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10-02-2023, 07:14 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2023
Location: HUNTSVILLE, TX
Posts: 13
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Overload Shocks on Tow Vehicle
Does anyone have ideas about helper air shocks on a pickup? My truck sags when I install my fifth wheel and I'd like to get it leveled up a bit. Thanks!
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10-03-2023, 03:37 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,357
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Welcome to the forum
More information would help members respond better. Year make and model of truck and trailer.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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10-03-2023, 01:50 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,314
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Karnak predicts the eventual advice will be: sag usually indicates exceeding truck payload with trailer's nose weight, helpers/airbags will not correct. If payload is not exceeded, proper solution is weight distribution hitch, again not helpers/airbags.
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2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
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10-03-2023, 02:10 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,357
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LHaven
If payload is not exceeded, proper solution is weight distribution hitch, again not helpers/airbags.
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Where does one procure a WD for a fifth wheel?
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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10-03-2023, 02:43 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2023
Location: Bryan
Posts: 227
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It would be a big help if you posted the make model and year of the truck and trailer. Additionally, weight tickets for the truck and loaded trailer.
If you are overloaded, air shocks, air springs, and such will do nothing to increase the capacity of the truck.
Ken
Ken
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2023 Cougar, 2022 F150 EcoBoost tow max Lariat 4x4 Off Road. Former full-time RVer
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10-03-2023, 03:11 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,314
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Aaargh, fifth wheel. Well, that simplifies the treatment plan!
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2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
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10-03-2023, 03:39 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2022
Location: Middle of nowhere
Posts: 577
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LHaven
Aaargh, fifth wheel. Well, that simplifies the treatment plan!
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LOL, yup, basically back to not enough truck is about it. I mean, if all the limits work out, there may be other alternatives but, I would guess you were correct initially.
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2023 Passport SL 229RK
2023 Ram 2500 6.4L Hemi.
Nebraska
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10-03-2023, 06:20 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2023
Location: HUNTSVILLE, TX
Posts: 13
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My truck is a 2015 F250 superduty 4WD, 6.7 Liter.
Thanks.
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10-03-2023, 06:21 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2023
Location: HUNTSVILLE, TX
Posts: 13
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Trailer is a 2010 Keystone Montana 343RL.
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10-03-2023, 06:23 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,314
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Thanks. It's etiquette here to add your RV and tow vehicle information to the "signature lines" under "User CP." Then everyone can see them (like what you see below) to help answer your question.
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2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
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10-03-2023, 06:34 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,314
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OK.
Trailer gross weight is 12,500.
Estimated pin weight at 20% is 2,500.
On the doorframe of your F-250 will be a yellow sticker that says "The combined weight of blah blah should never exceed." What's that number?
My F-250 says 3,250, yours will be different.
Using my truck, raw headroom would be 750.
Two adults, a dog, and snacks would eat up 500 of that.
You can see we have left the territory of "lots of weight to spare" already.
Doing the math will give you a good idea of where you sit; visiting a weigh station will give you the precise tuning.
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2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
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10-03-2023, 06:38 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2023
Location: Bryan
Posts: 227
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Now we have an idea of your rig. Have you weighed it and the truck loaded for travel and gotten a pin weight.
A 3/4 ton truck has limited cargo capacity. I would suspect with your trailer you are exceeding the trucks capacity is the reason for the squatting.
Ken
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10-03-2023, 07:10 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2023
Location: HUNTSVILLE, TX
Posts: 13
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Thanks for your comments, I'll check that out.
__________________
2010 Keystone Montana High Country 343 RL
2015 Ford F250 Super Duty 4WD Diesel 6.7 L
Reese 5th Wheel Hitch
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10-03-2023, 07:47 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Mico, TX
Posts: 7,479
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Billcanfish
Thanks for your comments, I'll check that out.
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Bill, go to your profile and at TX to your city (HUNTSVILLE TX) so folks won't think you are from Alabama... just saying
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wiredgeorge Mico TX
2006 F350 CC 4WD 6.0L
2002 Keystone Cougar 278
2006 GL1800 Roadsmith Trike
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10-04-2023, 04:25 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Henniker
Posts: 2,183
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There is also the possibility that sag is just sag, not overload. But as others have said, you need to check your weight/load vs. truck capacity.
As a quick example, my cargo capacity is 3,400 lbs. and when I had a 1 ton pallet of wood heating pellets loaded into the bed, the rear dropped a good 2-3”. Obviously nowhere near capacity, but there was definite sag. So with that in mind, we are already planning for airbags to be installed before we pick up our new 5th wheel in the spring.
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Rob & Amy
2019 Passport 240BH SL (for sale)
2024 Cougar 29BHL (Taking delivery 5/11/24)
2022 Ford F250 7.3L Godzilla Crew Cab FX4
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10-04-2023, 05:10 AM
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#16
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,998
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I own and tow with a 2015 F250 6.7L diesel (same truck as the OP). My truck is a Lariat that is fairly well "optioned" with both creature comforts and the Ford "Puck system" and spray in bed liner. My payload sticker says 2090 (speaking from memory). A typical XL or XLT with fewer options might increase payload a bit (maybe 200 pounds) and a KR or Platinum package may decrease the payload by the same, so payloads for 2015 F250's are typically in the 1900-2200 pound range. The OP's trailer pin weight at GVWR, if calculated at 22%, would be 2750. Add passengers, cargo and hitch to that pin weight and the results should be obvious.
Then, as NH_Bulldog posted, Ford trucks use "long springs which deflect easily" to increase ride comfort. Also, the F250 has 3" spring lifts on the rear axle which give the truck a 2" rake (rear taller than front). When the truck is sitting empty, the bed is higher than the hood. When loaded, the truck "sits level" but comparing to an empty truck, it "looks like it's sagging"... It isn't, it's level if you measure the front wheel well cutout and the rear wheel well cutout....
But, back to payload, I tow a 10K GVWR trailer with an advertised pin weight (fictional from the brochure) of 1230 and an empty weight of 7045. I can't remember any trip where we weren't taking things out of the trailer to stay under the truck's payload rating.
The OP, with his "very similar truck, is towing a 2010 Montana 343RL, with advertised empty weight of 9670, pin weight of 1740, GVWR 12,500.
Comparing "mine to his", his empty trailer is 2625 pounds more than mine, his GVWR is 2500 more and his empty pin weight is 510 pounds more. I typically tow around 250 pounds below my truck GVWR. The OP, with a similar truck will very likely be towing around 750 to 1000 pounds more pin weight than me. I don't see any way his truck is not overloaded (above GVWR) and overload springs, air bags, or other modifications to "decrease amount of sag" won't change his overload status.
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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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10-04-2023, 05:46 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,224
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Billcanfish
My truck is a 2015 F250 superduty 4WD, 6.7 Liter.
Thanks.
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Well could be close, 2015 F250 had max GVWR of 10,000#, payloads in the 2,200# to maybe 2,500# depending on trim level. That 6.7 diesel with have plenty of pull, but the F250 has soft springs and may not have tires to carry what your pin weighs.
On the other hand, if you travel light, you may slide in within weights.
You need to head to the scales.
__________________
Russ & Paula and Belle the Beagle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW 14,000# GVWR (New TV)
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS 32’ GVWR 12,360
Visit and enjoy Oregon State Parks
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10-04-2023, 06:00 AM
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#18
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2023
Location: HUNTSVILLE, TX
Posts: 13
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Thanks you!
__________________
2010 Keystone Montana High Country 343 RL
2015 Ford F250 Super Duty 4WD Diesel 6.7 L
Reese 5th Wheel Hitch
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10-04-2023, 06:38 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: "Murvil, TN
Posts: 2,212
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rhagfo
Well could be close, 2015 F250 had max GVWR of 10,000#, payloads in the 2,200# to maybe 2,500# depending on trim level. That 6.7 diesel with have plenty of pull, but the F250 has soft springs and may not have tires to carry what your pin weighs.
On the other hand, if you travel light, you may slide in within weights.
You need to head to the scales.
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I agree, a CAT scale trip would be the thing to do....loaded up of course as it is when camping.
My first diesel truck was a 2011 F250 CrewCab, 4X4, XLT diesel 6.7 and the 6'8" bed. Not much of the fancy stuff on it other than the Chrome package and the payload numbers for it was 2148 lbs.....which is way less than 1/2 of what my current truck is...5270 (2016 F350 Dually King Ranch 8' bed and 6.7 diesel)
__________________
2016 F350 King Ranch Crew Cab Dually Diesel 4x4
2018 Grand Design Momentum 394M
2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+
Excessive payload capacity is a wonderful thing
"If it ain't Fast....It ain't Fun"
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10-04-2023, 06:52 AM
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#20
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2023
Location: HUNTSVILLE, TX
Posts: 13
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Thank you!
__________________
2010 Keystone Montana High Country 343 RL
2015 Ford F250 Super Duty 4WD Diesel 6.7 L
Reese 5th Wheel Hitch
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