I pulled a 14' Box Trailer and it squatted like a little girl. With the trailer loaded it was about 5,000 lbs. My 03 didn't squat like this one did, so I am putting the bags to it. The Hemi pulled it with no problem, as I expected, and I was impressed with that. I hit one hard bump doing about 70 with the cruise on (on the highway) and it cause the trailer to sway. Before I could tap the brake to turn off the cruise the truck had already straightened out the trailer. The trailer sway control program is incredible. With all the technology this truck has you can drive with more confidence, but there is a thin line between confident and stupid.
sizemic1
07-07-2009, 10:52 AM
You need a weight distribution hitch.
dodgeatheart
07-07-2009, 11:22 AM
Even with a weight distributing hitch, you have tongue weight on the truck. I'm wondering what sort of tongue weight squats the trucks badly.
I'm planning on buying a 6000(ish) pound travel trailer and I'm very curious to see what sort of squat occurs with the trailer all hooked up and the weight distributing hitch on. I'm not exactly sure which trailer I'm getting, but tongue weights vary from about 600lbs to 800lbs.
sizemic1
07-07-2009, 11:50 AM
Tongue weight should be 10-15% of your trailered load. In a couple of weeks, I'll post up a picture of my rig fully loaded with a 16' trailer (1,800lb) and a 5,000lb Jeep on top and a weight distribution hitch.
EddieHemi
07-07-2009, 03:36 PM
Even with a weight distributing hitch, you have tongue weight on the truck. I'm wondering what sort of tongue weight squats the trucks badly.
I'm planning on buying a 6000(ish) pound travel trailer and I'm very curious to see what sort of squat occurs with the trailer all hooked up and the weight distributing hitch on. I'm not exactly sure which trailer I'm getting, but tongue weights vary from about 600lbs to 800lbs.
I pulled about 8,000 loaded 20' or 24' enclosed trailer with my 03 QC with a weight distributing hitch and the truck was pretty much level, very little sag. It pulled very well, but I wouldn't want to pull all that weight all the time with a 1/2 ton truck. You should have no problems with sag with the trailer and distribution hitch you are talking about.
EddieHemi
07-07-2009, 03:38 PM
You need a weight distribution hitch.
It didn't sag it so much that I was worried about having the WD hitch and it handled the bumps in the road fine. The truck wasn't floating. I just didn't like the way it looked with such little weight on it.
Truck didn't sag anymore than my 06 did with the same camper on it. I had planned on getting firestone air bags for the 06 but got the 09 instead. I knew I wanted the bags from the start. Well worth the 90 bucks.
Truck didn't sag anymore than my 06 did with the same camper on it. I had planned on getting firestone air bags for the 06 but got the 09 instead. I knew I wanted the bags from the start. Well worth the 90 bucks.
Your thread is what convenced me to get them. Good choice on getting the Air Lift over the Firestone. The Air Lift bags have a lifetime warranty and the Firestone bags have a very short warranty. I forgot the exact length of time, but it was about 1 or 2 years.
