1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

2014 tacoma airbags bottoming out

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by Dwrat, Oct 16, 2014.

  1. Oct 16, 2014 at 11:55 AM
    #1
    Dwrat

    Dwrat [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Member:
    #130114
    Messages:
    74
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Dan
    Phoenix
    Vehicle:
    2014 TRD 4X4
    I installed firestone 2407 airbags on my 2014 Tacoma and now it bottoms out on dips and speed bumps with 5-10 psi.
    I think the clearance between the top of the leaf spring and the frame has been reduced by the bags and brackets.
    I'm sure i can fill the bags up higher but it makes the truck sit to high.
    Any ideas out there about this problem?
    Thanks
    Dan
     
  2. Oct 16, 2014 at 6:31 PM
    #2
    hotrod53

    hotrod53 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2013
    Member:
    #110971
    Messages:
    1,280
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Lynd
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Vehicle:
    ‘14 DCLB Sport, ‘18 TCH, ‘13 TCH
    Weathertech floor liners moded to hold OEM floor mats, weathertech vent visors, Toyota bed mat, LEER 100XL cap, hood gasket mod to stop whistling.
    How can this be possible?? I had them on my 2006 and it never bottomed even under load with 5 psi in them. Are you 100% sure that they are installed correctly?

    Do they look like this and the brackets are installed this way?

    bagbyexhaust_c09ae33bfb20d221ef35e51fcf6a056d87203c1d.jpg

    passbag_a6ec15bd02a7952b7a8656beeaddf9b9ba089320.jpg
     
  3. Oct 16, 2014 at 7:39 PM
    #3
    Jimmyh

    Jimmyh Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 16, 2012
    Member:
    #78991
    Messages:
    13,732
    Gender:
    Male
    SC
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prerunner SR5
    Sum Ting Wong.

    Post up a picture...
     
  4. Oct 16, 2014 at 7:41 PM
    #4
    T4RFTMFW

    T4RFTMFW Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2014
    Member:
    #134525
    Messages:
    69,792
    Ho Lee Fuk! We Tu Low!
     
  5. Oct 16, 2014 at 10:45 PM
    #5
    Dwrat

    Dwrat [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Member:
    #130114
    Messages:
    74
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Dan
    Phoenix
    Vehicle:
    2014 TRD 4X4
    My bags look exactly the same as posted above.
    The distance from the bottom of the bag to the top of the bag is the problem I think.
    There's not much room for the axle to move up before it hit the frame with the bags and brackets in the way.
     
  6. Oct 17, 2014 at 5:44 AM
    #6
    wake100

    wake100 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2013
    Member:
    #108784
    Messages:
    1,014
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Chris
    Syracuse, NY
    Vehicle:
    2021 AG DCLB off road 4x4
    Uptop roof rack, cali raised light bar, diamondback tonneau
    I think that firestone requires 5 psi in the bags so they don't bottom out?
     
  7. Oct 17, 2014 at 8:10 AM
    #7
    MagnumTaco

    MagnumTaco Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2013
    Member:
    #105598
    Messages:
    336
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tony
    New Mexico
    Supercharger, Baja Suspension, TRD exhuast, Stealth pulley.
    When I had mine I had to keep a minimum of 10PSI. Which I think is low.
     
  8. Oct 17, 2014 at 12:00 PM
    #8
    hotrod53

    hotrod53 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2013
    Member:
    #110971
    Messages:
    1,280
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Lynd
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Vehicle:
    ‘14 DCLB Sport, ‘18 TCH, ‘13 TCH
    Weathertech floor liners moded to hold OEM floor mats, weathertech vent visors, Toyota bed mat, LEER 100XL cap, hood gasket mod to stop whistling.
    The pictures that I supplied are with 5 psi. I can honestly say that I NEVER bottomed them out with 5 PSI in them, I didn't think it was possible. Yeh, it would hit hard, but that was hitting on the bag, not bottoming or pinching the bag.

    As stated above, you MUST keep 5 psi minimum in there at all times. I cant imaging what would allow it to bottom. Did you run separate lines for each bag or did you TEE them? Not that it would cause it to bottom, but I had separate lines for mine.

    I always ran 5 psi even when towing my 16' boat, only a few times I ran 15 psi when I trailered a heavily loaded dual axle UHaul trailer or a pontoon. It about jars your kidneys without a load with 15psi.
     
  9. Oct 17, 2014 at 10:15 PM
    #9
    DJB1

    DJB1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2013
    Member:
    #105835
    Messages:
    2,222
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Dave
    SLC, UT
    Vehicle:
    2003 Regular Cab 4X4 5MT
    I have the Firestone air bags with Daystar cradles and my solution is I don't give a shit if the back is a little bit higher than the front. I think the trend of "leveling" pickup trucks is even dumber than putting carpet in pickup trucks. I keep 20 lbs. in the driver's side and 15 lbs. in the passenger side. My truck has a slight forward rake even with a shell, dogs and camping shit in the back. It doesn't bottom out over anything but it still rides comfortable even off-road. It's an easy, good-quality fix for the notorious 3-leaf packs that don't qualify for a TSB upgrade.
     
  10. Oct 17, 2014 at 11:55 PM
    #10
    David K

    David K Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2009
    Member:
    #18969
    Messages:
    12,348
    Gender:
    Male
    Pala Mesa, California
    Vehicle:
    2010 4WD Off Road DC
    Differential Breather Mod Light Bar: 4 Cree LED lamps Bilstein 5100s Ride Rite Air Bags
    I had Ride Rites (Firestone) on my 2005 DC to STOP the bottoming out, and it worked perfectly. I ran 15 psi min. for no or little load (no height added either) and 25-35 psi with a load, again not to raise the rear, but to level it and stop the bottoming.

    Perhaps your AIR GAUGE is bad???
     
  11. Oct 18, 2014 at 7:53 AM
    #11
    hotrod53

    hotrod53 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2013
    Member:
    #110971
    Messages:
    1,280
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Lynd
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Vehicle:
    ‘14 DCLB Sport, ‘18 TCH, ‘13 TCH
    Weathertech floor liners moded to hold OEM floor mats, weathertech vent visors, Toyota bed mat, LEER 100XL cap, hood gasket mod to stop whistling.
    Are you absolutely sure that its actually bottoming out or it is just hitting hard on the inflated bag? Remember, you cut off the snubbers when you installed the bags, there is really nothing to bottom out unless the bag completely collapses and pinches itself.

    Your suspension is no weaker than it was before the bag was installed and you no longer have a 2" piece of rubber sticking up as a stopper, just doesn't sound right.
     
  12. Oct 18, 2014 at 8:00 AM
    #12
    fur pig

    fur pig Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2012
    Member:
    #85245
    Messages:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Mine bottom out too, even at 10psi. Get some jounce shocks in the rear : )
     
  13. Oct 18, 2014 at 8:03 AM
    #13
    dilligaff82

    dilligaff82 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2013
    Member:
    #115724
    Messages:
    572
    Gender:
    Male
    New Hampshire
    Vehicle:
    2014 TRD Off Road DCSB


    Finally someone that agrees with me. Levelling is just silly and pointless, unless you like the look of your truck dragging it's ass end around as soon as you put any weight in it...
     
  14. Oct 18, 2014 at 9:34 AM
    #14
    Gearheadesw

    Gearheadesw must modify

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2012
    Member:
    #76139
    Messages:
    5,090
    Gender:
    Male
    Davenport Fl
    Vehicle:
    1 truck 1 car 1 motorcycle
    I carry llike 600 lbs in tools on my air bags. Goota keep some air in there, it compresses more, the more it moves. It's the ultimate progressive spring. If you have 10 psi, and your bottoming, you guys have to be jumping you truck across intersections.
     
  15. Oct 19, 2014 at 7:53 AM
    #15
    David K

    David K Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2009
    Member:
    #18969
    Messages:
    12,348
    Gender:
    Male
    Pala Mesa, California
    Vehicle:
    2010 4WD Off Road DC
    Differential Breather Mod Light Bar: 4 Cree LED lamps Bilstein 5100s Ride Rite Air Bags
    My RideRites were put on with a posted 10 psi MINIMUM and 100 psi MAX pressure. Why are you guys not adding more air if you feel a 'bottoming-out' at 10 psi???

    The most I ever ran was 45 psi once, but the ride was so stiff (and the rear was raised up noticeably) that 35 psi was my heavy load pressure and 15 psi was my light or empty load pressure.
     
  16. Oct 19, 2014 at 8:20 AM
    #16
    worthywads

    worthywads Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Member:
    #58841
    Messages:
    5,345
    Gender:
    Male
    Peoples Republic of Boulder
    Vehicle:
    05 5-lug access I4 Stick, 70 Challenger Vert
    Yep, leveling is achieved by using the truck bed.
     
  17. Oct 19, 2014 at 8:37 AM
    #17
    Kevinztaco

    Kevinztaco Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2012
    Member:
    #92405
    Messages:
    548
    Gender:
    Male
    none yet
    My only question is: How long will those airbags last? They don't look like something that will last for long with the loads and exposing to all weather elements/salts/road greases.
     
  18. Oct 19, 2014 at 1:38 PM
    #18
    DJB1

    DJB1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2013
    Member:
    #105835
    Messages:
    2,222
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Dave
    SLC, UT
    Vehicle:
    2003 Regular Cab 4X4 5MT
    The rubber in the airbags is a lot thicker than it appears in photos. If you felt one even with all the air out, you'd be surprised how stiff they are. The air lines are thick flexible plastic and the pipe fittings are brass, so they're very weather-resistant and durable. They also have a lifetime warranty and if you somehow punctured a bag and Firestone wouldn't replace it, you can get a new one on Amazon for about $80-100 bucks and replace it yourself in half an hour.
     
  19. Oct 19, 2014 at 2:45 PM
    #19
    schwarthog

    schwarthog Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2014
    Member:
    #125933
    Messages:
    256
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ian
    Tacoma, WA
    Vehicle:
    2014 DCSB 4x4 TRD Offroad MGM
    Ultragauge, Weathertechs, Plasti-dip rims/grille surround, Access Tonneau
    Haha I remember seeing that happen on our news :D
     
  20. Oct 20, 2014 at 6:56 AM
    #20
    Goober

    Goober Earthlings are fun to watch!

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2010
    Member:
    #47990
    Messages:
    702
    Gender:
    Male
    Utah - Why just have only one?
    Vehicle:
    '11 TRD Off-Planet AccessCab
    Sure your gauge is accurate? This is my bag with 5psi with stock springs and a leer shell on the truck. Doesn't bottom out and no harsh ride I put 17-20psi in when carrying my 550lb. camper which raises it to stock height.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2014

Products Discussed in

To Top