My Rig Needs Airbags?

[silverta16]

First off my truck is lowered 2 inches in the rear with lowering shackles. I did this to level it out for everyday driving. Looks good when not loaded. I've bought several Reese hitches to try an adjust the trailer to level and just can't get it without buying a $100+ adjustable hitch which I really don't need. As you can see the truck is squatted and is sitting on the bumpstops which are 4 inches tall. I need to trim them to leave this setup the way it is. So do you think I should look for some sort of air spring in the rear to air up to level the truck and essentially give me a few inches of rear suspension travel? How much lift can I get with a air spring? This will also level the trailer which is what I'm trying to do without the truck looking like its overloaded. I use my truck more as a daily driver and occasionally pull my camper. I realize returning it back to stock height would solve all my problems but I like it lowered. I can also lower the front 1 or 2 inches with lowering coil springs if needed.

[3'senough]

I think your best served lowering the ball and bar height, but will let the experts chime in. Even if you did add air bags your trailer would then be sitting high in the front and not level IMHO.

[Threebutchers]

Have you checked your tongue weight?....Looks like a 165?...a couple of models can have much higher than necessary tongue weight and maybe you can get significant help by changing your loading habits.

[bsleep]

Until 6 months ago I had the same truck (2009 150) and the same Jayfeather 165. Everything was stock on the truck and I had no need for weight distribution or sway control. I would forget I was towing the pull was so good. I drove 75 on West Texas IH10 until I decided that wasn't a good idea because of the single axle. Loved the trailer but the ground clearance was an issue. I would guess that removing the shackles would be a fix.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I have installed AirLift air bags on Astro Vans and they easily give 3-4" of lift. I bet your truck would be the same. Install the airbags and air up to level the truck with a normal camping load and then swap the hitch around to make the camper just slightly nose low for best towing. Nice thing with the airbags is if you hit the H/W store for something heavy, your truck doesn't have to sit on the bump stops.

[Bob Landry]

Installing airbags to counter the lowering effect of shackles seems a little counter-productive to me. I would junk the shackles, level the trailer using a different position on the hitch, the way it is supposed to be done, then readjust the WD for the correct front fender height and forget about the rear.

[RedHorse1]

I don't see a WDH, looks like a "bass boat hitch".
1+ on using the stock shackles but if you really like the look then airbags or overload springs. If you are sitting on the bump stops now I'd bet that's a pretty rough ride.

[silverta16]

Went to Asheville this weekend, bouncy would describe it. I may stick the stock shackles back on and try it I know I won't have any trouble that way. Airlift makes a lift designed for lowered trucks call the slamair it's about $400. I might learn to live with the raked out look of the truck for daily driving.

[Threebutchers]

I tow my TT with and without WDH engaged. Bouncy is exactly how I describe my ride without WDH engaged. You're probably pushing close to 600# tongue weight - that's nothing to sneeze at hanging off the back.

You could try going back to the original shackles... but I would think a taller shackle will allow more travel - JMHO

[silverta16]

Just hate to return it back to stock as it looks jacked up in the rear. Doesn't make alot of sense to be unhappy with the way your daily driver looks 345 days of the year on the chance of pulling a camper 20 days a year. I think I'll try to find the funds to go the airbags and see how that works. You'd be suprised how much being lowered 2 inches makes a difference when you put a little one in a car seat several times a day.