Not really. While the air will move from bag to bag the pressures will remain the same.

 

Yes really.
With an isolated system the leeward bag is compressed raising the air pressure preventing more compression. If you vent the air to the windard bag you loose the extra support.
I will overfill my leeward bag by 10 or more psi when I know the wind direction and my travel direction is relatively constant.
On the rare ocassion of no wind, I add 5 psi to the curbside bag to compensate for road crown.

 

I got re-thinking your situation.
Gusting winds are rocking your trailer which in turn pushes on your truck. I think a sway bar is better.
I based my original comments on the fact I haul and tow. I haul a non-aerodynamic flying brick of a truck camper. Most of my hauling is 14' or 16' enclosed trailers. Without the camper, I don't notice the trailers are affected by wind (except in fuel consumption) not does it translate to my truck. With your flying brick aerodynamics transferred to the trailer I imagine it does push the truck around the road.

edit
Have you looked at any ride/sway control options for your trailer?

 

Thanks. i appreciate the input. I do not think there are any options for my trailer since it is a fiver.

 

You said it makes it worse, but it won't.

 

Airbags can't and won't help with crosswind stability. As alluded to earlier, you need something that correlated the motion of passenger's side of the truck with that of the driver's side.

The sway bar is the best way to do this. It DOES make the ride a little stiffer when empty, and you lose some flex for offroading. Neither of these is a factor for you, obviously.

My truck has a factory rear sway bar. It works well, but almost ALL the sway bars fitted to these rear ends are too small. Sway bar sizing is a compromise. The thicker you make it, the more effective it is at controlling sway, but it also makes for a more rigid rear end that will be less compliant.

I don't know what you are willing to give up to enhance towing stability in crosswinds, but here's what to look for in a sway bar:

-- the end links should be as far from the truck's centerline as possible. This increases the leverage the bar has on the axle in combating sway.
-- Make sure that the bar has adequate cross sectional area relative to the lever arm. This will increase the bar's life for a given torsional spring rate.

 

I think he meant worse than individually plummed bags.

They do help, as the wind pushes you it compresses the bag, the spring rate increases and slows the compression, then goes back to its static height... this is why you dont want to plumb the bags as one.


And a sway bar shouldn't have an effect on ride quality on the street. The only time it would affect ride was if you were always running one tire over something the other wasn't hitting. But this doesn't happen in 99% of driving. A sway bar is neutral when the axle is compressed equally on both sides...

On several of my previous rigs I had quick disconnects on my sway bars, and would sometimes remove them completely for months at a time, the only effect was on roll, ride never changed.

 

DRW will help you in the crosswind,alot,but maybe you are attached to your truck?
I don't think airbags or swaybars are going to help much,but thats just my .02

 

Rear sway bar should help with overall stability, including wind, across the board.
The rear air bags, biggest benefit, is increased weight carrying capability, coupled with good ride with the weight. You can also level your load.
There may be other benefits, but these are the main ones.
Dually also helps, as does increased tire prsuure. My 3500 has factory rear bar, it tows very, very well.

 

Thanks for all the input. I think at this point, I will order the Hellwig sway bar. THEN, when I get a heavier rv someday, I will add the air bags. I was going to do just the bags and kill 2 birds with one stone if the the bags would do the trick. Doesn't sound like they will. PCM

 

In all this discussion we missed a low hanging fruit, tires (I already mentioned shocks). No, not the count as in single versus training wheels.
Do you have good tires on the rear? Good tires plus premium shocks will make a world of difference in the handling for towing, hauling, or both.

The sway bar should help a lot. I'm planning to add a sway bar this spring to compliment my air bags. I needed bags first because of the camper weight.

Another thought is have you checked the pin weight?

 

My pin weight is OK at around 1500 lbs. The tires are Michelin LTX A/S 265 70/R17 that came on the truck. No rot (the original were replaced when delivered due to rot). I keep the front at60lbs and the rear at 72 which is above the door placard for the load. I don't have a real bad issue with the winds, just trying to make it the best ride. PCM

 

Any air bag system will always help in towing and/or hauling. Comparing an independant versus an isolated system, yes. Isolated is much better than common especially when you load one side higher either manually (me) or with the overpriced in cab dual control system both bag manufacturers offer. This really is noticed with a truck camper. The weight is nothing compared to the profile in a wind.

 

I think just about everyone is saying they will.

 

They will what? Get a sway bar? If so, ordered mine tonight. pcm