Having air baggage for towing a Fifth Wheel RV will certainly make the journey extra snug, however do you actually need them? Now we have achieved over 20,000 miles this 12 months with and with out air baggage and have numerous actual life knowledge for you.
Do you want air baggage for towing a fifth wheel? No, however there are a couple of causes it’s possible you’ll wish to severely contemplate getting them.
That’s our Truck earlier than any upgrades with our RV on it. As you may see, our Fifth Wheel isn’t by any means small. We knew it was large earlier than we went to choose it up, however didn’t totally grasp simply how massive it was.
We are actually the identical dimension because the tractor trailers we park subsequent to on the relaxation stops on the Interstates.
After we first picked up our Montana 381TH my truck squatted like an influence lifter. She’s fairly, She’s sturdy, and seeing her drop that booty to the bottom wasn’t horny.
There may be nothing I can do about it now, my Spouse and I and certainly one of our greatest pals are already in Indiana to choose it up. Now we have to be again in Jersey by tomorrow night time as a result of all of us have work the next morning.
How Do I Know If I Want Air Baggage For Towing?
All the math labored. Our truck was rated to tow the RV. Our hitch was rated for the pin weight. The tires have been rated excessive sufficient too. All the pieces I’ve to go by says we’re good to go.
Once I first backed underneath the pin and connected all the pieces appeared nice. Then I began to boost the entrance jacks. The truck acquired decrease and decrease, till it began to move the purpose the place it was sitting degree, and the headlights really began to level skyward.
This proper right here is an indication that your suspension wants some assist. When your truck is pointing nostril up, you’re really taking weight off of your entrance tires. The entire goal of the Fifth Wheel type of hooking up, is to evenly distribute the load of your trailer to all 4 tires.
In case your truck goes nostril up within the car parking zone, simply wait till you place your foot into the throttle.
On our journey again east I appeared like I used to be driving in a 1930’s film. My 10 and a couple of was extra like 12 going forwards and backwards like I used to be utilizing a shake weight.
One factor to remember, we haven’t even put a single factor in our new RV so that is the lightest it should ever be. There’s no garments within the dresser, no meals within the fridge, and no water within the tanks.
Towing With out Air Baggage
After we had moved in to the RV, we took it on a number of journeys with out air baggage. Now in hind sight towing the RV with that squatted stance most likely wasn’t the brightest factor I’ve achieved.
The truck pulled it with no drawback, not one which I seen anyway. We have been in a position to cruise at freeway speeds and begin and cease at site visitors lights with out challenge. We have been even in a position to navigate the mountains of Vermont positive, or so I assumed.
The extra journeys we went on, the extra I turned in tune with the truck and what it was doing happening the highway. Sure we have been in a position to take off from a light-weight at an honest price, however after I did, that squat acquired extra pronounced.
22 Should Have’s For Full Time RV Dwelling
There was an extreme quantity of chucking (the bounce and bang noise from the trailer weight on the truck). Should you hit a pothole, you don’t even wish to understand how a lot of a shudder rolled by means of the body of the truck.
We might even cease the rig in what I assumed was an appropriate distance for its dimension. Till our brake pads disappeared on our technique to Lake George that’s. Then my buddy Sean and I needed to do a full brake job at a campground. That was enjoyable.
Towing With Air Baggage
After putting in the air baggage, towing our RV was an entire new expertise. Truthfully even when we downsize to a smaller rig, I’m nonetheless going to make use of them. Some great benefits of having them far outweighed the price of shopping for them!
Proper off the bat our truck appeared higher with the fifth wheel connected. Now I do know that appears isn’t what this text is about, however for those who’ve seen my truck, you recognize I spent a couple of dollars on how she appears. Draggin ass is NOT the look I used to be going for!
When the truck sits degree with the RV on it, the entire setup simply appears higher! Past the way it appears, the way in which it tows is a dream. Slightly than the entire weight being on the rear axle, it was unfold evenly throughout all 4 tires.
Guess what? Now my tires are carrying down evenly! No extra baldies within the again!
Our brakes at the moment are carrying extra evenly as nicely. I can inform by how all 4 rims have brake mud on them now as an alternative of simply the entrance two! Not thrilled in regards to the further cleansing on the automotive wash, however hey we will cease in much less time now!
Journey consolation? Evening and day. With the RV connected, and the air baggage inflated, it’s SO a lot softer of a journey. After we are snaking by means of mountain roads, it stays far more degree now too. When the RV isn’t on the truck, simply deflate them and it’s again to inventory.
Having Air Baggage For Towing Saved Our Ass
Have you ever had a leaf spring snap on you? We did, and didn’t even comprehend it! That might have ended catastrophically, however phoning a pal and having air baggage, saved our cross nation journey.
I’ve included a YouTube video from our second season on the highway. In case you are making an attempt to determine for those who ought to get them, I might counsel you watch the video.
It’s actual life. No Hollywood BS, No paid promotion, No lets make it look good for YouTube. That is simply actual life what occurred to us, and we occur to be YouTubers.
The Air Bag System We Have
There are a number of methods you may set your air baggage up. I knew have been have been going to be inflating and deflating them a number of instances per week, so I wished straightforward. The set up took somewhat longer, however my each day was simpler.
We went with the Load Lifter 5000 air baggage for our F350. The air baggage put in in about an hour with none busted knuckles or inventing new curse phrases. Two thumbs up!
For inflating the air baggage, I wished to have the ability to simply hit a swap and air up or down relying on what we have been doing. You may simply run an air line to your again bumper and air up and down whenever you hook up, a number of individuals do. I didn’t wish to pull out an air compressor 3 instances every week.
I went with the Firestone Journey-Ceremony on board compressor system so I can simply hop within the truck and hit some switches. Set up was fairly straight ahead. The toughest components have been discovering a spot to mount the compressor, and a spot to run the air traces into the cab for the switches.
Total, I’m not in any approach dissatisfied with the way in which this technique functioned. It carried out precisely as I anticipated it too, and for those who watch the above video, you may see how helpful it got here in.
The Air Bag System I Want I Acquired
If I have been to do it once more, the one factor I remorse not doing, is getting a system with a tank. The system we acquired works positive, and we nonetheless use it immediately, however there are issues that I want to try this I want I considered sooner.
If I had gotten a compressor system with a tank I might be capable of put a fast join underneath the bumper to connect an air line. Then I might be capable of fill truck tires after they have been low, even in the course of nowhere. We might air up bike tires, blow up tubes to drift within the lake, every kind of issues.
The opposite factor we might do is use that very same system for an air horn setup. I do know the air horn isn’t essential however we’ve all been cruising at freeway pace and had a wise automotive merge in entrance of you at 30 mph. The air horn undoubtedly is useful for getting their consideration.
So no. You don’t NEED airbags for towing your fifth wheel, however they do come in useful. If you will get an airbag system, I might say to buy round and get a system with an air tank that matches your truck. Hopefully you by no means should do the Mark and Doug airbag patch job, however for those who do, hopefully you run into your personal Mark and Celia on the highway.