Should Air Bag Suspension be Added to 2017 Ford F-150 with Weight Distribution System

Updated 09/04/2019 | Published 09/03/2019

Products Featured in This Question

Air Lift Ride Control Air Helper Springs - Rear Axle

(274)

$337.65

Air Lift WirelessONE Compressor System for Air Helper Springs - Remote - Bluetooth - Single Path

(586)

$433.76

Fastway e2 Weight Distribution w/ 2-Point Sway Control - Trunnion - 10,000 lbs GTW, 1,000 lbs TW

(169)

$625.00

Question:

Hello, I have a 2017 f150 super crew 4wd that I’m using to tow a 33ft travel trailer. Weight is around 8000lb with tongue weight about 850. I have the E2 trunnion style WD system rate for 10k I purchased 10k because it said it was also good for tongue weight between 600-1000 lbs. Will these airbags help my situation? No matter how much I try to level the trailer and the back of my truck it still squats a bit. I think I have proper weight distribution but I’m also considering raising the L brackets one hole as I don’t think the trunnion bars are 100 parallel to the trailer frame. I assume this is OK as long as the unloaded front wheel well height and the loaded but undistributed height different is at least 50 once weight is distributed...but not greater than unloaded height of the wheel well? Thanks!

asked by: Kris

Expert Reply:

If your trailer has a loaded weight of 8,000 lbs and a loaded tongue weight of about 850 lbs then the only way that your Fastway e2 Weight Distribution (WD) w/ 2-Point Sway Control # FA92-00-1000 would be overloaded is if you have over 150 lbs behind the rear axle of your 2017 Ford F-150 (as this acts like tongue weight for a WD system).

Even though an air bag kit like the Air Lift Ride Control Air Helper Springs # AL59570 will help to remove some of the sag out of your truck I do recommend verifying that you have the WD system set up properly. When everything it set correctly your difference shouldn't be more than 1" for the front or back wheel well on your F-150. Try adjusting the WD system around a bit and if that doesn't cut it then I'd say to add the air bag suspension.

If you do end up installing the Air Lift suspension then I also recommend installing the Air Lift WirelessONE Compressor System # AL25980 because it allows you to monitor and adjust the air bags whether you are in the cab or outside due to the wireless remote. Another plus side to this system is that you aren't routing wires into the cab of your newer pickup.

expert reply by: Jon G