unusual a amount of sag.
Is there a way to correct this without adding airbags? Is this amount of sag normal?

That is some serious rear end sag. I would not be towing anything if it looked like that.

 

[Finn5033]

I have the airlift 1000HD bags. Easy to install and made a big difference not just helping with sag but it makes the rear end feel much more solid

 

[bpwj76]

I have the airlift 1000HD bags. Easy to install and made a big difference not just helping with sag but it makes the rear end feel much more solid

I have the Airlift 1000HD bags too. Makes a huge difference, along with my WDH, towing my 30ft travel trailer. However, don't leave more than 5 psi of air in them when not towing. I was driving around all last week with about 7-8 psi in them (air gauge I used is off apparently) and noticed a much stiffer than usual ride. Weird how 2-3 psi can affect them that much. Checked them with a different gauge yesterday, then lowered the psi to 5. Now it rides smooth like it's supposed to without a load.

 

[Finn5033]

I have the Airlift 1000HD bags too. Makes a huge difference, along with my WDH, towing my 30ft travel trailer. However, don't leave more than 5 psi of air in them when not towing. I was driving around all last week with about 7-8 psi in them (air gauge I used is off apparently) and noticed a much stiffer than usual ride. Weird how 2-3 psi can affect them that much. Checked them with a different gauge yesterday, then lowered the psi to 5. Now it rides smooth like it's supposed to without a load.

I fill mine to 45psi when I tow my trailer. A lot of times I’ll forget to air them down afterwards and then drive to work. Feels like a HD truck. But yeah I always air them down to 5psi when not hauling or towing. In fact I’m pretty sure the manual says to leave at least 5psi in them