"Official" Firestone RideRite + Lift Thread

Thanks all for your help. I got a Firestone tech on the phone yesterday, and they confirmed there is no "internal bumpstop", but the rubber body is designed to act as one when it bunches up on itself under full compression. That is designed to come into play before the shocks bottom out on a stock suspension. He said it would be pretty unpleasant when it happens. They also told me there should be 4.5"-5.5" between the upper and lower brackets for a static ride height. He thought I should try running way more air, like 20-25 PSI unloaded.

 

Sounds like there’s not enough space between the frame and spring pack causing them to bottom out.

I just ordered mine, looking forward to installing them

 

Cutting the bump stops is not required, and is a messy job at best. You could have simply removed them and stashed them on a shelf for possible future use.

 

Used a sawzall, took seconds & not very messy, a little rubber powder that an air gun took care of easily.

 

With stock leaves, topper, and a bed full of tools in/under platform and drawer I need around 20 psi minimum and more as the load increases. Below that it's obviously under sprung and was always bottoming out on the stops before I added the air bags. Carrying a load of broken up concrete it took 65psi to level but rode very nicely though I did make sure to avoid any big hits. They really excell at leveling with different load weights but if I didn't need that aspect a heavier spring pack would be a simpler alternative. Considering that everything you add to the truck decreases payload it's nice to have such a low weight alternative to a more massive set of springs.

 

I explored the option of buying the “extensions” for the bottom mounts since I’m running TSB springs with a 3 leaf add a leaf and 1/2” blocks.

Came up with this for about 1/3rd of the price. 3/16” L brackets from the local hardware store cut to fit + 3/8” grade 8 flange bolts.







Little more surface area than just flat stock.


I’ve seen people mount the heat shield on both the top and bottom brackets, which is correct? I feel like mounting it to the top bracket so it hangs down doesn’t give you a spot for dirt/shit to collect and sit.

 

The heat shield is mounted between the airbag & the exhaust pipe.

 

i run about that much PSI in mine, i have a shell, HC bumper with loaded swing-out on stock leafs and 1.5" block. Rides fine, same as before all the weight.

 

Thats an interesting solution. Seems like it will work fine. I just cut off some scrap steel i had and welded it on, lol. 10 mins extra maybe, lol

 

Sorry I didn't read the all the pages,

Question?

Is anybody using the Daystar cradles have a bump or clatter noise when the bags bottom out or touches the cradles?

I had the bags installed but with stock leaf springs always bottom out, if I fill the bags to prevent bottoming out looks like a 70's muscle car and rode rough.

When I changed the leaf spring to Dakars the gap was too big to reach the top of frame and top leaf springs.

I noticed some are using spacers to bridge the gap but I was wondering if the cradles do the job.

Thanks

 

No clatter noise in my experience, but then, I don't treat my truck as if it was indestructible.

The bags won't bottom out if you keep a minimum of 5# as instructed by Firestone.

Cradles do not modify the height of the bag, but rather, cradles allow full travel of the springs, useful in off road as well as to allow the axle to hang free while the frame is on jack stands, without damage to the bags.

An add-on vertical spacer is used on the cantilevered bottom mount to reach the axle when using additional or aftermarket spring leaves. The mounting height of the bottom mount itself remains the same, with or without a cradle.

 

Best solution is always have at least 5 pounds of air in the bags as recommended (mine takes more due to the amount of stuff I always carry in the bed) - but yes the Daystar part is 3/4 of an inch thick and it is stacked under the bag. That extra stack height reduces the available "UP" travel before you reach a stop.

Jacking up the truck will show you that its possible to droop the spring enough to unseat the bag from the Daystar pocket - but I don't jump mine.

 

Finally got the RideRite kit and the Air Lift manifold installed. Using the Daystar cradles.

 

Just ordered my kit, Amazon dropped it sub $300 (barely) so I went for it.

I have a Viair 400p, and have been considering converting it to hard mount in the right rear fender. I know this compressor will do the job for inflation of my bags, but I am hesitant to loose my portability.

It dawned on me that I also have an old, seldom used Viair 70p rated at 100psi/1.02cfm. It’s about worthless for filling up 32’s, but I’m wondering if it’ll do the job for the airbags.

Thoughts on using the 70p as a hard mounted “oba” for filling bags?

On edit: looks like the 70p surpasses the specs for the Firestone branded compressor with their riderite leveling kit.

 

The 70P is probably the best you'll find for airbags exactly because of the small volume capability, you have better control of the pressure. Something else, I would consider hooking both bags together rather than separate systems if only for convenience. Mine are separate, and one day when I feel ambitious, will connect them.

 

Connecting the bags lets air flow between them. This arrangement is sub optimal for cornering or uneven pavement. To me, the convenience of one fill point isn't worth performance degradation. I have OBA, but I've never connected it to my airbags because it just adds more connections that can potentially leak. I only have to fill/adjust mine every few months so it's not worth it.

 

The truck is used extensively for the Overlanding stuff. I am concerned about what the previous poster stated about cross filling bags during higher speed maneuvering.

The bags are replacing the current Timbrens, as I really want some articulation back in the rear end. There will be a electric valve between the bags to allow for air transfer or balancing when desired. An extra T and Schroeder valve will be near the compressor for built in redundancy if the electric valve fails.

 

What can also be done should cornering performance be an issue, is to install a restrictor between the two sides, which would maintain equal pressure while preventing loading one side at the expense of the other.

 

Not too worried about pressure, more about the volume.

 

It seems like you won't want the pressure equalizer active while driving. Maybe control it via a solenoid so you can open it while you fill the system and both fill to the same. Otherwise as the inside wheel unweights in a corner its going to transfer some of the air to that side and soften the other side.