Firestone Air Bags

Hi everyone, my 2020 Platinum has some major sagging issues with any serious load or my flat deck trailer hooked up so I am considering some air bags. I understand Firestone seems to be the best choice and the installation looks simple but does anyone have any tips or comments that might help guide me in this process? Thanks in advance.

 

Mount the bottom in cradles not to the truck. So when the truck is on a lift there will be no stress on the bags.


Daystar, Air Bag Cradle designed for full suspension travel, Fits All 6" diameter convoluted Air Bags, fits any full size of half ton truck, 2/4WD, KU09140BK, Made in America, Black https://a.co/d/21167ys

 

If you'd like to spend less, the Torque kit with cradles is $270 on Amazon. May be cheaper on ebay. I have them, and they work so far...

$250 TORQUE Cradle and Air Spring Bag Suspension Kit for 2007-2021 Toyota Tundra [up to 5000 lbs. of Load Leveling Capacity] Ride-Helper TR2445

https://www.amazon.com/Suspension-2007-2021-Leveling-Firestone-Ride-Rite/dp/B0B787KDV9

 

I'm also looking into adding helper bags to my 2007. I've replaced the rear shocks with bilstein 5100s which i think lifted the rear about an inch or so. Will I need spacers for the bags?

 

No, use Daystar cradles, I'm probably about 1.5" taller than stock and it works perfect.

 

Rear shocks don't lift anything... they just advertise that they can be used with a 1" lift. Actually, I guess the gas pressure might give you a tenth inch or so...

 

They did on mine. 0.75" in front and 1" at rear, just like they said they would. Leveled my truck like I wanted it to. This is what I got.

Thanks, for this. I will get the cradles too.

 

I have the Firestone Ride Rite setup. A few years after install the controller frizzed out. Firestone sent me a new one, no questions asked, no charge. My only regret is not getting the wired controller. The wireless one doesn't have enough range to reach from the cab to the box under the bed. But then again, maybe it's because of my loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooongbed.

 

I'm pretty sure those Bilsteins are longer than stock shocks in the rear. That is where the lift comes from.

 

Not if his old shocks are shot and all the gas leak out, the new shocks will lift the rear back to stock height.

 

I have Firestone airbags on my otherwise stock rear suspension. They don’t seem to level the weight they claim to, but they definitely help. I have manual inflation valves for each side independently. I kept it simple that way.

 

+1 for daystar cradles. If not, you have to remember to deflate the bags to 0psi prior to putting the truck on a lift (as per the manual)
I started with a 12v compressor and a 7pin to cigarette lighter adapter to air up the bags and now have the airlift 74000ez onboard compressor. So nice to be able to lift/lower without leaving the drivers seat.

 

I had firestone airbags with teh daystar cradles on my previous truck. Also ran the airbags inside the coils on a 4Runner. I wasn't a fan of either really. The ride was never as good as without the bags. Maybe others have a better experience.

This truck i'm trying to avoid them. I'm currently running the RAS HD cranked up with pretty good success. The ride is still great, just end up with increased spring rate and pre-load. I have a topper and decked drawers, able to maintain about stock rake. If you are towing a heavy trailer frequently, maybe think of adding a weight distribution hitch.

 

You have to find a sweet spot between airbag pressure and your rear suspension. If I have more than 12psi in my bags with no load it gets very bouncy for the worn out shocks I have.

 

Thanks for all the info. I like the Firestones and will likely go with them as I don't haul heavy material a lot or tow a lot so just need something to level things out when I am. I heard that Firestone doesn't recommend the use of cradles with their airbags but lots of people seem to be running them with no issues so I'm not sure what that's about? I don't do any serious off roading so loss of articulation is not an issue for me. I'm mostly just on dirt and gravel roads on the farm and backwoods areas. I do like the ideas of not stretching the bags when on a lift though, that seems like trouble waiting to happen.

 

Son-of-B that's some fine looking dirt. Seriously, as a Phoenician it's like seeing a two-headed dog.

 

Hey thanks! This is clean compost. Interesting process, certification, etc. Cheap too! https://www.accgov.com/4457/Commercial-Composting

 

+70 for daystar cradles. As an added bonus, they make a pleasant, Monty-Python-esque clippity-clopp noise when you drive through a twist ditch and the bags leave the cradles then slot back in. My Firestones and Daystars have held up admirable for 100k+ miles.

Why the trailer? That little thing should fit right in the bed like a Matryoskha nesting doll. Then you take TWO bedfulls of junk with you.

If the bags aren't leveling you out, there' something weird going on. I've not run in to a situation where the bags weren't able to level things out; I may or may not have found a pallet of dry concrete mix in the bed at one point. No sag and I believe 50 psi in the bags. How they mysteriously go there I'm not quite sure.. They might have been lured by a small gaggle of block of cinder blocks in to the bed.

My point is - I don't think most guys haul a pallet of concrete mix which is half the airbag's technical capacity, plus factory springs. If your bags are maxed at 100 psi and it's not leveled out, it's probably because you stole @GeoJoe 's mini-truck, loaded it in your truck bed, stole all his mulch compost to put in the bed of the mini truck, then used a tarp to make a redneck hot tub in the middle of the mulch in the bed of the mini truck that you loaded in the bed...

 

I thought about using the longbed to haul the mini truck, and then I'd need another even smaller truck to put in the back of the mini truck too.

 

Well if 100psi is the max, then there’s no surprise it wouldn’t level a heavy load similar like you shared….I filled them to 50psi which is what I thought the max was. Operator error, as usual!

 

I can recommend these. I've had them in since April and no issues whatsoever. Can't beat the price, the 5 star review is actually from me. I did not use the cradles.

 

Sick kei truck, do you like it?

 

Another for the firestone air bags and cradles, one of the first things I did when I got my truck. Haven't gotten the dreaded rear spring sag yet, so maybe it's helping with the life of my springs?

 

About half the price of Firestone and Daystar, for basically the same thing.

 

I have Firestone airbags on my F-150 and they are certainly helpful for load assistance. One of the tubes on mine has started to leak after about 14 years of use and I need to redo it.

Don’t do the license plate valves like I did and invest in an onboard compressor and switches that you can control from inside the vehicle.

The manual valves are a PITA.

 

Thanks for everyone's feedback. I have ordered the bags and will update once they are here and installed.

 

I know you asked about airbags and already purchased them. However, I used to run these on my Tacoma and will likely put them on my Tundra before any long distance towing with my sailboat. They work great and you never have to worry about about airing them up or tearing a hole in them.
Timbren SES Suspension Enhancement System SKU# TORTUN4 - Rear Kit

Edit: or these off-road version which are shorter so they only start working after your springs sag a bit so they don't affect day to day handling.

Active Off-road Bump Stops for Tundra, Colorado, Canyon & Frontier - R – Timbren