"Official" Firestone RideRite + Lift Thread

Bummah.... I'll keep playing with it.

What kind of pressures are you running ?

I love how the truck feels though.... really put together and connected.

 

I have a cap and platform so my minimum is - 25lbs but I’ve had it up to 65 when filled with concrete rubble to bring it up to normal ride height. Standard load with cap, saw, platform & drawer full of tools & batteries I run 40lbs. I figure it amounts to a wet payload around 750lbs all in.
Cap 200
Me 200
Fuel 100(avg)
Platform, drawer, tools 250-300

It was an early and necessary upgrade with the on-the-fly capability a later modification when I built an OBA panel to fit in the center console cubby. There are some overpasses around here with some serious pavement scarring where the dirt approaches settled below the rest of it and even though I didn’t hit pavement I routinely hit the bump stops and bags put an end to that.

 

Thanks Mahn....
As far as everyday weight, I think our trucks are very close.
My cap has a tool box in lieu of the side window on the other side as well.
I'm running around town on about #20 lbs, but I do have an AAL and beefier shocks than stock....

Me, cap, fuel and tools alone didn't make me noticeably squat, but with my #4500 lb trailer on there, I thought he needed a little boost to be perfect, even with my WD hitch. The way this thing is now connected, I think there will be much less wiggly wobbly going down the road.

A little squat is evident below, (before bags)....

 

An AAL would definitely lower my base pressure and if I traversed bumpy roads that would be a prudent addition so more of the load goes to the ends of the leaf springs rather than the attachments of the bags. I’ve had them for long enough to no longer worry about that though.

 

I hear ya..... Yes, I'm in the NE in Pot Hole Country, different ghosts to chase.

 

So what kit is the best?
Is anyone making the flip with cradle?

 

Mine are flipped. Bolted to the bump stop pad on the frame. Cradle on a Timbren mount.

 

So if I want a nice daily ride that will give me 2.5 inch lift with 300-350 lbs in back(topper and tool pack) but also not sag when I load up 2-400 more lbs when camping etc what do I get.I dont wheel this truck hard at all.
Was looking at deavers stage 1 but they are super expensive and are good to about 400.
Stage 2 will probably give a horrible ride but excel when loaded.
Is a cheaper spring,add a leaf with bags a better option.So many springs start to sag.
2 inch lift up front and 2.5 in back is the goal and want it to stay there.

 

Sounds like bags and an AAL might suit well since there are only a few options for adjustable rate springs. The only other one I’ve read about it RAS (road active suspension). I haven’t used them or met anyone who has but they might work well for you. Air bags can be finicky, I will ended up changing all my ptc connectors to compression fittings but since doing that I go months without adding air. Maybe better ptc’s would’ve done the trick instead. An AAL would let me use less base pressure but my 5-lug is spring under so an AAL would stiffen but lower the truck whereas bags(and maybe RAS) don’t. For those with spring over, an AAL stiffens and raises so there’s that to consider. It appears that with RAS you have to make adjustments in place hopefully without removing the wheels but you won’t ever have to be concerned with a leak. I can set my bags from the drivers seat while driving but early on the leak thing was annoying.
RAS link https://activesuspension.com/products/toyota-tacoma-2005-2021

 

I was in same situation, camper shell with rack on top. I tried a 3 leaf add-a-leaf and got 1-1/2 to2" lift empty and rode fine as a daily driver. But then add 400 lbs of camping gear and I was nearly riding on the bump stops. I switched to the ARB heavy duty leaf packs and been happy with ride empty and loaded.
On my next truck, I tried airbags but got tired of constant leaks. Eventually added the Firestone Compressor set up and that has been good at checking and readjusting the airbag pressure every time I start the engine.

 

That’s why I switched to comp fittings on the air lines. No problems since and I ended up switching to a 40 oz paint ball tank instead of a compressor. At first I was using CO2 but supply became inconsistent so I picked up a high pressure compressor and use HP tanks for remote nail guns at work but in the truck I don’t because even a low pressure tank lasts several months. One of the 48oz HP tanks would probably last a year. Bags don’t need much of either pressure or volume so even a bike pump works(any size). Crack the valve on the tank behind the seat, hit a switch for each bag and watch the pressure rise in a 1” gage along with the scene in the rear view mirror. Also works to lower the back end for loading/unloading since the geometry multiplies the height difference at the tailgate. Bags aren’t for everyone but my OCD paid off and I’ve been super happy with them.

 

Developed a leak on my driver's side airbag and after spraying the air bag and hoses couldn't find the leak. Then sprayed down the hoses and connections on the back of the panel and sure enough the brass 1/8" female npt to 90° 1/4" tubing nipple adapter on the back of the gauge had a crack in it (I wire wheeled it and then used a Dremel to bevel the crack as I thought I might try to braze or silver solder the crack...probably won't work but I'll try it when I have some spare time):



Funny thing is I have the same type of air bag system (an older version) on my 85 F250 and had the same exact crack in the same fitting about 10 years ago. I guess the brass is very thin due to the design and maybe Firestone over-tightens these at the factory leading to the crack.

Only place that seems to carry them that I could find is McMaster but shipping is $12 so I found an 1/8" female npt to 1/4" compression fitting in my spares kit and used it.



It's straight and not 90° but with a large bend in the tubing it works out plus these fittings are easy to find compared to the internal barb counterpart. And I replaced the brass ferrule with a plastic one and used an insert in the tube to prevent collapse. And it works fine.



Anyone else have issue with these fittings cracking?

 

I switched to the same brass compression fittings with nylon ferrules and brass tube inserts and no leaks since. I was using ptc’s before but got tired of chasing leaks from finicky cuts.

 

Alright, after researching for a while, I believe this is the perfect thread for me to ask these questions.

I have a 2021 Tacoma TRD Offroad, currently, suspension are stock, only thing I added is firestone airbags with daystar cradles in anticipation of a truck bed camper (300-350lbs). From my last 2000 miles driving the truck with the airbags, I found it to be a lot more harsh than I expected even at 5psi (believe is the manufacturing recommended minimum pressure for empty truck so the airbags serve more like a bumpstop). Every bump I experienced on the road feels like rear axle is bottoming out hard onto the frame. I need to put 100-150lbs of sandbag to feel more comfortable in the rear.

How do I not feel bottom out and maybe more softer ride when riding empty, is this the nature of airbags? Would better shocks help with the ride comfort?
Can I have the airbag completely empty aka less than 5psi? since I feel 5psi is still a bit too harsh on bumps.
Is this bottoming out due to not enough pressure or too much pressure? I feel like the pressure is too much so the bags are always touching the cradles so every bump on the road feels bottoming them out.

Thanks for your input.

 

due to the design, they don’t really work well at low pressure. There is just so little room until they bottom out compared to a stock setup/bumpstop. And you feel it

 

With a DCSB I’d go with more than the minimum anyway since you have more cab and passenger weight on the rear axle than DCLBs, AC’s or single cabs. You really want to avoid bottoming whether loaded or empty because those hits are like taking a hammer to your rear bearings.

 

Well, 3 months later the same problem just happened on the passenger side fitting. That's 3 fittings out of 4 (on two control panels on two different trucks) that have cracked on me. Sure looks like a poor design (walls too thin on brass fitting). I don't think they were over-tightened because they removed easily and looking at them, it appears to be more of a design problem then torque problem.

 

sorry that happened, how did you notice the leak? did you notice a significant jarring ride due to the low pressure?

 

I use solenoid air switches to isolate each air bag individually from the fill setup. That way any leaks up stream can only be in play while actually filling. Once the pressure gauge hits my desired point I close the solenoids and kill the supply. I Only need to be concerned with 2 fittings on each bag, the one at the solenoid and the one at the bag. Since I’ve switched to brass compression fittings with inserts and nylon ferrules it doesn’t leak at all.

 

I could see the rear of the truck leaning to the passenger side.