Overload Shocks on Tow Vehicle

[Billcanfish]

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!

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum

More information would help members respond better. Year make and model of truck and trailer.

[LHaven]

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.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by LHaven

If payload is not exceeded, proper solution is weight distribution hitch, again not helpers/airbags.

Where does one procure a WD for a fifth wheel?

[TXiceman]

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

[LHaven]

Aaargh, fifth wheel. Well, that simplifies the treatment plan!

[Max23]

Originally Posted by LHaven

Aaargh, fifth wheel. Well, that simplifies the treatment plan!

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.

[Billcanfish]

My truck is a 2015 F250 superduty 4WD, 6.7 Liter.
Thanks.

[Billcanfish]

Trailer is a 2010 Keystone Montana 343RL.

[LHaven]

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.

[LHaven]

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.

[TXiceman]

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

[Billcanfish]

Thanks for your comments, I'll check that out.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Billcanfish

Thanks for your comments, I'll check that out.

Bill, go to your profile and at TX to your city (HUNTSVILLE TX) so folks won't think you are from Alabama... just saying

[NH_Bulldog]

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.

[JRTJH]

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.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Billcanfish

My truck is a 2015 F250 superduty 4WD, 6.7 Liter.
Thanks.

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.

[Billcanfish]

Thanks you!

[xrated]

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.

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)

[Billcanfish]

Thank you!