Air Bags or Weight Distribution for a 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander Towing 1,500 Pound Boat Trailer

Question:

I have a 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander SE and am adding a trailer hitch to start towing a boat. Package weight around 1500lbs. I came across the 4182 Firestone Coil Rite Air Bags - Rear Axle on your site. So that I better understand how this product might be used: I would install these air bags on the rear springs, load my boat trailer package, then fill the bags with air until the rear end levels again under the loan of the trailer? And if I am always trailing the same load and the bags do not lose air, I would not have to adjust them again? And you keep the bags at the same compression when not trailing so you do not have to fill and refill every time you tow?

asked by: John W

Expert Reply:

Your assessment of the Firestone air bags # F4182 for the 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander is correct. You would hitch up the trailer to the vehicle and then add air to level the ride. You can leave the air pressure the same with or without the trailer hooked up. You may notice a stiffer ride though when not towing because the tongue weight of the trailer will not be compressing the air bags or suspension.

The best solution for sag caused by a trailer is to use weight distribution. On a boat trailer with a straight pole tongue you would have to use a pole tongue adapter unless the trailer was a regular A-frame and not a pole tongue. If you want to explore this route then you could use pole tongue adapter # RP3280. You could then use weight distribution system # PS49581 with either a 2 inch ball # A-90 or a 2-5/16 inch ball # 19286.

The cost of the weight distribution system set up in this case is much higher than the air bag system. Given the low trailer weight you would be fine with using the air bags if you didn't want to go with weight distribution.

expert reply by: Michael H