Airbags install.

I broke (or wore out) the rear springs on my '04. It was 4 years of hard use on OME springs (with extra leaf) so it was not unexpected. The timing was...I was at the starting line for the red clay rally when my fiancee pointed out the truck was not level. The rear passenger side was 2" lower then the driver side. The springs were W shaped.

Took the old springs out and put in new springs (without the extra leaf). In order to adjust ride height with/without roof top tent, trailer, gear, and other stuff, I decided to put in air bags.

Firestone bags and daystar baskets to allow for full droop.

Since I boxed in the rear frame, I could not reach the mounting for the upper brackets...so I welded them to the frame.

While test fitting I couldn't get the basket to move far enough out board so I added a small 3/16 spacer plate. It made everything line up nice.

Here is the progress so far.



Hopefully this weekend I will get the bags in and the airlines plumbed and gauges installed.

 

Oh and the sway when turning left was terrible. Turning right was normal.

I bought this gauge

Air Suspension Pressure Gauge 2" 52mm Smoked Lens Dual Digital Max 290 PSI with 2PCS 5 Meters Electronic Sensors for Air Ride Pressure Suspension Systems (Blue)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08K9CH679/
and these tee fittings to pumping the gauge

$27 PneumaticPlus Air Supsension Push-in Lock Fitting, Union Tee 1/4" Tube DOT Approved (Pack of 5)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DJY8QQD/

Not sure where I am mounting the gauge.

 

Lookin Good so far. I'm not sure the brand or type but my dad had airbags on his, now my, Truck. They were installed by a reputable source (a long time friend of his) I can take reference pictures if that will help you. Only thing I dont have is the gauge. There's a tire schrader valve on the bumper for to raise/lower them.

 

Bolted the bags in place last night (in the 10 minutes between finishing work and having to leave for the night).

Plumbing should happen this weekend.

 

Question about T-fitting. It is cool to pump both airbags at the same time but then they are not separated, right. So what happens on the turn when trucks put more pressure on the outward airbag than the inward? In theory the extra force will push the air from outward airbag to inward increasing the lean? Is this correct or there ar some valves that not allow to flow the air between airbags while driving? At the same thinking with T-fitting it is impossible to have one airbag higher pressure than the other for compensating uneven load, right?

 

I am using the tees to plumb in gauges so I can know the air pressure in each bag. I am not connecting the two airbags together for the reasons you list. If they are plumbed together then air will move from one to the other and will make the ride worse. The kit comes with 2 valves so the bags are filled separately, and says to connect them separately. I think a line connecting the two air bags would be a bad idea.

 

Thanks for the explanation. I was always wondering why they sell Tees - it did not make sense to me. Like the one from Amazon about Firestone 3025 1/4" Union Tee Tubing:



I have set of Firestone airbags to be installed in my truck as soon as I have some time for it, so I'm glad to see your thread about that.

 

I am happy to be able to set pressure in each bag to be able to level for the roof top tent when I park on uneven ground. Left to right leveling will be a breeze, and no moore need to carry blocks or find rocks to stack to sleep level.

The air valves are mounted and one is plumbed. Second one is half plumbed. Had to take the tail light out to access the back side to out the valves in.

 

I have a compressor mounted under the hood and an air connection on the front bumper. Since it keeps getting covered in mud and I will mostly use the air at the bed of the truck, to pressurize water tanks, fill tires, fill bike tires, inflate toys, and now to fill airbags, I mounted a rear air connection.

Hopefully it comes in useful on the next trip.

 

3.5 inches of height adjustment with nothing in the bed (except fridge and bed cover).

Hope to get the gauges mounted next week, or next weekend.

 

We did some minor offroading last weekend and the bags did great.
We did some camping and the bags did a GREAT job leveling up the truck to use the roof top tent.

I love them so much I am looking to add some to the front.

 

Do you have a list of parts for this setup? I’ve been thinking of installing air bags too but I’m not sure what I need to do it.

 

I used kit 2304 from Firestone Ride-Rite bought from https://www.truckspring.com/products/firestone/ride-rite-air-spring-kit-2304.aspx

That has everything that is needed. I did some additional stuff with the compressor I already had mounted and gauges (listed above).

 

Note: Firestone recommends the following for TRDs: "Use spacer kit 2366 with HD or TRD package"

https://www.firestoneip.com/kit-search/

I run that setup on our truck for when I put our small camper on it.

 

I used this

$74 Daystar, Air Bag Cradle designed for full suspension travel, Fits All 6" diameter convoluted Air Bags, fits any full size of half ton truck, 2/4WD, KU09140BK, Made in America, Black

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0084ROJBM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 instead of the spacer kit.

 

What are you thoughts on air back cradles like these?
https://www.daystarweb.com/product/air-bag-cradle-polyurethane-black

 

Those are the same ones I used, I just got mine from Amazon. They are working great so far.

 

Interesting. I might try those. The Firestone spacers make the rear suspension ride harder than stock with even 5psi of air in the bags.