Airbags seperated from bracket

I got my tires rotated yesterday and the tech noticed my passenger airbag has separated from the bracket... I hardly use the bags as the previous owner installed but I do want to get this fixed. The bolts that attach to the bag look like they have broke. Is this something that is fixable by someone that knows what they are doing or is a whole new kit needed? The other bag is fine and still works. Thanks!

 

I believe that is a PacBrake kit. Perhaps you can reach out to them and see what they have too say. It appears to me that the top plate inserts have failed and pulled out of the bag - I'm guessing due to axle droop. Note the distance between the top plate of the air bag and bracket on the frame; I'm not sure the airbag has that much extension built in to it.

 

It is a Airlift 5810. Yeah they lifted the truck from the frame which drops the axel but I think it had separated before then.

 

Ah, I forget Airlift also did a single bellows bags. Most airbags have a lifetime warranty; that failure is non-repairable IMO. You can glue the fittings back in to the top plate but since they are a pressed in fit, that will mostly just keep the bolts located for while but they will pop out again once you droop the axle. Contact airlift and see if it is a warrantable item. Last year, I had a Firestone bag start to fail. I contacted firestone and politely asked if I could purchase a new bag from them and for advice to keep them from failing. They asked for some pictures of the failure and then sent me a new one free of charge, not hassle.

 

Thanks for the advice!

 

What are the benefit of these cradles? What do they actually do?

 

They allow the axle to droop without pulling down on the airbag (the most probable reason for why your airbag failed).

 

Awesome! This is what I need for sure! Thank you!

 

No prob. I’ve used a set of Daystar cradles since I installed my airbags 6 or 7 years ago. They are great and function as advertised.

 

There is no reason why a spring should droop too far unless sway bar has been disconnected and shocks are improper. I don’t know which shock you have but after consultation with ARB rep the OldMan Emu shocks are actually limiting as well. In other words the shocks are designed to stop further spring extension than the shock length.
Not sure if this info is applicable but thought I’d add it anyways.

But that cradle set is cool, I’ve seen them before but no need on neither my Land Cruiser or Tundra which both have airbags

 

I have fox shocks from the 4.5" BDS lift kit.

 

Should contact them to see if they are limiting shocks.
I’d say the bag bracket failed. You could remove it yourself and maybe press fit it back together and have someone tap a weld onto it. Fix it up right away. Would create enough heat to damage the bag if careful. Worth a look, do it on the cheap. Either fix it cheap or find out it needs replacement.

 

I would agree... *IF* the spring is designed specifically for each vehicle. In the case of airbags, manufactures build a handful of air springs and see which one fits best for an application, rather than designing a thousand different air springs that only apply to one or two vehicles. The bags are pretty universal so as long as the nominal ride height is correct (5-7"), compressed (~2.9") and extended (9-12") heights just need to be close.

I've seen and/or heard of several cases of airbags tearing when the truck is put on a lift or the suspension is flexed out. I know that I can just about put my fist in between the airbag and cradle when flexing the nearly-stock suspension.

 

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