Let's see. A 22 foot hart with a 6' LQ.. Probably a 3 horse in that length. I suspect you will will about 13,000lbs loaded.

25% of the total weight on the pin will be 3250 lbs on the gooseneck ball.

I suspect that you will be really close.

But hey lets talk about all the neat stuff you can do with Air Bags.

the fellow that bought my trailer last summer, backed up under the hitch, using a back up camera with a DVD screen in the dash. Stopped at the perfect spot.  Hit his air bag compressor and lifted his bed up until the ball connected. Hop'd out of the cab and raised the jack.  Put up his tail gate and drove off.  Says he does the same thing with bumper pulls and a second camera in his bumper.

Now I'm not that technology up to date.  But I did use my air bags to lift my trailer higher to give me extra clearance for the black water tanks when I'd get in some rough stuff.

So regardless of whether you need the additional load capacity, The air bags can help, level the truck, raise and lower the bed as needed.

The following is a previous posting to a similar question:

There are different ways to alter the load capacity of your truck. They have all been mentioned in these threads, How they are used and installed will greatly affect the over all performance of your truck. Your truck's suspension is the culmination of countless hours of engineering, computer wizardry and practical on the road experience. Manufacturers have spent millions of dollars in research, to provide a vehicle that offers the best compromise in ride and load capabilities. And it is just that, a compromise. One conclusion is not the best for everyone's needs. A suspension has many functions, it has to carry the weight if the vehicle and occupants, provide a pliable platform of varying loads, and allow the tires to remain in contact with the road, regardless of irregularities of the surface. Trucks typically have a set of springs that provide a variable rate depending on the load. An initial stack supports the truck under an empty or lightly loaded rate. Auxiliary or a secondary stack springs offer additional support as heavy loads are applied. If additional springs are added to the primary stack, the handling of the vehicle can be adversely affected. This is usually not attempted unless these springs are worn or broken. If additional leaves are added here to increase the load capacity of the truck, they will stiffen the rear suspension. In an unloaded state, the resulting rear suspension can be stiff enough to be effectively without a suspension. With little or no suspension travel, any bump, or rut could literally bounce the rear tires off the pavement. The active suspension and abs would be rendered useless, braking would be severely compromised, and you would have a dangerous, uncomfortable truck to drive. The overload springs are what should be modified. These are only involved when heavy loads are applied to the suspension. The point where they are activated vary by the weight capacity of your truck. Usually a deflection of four or five inches will be involved. This is the distance your initial suspension travel has to work in day to day driving. By adding varying amount of springs to this secondary stack, your load carrying capacity will increase. There are many companies that offer varying amounts of springs for this purpose. Air bags and Timbrens are not added to the springs. They are added between the axle and frame. The air bags supplement the original suspension, adding to its capacity as increasing amounts of air pressure are added to the bags. This is accomplished by manual applications using a supplementary air hose, or more complex systems that offer stand alone load leveling systems, with on board compressors, limit switches and all the necessary plumbing. Timbrens are basically a supplement to the truck's original axle bumper, that prevents the axle from slamming into the frame when it is severely deflected. A Timbren is a hard rubber cylindrical structure that keeps the axle and frame at a predetermined distance. With my truck's secondary springs, the "helpers" just start to aid when enough of a load is applied to make the truck"squat" four or five inches. The Timbrens are installed so that they also touch the suspension components at the same time. The result is that the initial factory suspension is unchanged, and a normal unweighted ride is effected. When additional weights are added, the suspension will no longer deflect, unlike air bags or overload springs. This result will continue regardless of any additional loading. The only exceptions are two: a structural failure of the suspension components caused by a gross overloading; the failure of the tires caused by the same overloading. All of these components, the springs, air bags and Timbrens are time tested components. If installed correctly, they will all aid in increasing your truck's capabilities and handling while loaded. Gard

I'll be the "odd man out".... Seems to me if you're having to add extra springs (air bags, timbrens, helper leafs, etc.) then you are a little shy on truck to begin with....

Flame suit on, light the torches!!!

As a kid in the late 60's we bought cars and jacked them up. I remember learning about problems this caused. I can still hear my dad telling me  " Detriot spent millions to design that suspension and you spent $5 at the corner parts store to Screw it up"

I'll agree with Retento.  Air bags are not going to increase your trucks load capacity.  If your truck is not rated to carry the load capacity, Buy a bigger truck.

If your trailer weighs to much for the springs, it's probably also over capacity for the axles, lug/lugnuts, tires etc. Adding air bags to help the springs out doesn't strengthen your axles or bearings etc.

But airbags do add some versitility to what you can do with a truck. I run my airbags at 15 psi. So they barely affect my stock suspension.  But as I mentioned, if I get in place on a forest service road where I'm going to drag my sewer system under the trailer over a rock in the road.  I can gain an extra inch or two of clearance by boosting my bags to 70 psi. And ever since I watched that fellow pick up a trailer with an air bag, I've been sold on not having to crank a jack up or down in order to hook up a trailer.  I hook up a flat bed equipment trailer, a dump trailer almost Daily. Some times several times a day. In the winter when it gets muddy and nasty on construction sites. It's so nice to back up to a trailer to the perfect spot on the first try, inflate the air bags and pick up the hitch with out gtting my feet  in the mud.

Same thing with my horse trailers.  Pull into a camp site. Not quite level, inflate the air bags and help level the trailer

Now in order to do this you need the optional compressor in addition to the standard air bags. But this also gives you a onboard compressor to inflate flat tires, inflate air mattresses etc.

I wouldnt go that far, seems like these late model 3/4 and 1 ton pickups are softer sprung than the ones I used to drive.  Too much double duty I guess.

chad... Seems like the late F250 and F350's are the worse. Several friends of mine have them and they all have added some type of aux. spring. I guess alot of the F350's 13000# GVWR is up on the front axle. I have backed under heavy hay trailers that leveled my 3500 Chevrolet out, my buddy backs under with his F350 and the head lights are aimed up in the trees until he get the wind back in the bags.... Unloaded My truck rides better that his..... Go figure.

If you are buying them just to raise and lower the truck to hook up.  You will be better off installing a electric or hydr. jack....  I had a set on the 97 F-350 I just sold and it would raise and lower the rear about 2" or so but not enough to help with hooking up my trailer.  The set I have on my 07 Dodge only raises and lowers the rear maybe 1" total....  I would install them for a more stable ride while loaded and not as a hitch helper.

Not the fact of being a little shy, it is all about a more stable ride.  Anyone that knows newer GM trucks knows that there springs are softer than most other on the market, that is why when you hook up a trailer most set down on the overloads right away.

I tested this myself on Wednesday, sister inlaw has a 2005 Chevy 3500 extended cab daully D-MAX with 25-k miles that I was doing service work on and I thought I would give it a try since there has been so much talk on here about them and I have never drove a D-MAX loaded.  The Sundowner in my picture is a 2004 8010 Signature 3 horse and weights around 9000-k or so.  As soon as I drop the trailer the truck rear springs went flat.  Drove down our FM road about 9 miles to the interstate and came right back home.  Truck has good power, transmission is the best, but the brakes (or whatever GM calls them) are MAJOR LACKING in that department, to say the least!  Had to set my trailer brakes way up to stop this package and I was unloaded.

If you are not buying the airbags for their load height adjustability, you might consider the Timbrens. They do not change an unloaded truck's ride. They require no maintenance, plumbing, compressor or adjustments. They always provide the exact load ride height you choose, regardless of the load's weight. They eliminate spring swaying when hauling, and will not allow a heavily loaded suspension to bounce or porpoise when going over a wash board surface.

I can always count on the same ride height and the truck's attitude, regardless of which trailer I tow. There are no headlights in the sky when hauling, nor wash board jitteries and a harsh suspension when empty.

Installed, they are a fraction of the price of airbags and a compressor. I've had ours in service for many years, with absolute reliability and with no maintenance needed. I would not consider hauling with any truck, without their installation.

Gard

I would check around on prices, the ones on my 07 Dodge was $350. without the compressor.  The compressor is just up to the person.  I have never installed one and really never had the need for it.  I check them everytime I fill my truck up along with checking the tires and keep 70psi in the bags all the time, this seems to work out great for my setup.

As far as holding up, I have had 4 sets and the only problem I ever had was on my 97 F-350 the retard that installed them mounted one backwards (they have mounting holes for different trucks) and the frame rubbed a hole in the side of the bag.  But I guess that wasn't bad, they had over 100-k miles on them before that happened.

They will leak just like tires, mine avg. a few pound per month, before I started checking them every fill up.

I have Timbrens on my pickup.  Timbrens are a rubber spring that is larger than, and replaces the factory bump stop.  They are cheaper and simpler than airbags, although they can not be adjusted like an airbag.  Take a look around their website,  http://www.timbren.com/timbren-application-guides/chev-gmc.htm

Mr Truck also has a write up on them,  http://www.mrtruck.net/timbren.htm  His truck was a Ford but there is little difference.

Your 99 probably takes the same kit as my 05.  They work well, but they will affect the empty ride.  When installed per the instructions there will be ~1" gap between the Timbren and the axle..........the axle moves more than 1" when empty in normal travel.  When the 1" is used up you will hear/feel the axle contact the Timbren.  Some people find it objectionable, I dont care the truck rides like crap anyway.

Here's some photos, product availability and pricing. My Timbrens have a 6k# rating, my factory over load springs have a few hundred pound rating.

http://www.buyautotruckaccessories.com/product-auto-apps.cfm/cf-bin/pn.timbren-suspension-kits/?gclid=CNa_w8HKhZgCFQpuGgodkW4RCg

And here's the company glib about them;

http://www.timbren.com/

Which kit/what year Ford do you have that allows them to be "set"?  My kit allows for ~1" or zero clearance. 

While my statement may be "untrue" in your case, she appears to have basically the same truck I do......so you may see the relevance of said statement.

The set I have on my wrecker that have adjustment holes to preload the helper spring if needed.  I have them set with about a 2" gap when unloaded, so when I put a truck on top the wrecker will just touch the Timbrens, then when I load a truck on the rear is when they really cone into play.  Or I can change holes and set them to make contact faster if needed.

Installed, they are a fraction of the price of airbags and a compressor. I've had ours in service for many years, with absolute reliability and with no maintenance needed. I would not consider hauling with any truck, without their installation

So Gard if timbrens are a fraction of the price of air bags how much of a fraction are they?

I went to the web sight you posted and found that you were right they are a fraction of the price of air bags that I have on my truck.

The air bags on my truck with compressor cost me $466.00 and the timbrems would have cost $196.00 a fraction less than half.

Give me the air bags any day,

Also they are reliable and no maintenance.

M Seyle

I am not going to speak for everyone else on this. (cause there is a couple on here that seem to bash every reply) 

 But the sets that I have had has made a change in the empty ride and even more so on the loaded ride!  The truck I have left now is a 07 Dodge 3500 quad cab C/C with a CM Hauler bed and if I let the air out of the bags the ride is a little rough, so I have found that running around 70psi all the time works out great loaded and unloaded. (it took a couple of days of adjusting the psi to find what worked for me).

When they are installed with a one inch gap on a GM vehicle, one poster noticed a different ride. Another poster and I noted that with a two inch gap or larger, there was no difference in the original ride, because the Timbrens aren't being used.

Gard

Your truck's GVWR is 12500#.... GCVWR is 23000#...  9,350-pound gross rear axle weight rating.... Is this correct? I know the 3500 C/C truck, is suppose to be a little stouter than the pickups.... And you're also running air bags at 70 psi!!! You said your SD 8010 weighs 9000# empty.... What's your pin weight? I'll have 4000# in the bed of my 3500 Chevrolet and the truck sits level, no extra springs, just factory leafs..... You say your sisters Chevy Duramax truck is squatting with your trailer. Can't help but think that both Chevy's have the same rear springs. Your trailers pin weight must be way on up there. What does your whole rig weigh just as it would be heading out for a week with water, horses, feed, tack, stuff, more stuff, some extra more stuff, etc!!?

Your CM bed aluminum or steel? Under bed side boxes?

Looks to me like the newish Dodges are squatting the most.  

http://www.pickuptrucks.com/html/2007/shootout/hdshootout8.html

Im still of the opinion they all squat too much.

"Im still of the opinion they all squat too much."

When something gets in a bind and squats like that, you know what it's about to, do....do! Means something is mashing the &%^# out of it, LOL!

That is one reason I have the 3500 C/C! I did not see it listed on you little chart. At least we have picked out the couple that like to join in.

But instead of me bashing are trying to start a writing war with people ,  I posted remarks about what I have used and what works or has not worked for me and the trucks I have used.  Not "what a friend" has used or what I have heard about.  Mine are 100% pure facts!

In MY opinion it would be in his best interest to install air bags!

You have the C/C because its not listed on the chart?  What does that mean?  Im not sure youve posted any facts.  You dont even know your own trailers pin weight, for all you know your Dodge is overloaded.

...........wait a minute, this seems familar..........

 http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/forum/thread-view.asp?threadid=9223&start=1

Rockin'TK,  I knew I had seen some of this babbling about a Dodge 3500 C/C before.  Why did you change your screen name?  Hope you went and did a little more research since last time we talked........although it doesnt look like it.

 (Quote: AQHA 123)  The truck is a 2008 duramax 3/4 ton crew cab short box. The trailer will be a 22 foot Hart stock combo with a 6 foot weekender in front. The local trailer guy said some put on air bags and other dont. The bags are only $500 buck so its not a huge deal but I don't want to get them if they are not needed.

Well. have you tried it out yet without a "helper suspension"? I'd be willing to bet that your "local trailer guy" sell them there air bags!!! Try it out first before you spend that $500.00.

---------------------------------------------------------

 http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/forum/thread-view.asp?threadid=9223&start=1

Well, I will be damned.... I thought this thread was sounding like a rerun through the same old pile crap from last spring....!! At least I have the same screen name I started with on August third, two thousand four.

 HOGTOWN BOSS, Rockin'TK, Kelly Williams, what did you do that was so bad, that you had to change your screen name??

With only a 6' LQ in the front, I don't think you'll need the airbags. Should be fine without them. Your 2500 will be like many other trucks. It may actually ride better with the load. It is wise to pull the trailer before you make a decision though.

I have had airbags on several trucks. Depending on which trailer I was pulling is what I would use to base my air pressure. On mine anything less than 30 psi was worthless, and have run up to 70 psi. Also rode like crap when it had air in and no load. I have never used the Timbrens, but they do interest me. If I was to go back to a 2500, I would probably try the Timbrens for the money difference.

Good Luck!

I dont see how pointing out the fact a frequent poster in your thread is a "pot stirrer" of questionable experience with a different screen name is hijacking?

I see you have chosen the logical "give it a test run" option.  Good choice since you dont actually know any specifics of the loaded trailer.  No reason to spend money on something you dont have to, unless you just wanted them to begin with.

Enjoy your new trailer.

Here are similar postings:

http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/forum/thread-view.asp?threadid=10869&posts=17

When I went in to buy my truck, I wanted the rear Anti Sawy bar. The thought being that it would help to stabilize the truck. On the fords this cames as an option or as part of the camper special option. It's not included in the tow package.  The dealer had that option on some of the base trucks, but none of the King Ranch trucks had that option. The sales team told me the air bags would produce the same  effects as the sway bar in stabilizing the truck.  ( it may be all salesmans hype) but I bought into it and purchased the truck with out the sway bar and added the bags when i got it home.

I've got numerious trailers to haul my equipement and I'm towing something every day. One is a dump trailer that I leave on job sites and the workers throw garbage in it. Broken Concrete, disgarded brick or stone, trash from the ceramic tile layers etc. This trailer would be a little unstable if the weight wasn't distrubted correctly. Leaving a trailer on a jobsite and letting workers throw garbage in it, is a guaranteed way to have the weight in the wrong end of the trailer. To use the term "The tail wagged the dog" on my 2003 truck. With the air bags on my 2006 truck. I find it has less of a tendency to be unstable. I run my air bags at 16-20 psi.  So not much air pressure in them.

Could I get by with out the air bags?  Absolutely! Having had  two F350 Superduties with out airbags and one with airbags. I think I can notice a difference. But it is really a subjective type of evaluation. As you suggested, get your new trailer and see how it rides. If you feel the need. Airbags are easy to add. I think it took all of 60 maybe 90 minutes to install them.