I was looking to install some of the Firestone air bags on my '02 Xcab, 6.5' bed. I have a tool box in the back with about 250-300 lbs of stuff in the back. I occasionaly haul some gravel, topsoil, or other heavies in the back and sometimes haul a trailer- about 6000 lbs worth.
I'm looking for the guys who haul, tow or just even occasionaly tow that have the airbags installed, and their opinions on the performance and ability to make the truck ride level with loads carried.
If you could, include what you tow with your truck and how the installation of the airbags has helped you.

Thanks,

2002 Wonderboy

 

Here is how I did mine:

Airlift air bags and load controller

I'm very satisfied with my setup and have been using the bags for over a year without any problems.

 

Hi there , I have a pair of Firestone Ride Rite air bags with the Wireless Airlift compressor . And the air bags work great i have been satisfied with them . Towed a tractor the other day and no sag in the bag

 

Will never go back to towing without them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Does this system add extra payload weights?

 

No it just levels the truck when towing or hauling a heavy load.

 

I have the Ride-Rites and LOVE them!! I dont know what I would do without them. Here are a couple of pictures with and without air in the bags. The first picture there is about 65 psi in the bags, the second no air. There is about 2500lbs on the rear axle in the pics, 1000lbs of patio pavers in the bed and guessing around 1500lbs of tongue weight from the trailer.



BTW, YDM I really like how you mounted the switch and gauge in your truck, I think I might do the same thing with mine.

 

So did anybody here check firestone's torque specs before they installed these bad boys? Just asking because I helped a friend on his Tundra and we bent the axle lash bolts. Called customer service, the instructions should have said "n/m" not "ft-lbs", oops Firestone's bad. Ordered my kit, well now why are grade 5 zinc-plated u-bolts listed at 10-15 ft-lbs while the grade 5 hex zinc-plated are listed at 28-32 ft-lbs, both at 3/8"-16tpi? Oh, and looking at the machining handbook, grade 5 plain is 30 ft-lbs, you reduce another 15% for zinc-plating, but seriously could 15% over-torque really be a problem on a suspension component? I mean they are our trucks with our loads, not Firestone's problem. Still waiting for an engineer to call me back and explain how Firestone calculates torque specs.

If I were you guys, I'd check the torque specs and see if you're over-torqued, don't want that to sheer when loaded, worst case one side sheers, and the other doesn't, because it will be a brittle fracture failure due to sudden loading at excessive torque you will get a sudden massive bolt failure and instantaneously be in a bad situation. If you are over-torqued you'll have to replace the bolts. Just a thought.

 

Oh the multiplier is ft-lbs * 1.33 = n/m, so a unit error results in 33% over-torque on the bolt.

 

I like mine. It is tricky to set up some load leveling hitches with them though. You need to make sure you don't set up the hitch and then add more air. If you do, you will take some of the load off of the leveling bars. If you have the reese straitline hitch, this will reduce the effectiveness of the anti-sway cams. I find that I need 10-15 psi for normal driving, which corrects the nose-high issue when using a 2" leveling kit on an 09 4x4, and 30 psi when towing. More pressure is too stiff for me (and sits too high).

 

I know this is a old post but I love mine. Towed my mustang from Washington State to Texas and it was a good ride the whole way.

 

I know this thread is a few months old, but curious...has anybody added Ride-Rite (or Air Lift) air bags to a HD Payload equipped vehicle?

I am about to have a 2012 Ecoboost Lariat with HD Payload (and Max Trailer) to pull a 32' Jayco weighing approx 9,000 lbs loaded (using a ProPride hitch)...and close to 1,250 tonque weight (again, loaded...incl hitch). We make about 5-10 trips per year (about 10-20 towing days), and want to reduce all chances of sag...and wear & tear on suspension...so curious if anybody has experienced this kind of weight with their HD Payload equipped F150, and whether they are considering...or have added any air bags?

Thanks in advance!

 

I'v been using mine for almost 2 years with no problem. The only thing I changed from the original install is to tee both sides together. Now I only have to put air in one side and both sides inflate.