Firestone Ride Rite's Installed

Threw on some Ride Rite's yesterday. Non-Tsb 3-leaf pack, stock suspension. Plan to do some towing (boat, travel trailer, etc.) in the near future so I picked these up for Christmas. Even at the min. 5psi, it definitely lifts the back end a bit. Took it for a test drive last night with 40 psi in each and the dude in the camaro at the light did not appreciate my lights shinning all up in his shit. Looks goofy pumped up with no load in the back but damn good to know I have em' when I need em.

 

i have been looking at this set up for myself. how have they been towing, if you have used them?

 

Haven't towed with them yet, only had loads in the back. You can do a search, especially in the towing section and find tons of great reviews of these bags while towing.

Really enjoying them so far though for the loads ive hauled.

 

They work great. I put a set on my 2011 last year. I have a Leer shell and tow a Casita 17SD. I usually carry quite a bit of work related stuff in the Toyota, saws, rigging, lots of gas and oil in 5 gallon cans and other misc. heavy stuff.

I usually stay in the woods all week while I'm working so the trailer leaves home with a full water tank and lots of groceries.

I've never weighed it...kinda scared to...but it's a big load. The most air I've ever put in the bags to level the back of the pickup was 25 lbs. That's with the Casita hooked on. The bags don't seem to add any sway for feeling of back-end "walk". They're very stable.

I had the rear spring tsb done....mostly because it was free...but I really think that the air bags make it unnecessary. I installed them myself and the only major problem was cutting the bump stops off with a damn dull hack saw...I should have known better.

Try 'em.

 

I installed my Firestone's shortly after I bought the truck. It really helped the towing stability out a lot. As for cutting the old bump stops I used a saws-all only problem then was all the smoke and mess. It did make short work of them though.

 

I'm planning to do this same install myself. Please let us know how the towing is improved.

 

just did the Air Lift ride control set on my 03 yesterday. 20lbs make it ride tail high!
next friday get to see how it tows.

 

Thanks a lot for the feedback!
i guess that settles it and i will watch for a deal show up on them.

 

I'm wondering if I can fit these on my reg cab that's lowered I only want it pumped up when I'm hauling my streetbike in the back. Will these even fit if my rear is lowered three inches??

 

I haven't a clue. Maybe you could measure the space that you have from the top of the axle (where the bumpstop is) to the frame and one of us could measure ours deflated and maybe it could work but IDK.

 

Yes, awesome is the word

 

That's what I did, IIRC there was an angle grinder involved too, saves the trouble of pulling the U-Bolts off to get the bumpstops out.

 

I'm going to say doubtful because the bags do require that some air be in them all the time and even 10 psi picks up my bed a little.

That said - if you had the time/equipment you could probably fab a bracket for it to mount to a little higher than the bottom of the frame and make it work. There is always a way if you have enough tools and time.

 

true true i was thinking the same thing because you cant leave them flat, they wont fit in there. I saw somthing that did mount to the side of the frame and farther back than the u bolts but i cant actually find it online, saw a picture of it next to the ride rights on some site. i donno guess ill do some searching