Rear end sag with trailer- airbags or stiffer springs?

zimm

zimm

Caught the Bug
I bought a cool little camper (Casita 17) and it tows great. But, despite only weighing 2500 empty (3000 loaded) they're known for having nearly 400lbs of tongue weight, plus my ace bumper is like 160, add in the 35" spare, high lift, etc and it sags about 1.5" with the trailer on. I'm running rock krawler triple rate 2.5" coils.

I don't want a rough ride when unloaded, and want to keep my off-road-ability. I'm wondering if EVO plushrides 3.5" would be softer or stiffer?

Maybe I can get a pair of firestone airbags and only pump them up when hauling the trailer to level it out?

Again, I have no issues with handling, I just want it to look level and get the headlights out of the people's mirrors when towing.
 
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wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Way early on, I tried running air bags and can tell you that they will help to level you out but your ride will suffer when unloaded. I personally would not recommend them.
 
WJCO

WJCO

Meme King
zimm said:
I bought a cool little camper (Casita 17) and it tows great. But, despite only weighing 2500 empty (3000 loaded) they're known for having nearly 400lbs of tongue weight, plus my ace bumper is like 160, add in the 35" spare, high lift, etc and it sags about 1.5" with the trailer on. I'm running rock krawler triple rate 2.5" coils.

I don't want a rough ride when unloaded, and want to keep my off-road-ability. I'm wondering if EVO plushrides 3.5" would be softer or stiffer?

Maybe I can get a pair of firestone airbags and only pump them up when hauling the trailer to level it out?

Again, I have no issues with handling, I just want it to look level and get the headlights out of the people's mirrors when towing.

I Jeep
Click to expand...

I've installed a lot of those air bag kits on trucks but not on a Jeep. Either way, they're a pretty cool setup. I would think though, that the way that they're attached, it would hinder your off road travel.
 
zimm

zimm

Caught the Bug
wayoflife said:
Way early on, I tried running air bags and can tell you that they will help to level you out but your ride will suffer when unloaded. I personally would not recommend them.
Click to expand...

That's what I was afraid of. I'll quickly close my air bag browsing windows.

I'll look into WD hitches, but I read they are hard to set up on the little casita because the tongue is short.

I can live with it for now, but next summer I plan to do a several week excursion and will probably want it more sorted out by then.
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
zimm said:
That's what I was afraid of. I'll quickly close my air bag browsing windows.

I'll look into WD hitches, but I read they are hard to set up on the little casita because the tongue is short.

I can live with it for now, but next summer I plan to do a several week excursion and will probably want it more sorted out by then.
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What I might recommend is to just run coil spacers to help make up the difference. When unloaded, your Jeep will run ass high but not so much that it'll look too bad. At least, not in my opinion.
 
croge17

croge17

New member
get one of the newer WD hitches that does weight distribution and sway control in one. the way the tongue mounts work on them shouldnt be hard with a short tongue.
 
zimm

zimm

Caught the Bug
Yup, it looks like the Andersen WDH is the way to go on a light weight Casita, lots of happy owners. No heavy springbars either, but tensioned chain. I think I'll give it a shot.
 
Trail Jeeps

Trail Jeeps

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It's going to be tough to get that dialed properly without sacrificing some aspect if your Jeep's drivability. That being said, you always have options and you can generally get something like this to work.

We have had HUGE luck with the JSpec coils, they are designed to handle some loads while not sacrificing on and off road manners. If you combined something like that with a good high pressure adjustable shock, you'll probably be as close as you can get to that magic spot of decent manners with the trailer and good performance when you're not hooked up (which is most of the time, obviously). You can actually do quite a lot with an approach like this. I might also recommend running a 3.5" spring in the rear as well. I know all of the cool kids want a level Jeep, but the rake from the factory has a function, and that extra inch really isn't that noticeable if you decide to stop paying attention to it and it can do worlds for your ability to tow/haul/overland and has a bonus of getting your 4 door's fat ass over obstacles. Just my $.02.

After that, your best bet becomes a heavier linear spring like an ARB heavy spring or the BDS rear spring. Both are great, but unloaded they'll be noticeably stiffer than a Rock Krawler, JSpec, AEV, ect multi rate coil.

With these sorts of things, the simplest answer is usually the best, even if it costs more money. I would steer clear of an airbag on one of these vehicles. The stiffer ride, lack up up travel and extra moving parts aren't the greatest combination of factors on one of these vehicles.
 
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cozdude

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
wayoflife said:
What I might recommend is to just run coil spacers to help make up the difference. When unloaded, your Jeep will run ass high but not so much that it'll look too bad. At least, not in my opinion.
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I second this especially if you like how your RK could ride now. The spacer will give you the little extra height you need to compensate for the weight.

Hell on my coilovers I have them adjusted so the rear sits higher for when I have passengers, tools, my jet ski or golf cart hooked up that it rides more on the level side of things. When unloaded I sit slightly ass high but you would never notice


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zimm

zimm

Caught the Bug
cozdude said:
I second this especially if you like how your RK could ride now. The spacer will give you the little extra height you need to compensate for the weight.

Hell on my coilovers I have them adjusted so the rear sits higher for when I have passengers, tools, my jet ski or golf cart hooked up that it rides more on the level side of things. When unloaded I sit slightly ass high but you would never notice


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Click to expand...

My jeep sits a little ass low as it is. I even have the coil wedges in the bottom, which are sorta spacers. I wonder if I removed them and did a 3.5" coil in the rear? Then if it's raked too much, maybe a short spacer up front. The next question is stick with RK and go with a 3.5 from them, switch to Jspec, or evo plush? I wish they would list spring rates....
 
cozdude

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
zimm said:
My jeep sits a little ass low as it is. I even have the coil wedges in the bottom, which are sorta spacers. I wonder if I removed them and did a 3.5" coil in the rear? Then if it's raked too much, maybe a short spacer up front. The next question is stick with RK and go with a 3.5 from them, switch to Jspec, or evo plush? I wish they would list spring rates....
Click to expand...

Those coil correction wedges are far from spacers. They just help correct spring bow since it's needed with the slightly longer arms that RK provides. I would sparingly suggest just going a cheaper route and adding maybe a 1" spacer from daystar or the like to add some take to your jeep and help compensate for weight in the rear


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zimm

zimm

Caught the Bug
yeah, they're just wedges. I have stock rear arms, so I'm not sure if I even need them. The coils are bowed with them. :idontknow:

Here's the "squish" I'm talking about.

IMG_8322_zps2ky6m5u6.jpg


And here it is "unloaded" but with ARB fridge and gear in the rear.

IMG_5061_zpsd6hk32bf.jpg
 
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SPOOOBY

SPOOOBY

New member
Use a load leveler hitch and it wont sag that way when unloaded it don't ride like a log wagon IMG_1479254193.421643.jpg

If you're not living your dead already!
 
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SPOOOBY

SPOOOBY

New member
I have a 26' kodiak camper with mine weighs 4000 lbs,and mine don't sag any,plus it stabilizes the load with anti sway control lot safer that way, and when your unloaded it rides stock ,great product


If you're not living your dead already!
 
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cozdude

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
zimm said:
yeah, they're just wedges. I have stock rear arms, so I'm not sure if I even need them. The coils are bowed with them. :idontknow:

Here's the "squish" I'm talking about.

IMG_8322_zps2ky6m5u6.jpg


And here it is "unloaded" but with ARB fridge and gear in the rear.

IMG_5061_zpsd6hk32bf.jpg
Click to expand...

IMO it looks like a 1" coil spacer in the rear would work perfect for you then


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zimm

zimm

Caught the Bug
Kruebicon said:
I have a 26' kodiak camper with mine weighs 4000 lbs,and mine don't sag any,plus it stabilizes the load with anti sway control lot safer that way, and when your unloaded it rides stock ,great product


If you're not living your dead already!
Click to expand...

Here's the new-fangled andersen hitch that been getting all the buzz since it came out in 2012. I'm going to try that plus if I still have any squat, I'll measure and do a rear spacer- not sure if it'll be 1/2", 3/4", or 1".

View attachment 231080
 
SPOOOBY

SPOOOBY

New member
zimm said:
Here's the new-fangled andersen hitch that been getting all the buzz since it came out in 2012. I'm going to try that plus if I still have any squat, I'll measure and do a rear spacer- not sure if it'll be 1/2", 3/4", or 1".

View attachment 231080
Click to expand...

Looks cool and lighter too[emoji106]


If you're not living your dead already!
 
SPOOOBY

SPOOOBY

New member
cozdude said:
IMO it looks like a 1" coil spacer in the rear would work perfect for you then


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

I really works well ,you wont be disappointed, when you hook it up to your truck,jack the hitch all the way up then hook chains or load leveling arms, and do get the anti sway control,it really helps on those windy days


If you're not living your dead already!
 
zimm

zimm

Caught the Bug
wayoflife said:
What I might recommend is to just run coil spacers to help make up the difference. When unloaded, your Jeep will run ass high but not so much that it'll look too bad. At least, not in my opinion.
Click to expand...

I measured my jeep and the ground to fender measurements are 1" lower in the rear. Granted I think the fenders are at different heights on a JKU. I still think it's squatting a bit at rest, and that's before it's loaded for a trip.

I'm leaning towards spacers as suggested. The alternative is 1" taller springs, but then I'll still have the nose high attitude. Rears come in 1/2, 3/4, and 1". I'm thinking about 1" spacers and also ordering 1/2" for the front just in case. That way if there's too much rake, I don't mind bumping up the front 1/2. What do you think?
 
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