AZSS Posted June 12, 2004 Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 I've been considering lowering my truck but am afraid of losing my towing ability. Was wondering if anyone has any experience in this area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimB Posted June 12, 2004 Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 I lowered my SS and Ive been towing my boat with no problem. Im not sure of the weight of my boat but Its a 21 ft bayliner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizard Posted June 12, 2004 Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 Yes you will lose some of your towing capability. I just tried to tow a 5600lb car trailer and it put the rails on the bumpstops. The trailer was empty and the lowering kit is a ground force kit with the rear leaf flipped upside down. I am doing airbags this week to gain back my loss of capability. Wizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollinSSHard Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 Depends what you tow? I think our suspension can handle it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZSS Posted June 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 TimB That's just what I want to be able to do w/ my truck. What lowering method did you use? I was thinking spindles and shackles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MustBBrent Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 The 5500lb 24foot cobalt with trailer set the rear suspension on the bumps... but they make a special hitch too that can actually releave any of the tension on the rear suspension. I forgot what it is called, but it has torsion type bars that connect and everything. Pretty slick. I am considering that here in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBSS Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 A weight distribution hitch maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rico750sxi Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 The GroundForce kit because of the load leaf being flipped will lower the towing ability/capacity a lot. I flipped my load leaf and wound up returing it to normal for this reason. I had 250lbs. in my bed when the leaf was flipped and it sagged. That just wasn't acceptable to me. If you do something like I did, shackles in the rear, spindles in front there should be minimal loss. Wizard, let me know how the air bag kit goes because I liked the ride of the flipped leaf better and if I could flip it again and just pump up the bags when towing or hauling that'd be perfect. Also, your truck looks awesome, very sharp with the rims and lowering. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vdrumright Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 I towed 3.75 ton of stone in a tandem axle dump trailer of Friday. It towed just fine. It only hit the bump stops when i went over some RR tracks. I lowered mine the ecomimical way. Bell tech rear shakles. I was also impressed with the SS's power while towing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKey Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 They make helper springs for about $200 dollars that will keep the truck off the rails, and in fact claim to keep it level. Some are adjustable. They also claim a smoother ride. There are quite of few companies that make them. I plan on getting them if I lower my truck after the experience of lowering/towing with my last truck. The weight of the tow won't matter as much as the toungue weight of what is being towed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rico750sxi Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 My experience with helper springs is that they stiffen the ride quite a bit. Anyone else have experiences to share? ....About the springs I mean. Although any good stories are always nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProOutlaw Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 Answer to two questions in this thread: First with regards to a device or hitch to releive wieght off your tounge is called a Tuff-TOW. Second, look up SuperSprings.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimB Posted June 14, 2004 Report Share Posted June 14, 2004 AZSS I used the Ground Force Kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizard Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 The same shop that lowered my truck ordered my airbags today. The kit has Firestone airbags and the installer is a wiz at doing air suspensions on all kinds of rigs. I will let you know exactly what kit and the #. It will be installed later this week. Wizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_w Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 I'm going through a lot of towing headaches now. I have an alleged 3,500lb camper I hooked up to my stock-suspended truck - and the rear of the truck squats lower than the front. I'm looking at airbags, but they're a good amount of quirks with them. Firestone claims that you always need at least 10lbs of pressure in them, and it's highly recommended that you don't raise the vehicle off the ground, by the frame. The rear axle needs to carry the weight so that you don't over-extend the bags. (WTF? I want something more durable than that.) Airlift isn't much different. I'm considering a weight distributing hitch, but that's a lot of money for something I'll only use on the camper. I'd rather have some extra capacity with the truck. I'm looking into mechanical/adjustable springs right now. I have a set of pro-comp add a leafs, but I don't want the extra 2-2.5" of ride height in the back, unloaded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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