Air Bags with a B&W turn over ball?

[SSage]

I'm adding a GN hitch to my 95 3500 and I was thinking about adding air bags too. On the 2003, the B&W wraps all the way around the frame, is the 2nd gen the same? How do you mount air bags with the B&W?

 

[CumminsPower98]

Well the way I did it may not be ideal and took some work but things work ok. The GN hitch rails are bolted to the outsides of the frame and the upper air bag brackets have to go over the top of these. The biggest problem is that the hitch makes the top bracket too low so I had to cut a notch out where the GN cross bar sticks out and then add in a piece of angle iron to put the strength back into the air bag bracket. I know without a picture you won't be able to fully understand what I mean since I'm not much good at explaining it. Probably the best solution would be to remove the overload springs if you have them. This way there would be plenty of room for the air bags without having to raise the upper bracket. Also I had to use some spacers in spots where it was hanging over the edge of the hitch rails. Sorry I don't have pictures of all this and I can't get any very easy either because of the wheel well liners.

 

[KSears]

I thought I had read here and from some dealers that sold air bags that the B&W hitch had no interference problems, that the top bracket only bolted to where the bump stops were mounted. Sounds as if that might not be the case. I am considering air bags, not so much for weight but to firm up the ride with a load. If anyone has any imput on this ,would appreciate it.

 

[Jumbo Jet]

KSears - you are CORRECT for the Gen III models.



It's the Gen II models that mount differently. On the Gen II's, you can drill the frame and that is how the upper airbag mounts are attached.

 

[SSage]

Thanks, I guess drilling will work. You drill through the B&W mounts and the trucks frame?

 

[Jumbo Jet]

Mine is a Gen III and I have not installed both on a Gen II.

 

[CumminsPower98]

Yes you have to drill through both the hitch rails and the frame. There is one spot I dropped a spacer in between the frame and the hitch rail so it wouldn't bend the plate into the frame. I didn't run the bolt through this piece, I just dropped it in there and tightened things down and it works fine.

 

[Turbo Thom]

The one's I ordered here at the shop was bent to fit the B&W plates. Kinda bent on an offset.



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