2020 suspension squat

Kennewbike · December 3, 2019

Hello everyone. I have a 2020 RST 1500 and the other day I had to pull home my camper trailer. I was told it weighs about 8000 lbs and to be honest I don't even now how much weight these trucks can pull, but I did notice the back end of my truck squat right down. I am hoping I can buy something to help keep it level so that in the summer I am not driving it around like that. In the past I have seen guys install air bags in rear suspension, but I have a 6" lift on my truck and do not know if that is an option after a lift.

Can anyone point me in a direction to help remedy this?? Thanks again everyone.

Snuff · December 3, 2019

You really need to know your trailer weight and tongue weight. My 2019 RST pulls my 6000 Jayco great and with my equalizer weight distribution hitch it only squated 1/8”.

Edited December 4, 2019 by Snuff

BlancoSilverado · December 4, 2019

Go and buy a weight distributing hitch it will cost roughly 200-300 for an ok one.

Someone please chime in if there is a really good one.

@Snuff He is correct. you need to know the weight on the tongue.

Snuff · December 4, 2019

Equalizer hitch is very popular and highly rated!

Badbird2000 · December 4, 2019

Also, if you dont have one, it sounds like you need a weight distribution set up. Depends on the tongue weight of your camper. I have a 20' hybrid, tongue weight is about 400 lbs. My truck has a leveling kit (Z71) and with the camper it squats about 1.5". Not enough to affect the way it tows. When I upgrade the camper I'll get a wdh setup.

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CamGTP · December 4, 2019

His towing weight also went down because of the 6in lift and likely big tires.

Some people may ignore that but I surely wouldn't pull around 8,000-9,000lbs on a lifted truck with large tires and stock rear end gearing.

econometrics · December 4, 2019

1 hour ago, CamGTP said:

Some people may ignore that but I surely wouldn't pull around 8,000-9,000lbs on a lifted truck with large tires and stock rear end gearing.

Same. That’s close to overloaded for an RST, depending on the drivetrain, cab and trim.

Kennewbike · December 4, 2019

I just confirmed that the trailer weighs 6700 lbs and my truck is a 2020 RST 4 door with 5.3 and lifted 6" with 35" tires on it. My truck didn't have any problems at all pulling it, it just squatted down far too much and I am looking to make it sit more level. I did not even know weight leveling hitches were available. I will certainly buy a good one if I can find where to get them.

econometrics · December 4, 2019

2 hours ago, Kennewbike said:

I just confirmed that the trailer weighs 6700 lbs and my truck is a 2020 RST 4 door with 5.3 and lifted 6" with 35" tires on it. My truck didn't have any problems at all pulling it, it just squatted down far too much and I am looking to make it sit more level. I did not even know weight leveling hitches were available. I will certainly buy a good one if I can find where to get them.

Any local truck parts store should have one.

Also, you CAN add air bags to the suspension on these trucks, as others have done that here. But with a 6" lift, I'm not sure about that. I have no experience with lifted suspensions.

Dpach · December 4, 2019

No offence to the OP, but this is why anyone who wants to tow a trailer heavy enough to requiring trailer brakes should be required to take a course and have an endorsement on their license. Anyone towing a camper should at the bare minimum know there is such a thing as an weight distribution hitch (their safety and everyone else's on the road), along with how to properly set trailer brake gain on their controllers, learn how to effectively back a trailer, turn with a trailer, etc. I can't count the number of times I've seen a truck towing a camper and they don't even know what it does or how to set it, or they can't back it up more than 5 feet without losing it, cut corners too short and take the curbs with the trailer, etc.

Sorry for the rant. To the OP, please go to trailerlife.com and download their latest (2019) tow guide (will show trailer ratings for all vehicles of every make and model) and read the first number of pages and the last section in the book. It helps with knowledge on towing, things you need, what different technology is and does, etc.

Edited December 4, 2019 by Dpach

Jmcgriff19 · December 5, 2019

Like others have said the first thing to do is get a weight distribution hitch. I am also a big fan of the air bags when pulling a camper. My last truck was a 2009 Silverado Vortec Max with an 8” lift, 35s, and 4.88 gears. I pulled an 8000lb camper with it and the air bags did wonders. You can get adapters for the lifted suspension. My setup was an Air Lift setup and they sell adapters got lifted trucks.

oldmann · December 5, 2019

21 hours ago, Dpach said:

No offence to the OP, but this is why anyone who wants to tow a trailer heavy enough to requiring trailer brakes should be required to take a course and have an endorsement on their license. Anyone towing a camper should at the bare minimum know there is such a thing as an weight distribution hitch (their safety and everyone else's on the road), along with how to properly set trailer brake gain on their controllers, learn how to effectively back a trailer, turn with a trailer, etc. I can't count the number of times I've seen a truck towing a camper and they don't even know what it does or how to set it, or they can't back it up more than 5 feet without losing it, cut corners too short and take the curbs with the trailer, etc.

Sorry for the rant. To the OP, please go to trailerlife.com and download their latest (2019) tow guide (will show trailer ratings for all vehicles of every make and model) and read the first number of pages and the last section in the book. It helps with knowledge on towing, things you need, what different technology is and does, etc.

Agreed, Try ti get some education before you go towing that trailer. Can you even tow safely with a 6" lift? Who knows if the suspension lift is rated for towing at all.

Kennewbike · December 10, 2019

On 12/4/2019 at 11:43 AM, Dpach said:

No offence to the OP, but this is why anyone who wants to tow a trailer heavy enough to requiring trailer brakes should be required to take a course and have an endorsement on their license. Anyone towing a camper should at the bare minimum know there is such a thing as an weight distribution hitch (their safety and everyone else's on the road), along with how to properly set trailer brake gain on their controllers, learn how to effectively back a trailer, turn with a trailer, etc. I can't count the number of times I've seen a truck towing a camper and they don't even know what it does or how to set it, or they can't back it up more than 5 feet without losing it, cut corners too short and take the curbs with the trailer, etc.

Sorry for the rant. To the OP, please go to trailerlife.com and download their latest (2019) tow guide (will show trailer ratings for all vehicles of every make and model) and read the first number of pages and the last section in the book. It helps with knowledge on towing, things you need, what different technology is and does, etc.

LOL, I assure you I know how to tow a trailer. I have my Class "AFMZ" drivers license and have driven transport trucks for 18 years, and now drive aerial Fire Trucks. I'm 44 yrs old and have likely driven more kms with a trailer behind me then most have a car. That being said, I should have known how much this trailer weighed. The man I bought it from that day told me it was around 7-8000lbs and I knew that my truck could tow far more then that. I've known how to set trailer brake gain since I started driving 26 years ago. lol

Edited December 10, 2019 by Kennewbike

AlaskaErik · December 11, 2019

On 12/3/2019 at 5:59 PM, CamGTP said:

His towing weight also went down because of the 6in lift and likely big tires.

Some people may ignore that but I surely wouldn't pull around 8,000-9,000lbs on a lifted truck with large tires and stock rear end gearing.

I totally agree. With all that extra weight there will have been a significant payload capacity reduction. Tongue weight is going to be over 1000 lbs, so he's way over payload capacity and tongue weight limit. I wouldn't pull a trailer that heavy with my truck, and I've got the 6.2 and max trailering package. 8000-9000 lbs is really 2500 territory simply due to the payload capacity issue. I know some will say their tow capacity is 9600 or 12,000 lbs, but that's a bragging rights number. With a 1500, you'll run out of payload capacity long before you'll run out of tow capacity.

oldmann · December 16, 2019

On 12/10/2019 at 6:36 PM, Kennewbike said:

LOL, I assure you I know how to tow a trailer. I have my Class "AFMZ" drivers license and have driven transport trucks for 18 years, and now drive aerial Fire Trucks. I'm 44 yrs old and have likely driven more kms with a trailer behind me then most have a car. That being said, I should have known how much this trailer weighed. The man I bought it from that day told me it was around 7-8000lbs and I knew that my truck could tow far more then that. I've known how to set trailer brake gain since I started driving 26 years ago. lol

But you don't know about using a weight distribution hitch for a camper. That should solve your problem. Also allow for at least 10% tongue weight. You will want sway control on your WD hitch too.