Should Ride-Rite and TorkLift StableLoad be Installed on 2019 Ford F-450 for 5th Wheel Towing

Question:

OK here goes.... I have a 2019 F450 Crew Cab 8 foot Bed Dually that is coming in next week. I will use it to pull a 2020 37 foot New Horizons Majestic fifth Wheel that will be delivered in July. The Dry weight of the Majestic will be 19,000 to 20,000 lbs with a GVWR of 24,500 lbs...not that I believe we will ever load that much stuff into the Majestic. The Pin weight will be between 3800 and 4000 lbs. I had planned to put a Ride Rite Air Bag system on the truck to help with the suspension. In my continuing studies to ensure I have the F450 ready to safely handle the Majestic I came across the Torque Lift Stable level Suspension Upgrade specifically the A73113 for the lower overload springs. I have read as many reviews as I could find on this system and all seemed to be on single rear wheeled trucks, mostly for those hauling campers and the results reported were very good. I did not find anyone with a Dually providing a review. So my question is, with the F450 being a Dually my expectation is the effects that cause the sway and roll would be minimized by the dually rear footprint....but I am no suspension expert and really need one to tell me if I am off base. That said, which one, or perhaps both, of these upgrades will benefit me the most and are both really needed to safely tow the Majestic.... Thank You

asked by: Richard S

Expert Reply:

Since your 2019 Ford F-450 Super Duty is a dually and you are planning to tow 2020 New Horizons Majestic 5th wheel trailer (which has a much more stable connection than a travel trailer) you won't need to be concerned with sway especially since you plan on installing the Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Springs # F35FV.

I do recommend installing an air compressor kit as well so that you can easily adjust the air bags as needed while you are out traveling and you don't have to hunt down a compressor to add air to the air bags. I recommend either going with the Air Command II # F2219 which has an analog gauge or the Air Command # F96VV which uses a wireless remote. To mount these without drilling into your frame you can use the Mounting Kit # F2497.

You definitely can install the TorkLift StableLoad # TLA7311 but I'm not sure how much of a benefit they will offer since you have the dual wheels and the Ride-Rite Helper Springs. At the very least they will help to prolong the life of your suspension but I wouldn't be concerned about the sway.

One of the most influential factors in a comfortable towing setup is the 5th wheel hitch that is used. If you don't have one yet just let me know and I can make a recommendation for you.