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Towing Heavy. Bigger Coils? Air Assist?

lyrikz

By lyrikz
in Towing, Hauling & Hitches

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lyrikz Enthusiast

lyrikz

Posted
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2005 Yukon Denali XL. Has the autoride level system on it.

 

Im buying a toy hauler. I test towed a few of them and when the vehicle is off and attached the rear end sags pretty bad. As soon as i start it and the compressor kicks on it levels out fine. What im worried about is what if i lose a bag while driving. I wouldnt be able to keep driving. Do they have heavy duty coil spring replacements? Additional air assist?

 

I would like the vehicle to not rely so much on the air shocks. Any recommendations?

music Senior Enthusiast

music

Posted
Posted
I would like the vehicle to not rely so much on the air shocks. Any recommendations?

 

It sounds like either:

 

a) The WD bars are not rated for the tongue weight (i.e., 1000 lbs of tongue requires 1000 lb bars), or

b) The hitch is flexing.

 

Adding spring (or air) support at the rear can help with stability, you don't want to prevent the WD bars from doing their job (front/back weight distribution). The WD system helps keep you from overloading the rear axle. It doesn't need to be perfectly level, but you want the front/rear to be pretty close (ideally).

lyrikz Enthusiast

lyrikz

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I would like the vehicle to not rely so much on the air shocks. Any recommendations?

 

It sounds like either:

 

a) The WD bars are not rated for the tongue weight (i.e., 1000 lbs of tongue requires 1000 lb bars), or

b) The hitch is flexing.

 

Adding spring (or air) support at the rear can help with stability, you don't want to prevent the WD bars from doing their job (front/back weight distribution). The WD system helps keep you from overloading the rear axle. It doesn't need to be perfectly level, but you want the front/rear to be pretty close (ideally).

 

 

 

The actual bars were 1400 pound. Just checked. The dry weight of that trailer was rated at 1040 tongue weight. So, maybe it was WAY heavier then that. The trailer was unloaded.

 

I didnt see any flex in the hitch, but who knows. I will check more closely tomorrow and going to make sure that it is installed right. I think they didnt level the trailer, then measure what kind of drop or rise hitch i needed.

music Senior Enthusiast

music

Posted
Posted
The actual bars were 1400 pound. Just checked. The dry weight of that trailer was rated at 1040 tongue weight. So, maybe it was WAY heavier then that. The trailer was unloaded.

 

I didnt see any flex in the hitch, but who knows. I will check more closely tomorrow and going to make sure that it is installed right. I think they didnt level the trailer, then measure what kind of drop or rise hitch i needed.

 

In that case, check the hitch head for proper angle adjust (tilt further back), and make sure the bars are getting tensioned correctly. 1400 lb bars will the keep a heavy load pretty level. You're going to probably be at or over the GVWR on the vehicle, and probably over the hitch rating. Don't know... just tossing out thoughts.

 

Edit: Not sure about coil springs, but on a leaf spring setup it seems best to let the truck sit down to the overload bars, but not much further. This results in a "tad" of squat, but the overload springs (short/heavy) provide lateral stability that the primary leafs do not.

pknoerzer Enthusiast

pknoerzer

Posted
Posted
This is one of the reasons we traded our 2008 Yukon XL Denali on 2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD.

 

Ditto - you're never going to get a coil spring SUV to level out and tow that big of a trailer safely.

lyrikz Enthusiast

lyrikz

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This is one of the reasons we traded our 2008 Yukon XL Denali on 2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD.

 

Ditto - you're never going to get a coil spring SUV to level out and tow that big of a trailer safely.

 

 

The denali levels it perfectly fine. BUT, what happens when one of the air shocks fails. WE are getting a smaller trailer. Not buying that one.

 

Unfortunately i owe to much on my denali right now to even consider getting something else. Especially if i dont want the payment to change.

lyrikz Enthusiast

lyrikz

Posted
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Why the big concern of an air bag failing? Are the Denali's prone to failures?

 

 

WEll, 90k on the original air shocks. I just dont want to be on a trip someone and lose one.

 

The airlift 1000 kit works. I installed the kit and it fits and works great. I called airlift and told them that the kit worked on my rig and he said they know, they

just know that some people will use them wrong and affect the air ride thats on the rig now... I asked if i should take it off and he said no. It will work great. lol

Dtaylor! Enthusiast

Dtaylor!

Posted
Posted

Just add a backup set of airbags-don't even air them up unless the factory bags fail. Will give you the piece of mind your after. Kind of like a spare tire.

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