Trailer Saver Hookup-Unhook-Bobtailing - Montana Owners Club

pbahlin · 04-01-2010, 02:24 PM

I just had a Trailer Saver installed. I haven't used it yet but have some questions for any who have one.

First question is that the recommended procedure for unhooking (if I'm reading correctly) is to unload the hitch until it rises to the upper stops, then let out the air. This implies that you drive around bob tailing with a hitch having no pressure. Mine seems to have a bit of thump going on over hard bumps in this condition (0 psi) and I'm wondering if I shouldn't put a bit of air in it to keep it pushed up against the upper end of travel.

Second question is this. Once you know the pressure that works for your particular situation, can't you just set for pressure before you hook up? I don't see where there would be an issue doing this as the hitch would just stop at the upper end of travel. The manual says to hook up then pressure up for mid range of the movement.

How do you Trailer Savers do the hookup, unhook, and bobtail with your rig?

exav8tr · 04-01-2010, 05:08 PM

We let air out before we unhitch the trailer. If you leave air in and then slide out from under the trailer, the hitch could pop to the upper limits (not recommended). We approximately level the trailer with the landing gear, then let the air out of the hitch until we can see air between the pin and hitch, then pull out from under the trailer. Then go to zero. Then finish leveling the trailer. We put in about 55psi once the trailer is loaded. If we left this air in, the bags would always be inflated and the hitch at its highest. Did they not put a line on your hitch to raise the hitch to? Depending on the pin weight of your trailer, the pressure may change, Usually not, but it could. If you air up first, you will have to raise the trailer very high to get it into hooking position. We see no need to overwork our trailer landing gear system. We bobtail with zero air in the bags and have no problems doing it that way.....This is just my way of doing it and I hope this helps.....

ols1932 · 04-02-2010, 02:44 AM

Wow! I never have let the air our of mine. I run the legs down until I just see a slight "crack" of light between the pin and hitch, or the pin looks like it has released from the hitch. Then pull the truck out. I've never had the hitch "pop up" doing this. I've had this hitch seven years now so I think that should say something.

I carry about 50 psi in the air bags on the hitch and don't reduce it. When I'm going to pull, I check to ensure I have 50 psi and if not, I air up. When running empty, the hitch doesn't care.

Orv

BirdingRVer · 04-02-2010, 03:07 AM

In the three years I have had my Trailer Saver I have always hitched and unhitched as Orv does.

However I am willing to try something different.

Phil,
How long does it take to let the air out and put it back in? What do you use to let the air out? What do you use to put the air back in? Also you wrote "let the air out of the hitch until we can see air between the pin and hitch, then pull out from under the trailer. Then go to zero." what is the point of going to zero if the trailer is already off the truck.

Phil and pbahlin,
Did I miss something in the instructions? What gave you the idea to release and add air for each hitching and unhitching?

Grant aka BirdingRVer

Grant

Delaine and Lindy · 04-02-2010, 03:25 AM

I have owned two Trailer Savers and have never let the Air out. Raise 5th wheel were there is light between the Hensley head and the teflon plate. I don't guess there would be a problem letting the Air. But with the Hydraulic jacks it only takes a second to raise the 5er. Since I have a 32,000 lb capacity I only have to put air in to raise it just below to the recomended mark on the hitch. As others have said the hitch doesn't care. GBY...

exav8tr · 04-02-2010, 05:12 AM

Wow! Maybe I misread or misunderstood the guys that installed it. I will look at my instruction again. The POP refers to moving the trailer off the hitch without having a space between teflon pad and hensley head. I will look again.

Grant, I have the onboard compressor installed with a guage under the dash to adjust pressure. If I need to raise the trailer somewhat, as in backing over unlevel surface, I can just put more air in bags to do this. I have not had to do it yet as we are picky about where we park and usually don't boondock in the wild. The '08 trucks had higher bed rails and it helps to be able to adjust the amount of air to keep things level. Doesn't take long using the onboard compressor. There is also a release valve on the controller under the dash.

Also, with no air in while hitching, you don't need to raise trailer as high with the landing gear. Just raise enough to get on the hitch, then air up the hitch and save using the landing gear as much. I think the landing gear on the trailer is the "Weakest Link" as that old lady on TV used to say.

firetrucker · 04-02-2010, 06:06 AM

The first time I pulled the truck out from under the trailer without dumping the air, it scared the heck out of Sharon (who was standing next to it) when the hitch slammed to the top. After that, I'd dump as much air as possible, but the pressure never went down enough to completely free the hitch.

Since then, the bags seem to have become more flexible, I can drop the pressure to zero, and the hitch will ride at the bottom when there's no load.

If you can see a space between the hitch and the pinbox, it's unloaded and shouldn't pop. I still dump the air in the truck's suspension, though, to make sure everything clears the pin when I pull away.

Bob

ole dude · 04-02-2010, 01:56 PM

I am now using my 3rd trailer saver hitch, have always let the air out before unhitching, unless I forget. IMHO if you leave air in the bags while unhitching, and don't raise the trailer pin to the top height of the inflated bags, the hitch head will bang the tailer pin hitch when you pull the TV out.

BirdingRVer · 04-03-2010, 02:20 AM

Is there anyone without an on board compressor that deflates the air bags before unhitching and then refills them after hitching up again? If so how do you deflate and re-inflate the air bags and how long does it take?

firetrucker · 04-03-2010, 05:19 AM

Grant, I deflate mine manually, and since I have a pressure tank, they inflate almost instantly. There's not much volume in those bags, so I would imagine even a small compressor wouldn't take long to inflate them to 50 psi; certainly in tens of seconds at the most.

Bob

Delaine and Lindy · 04-03-2010, 05:51 AM

My Trailer Saver came with the Paddle Guage that goes under the dash, but I've never hooked it up, I have a valve under the rear seat to air up or down, and have a quick connect air valve just under the rear door. And the Freightliner is all air so I have plenty of air. When I do air it up it take seconds very seldom have to add air. I also have a dump valve on the dash to lower the rear of the Truck 6" which I use when the site isn't level. When only overnighting we normally stay hook to the 5er and just unhook the Chevy HHR if the site is long enough. GBY...

KDS MONY · 04-03-2010, 09:27 AM

We have a TrailerSaver air hitch and do exactly as described in the owner's manual and have never had a problem. One time I forgot to deflate the bags and as has been stated when I pulled out there was a terrible bang as the hitch slammed into the pin box. We have an air gauge in cab and a valve to inflate/deflate the bags. Run the bags deflated when bob-tail and have not had any issues. We have 4K pin weight and run 78#PSI in the bags, possibly those who are getting away with not deflating the bags are running at much lower bag pressures and not getting the hitch head slamming into the pin box. Best wishes, Jay and Kathy

pbahlin · 04-03-2010, 12:20 PM

As always, there's an amazing amount of knowledge in this forum. Thanks for all the feedback.

I have a BD3 rated for 18,000 pounds. I'm not sure the model matters but for this unit the instructions say to unload the hitch (by jacking the rig) until the hitch hits the upper stops. Next you are to let out all the air, then finish unloading the hitch until you see an air gap.

For hooking up, it says to; start with no air, hookup, inflate so that the hitch is in the middle of its travel range, then touch up pressure to suit for ride or leveling.

It just so happens that I did exactly that yesterday since I didn't want to start out on my first attempt by violating their instructions. It went perfectly.

For my truck/trailer combo, when I let out the air it provided just enough relief for the truck to rise up just right and when the last air was out there was the beginnings of a gap. I tweaked the jacks by another 1/32 of an inch and had a nice visible gap. Sweet! The hitch never really moved. It stays at the top of travel during the whole deal.

The thing is though, that I can see how this is going to be a real pain in the butt. Either you go with the Orv method or the Phil method. Anything in between is going to make you insane, especially after a long day or in the rain. I'm doing this now by using a portable compressor, leaning over my very pregnant dually fenders, standing on a step stool. This will get old awfully fast.

Just for the record, with all the air out and no trailer the hitch is at the top of travel. This might be just because it's new. Maybe with age it will relax a bit. This is actually causing a rattle now so I'm going to put in some pressure to make it tight. I wonder if the bags fair better with no pressure in them. The evidence here says it doesn't matter.

I only hooked up to move to another site and never went over 10 miles per hour but it sure was nice to look in the mirror and see the Monty slowly bobbing up and down like a little rubber duck. In the truck, without a mirror, you'd never know there was a trailer on the back.

KDS MONY · 04-03-2010, 05:16 PM

BahlinOut, your life would be a lot easier if you could possibly have an aftermarket compressor installed and plumb your cab with a gauge and valve. I can do everything while sitting in the truck. My air bags are flat and the hitch is bottomed out when I deflate. The Binkley head of the hitch is "floppy" and rattles when bob-tailing regardless of whether are not the bags have air in them. I agree that watching the rig just glide along going down the road regardless of the bumps is a comforting sight knowing that you are isolating the rig from the abuse of the road, Best wishes, Jay and Kathy

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