Towing without air suspension?

[FlyFisher99]

I'm looking to get a new Big Horn 1500 Ecodiesel 4wd crew cab; will tow a 6,000 lb. trailer 100 - 200 miles a couple times/year. I'd prefer the air suspension option, but I'm only finding that on Laredo and up (unless I place a "special order").

Assuming I get a Big Horn with the standard coil spring suspension, what will it be like putting 600 lbs on the receiver? Will the squat be tolerable, or will a weight distributing hitch be a must? Asking the question in reverse, would "four corner" air suspension eliminate the need for a WD hitch?

 

[SniperDroid]

Towing with that weight on a 1500, you should consider a Weight Distribution Hitch. Air Bags don't change the weight distribution, they just lift up the back end. You will be safer with the WDH. Personally, I ditched the F150 with WDH because it was still too shaky with my 6100 lb Travel Trailer, for the 2500 with a great WDH. Smoother, safer, happier Wife!

 

[Travelin Ram]

Towing was a thing long before air suspension. The purpose of the WDH is twofold; to maintain weight on the front steering axle and to resist swaying via friction or in some cases cams or even linkages with complex geometry if you go all out for something like a Hensley. Towing a travel trailer with a 1500 the WDH is in the necessary category.

Air suspension won’t transfer hitch weight back to the front axle. It just will raise the loaded axle. Raising your center of gravity, which isn’t helpful. People like it because it’s visually appealing and lends a perception that the truck is more capable. Which it isn’t. Setting up a WDH in combination with air suspension is actually more complicated, because while you’re adjusting the hitch for weight transfer, the air system is compensating as well. Air is in the nice to have category for other reasons but it won’t tow any better or more safely.

 

[crash68]

Assuming I get a Big Horn with the standard coil spring suspension, what will it be like putting 600 lbs on the receiver? Will the squat be tolerable, or will a weight distributing hitch be a must? Asking the question in reverse, would "four corner" air suspension eliminate the need for a WD hitch?

I think way too many people think that all you have to do is level the truck and trailer and everything is good... WRONG!
Without getting the truck/trailer loads correctly and the weight distribution set properly you'll end up with a 6000 lbs load that's shaky. You'll want a WDH at minimum and a set of helper airbags will help firm the rear end up. Find a local semi truck CAT scale to tune the WDH with the truck/trailer fully loaded.

The difference between a WDH and airbags:

 

[RAM432]

Air suspension won’t transfer hitch weight back to the front axle. It just will raise the loaded axle. Raising your center of gravity, which isn’t helpful. People like it because it’s visually appealing and lends a perception that the truck is more capable.

I thought the idea behind air suspension in the rear was to reduce squat, therefore keeping the front tires on the ground for better traction and steering. I’ve not been reading up on towing for very long but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone claim air suspension does anything except reduce squat, yet I’ve seen multiple posts saying that people think that.

 

[Farmer Fran]

That video above is pretty good.

Also setting up a trailer towing with RAM Air Suspension is super easy. And it makes hook up super easy.

 

[Cactusmonkey]

We use both the WDH and the four corner air. Great combination

 

[runamuck]

I tow our 6000# travel trailer without air suspension and it tows great. maybe 1.5" of squat to rear end with about 600# of tongue wt. and some gear in the bed..you will be better off as I have a laramie and it has less cargo cap. use a WDH for sure. I am going to add air bags if I dont trade up to a 2500 tho just to add some stiffness to the rear end. I also changed out the sway bar to a Helwig bar and I run a few more pounds of air in the rear tires for a little more stiffness in the back end when towing. since you say you wont be making very many trips, you may be overthinking it.

 

[b-real]

For those adding airbags to the regular coil suspension, what one are you going with? I have used the Firestone ones in the past with good results, but those were always on leaf spring trucks.

 

[runamuck]

my son put the 100$ firestone bags on his 1500 and they worked fine. stuffed inside the rear springs..I am considering some that cost a little more but bolt next to the springs..airlift and friestone both have many types to choose from

 

[NDanecker]

I've owned a few RAM trucks from 3500 DRW with leaf (that I added air bags to) to current 1500 with air, and of course the 1500 with air rides incredible. I'm very impressed with how it handles the weight (within its capacity envelope) and how it does so riding down the highway. Of course it doesn't mitigate the need for a WDH.

One feature that I probably won't ever give up is the ability to hook up to a trailer using the air suspension. It is SOOOOO easy to drop the ass, drive under the trailer tongue, and raise the truck getting the trailer off the jack. No need to hand crank all that weight. Gone are the days of dented bumpers and having to reposition the truck because it rolled that 1 inch away after putting it in park. LOL

 

[Randy Grant]

Nice thing about bags is that, even with WDH if there is a little squat, you can level the truck and get your headlights back down and out of oncoming traffics eyes. Even a little squat on the newer raised trucks blinds oncoming traffic.