The TrailerSaver Air-ride hitch as been around for more than a decade now, and is still the #1 rated air-ride hitch on the market. As always, though, other companies will try to improve on a great idea. The most recent attempt has been through something called AirCell Core Technology.

AirCell Core Technology

Remember when foam was supposed to replace air in our tires? A funny thing happened along the way…it didn’t work. Some ideas, no matter how hyped up or hi-tech they may seem, are often no match for tried and true simplicity. Such is the case with air-ride hitches. Manufacturers of have experimented with a number of “new” technologies to replace air (which, apparently, is in short supply). Whether you call it foam, Air Cell, or Jell-O, it always falls short of the mark.

Why?

For those of you who remember your basic chemistry, air will always compress under pressure, then immediately expand once the pressure is released. Imagine the downward pressure on your 5th wheel hitch as you hit a bump. The air-bags will compress under the added pressure. As you return to the level road surface, the air-bags immediately expand to their previous level.

Now imagine what would happen if you were to replace the air with foam, Air Cell technology, or some other solid material. Those substances are made to absorb impact and are often used in vehicle bumpers. However, they’re not made to return quickly to their former shape. Used in a 5th wheel hitch, Air Cells perform nicely at the first bump, but remain compressed. After several bumps, they reach maximum compression and remain their until you unhook, at which point they’ll slowly regain their shape. If you’ve ever pushed your hand into a block of foam and watched how it holds the imprint, you know what we mean. In fact, a quick Google search of “Air Cell Core Technology” reveals numerous companies producing the product for packaging and build insulation, but never for suspension systems, which is what is required in a 5th wheel hitch.

So remember, simplicity is almost always a better solution. And what can be simpler than air?

Air-bag Inlfation

As long as we’re on the subject of air-ride hitches, a common myth (often spread around by competitors) is that it is necessary to deflate the air-bags when hooking or unhooking from your trailer. This is absolutely false. When using your TrailerSaver air-ride hitch, you will inflate the air-bags the very first time you install your hitch and hook up the trailer. After that, you simply leave it alone. Hooking up is actually easier than typical 5th wheel hitches because of the Hensley head design and 4-way articulation.

For more information on air-ride hitches, download our free white paper by clicking here.