Installed: Firestone Ride Rite Air Bags

Yes they will provide the lift...not sure how stiff that would make things. On my Tundra, 10psi puts a fairly loaded truck back to stock height and the ride isn't bad at all.

 

I run about 12 psi for daily use and about 15 to 17 depending on which trailer I use. At 12 psi my truck sits about 3/4 inches higher and over a inch at 17 psi but personally I find 17 is too bouncy unloaded. I do have a ARE cap so obviously it is going to create more sag.

 

I've set mine at 20 and leave it. Raises the back and I don't notice it being a bad ride. When it's loaded, the truck sits level.

 

this is actually just mocked for now, what i did: T split from 2 air bags, one line going to front, inside cab. Line is then split into 2 using another T split. one line goes to airpump, another goes to side fo seat for deflation.

this guage and switch was a cheap airpump i broke down adn mounted in side of seat. Switch turns on pump, ads air, valve deflates. gauge tells pressure in bags. cheap!

 

Thats cool. Now do mine

 

Yeah except with a t in the line, you're losing the ability to level side to side or reduce sway when hauling. Since you're allowing the air to transfer between bags.
I guess it's fine depending on your use but generally it isn't a good idea if you're hauling a lot of weight in the bed.

 

Here's where I installed my filler valve. Only about half an inch protrudes through the fame , so chances of it being struck by a foreign object is limited. If it does good thing I have an extra one so I'm not worried about it. As you can tell from the pics I ran the tubing over the frame cross member. I protected the air line by putting some 1/4 inch rubber fuel line over it. The rubbers fits nice and tight! Haha.

Also Iv adjusted the pressure to 10 psi on driver and 5 on passenger side. Doing this compensates for the taco lean. I have exactly 1/4 inch rake.

 

Passenger side





Driver side

 

I installed my valves through the bumper on either side of the license plate, easy access.

This time of year, I am regularly carrying about 200 lbs. -- RTT and bed rack plus a Thule hitch bike carrier -- and keep mine at 15 psi. Add camping gear and I go up to 20 psi.

I just use a bike pump. I thought about the onboard air, but didn't want a T in the line (bad idea), and I don't have to change air pressure that much. I know when I am going to have to, so I just take a bike pump with me (I usually have one with me anyway).

This is one of the best things I have done to my truck (I really like the RedLine hood struts, too, but just because they are cool).

 

I just installed my airbags last night on my 2013 DC Prerunner.
I bought it from the dealer with a slight lift already installed.

Looks to be about a 1.5" block under the rear springs providing the rear lift.
You can see how the leg on the bottom plate for the airbag does not rest on the axle.
I plan on engineering something up to bridge the gap.



Do you guys think it's a big deal?
Does the support on your bottom plate actually touch the axle on your installations?

 

Yes, you want that bracket to be supported by the axle housing.
You want to yank that block out and install an add-a-leaf (AAL), or pull the blocks and leafs and get a new leaf pack.
Blocks do add height, but they break leafs and bend u-bolts.
The air-bag bracket will bend under load and more than likely snap the (edit:u-bolts) carriage bolts holding the bracket on.

 

I've looked a the other installation pics and while the "leg" of the bottom bracket is closer to the axle it still is not in contact.
I think I'll be Okay but i'll modify my bracket legs just to be safe.

As far as "block breaking leafs" I disagree.
I have had many set-up's with various blocked and non-blocked configurations over the years.
The block surface area is the same as the spring perch so I don't attribute spring breakage to blocks.
I attribute it to just overall abuse and either over-loading or over flexing the suspension.

Blocks can contribute to bending u-bolts but if that happens your u-bolts were probably undersized for your use and abuse.
YMMV

Add a leafs, well,... they suck. I hate them.
If I was to do something with the leafs I buy a new spring pack from Old Man Emu and be done with it.
AAL's provide a ridiculously hard ride when unloaded. These air-bags are the way to go.

 

I have to agree that AALs have a very narrow use range, but with your current setup, and not knowing your budget, I was giving you other options.

If you can afford it, replacing the leaf pack is the best way to go.

As for your opinion on lift blocks, I'm don't feel motivated enough to explain it to you, but using them is not in your best interest.

You may as well just do this:


http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyota-truck-4runner/454062-toyota-budget-lift.html#post5225839

 

That, of course, is an extreme example and in that situation I agree with you 100%.

My blocks are about 1.5" tall and do not produce the same forces as those ridiculous blocks.
I don't plan on doing any more mods to this truck but if I were i'd go with a new spring pack.

 

For you guys that are running the craddles, have you noticed any plate slap when going over bumps? I get a clacking sound from whenever I hit a decent bump in the road with them at 5 psi unloaded. Anything more than 5psi feels like I have a spring board back there without any weight in the bed.

RJM

 

Maybe if I hit a speed bump too fast. My Tundra is always loaded and doesn't go play in the whoops so I really haven't noticed any plate slap. Usually when I get enough droop to pull the bag out of the cradle I'm crawling in 4 low so it isn't an issue.

 

Yes they click or clack but what do you expect when a metal plate hits the plastic cup? I have tens of hours of wheeling with about 500 pounds of tools parts etc fully extended frequently and it is no big deal.

 

Ok guys I have a question I'm hoping someone in here can answer. My dad has ride rites on his 2012 prerunner with roughly 500-1000 pounds in the bed depending on the day and what he's carrying. The airbags hold the weight well but the shocks are no match. There is not nearly enough dampening. What shocks should he get. I have 5100's in the rear on my taco but I can't compare because I can't hold that much weight with my all pro standards. So are 5100's good or are their any better options?

 

Seriously? Have you gone to any vendor sites or looked through any of the bazillion other threads on suspension?
Billies are an upgrade over stock, OMEs are larger ports than Billies, and there are 2-1/2 diameters from Icon just to name a few. Larger diameters can handle bigger loads and larger ports provide a smoother ride. There are also multi shock/strut solutions.

 

I wouldn't have asked if I had already found an answer. Of course I've looked around on here and on vendors sites but thanks for the douche bag comment. This information isn't readily available which is why I asked. It seems to me that you know more about shocks then I could find so I'm glad you wanted to share your knowledge.