U-bolt flip + airbags

This is a big reason I haven't changed leaf packs yet. I wish someone was selling these...

 

Do you still have the specs for these plates? I'm going to DM you for more info.

 

I never really had any "specs" per-se. Nearly everything I do is in my head, and nearly all of what's in my head works out in the end.

Everything you need to DIY is in this thread. The pics explain the end shape, though I suppose I could elaborate a little more......

The airbags mount off-center to the leafs. No way around this. So I measured the centerline of bag and leaf, and then arranged the AP plate and the cradle overlapping until those CL measurements matched. That told me my blank size (10").
Then I traced the AP plate onto the blank, measured and set the cradle onto the now-AP-traced blank, and traced it over the previous tracing. I then went to work cutting only the exterior, non-overlapped traces.
After that I drilled the holes in the plate according to the AP plate tracings. Now that I had a final shape, I flipped the cradle upside-down, laid my finished plate onto it, and marked the recesses I needed to make in the cradle for the U-bolt nuts. I measured the depth of the nuts, and using a (now Forsner) bit +1/8" larger than the nut diameter, drilled out a recess in the bottom of the cradles +1/8" the depth of the nuts. I used a drill press to do this, as hand drilling was going to be nowhere close to the precision I needed.

I know it's a kinda long explanation, and it's probably a little confusing. But if you study my pics and read through a few times, you'll probably get the gist of it.

 

About the only updates I have to report are...
1. Now have a custom leafpack, MUCH better than the APex ones (a not as thick).
2. Still using the original prototype plates you see in this thread. Haven't made a single change to them at all, despite having had them off a few times. Even still the original paint......well, what's left of it.
3. If I put a micrometer on them, I have no doubt they have bent just a little. But not enough to verify by sight.
4. I have run so much weight on these that I had to replace my axle housing (turned it into a smiley face). Yeah- my axle housing bent, but not these plates. I guess I don't need gussets!
5. Absolutely zero issues with off-camber weight. My leafs have shifted a bit side-to-side, but that is because I'm running a shackle flip, and the leaf builder used the wrong front bushings (barrel style instead of shoulder style). Need to get those fixed sometime (story of my life).

I should really look into marketing these. Gawds know I need the damn money!!!!

 

Should offer a set with maybe another extension on the opposite side for an air bump. Id buy a set right now. Maybe go a touch thicker to ensure no bending under weight.

 

yea.... im gonna make something like this, im not giving up my ground cleareance and the airbags that arent connected on the botrtom are a no brainer

 

I've had Firestone bags on for years now - with the Daystars and a U-bolt flip. Still on the flimsy Toyota springs tho.
Added a Daystar mounting plate to the All-Pro spring clamp.

Welded the adapter in place at the necessary offset - and altered both the Daystars and one U-bolt each side.


When you do it this way, the stacked plates won't ever bend - even though cantilevered. Assembly is 7/8 thick at the critical point. The bump clearance is reduced and you have to run enough pressure in the bags to keep the air springs from becoming the bumpstop. On my truck - with a full cross-bed tool box and all the other crap I keep in the bed, its about 15 psi for everyday driving.


Bolts have been tight every time I checked. I've got a separate air feed to each bag.

 

Yeah, but going that route reduces the already-tight full-stuff clearances. Admittedly not by much, but there's not much Toyota gave us to start with. Though yes, yours is less likely to bend than mine, but mine has yet to bend, so

 

This might help.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/scott-b-s-2015-ac-build-expo-style.368814/page-12#post-19167175

 

Did you go through the thread?
My question was rhetorical, meant as a lead-off to a thread that answered my own question.