FireStone Ride-Rite Install question...

True, but it does require loosening the U bolts, not something most people want to get into

 

Good call on the truck stop, thanks for the tip.

I haven't had any luck yet, I tried a home depot and a lowes. I got an education on brass fittings by exploring the plumbing aisle though. I figured out the elbow shaped air fitting that screws into the air spring should be 1/8", my kit had a 1/4" male fitting. Neither place had a 1/8" elbow with a push connect fitting on the other side. Actually their 1/8" fitting selection was extremely limited.

Really what I needed was a 1/4" female to 1/8" male reducer so I could use the elbow fitting my ride rite kit came with. Neither place had one, but they did have the opposite 1/4" male to 1/8" female.

I found a brass 1/4" female to 1/8" male reducer on Amazon. I am going to call firestone on Monday morning to tell them they F'd up and ask them to expedite me the correct fittings. Depending on how that goes, I might just order the reducers from Amazon, and try and get this install done next weekend.

I will post up some results when I am done. My main reason for ordering these is that I tow a 17' Casita travel trailer with a 3500 GVWR and 380lb tongue weight. That tongue weight with another 100-150 lbs in the back drops the back end pretty good. I have the stock leaf peak.

 

Hey Zach,

since you are on a holding pattern until you get the right fittings.... You might want to upgrade those POS bolts. The ones that came with mine are trash (just like yours and others). I broke one of those bolts as I was getting it tight. I went to ACE and some quality stainless bolts, nuts and washers.

The included bolts will bend and weaken as you get those bags secured to your truck.

Cheers

 

I might have to do that this week then, those bolts will be handling a lot of force.
I called Firestone this morning, and they are sending me the correct fittings. The guy said I should have them before the weekend, so that works for me. He asked for the date and packed by info from the box.

 

also:
1. Bump stops are dirt cheap
2. they have the little hooks on the sides to help keep the U bolts perfectly in place. I'm sure not needed, but they seem to serve 2 purposes.

 

So.....I take it this was sarcasm because of the neg rep? Or was it someone else?

Big rigs do have air brakes and use these type of fittings. So yes truck stops will have them. Big truck stops will have a large selection of things you see on trucks also. Small marker lights, cb antennas and interior knick knacks.

 

No sarcasm at all man! I appreciated the suggestion. No negative rep given by me.

I had missed my weekend install window, so I ended up finding what i needed on Amazon. I just got a couple 3/8" to 1/8" brass reducers.

 

I ended up getting my firestone ride-rite kit installed last weekend. As I said above, I ended up getting some reducers so that I could use the incorrectly sized fittings.
Fitting on the left, reducer on the right:



Here is the fitting and reducer screwed into the air spring. The increased height with the reducer didn't cause a clearance issue once installed. I was concerned about adding another potential for leaks with the reducer, but i didn't have any. I used thread sealant on the reducer's male threads going into the spring.



I used the bandsaw suggestion and used my shopsmith to cut the bump stumps. I tried the hacksaw first for about 5 seconds, and thought f this, I am taking these things off. The rubber gunked up the blade pretty bad, so factor that in if you have a bandsaw. It was still worth it for me though.



Here are a couple pics with 15lbs unladen. I forgot to measure the height before. In the next week I will hook up my camper for some before and after pics with some weight on it.



My tires are pretty small. 255 70(?)r16. They were on the truck when I bought it a couple years ago.



I am happy with the kit. I was disappointed that the air fittings were the wrong size. I understand mistakes happen though. Unfortunately, firestone didn't handle it well. I called them on Monday 06/17. They said they would be sending air fittings. I asked for expedited shipping. The guy said they ship out US Mail but assured me I would have them by the weekend. I got the fittings from them today, Wednesday the 26th. The big rub, the bulk stamp shows a date of 06/24. So they shipped them out a week later on Monday.

I'm over it though, and am looking forward to the next time I tow. Thanks for the previous write ups and all the suggestions everyone.

One last thing. I hate to admit it, but this install took me 5 hours.

 

At what rate do most of your bags lose air? I know you have to keep 5psi in at all times, how often do you have to fill to maintain that?

 

My next mod. I will add extra tank so I can pump tires up and use air tools.

 

My box was also assembled on 5/2/13 and had the incorrect fittings. I couldn't find adapters locally, so I just ordered to correct fittings. I could have gone through Firestone, but figured it would be less stressful if I just did it myself. With shipping, it was an $8 order from Airbagit for the correct parts. I should have them by the 1st.

 

If you go to a salvage yard, look for old Caddys that had compressors on board. About $12. last I knew plus hose, fittings and gauge will get out much less than the kit being sold for these bags.

I will be putting a set of these on my 2008 AC OR, probably this fall. Thanks to the OP and those who supplied photos in this thread.

 

I've put bags on 2 Tacomas. Both Tacomas leaked down over time after the install. I had to go back over everything twice with soapy water on the 1st and once on the 2nd - since then they are pretty much leak proof. Due to hauling/towing/softening for offroading with both trucks, I'm changing the air pressure at least once every 2-3 weeks, air pressure is never any different than the last time I checked it.

David

 

Mine never loose air. I put 5 psi in there after I put my camper trailer away for the winter and I don't have to touch the pressure for months until I go to pick up my trailer again. I have the Firestone compressor mounted under the hood and the pressure gauge mounted under the dash so I can see the pressure in the bags all the time - it never moves. Well the pressure gauge bounces all over the place on a bumpy road as the bags are flexing but the static pressure doesn't change. Whatever they use for that red hose and those fittings is good stuff.

 

Ditto, I haven't lost any that I could ever tell and I've had mine one for two years

 

Just want to add to this thread, I am currently moving from Disgusta, GA to Tacoma, WA. The airbags are doing a superb job. I am towing a 14 ft TT and the trk is also loaded. The scale wt ticket says I am just shy of 4k pounds total. Those bags sure make a difference. Like night and day difference. I have pics. Will post some later after I eat dinner and do some prev maint to my rig. Oh, the Taco is holding its place with the big boys. Best add on ever for the Taco. Cheers.

 

Nice! Look forwards to some pics

 

It looks like the pics will have to wait � having issues loading them on photobucket ����������

 

I also had the wrong air fittings shipped with my airbag kit. I found a suitable replacement at Lordco, and they worked fine.

 

Anyone thought about hooking up a gauge to the air line?
Was thinking about a T in the line on each side then hooking that to a gauge for each side.

That would cut down on needed to check then and make for a fast fill level/air up.

I put my valve in each side of the bed in the storage boxes. Would be easy to add a gauge there.