"Official" Firestone RideRite + Lift Thread

Firestone makes brackets for their own kits. They are bolt on and are pretty cheap if I remember correctly. I made some out of spring steel, I had an extra set of scrap leaf springs sitting around. Just drilled a hole in the Firestone bracket and bolted the scrap steel to it. No issues in the last 4ish months.

 

the Firestone spacers looks like they run $60+

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...rite-lift-thread.279865/page-33#post-21733796

 

I use these as fill valves connected to a manifold supplied by either compressor & tank or HP paintball cylinder & low pressure regulator. They allow air flow in either direction when open but because of how they are made only seal against pressure in one direction(a very light spring closes unless the solenoid pulls it open) so they would not be good for articulation unless used in tandem with the pressure side towards each bag. I get about a week before I need to add air running ~45 psi.
Any pressure differential greater than the spring on the non spring side will push them open. Excess pressure on the spring side leaks very slowly.

To hold air in the bags install with the flow arrow pointing to the supply rather than the air bags.

If you want truly airtight electric valving you need to go to motorized ball valves which are 4x as big and 8x more costly. I use one but only to supply the manifold so the tank doesn’t leak.

 

No tank, no compressor, no electric wizardry in mine. Just a ball check valve, two Schraders, and a small bike pump. I just have to get out and flip the valve open/closed.




Although, my laziness wants a tank, compressor, and electric wizardry.

 

I have other uses for the air besides the bags so it made sense to include more control. The wizardry was for fun.

 

Love it!

 

For anyone looking for a way to monitor pressure - I’m going to try these (I’m sure there’s plenty of other equivalents)- for $44 seems worth a shot. Bluetooth pressure sensor. Would be great if could feed into scan guage like the regular tires but a phone app should be pretty straight forward. https://www.amazon.com/BARTUN-Bluet...gid=pla-782493898962&ref=&adgrpid=74547732412

 

I don’t need someone hacking my suspension.

 

anyone break a daystar cradle? because I did

 

Not me. Cracked on impact? What happened?

 

i had a slow leak on the passenger bag, went flat without me knowing/ripped, then i noticed the cradle was busted so id assume the top mount hit it hard on something. it looks like there's a cheaper knockoff version of daystars now on Amazon so it's a 20$ fix for one, thankfully.

i just wish the bags were that cheap, ha!

 

Can you cut open the Firestone airbag and confirm they are not internal bump stops? I assume not since you broke the Daystar cradle. I know some Firestones are internally bumped as well as some Air Ride bags.

 

Firestone recommends keeping at least 5 psi in the bags because they do not have internal bump stops.

since I'm here, I'll post this:



OME HD Dakar leaf pack, Firestone Ride Rite bags, Daystar Cradles, and a Four Wheel Campers Granby 8 foot camper - modified to fit in a Tacoma.

 

I hate to ask this question BUT...... I have read through most of the threads, even the 1st 2 pages. What is the purpose of the cradles? Is just for off roading? Or is there something I am missing? I dont get it. Please dont flame me to bad, help a guy out...

Thanks

I found this
"

Product description


Did you know you lose up to 20 percent of your suspension travel when installing a set of convoluted airbags on the rear of your truck? Daystar has the answer to this problem: The

$93 KU09140BK , Made in America, Black

KU09140BK Universal Air Bag Cradle. This unique product will recover your lost suspension travel while keeping all the benefits you want in a set of air bags!

 

Bags installed without cradles per Firestone's directions are attached to the frame on one end and the axle on the other. That's OK for on-road or low-suspension-flex. Off-road may experience more flex (extension) than the bags are built for and damage them. With the cradle, the bag is attached only to the frame, and rests in the cradle on the axle side. High flex doesn't result in over-stretched bags.

Butt

 

Thank you for that great explanation. I do not really off road so I didn't get the purpose of them.

 

What's the solution for those who have u-bolt flip kits?

 

Mount cradle to the bump pad, bag to frame.