|
| I used a set of airbags similar to this on my 1994 Chevrolet 1500 4x4 extended cab.
http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/firestone-2320-sport-rite-air-bag-kit...
(This would be the correct kit for your 2001 GMC.)
I used this pickup to pull a 7 x 14 foot cargo trailer all over creation, through at least 3 states to move my children (son, daughters, and son in law) after college and through career changes. The trailer was always loaded to about the max tow rating of my pickup and sometimes just a little more.
These bags changed the trips from a white knuckle experience with the pickup all over the road, to one where we could relax and even use the cruise control on the flat portions of our trip(s). You eliminate the rear end bounce and sag with the trailer, the vehicle steers and handles more easily,as the airbags reduce the trailer's tendency to steer the pickup. With good trailer brakes (and a properly adjusted electrical controller) the trips were no big deal.
I never used as much as 50 psi, and as I recall, 40 was about optimum. 100 psi would have been way overkill, even though the bags are rated for that.
(Just remember to keep a minimum of 10 psi in the bags at all times so the bags do not wrinkle and get damaged.)
Some guys claimed you had to have individual supply tubes (one to each airbag) to balance the load, but I found that to be baloney. I filled them with a single Schroeder valve (with the optional tee adapter to fill both bags evenly) that I located alongside my fuel fill behind the filler door (so to be easily accessible and totally hidden from prying eyes.)
I always carried a 0 to 50 psi tire tester and filled or adjusted the bags at fuel fills. One soon learns what pressure setting to run for various loads on the trailer tongue.
I currently run airbags inside the coil springs on my 2014 RAM 1500 4x4 extended cab which is the pickup that replaced the Chevy. They do the job, but do not have the load carrying capacity of the bags my Chevy had. I thus run Timbrens on the RAM to supplement the airbags.
| |
|
add on air bags for pickups question
