Air Bags vs. Weight Dist. Hitch!

XRING600 · 06-21-2007, 07:52 AM

I will be towing around 6,000 lbs. with a 750lb. ATV in the back of the truck. Which would be a better investment. The Air bags or weight dist. hitch?

thclimer · 06-21-2007, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRING600

I will be towing around 6,000 lbs. with a 750lb. ATV in the back of the truck. Which would be a better investment. The Air bags or weight dist. hitch?

My recommendation is you need both. Nissan recommends a WD hitch when towing anything above 5,000 pounds and with the additional 750 pound ATV, you are looking at a load of 600+750=1,350 pounds in/on the rear end. My next concern would be your tires, are they rated for the load? I personally could not justify my safety and the value of my personal property without using both the WD and air bags, let alone if you are in a accident and others are involved your liability.

AMCS · 06-21-2007, 09:07 AM

The weight distibution hitch transfers weight to the front of the truck balancing out the load on the suspension. When Equalizer first came out they had a Tornado pulling a trailer with the cars rear wheels removed to demonstrate the weight transfer. The airbags will raise your bed but all the weight will be on the rear axle. If you can't put the ATV in the trailer then I'd say you need both but will still be over max payload.

04 LE KC OR BT
Firestone ride rite airbags
Equalizer hitch
26' Sportsman Sportster Toy Hauler thats HEAVY

**Carbeaux** · 06-21-2007, 09:36 AM

IMHO, the W/D hitch isn't an option for you. It's necessary. The bags might be optional, depending on the sag you get, and it will be significant with what you're planning. So I'm going to say that's a very high probability for both of these being needed as well.

Derwud · 06-21-2007, 10:16 AM

Get them both.. I had just the Equal-I-Zer for a while and it was great, but I have both now and it is even better. I get so little sway it's amazing..

Justintoxicated · 06-21-2007, 12:01 PM

DEFINATELY both.

**Helinut1970** · 06-21-2007, 12:11 PM

Am I the only one that only ran with air bags?? I had no probs with only air bags on a 7000 lb trailer. No sway issues. No sagging. I had a friction sway bar, but thats it. I wouldnt tow without a sway bar. The nice thing about air bags is you can change trailers and still pull with no sagging.

Justintoxicated · 06-21-2007, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helinut1970

Am I the only one that only ran with air bags?? I had no probs with only air bags on a 7000 lb trailer. No sway issues. No sagging. I had a friction sway bar, but thats it. I wouldnt tow without a sway bar. The nice thing about air bags is you can change trailers and still pull with no sagging.

It can be done but is much safer with the hitch, especialy if your not pulling on level ground.

XRING600 · 06-21-2007, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helinut1970

Am I the only one that only ran with air bags?? I had no probs with only air bags on a 7000 lb trailer. No sway issues. No sagging. I had a friction sway bar, but thats it. I wouldnt tow without a sway bar. The nice thing about air bags is you can change trailers and still pull with no sagging.

How do you attach the sway bar to your hitch?

**Helinut1970** · 06-21-2007, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRING600

How do you attach the sway bar to your hitch?

I dont have any pics on this comp. I will put some pics up when I get home tonight.

deebie47 · 06-21-2007, 05:31 PM

Exactly how would a person go about leveling the trailer then? Level with the air bags or the hitch?

Derwud · 06-21-2007, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deebie47

Exactly how would a person go about leveling the trailer then? Level with the air bags or the hitch?

I level with the hitch as best I can and use the air-bags to help rear sag, bounce and sway.

Steamguy · 06-22-2007, 12:52 PM

^^^^^^ This isn't a good idea, and the reason that Nissan recommends using a W/D hitch is to get the load on the WHOLE truck chassis, so that the front helps carry the load and not just have it all on the rear axle. You're looking to cause a rear axle failure due to the high loading. I bet if you weighed it, you'd be close to or over your rating for the axle. Think about it for a second: 7000# trailer, properly loaded, means at least 700# on that rear axle alone. And behind it, at that, since it's in a receiver.

Also consider that by having more of the weight on the front, you're helping with control issues. If the weight is mostly in the rear, then the whole truck chassis isn't available to compensate for any transient loading.

Derwud · 06-22-2007, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steamguy

^^^^^^ This isn't a good idea, and the reason that Nissan recommends using a W/D hitch is to get the load on the WHOLE truck chassis, so that the front helps carry the load and not just have it all on the rear axle. You're looking to cause a rear axle failure due to the high loading. I bet if you weighed it, you'd be close to or over your rating for the axle. Think about it for a second: 7000# trailer, properly loaded, means at least 700# on that rear axle alone. And behind it, at that, since it's in a receiver.

Also consider that by having more of the weight on the front, you're helping with control issues. If the weight is mostly in the rear, then the whole truck chassis isn't available to compensate for any transient loading.

See earlier post, I have an Equal-I-Zer hitch (Sway and W/D) and added the air bags for and added bit of security.

Steamguy · 06-22-2007, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derwud

See earlier post, I have an Equal-I-Zer hitch (Sway and W/D) and added the air bags for and added bit of security.

Sorry, Derwud. The incredulousness was at Helinut's post...