Air bags for rear suspension

Need bags for my truck. Who has what? What's recommended?

I upgraded to bilstein 5100 (5200?) shocks all the way around and added a leveling kit a few years ago. Don't know if that makes a difference.

Truck is also TRD. I saw AirLift bags are not compatible with TRD?

Hauling an extra tall 12ft single axle enclosed trailer full of tools everyday. Has a ass load of tongue weight. Rear suspension is bottoming out all the time.

Truck pulls it fine, just think the springs have had it.

 

Firestone bags seem like the popular go to for most people

 

The Firestone kit is what I see everyone use on here. I think you only need to drill one frame per side to install? Solid kit.

 

i have firestones in the back of my 04 AC.

 

I ran firestones on my 06 dbl cab. Nothing but good things to say about them. IIRC but I think I had to drill 2 holes into the frame per side. Use some sort of lubricant when drilling and it's goes faster.

 

New HD leafs and a properly distributed trailer load would help tremendously. Or Just a properly distributed trailer load. 12% or so tongue weight will keep the truck and trailer happy. Airbags fix squat, but not the right way. They also ruin the unloaded ride and mask poorly setup trailers.

 

If your rear suspension is bottoming out all the time, you may need more than just air bags or overload springs. How much tongue weight would you estimate for your trailer?

 

Both valid points above. I missed reading what you were towing. Overloading the tongue and compensating with bags isn't the best solution. Trailer's I pull rarely exceed over 2500 lbs, so YMMV.

 

I'm going to politely disagree with you on this. As long as your leafs aren't totally shot and you adjust the air in each bag independently for what the truck needs, the ride is good. I run 12 psi in each side with my bed topper and +/- 100 lbs. of tools and such in the bed. As far as masking poorly setup trailers, you're right. I don't really see any reason to run an overly tongue heavy trailer. Asking for all kinds of trouble. Distributing the load is key.

 

ColoradoTJ suggested this company for rear air bags.
https://realtruck.com/p/air-lift-loadlifter-5000-ultimate-air-bag-kit/v/toyota/tundra/2014/

Once i order a new set if rear leafs from Toyota, Ill add these to the spring swap.

After 10 years under gravity, the rears are beginning to sag, even though the truck rides beautifully. With the bags added, I can throw my trailer on, and adjust accordingly, for very little financial investment

 

That longitudinal shock for axle wrap?

 

Looks like the roadmaster ras system.

 

yep, its pretty badass now that i have it set up correct.

 

Can you expand on what makes it "badass"?

Seiously, asking what benefits you've personally seen

 

It's a sway bar on steroids. Especially when loaded.

 

Also adds spring rate though to reduce sag. Kind of like an add-a-leaf, but it’s an add-a-spring instead.

 

yep.

lots of opinions out there about how effective they are. One of a few threads on it...

https://www.tundras.com/threads/ras-hd-roadmaster-active-suspension.156486/#post-3887638

 

biggest difference i noticed is much less body roll and it doesnt buck over bumps anymore, but i did the bags and RAS at the same time so im not really sure what benefits just the RAS would give. before the install i was very close to the bump stops and would hit them on every lil bump

 

Thanks for the input fellas.

The trailer unfortunately cannot be rearranged and the tongue weight simply is what it is. The trailer axle is quite far to the rear.

If I had to take a wild guess I would say there is around 400lb of tongue weight? Total guess.

At some point I will be adding a second axle to this trailer. Which I know will help enormously, but that won't be happening for a while.


Right now, sitting on flat level ground with maybe 200lbs in the bed and a normal trailer load there is maybe an inch of clearance between the override buttons and the springs.

 

400lbs of tongue weight is crushing your truck to the ground?? Color me skeptical.

 

Around these parts we call that honesty.

 

I recommend Sumo Springs instead of air bags. Super-easy to install and they come in various densities/‘spring’ rates depending on what loads you need extra support for. They are brilliant, zero maintenance, no chance of springing a leak like a bag.

 

Looks like a pretty cool idea.

https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Suspension/Toyota/Tundra/2014/SSR-610-40.html?VehicleID=201419638

He went a little batchit crazy with the red locktite, and didnt de rust, and treat the axle before reinstalling, nor any discussion on torquing the u bolts to factory spec, but thats just me

 

I've had both, and I'm not all that impressed by the Sumo Springs, though I think they are good for some applications. I had air bags on my Tacoma, and it needed them with a fiberglass topper, lots of gear and tools, occasionally a canoe on top, and a camper trailer with ~300lbs tongue weight.

For the Tundra, I felt like it could handle those loads without the air bags, so I got Sumo Springs. They were actually perfect for that use. Topper, gear, canoe, trailer. But then I got a slide-in camper...860lbs. The Sumo Springs kept me level, I wasn't squatting, but they were crushed. I have the blue ones that are supposed to be good to 1,000lbs. Ride was level, but harsh. I've had the camper off my truck since early December, and the Sumo Springs are still mostly crushed and misshapen.

If you watch for deals, you can buy airbags for less than $100 more, and in my opinion, they're better in every way. I agree they aren't a replacement for proper trailer loading, including getting the right tongue weight ratio, but they definitely save your suspension and improve the ride when used right.

Right now I see Sumo Springs for $280. On etrailer right now, air bags are $400. $540 on michigan truck spring. To me the $120 extra is well worth it for a far superior product, but, like I said, for uses under 500lbs, I think Sumo Springs are fine. If money is really tight, they'll do it. But if you can afford the extra $120, air bags are just better.

I get the impression that air bag vendors take turns putting them on sale. When I was first shopping for them, etrailer was over $100 cheaper than every other site. Then when I was ready to buy, it was Summit Racing that had them for significantly cheaper, exact price etrailer had them at a couple months earlier. So if you go with air bags, go through the Firestone website. Find your kit, click "where to buy". Check out every vendor. One of them will be $140 cheaper than the rest.

And prices are going up fast! I got mine for $390 a month ago.

And my truck is an 02 Access Cab TRD. TRD or not doesn't matter. The air bag kit for our trucks fits them all, from what I remember. 2245

 

Excellent writeup

 

I weigh 215. So me and my wfe, and all my,dogs sitting on the bumper would crush a new suspension.

Or Fat Albert was walking by, doing his daily exercise routine, volunteered.

 

My 2019 CM, with a camper shell on it, took about 1000# on the tongue to get it an inch from the bump stops.

 

Firestone 2245 ordered.

Searched all the recommended places. Almost everyone was within a few cents if not the exact same price.

Summit was actually the cheapest. At $450 something, but then I spied an ad on ebay and with a coupon code it came all the way down to $365 so I pulled the trigger. It's all brand new stuff, not used.

Should be here on the 10th.

I'll report back when it arrives.

Thanks everyone.

 

Great. I had too much other stuff to do today or I would have installed mine. Hopefully next weekend.