Jump to content

Airsafe 32k Hitch Help


chooseopen

Recommended Posts

I bought a used HDT last fall and we are just about to buy a 5th wheel camper to go with it.  The truck came with an Airsafe 32k hitch but I am having trouble figuring out how to use it.  Their instructions refer to a retractable locking pin that somehow helps you set ride height but I am not certain how to use it.  Attached is a screen shot of the relevant portion of their manual.  They mention that it should auto retract but looking at my unit I just don't see how that is supposed to work...  Guidance anyone?

https://goo.gl/photos/p6EHyDF9iDc8hMa37

https://goo.gl/photos/RGvBFrBAjW8pKzjj9

2007 Volvo VNL670, Singled, Air ride hitch

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The pin might be stiff and a little corroded.  You could bleed the bags and work on freeing the pin.  The rotation of the handle locks the pin out or in.  You rotate the handle until it lines up with the slot.   In my years, the pin seldom retracted on its own.  But you should not have to work hard at sliding the pin in and out.

The correct position for ride height is, with the trailer weight on the hitch, the pin should just slide into the lock hole.  That is the place the hitch should be.  Add or remove air from the bags to have the pin slide in.

The Air Safe Hitch is designed to have the bags with enough pressure to have the plate at midpoint.  That is where the pin slides in.  You should not adjust the bags from that point.

Since the normal position of the hitch is with the pin in the locked position, the hitch is at the correct height, unless the bags have deflated.  If the bags have deflated, they should be inflated to at least where the pin is holding the hitch.  I usually start at 50 psi if the bags have been deflated.

To unhook, slide the pin in to lock the hitch.  Sometimes on a hot day, you may have to bleed the bags just enough to stick the lock pin in.  Then raise the trailer enough to take pressure off of the hitch plate. Then pull the hitch from under the trailer.  

If you forget to lock pin, the hitch plate will popup when the trailer comes off of the plate.  If that happens, deflate the bags until you cna get the pin in, and then re-inflate the bags.

 

Please click for Emails instead of PM
Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I appears that this pin is supposed to retract or allow you to manually lock it when the hitch itself is at the proper ride height. Your trailer may or may not be at its proper ride height when the hitch is in this position.  If the frame of the trailer is level when the hitch is at its proper ride height, all is well.....if the trailer is not level when the hitch is at its proper ride height, then adjusting the pin box height or the height of the base of the hitch may be required to have both the hitch and the trailer at their proper ride heights. The proper ride height of the hitch is probably mid up and down travel of the fifth wheel hitch head and the proper ride height of your trailer is when it is more or less level. I hope this is not too confusing.  Be safe,   Charlie

Don't ever tell a soldier that he doesn't understand the cost of war.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry but an Air Safe Hitch is far superior to a TS3.  

I have seen the steps to hitching and unhitching a TS3.  For the iAr Safe Hitch, it is as easy as: connect the trailer, lock the pin out.  Lock the pin in and remove the trailer.  Can't get any easier than that

Please click for Emails instead of PM
Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark and Dale, been running the TS3 for 3 years now and never a problem hitching or unhitching.  Straight forward and positive.

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use an airsafe hitch.  I removed the pin completely .  I control my air from the cab.  My hitch up camera stays on the hitch after it is attached.  I run about 80 lbs in mine.  I found the pin to be more of a problem.  When I park and run the front jacks down, I release the pressure from the cab.  I do not know if it is superior to a TS3 or not but it works for me.  What I do like about it, it is a low profile and I was able to mount the plate on top of the truck rails. 

">9ed2381e-e012-485f-924a-b1f342a69abc.jpg

 

2001 610 Volvo -Volvo power 465HP/1650 -autoshift
2009 Smart Passion / cross loaded on Volvo
2014.5 Mobile Suite 41 RSSB4

VOLUNTEER CHRISTIAN BUILDERS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Air Safe is the only hitch with lateral damping.  Write the operations for a TS3 in one sentence.

Please click for Emails instead of PM
Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are running 80 psi in the air bags you have almost no benefit of an air ride hitch. You almost have a solid block of rubber. That is why I went with the ET Junior.

Ron C.

2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3

2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the AS & like it. Pin failed on mine too. I use a $4.95 horrible freight regulator and a gauge at the hitch, with a relief valve to drop it when unhooking. Similar to cab control but simpler.

2000 Volvo 635 A/S, N-14 Cummins
"The Phoenix"
'03 KA 38KSWB

http://s918.photobucket.com/user/sibernut/library/?sort=6&page=1
Furkids- Sibe's CH. Sedona & Tseika
dolphins.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Ronbo said:

If you are running 80 psi in the air bags you have almost no benefit of an air ride hitch. You almost have a solid block of rubber. That is why I went with the ET Junior.

You might be correct but from what I see in the camera it sure moves a lot to be on a "solid block of rubber"  I have a lot of up and down movement while I am going down the road. How many inches of up and down movement would you say would be needed for a good hitch?

">9ed2381e-e012-485f-924a-b1f342a69abc.jpg

 

2001 610 Volvo -Volvo power 465HP/1650 -autoshift
2009 Smart Passion / cross loaded on Volvo
2014.5 Mobile Suite 41 RSSB4

VOLUNTEER CHRISTIAN BUILDERS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Ronbo said:

If you are running 80 psi in the air bags you have almost no benefit of an air ride hitch. You almost have a solid block of rubber. That is why I went with the ET Junior.

 

It all depends on the specifications of the air bags used.  If they are using a bag rated at 4000lbs at 100 psi then yes it would be a hard block.  But if they use a 6000lb bag at 100psi then you would use less air to maintain the correct "height" for the hitch.  Henry uses the 4k bags on several of his hitches, but he also uses the single bag for others.  Its all dependant on the design.

Alie & Jim + 8 paws

2017 DRV Memphis 

BART- 1998 Volvo 610

Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had it all cross referenced and posted when I had to replace a bag and the front heim joint long ago.  I'm sure I've lost it all but basically the bags used are from one of the air helper spring setups.  My pin is always the first thing rusted too.  I put on a leveling valve that dumps and use that instead.

photobucket-42770-1353620608436.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, Ronbo said:

If you are running 80 psi in the air bags you have almost no benefit of an air ride hitch. You almost have a solid block of rubber. That is why I went with the ET Junior.

It really all depends on how much pin weight you have.  Heavy front weight will require more air to get it to ride height.  The bag will work just fine then.  After all, it is rubber!  Lots of earlier discussions regarding this.  And everyone is seeing more air needed to get the hitch to ride height, or you make bag changes.  But builders of the TS hitches will tell you they are OK with more air needed to get it to correct ride height.  It will then work as intended.  Installing ride height valves just let the valve add more air if the pin is a heavy one.  Most people don't add pressure gauges if installing the height valve.  That is why we see statements that their cameras show the unit working as intended.  It's rubber and it expands to meet the need.  Just think about it - one fat arse sitting on a tire inner tube will get closer to the ground then one non-fat arse in a tube with the same air pressure in it.  Add more air and the big guy will get raised!  And there will still be "bounce" in the bag.

Rocky & Sheri Rhoades
'01 Volvo 770
2016 DRV Mobile Suites, Houston
HERO Makers Ministry

 

30495168531_143d8fb8d6_m.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mr ET Hitch will point out that air bags are not linear in spring action and all bags used in this application range have a 0-100 psi range.  The 50 psi point is the ideal loading of a bag.  80 psi is near the upper end of the air spring and is approaching acting like a solid hunk of rubber.

Proper design and loading says the normal position of the trailer should be with the bags as near 50 psi as possible.

 

Please click for Emails instead of PM
Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

uh...yeah....what Steve said. I'm all good with what that chart says.

 

( :ph34r: Pssst: Steve, what the hell does that show? )

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As we so often get off topic, did choseopen get his answer on how to operate the Air Safe hitch?

Please click for Emails instead of PM
Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You try to operate in the "white" range.  The load it will support is down the far right. (times 100)
Just to the left of that is the pressure in the bag to support that load.
Along the bottom is the height of the bag which in this case wants to live in the 16-20" tall range.

If you stay in the design height range you DON"T ever get that hard as a rock suspension as you can see the spring rate is very flat.

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp  1850ft-lb  18spd  3.31  260"wb
SpaceCraft S-470
SKP #131740

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

RVers Online University

campgroundviews.com

RV Destinations

Find out more or sign up for Escapees RV'ers Bootcamp.

Advertise your product or service here.

The Rvers- Now Streaming

RVTravel.com Logo



×
×
  • Create New...