Level truck when towing

kewlgye · September 7, 2006

I've got a 98 1/2 ton ext cab Z71 with add-a-leafs and 3/4 ton HD torsion bars (3 inch rough country suspension lift.) I'm good up front, but when I pull a car trailer the back squats way more than I want it to. The total weight of the car + trailer is probably around 5500lbs. I'd like a couple of suggestions on whether to go with an air bag helper set up or something along the line of hellwig's helper spring. I probably tow 2 or 3 times a year and it's a 1500 mile one way trip. Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks!!

98GMCClubCab · September 8, 2006

I have the same truck, just stock. I don't even have the Z71 package. I tow around 5000 lbs. of camper behind me. Tongue weight of 450-500 lbs. I use a weight distribution hitch and it keeps my truck level and stops any front to back bobbing you get from driving over any bumps.

Sounds to me like your load is just not distributed right.

Have you weighed your trailer tongue with the load? It should be around 10% of your total trailer combined weight. Car trailers are trickier than campers. You have to distribute the load yourself whereas with my camper it is, to a point, done for you. Different cars with different weight engines must sit differently on the trailer to distribute the weight where it is needed most. Only way to tell is to weigh the tongue with the trailer loaded.

Hope this saves you time and money.

r8rs4lf · September 8, 2006

I have a 2/4 McGaughy's drop kit and also the air bag helper kit. It works great.

GMSea97 · September 8, 2006

If anything I say the airbag setup. It is a great improvement to any truck. I also agree that you may just be loaded wrong. I have alot of exprience towing cars, I do junk vehicle salvage. What I do is winch the car up the trailer slowly and I watch my truck rear wheel wells. When she settles back to stock height I come forward with the car alittle more until i am about one to two inches lower then stock. It seems to put enough load on the truck but not too much. But, back to your question I say airbags. When you are done hauling you just let them out and its like they are not even there.

Draenor · September 8, 2006

I have a 2/4 McGaughy's drop kit and also the air bag helper kit. It works great.

Couln't you of turned that inlet elbow instead of notching the bed. Also i'd stick some paint on there before the rust takes over.

I am guesing that is where the air is filled for the bags. Are you not running a compressor? How often when towing do you have to add air?

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r8rs4lf · September 8, 2006

I have a 2/4 McGaughy's drop kit and also the air bag helper kit. It works great.

Couln't you of turned that inlet elbow instead of notching the bed. Also i'd stick some paint on there before the rust takes over. That is the way the instruction said to install it. That bracket is to be installed a certain number of inched from the top of the frame. I wasn't trying to re-invent the wheel if you know what I mean. As for paint, already done. That pic was taken right after if was installed.

I am guesing that is where the air is filled for the bags. Correct a mundo!

Are you not running a compressor? Nope, no compressor. IMO, it's just added weight for someone who does not tow or add weight to the bed that often.

How often when towing do you have to add air? I only add air when the bed is loaded or when towing. Anytime else the bags only need 5psi of air per the intructions.

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kewlgye · September 8, 2006

I have the same truck, just stock. I don't even have the Z71 package. I tow around 5000 lbs. of camper behind me. Tongue weight of 450-500 lbs. I use a weight distribution hitch and it keeps my truck level and stops any front to back bobbing you get from driving over any bumps.
Sounds to me like your load is just not distributed right.

Have you weighed your trailer tongue with the load? It should be around 10% of your total trailer combined weight. Car trailers are trickier than campers. You have to distribute the load yourself whereas with my camper it is, to a point, done for you. Different cars with different weight engines must sit differently on the trailer to distribute the weight where it is needed most. Only way to tell is to weigh the tongue with the trailer loaded.

Hope this saves you time and money.

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Thanks for the info, I'll watch the distribution of weight more carefully next time I pull the car on. That's not a bad idea to weigh the tounge of the trailer loaded. I might have to start backing my car on, it's so long that I've got to pull it up pretty far which puts more weight on the truck.