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04-24-2018, 08:58 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lubbock, TX
Posts: 360
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air shocks
I am thinking about putting some type of air shocks on my Avalanche. I understand that will let me keep the smooth ride when not towing, and then allow me to stiffen the ride and reduce the "squat" when camper is attached.
anyone have thoughts on this?? suggested brand of shock??
my camper weight will range between 4200# and 4800#.
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2013 198RD
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04-24-2018, 09:30 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Abingdon
Posts: 6,177
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Are airbags an option? If so, I'd probably go with them. Try AirLift or Firestone
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2013 Jayco Eagle 328 RLTS
2021 Keystone Montana 3121RL
2013 F350 6.7L 4x4 CCLB
W/Air Lift air bags (front & rear)
Equal-I-Zer™ WDH & B&W Companion
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04-24-2018, 07:52 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Burleson
Posts: 537
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Sure they'll hep with squat but I would go with bags. I run Air Lift 2000 with a compressor and love them. I have used air shocks before and while cheaper they are not as good of an option.
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04-24-2018, 10:25 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Whittier
Posts: 46
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Air shocks depend on the shock mounts and bolts to help support the load. Air Bags typically mount to the frame/axle and is a much stouter system. Pretty easy to install on most trucks.
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2018 Jay Flight SLX 212qbw
2007 Tundra Crewmax 4x4
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04-25-2018, 05:50 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 9,773
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I added airbags to my TV last spring. It was fairly easy to do.
A friend many moons a go, in high school, installed air shocks to his car, to lift up the rear end to make it look a little more hot-rodded. He could get a lot more lift than I can with my air bags.
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04-25-2018, 09:43 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lubbock, TX
Posts: 360
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thanks everyone! I may have used the wrong term. the kind my mechanic friend was talking about uses an air compressor to increase the firmness, when needed. air shock? air bag? I don't remember. now that I know they are two different things, I will ask him about both.
my goal here is to reduce the squat so the WDH does not have to carry so much of the load. maybe that does not really matter? thoughts?
AND, are the air bags just added to the existing structures in place? ie: leave current shocks in place, just add air bags?
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2013 198RD
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04-25-2018, 10:10 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Wheatfield, New York
Posts: 1,069
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Air bags will reduce squat but they won't do much to distribute your tongue weight. You're going to have about 600 to 700 pounds of tongue weight hanging off the back of your truck which will take weight off the front wheels, possibly resulting in poor steering. It's the job of your WDH to shift some of that weight to the front.
I don't see much harm in using both, but I would fill the airbags before adjusting your spring bars. Otherwise, when the rear of your truck is raised the spring bars will just be hanging there.
And, as with any vehicle, be careful the tongue weight plus any cargo doesn't exceed the payload capacity of your truck.
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2009 Jayco Jay Feather 17C 130W Solar, 2021 F150 2.7L Eco Boost, 2021 Toyota Highlander
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04-26-2018, 08:45 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lubbock, TX
Posts: 360
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definitely will use both WDH and air bags. it squats so much when I hook the camper on that I have to raise it up quite a bit, once coupled on, to get the bars hooked at the right level to distribute the weight properly.
and again, maybe that does not matter, I can definitely get the weight distributed correctly with the WDH alone.
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2013 198RD
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04-26-2018, 10:44 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Kingston
Posts: 1,210
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Airbags or air shocks are like hard drive in a computer. Do you back up a hard drive within your computer?
It's not a matter of if your computer will fail/crash, it's a matter of when.
I totally approve of Timbrens. They will outlast your ownership.
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Don & Donna Stout
E-9 Anchor Clanker
Full timers since 2010
2017 North Point 381 DLQS
2015 F-250 6.7 w/Timbrens
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04-27-2018, 08:53 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lubbock, TX
Posts: 360
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DonaandDon
Airbags or air shocks are like hard drive in a computer. Do you back up a hard drive within your computer?
It's not a matter of if your computer will fail/crash, it's a matter of when.
I totally approve of Timbrens. They will outlast your ownership.
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great........I will ask mechanic about Timbrens. thanks!
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2013 198RD
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04-27-2018, 02:05 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Burleson
Posts: 537
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Be prepared for the price. They're not cheap but they are a great product.
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04-27-2018, 02:29 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Palmetto
Posts: 1,057
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I've ran airlift bags since the 90's. I now have them on my F350. The past were 1500 Chevy/pu, Suburban and Yukon XL. I've only had 1 failure when spring pinched bag. This was due to to low air pressure below 10lbs. Airlift sent free replacement as they are lifetime warranty. What I like about airbags you can control the height and the firmness of the ride.
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2017 Jayco 377rlbh (sold)
2021 Grand Design 351MR
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04-30-2018, 09:42 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lubbock, TX
Posts: 360
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thanks again! I appreciate everyone's insight!
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2013 198RD
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