The airbags are essential in achieving stability, balancing the car, and riding comfortably. Depending on your truck, RV model, and size, you might need to change the vehicle’s pressure.
Sometimes you might be confused about psi and what you should do or not. And you might wonder, what psi should I run in my airbags?
The airbag’s psi depends on the truck’s load, camper or RV size, and many other factors. Besides, the purpose is to find the perfect psi for the airbags.
Don’t worry! We discussed the basics and then moved on to the final question with some bonus sections.
Let’s dive in and learn more about psi in the airbags.
Table of Contents
Air Bags Basics: A Quick Overview
Airbags and the air supply system of the entire camper are essential. A few things depend on the airbags when you’re towing, with or without load.
Whether you’re towing a heavy load or just a few things, the hauling capability depends on a few things, one of which is airbags. Besides, the model of the camper is essential as well.
When you’re traveling a long distance with a heavy load, there are some problems you might face. From the multiple owners’ experience, those problems include;
- The load can be heavier on the front side of the camper, and you might lose the balance of the trailer.
- Or the load could lean backward, and the headlights will direct towards the sky, which is a big problem.
- The rear suspension could be bottoming out and create trouble for you.
- You might find it hard to steer.
- The breaking of the trailer would be weak.
Besides, there are many problems you might face while towing a heavy load. Airbags are helpful in these types of situations.
When inflating the camper, the airbags can give you the much-needed things at that time, stability, ease of use, and better towing capacity and experience. That will balance the overall vehicle and make the journey smooth.
Adding an extra airbag won’t make much difference, so you need to put effort into the existing ones.
But, there are many types of airbags on the market. A clear idea of the options might help you understand the functions correctly.
If the airbags are too inflated, you might have difficulty controlling the camper and have a rough ride.
Besides, the load of the camper is essential too. You need to fill the bags with air before loading the truck you’re using to tow.
Another important factor while towing the airbags’ psi is also crucial. Let’s have a look at that too.
What PSI Should I Run In My Air Bags?
There is no exact answer to this question. There are a few factors that we need to consider before deciding what psi you should run in your airbags. The factors include the load inside the camper, trailer size, body roll of the camper, etc.
Generally, for a medium size camper, the starting psi should be at 25. Then, you need to increase the psi until it’s 100. But, if the trailer is not loaded, then the recommended psi is at least 5.
The primary purpose is to level the camper and make it comfortable to run. So, based on the camper size, load capacity, and other aspects, you should set the psi of the airbags that way.
Besides, the brand of the airbags matters as they have different criteria. For example, when using an AirLift 5000, the maximum psi is a hundred for this airbag, and the lowest is ten.
Another example is, for a Firestone Ride Rites, the maximum psi is a hundred, and the minimum is ten. You can level it at around 65.
Most of the airbags are leveled around 60 to 90. So, you can get comfortable with the level at that point.
Whatever the brand, the psi shouldn’t be less than five and more than a hundred. The airbags come with an owner manual. There you’ll find the recommended psi for your airbag.
The crucial thing is to try out the different levels of psi for your airbags according to the recommended psi. Until you find your comfort level zone for the airbags, keep looking.
Why Is It Important To Have The Right PSI For The Airbags?
The right psi is important not just because there are some problems you might face while towing but also because there are some issues you can overcome easily.
The primary purpose of airbags is mainly three things while towing with a heavy load. These are;
- Ride comfortably.
- Stability.
- And, of course, level the camper and your truck.
To ride comfortably, there are two things you need to take care of. Those are;
- If the ride is challenging and you’re having difficulty controlling it, you need to increase the pressure of the airbags.
- On the other hand, if the ride is too bouncy and breaking is weak, then you need to decrease the pressure.
But, the most important thing is stability. To stable both vehicles, you need to release the pressure.
Lastly, level the vehicle to where you feel comfortable riding it. Turn on the headlights, and try balancing the car as long as it doesn’t balance where it should when there is no load behind it.
The psi varies depending on your ride, load, and other factors. But when it comes to comfort, you should look for these three things above.
FAQs
How Much PSI Do I Need For Airlift 1000?
You need around forty psi for small to semi-medium vehicles, such as SUVs or regular cars. But, if the vehicle is a motorhome, then the psi should be around eighty to eighty-five. But, of course, you should look for stability, comfort, and level vehicles.
Do Airbags Improve Ride Quality?
Yes, airbags improve ride quality. If the ride is bumpy, you need to decrease the pressure to level the vehicle. And if the ride is tough to control, increase the pressure. Thus, it results in improving the ride quality.
Do Air Bags Increase Payload Capacity?
No, the airbags don’t increase the payload capacity. You need to balance the vehicle with the existing airbags you have. You can increase or decrease the pressure of the airbags to gain stability and comfort.
Final Words
The psi is essential when you’re trying to balance the car and ride smoothly. Nobody wants a bumpy ride or constantly losing control of the vehicle. Besides, these can be dangerous for you and the other drivers on the road.
We hope you have an overall idea now of what you should do. And what needs to be done to achieve to go there. Good luck!