Firestone Air Bags ,, mounting at angle ?

Question regarding

$430 Firestone 2445 Firestone 07-09TOY Tundra

Firestone 2445 rear suspension air bags on a 2016 tundra.
How come when ever I see pics or videos of firestone ride right air bags on a tundra, it looks like the air bag isnt centered (lower leafspring to upper frame) it looks like its working at an angle , especially when watching video of them in action.
if you look at their lower bracket , the mounting hole on the top of that plate is not centered on the leafspring , it is located at least 1" toward the center of the truck causing the angle on the installed bag.

 

Pics? I've run Firestones for years but have used them with Daystar Cradles. My first go at installation did have the bags appearing slightly canted, but that was mostly alleviated with subsequent adjustment. Also, the leaves aren't 100% parallel with the frame, so the lower bag mount is going to tilt the bag little. Luckily, that doesn't affect the function of the bag except at full stuff or full extension, and if used properly, not enough to affect it adversely.

 

I found this video that I think demonstrates what you are talking about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=WDtRxstFjDQ


As for why it is off center from the leaf spring, that is just the way the tundra frame is shaped. The frames narrows in the rear and the leaf springs also are not parallel so the geometry all changes as the truck squats which also probably adds the angled look

 

Yes that video and pics are the same ones I was refering to.
Im no rocket scientist, but anything working at an angle will not work as well and will stress parts if it not squared up.
Without cradles its probably nothing to worry about , but I could still see stressing the bag if working at an angle.
But with cradles, in the events when your bag travels out of the cradle , the bottom of the bag is returning back in to the cradle at an angle, and just seems wrong. In a rare situation I can see that bag missing the cradle or folding.
.
I am guessing the bottom bracket of the firestone ride rite kit has the hole offset away from the leaf pack so......
1) If you ever need to replace the bag, you can leave the lower bracket on the leaf pack and remove the bag with a socket on an extension removing the bolt from the bottom.
2) For quick and easy installation. They tell you to cut off the rubber bump stops, and with the bolt head out to the side it does not interfere with the cut down bump stop thats still there.

If they did have the hole more in the center of the lower bracket, and had you cut the bump stop , the head of that bolt would contact the partial bump stop that you cut and not let it lay flat.
So if they did provide that lower bracket with the hole more centered, and the instructions had you take out the bump stop completely (to clear the bolt head) it would make the install a little more difficult and maybe create an installation liability if someone doesnt properly torque the factory U bolts back down properly..
This is Just my guess why they moved that hole inward.


Has anyone , drilled a new hole closer to center in their firestone ride rite bottom bracket and removed the bump stops completely to correct this mis alignment?
Can anyone tell me whay I shouldnt do it???

thank you for any replies

 

QUOTE: "As for why it is off center from the leaf spring, that is just the way the tundra frame is shaped. The frames narrows in the rear and the leaf springs also are not parallel so the geometry all changes as the truck squats which also probably adds the angled look"

I see that in your picture, but wouldnt the factory bump stop on top of your leaf pack be centered with the frame up top if it ever has to have contact?
Gonna get under there tuesday or wednesday for the install , I will has how offset it is before I do anything outside of normal

 

Nope, the factory bump stop does not align with the frame rail either. There is a bracket that hangs off the side of the frame where the bump stop contacts.

 

UPDATE: just finished install, thought id follow up.

I did totally remove the bump stops instead of cutting them .
I did not drill a new hole in the lower support bracket.
I installed the kit and I dont have any complaints regarding left to right angle of the bag assy.
My lower bracket plate did have a slightly slotted hole that allowed a small adjustment forward / backward which came in handy as I did some fine tuning.
I was able to move my cradle slightly forward for better alignment with the bottom of the bag, all while everything was still installed.
I kept the tires on the ground, but put a jack and some blocks under my tow hitch and get the suspension pretty high (with tires on the ground) lifting the bags out of the cradles, then with a wrench in one hand and ratchet in the other, I was able loosen the nut that holds the cradle to the lower plate bracket, then slide the cradle forward a little for better alignment.

Firestone Ride Rite must have re designed there lower plate at some point , because in some of the videos Ive watched some people had the lower plate (plate #5928) with a single round hole and NO verticle support that goes down to the top of the axle tube, and others had a slightly slotted hole like mine (plate #5543) and it DID have the verticle support that rests on top of the axle tube. I dont know which is newer or older , But I bought my kit in June of 2020 and it does have slotted hole and verticle bracket as shown in my second pic.
I zip tied the cheap plastic bracket to the tow hit frame as suggested, but didnt like its position or how weak the attachment was , I ended up drilling 2 5/16" holes through my rear bumper just under my towing electrical plugs, so they are now easy to get to and mounted very solid.

Also, the new Daystar cradles KU09140KV are now made with Kevlar, They are grey and have almost a rubber feel to them, you can dig your fingernail into them, they are not a hard poly