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Old 07-21-2020, 03:40 PM   #1
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Air bags and shocks?

My tow vehicle is a 2014 Crew Cab Silverado. We just acquired a "new to us" 2006 Zinger. Towed it a couple of times now and wondering what the best suspension upgrade would be. Even with load leveling hitch it still sags in the back some and when hitting dips on the highway it "porpoises " a bit. From my research, I've seen everything from Bilstein 5100 shocks, air bags and helper springs recommended. What would some of you suggest my upgrade(s) be? If more than one, which one first?

Thank you
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Old 07-21-2020, 04:41 PM   #2
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I had a similar problem went with bags. Solved that problem, but I am long overdue for shocks at 133k miles.
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Old 07-21-2020, 06:02 PM   #3
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Air bags and shocks?

In your owners manual there is a procedure to check how much percentage WD you have whether you have 50% or 100%. It’s a matter of measuring your wheel well unhitched and then hitched.
Make sure you have WD set up properly too.
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Old 07-21-2020, 06:28 PM   #4
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When i hear someone say there truck sags with a weight distributing hitch the first thing that comes to mind is a improperly adjusted hitch or too small spring bars. Back in the day Reese ran a ad with a Airstream camper pulled by a Oldsmobile Toronado. The car had no rear wheels!

The hitch should distribute weight to the rear and front axles on the tow vehicle and also to the camper axles. There are several videos showing how to measure and set up the hitch. I would check that first.

Also do not rely on the dealer to set it up properly.
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Old 07-22-2020, 01:24 PM   #5
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Thanks, i'll be checking the hitch set up first for proper adjustment before dropping money on any add-ons.
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Old 08-13-2020, 10:49 AM   #6
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Made some adjustments to the hitch and seeing a lot of improvement. I did have a leveling kit installed a few years ago when I was running AT tires. That may be throwing a wrench into things. Sag is barely noticeably now, but when hitting dips in the road, she does porpoise more than I would like. Wondering if I should remove level kit, add rear blocks or add air bags??
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Old 08-13-2020, 11:04 AM   #7
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A couple of things come to mind which I should have asked at first. What model of Zinger do you have? Do you know the tongue weight? And do you know what weight rating your WD bars are?
Weight rating of the bars take in consideration the tongue weight and any weight in the box BEHIND the rear axle. So if you have a 600lb tongue weight and 200 lbs in box, 750lb bars are too weak. For my 13 Zinger ZT260BH with a tongue weight of 884lb I have the 1200lb bars from Husky. I may have 200lbs behind axle in box. I have a 13 Silverado CC 4x4.
I have very little porpoising but also have new Rancho shocks.
I can’t comment on air bags as I don’t know enough about them.
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Old 08-13-2020, 05:15 PM   #8
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It's a ZT-300-BH a 2006 model. The dry weight is about 5600 lbs. Tongue weight....not sure. Will have to look for that. WD bars, not sure either. Came with the trailer. Guy was pulling it with a F250
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Old 08-13-2020, 05:42 PM   #9
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Air bags and shocks?

Found specs on 2011 ZT30BH. Dry is 5640 and tongue weight is 865. Don’t know how you can tell what the bars are unless you know the name of them and find specs by bar thickness?
Funny I have a shorter camper yet it’s heavier and has more tongue weight. I know it takes great two handed effort to set bars so I lift truck while attached to camper which makes setting the bars way easier.

Is your truck a 1500 or 2500?
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Old 08-13-2020, 05:52 PM   #10
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Forget the dry weights, you'll NEVER tow it at or anywhere near that dry weight. Figure 10-15% of the YOUR RVs GVWR to determine your tongue weight & chose bars from that number, that'll be a more real life number to work with.
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