Can’t add rear TRD sway bar due to unknown airbags?!

Hey -
I’m wondering if anyone can take a wild guess as to what type of airbags these are; most importantly, would I actually need to remove them in order to install the TRD sway bar?

Unfortunately I wasn’t given a copy of the inspection report of the truck and im in the process of trying to figure out all the mods the previous owner did that the Toyota dealership neglected to mention. It’s really thrown me a curveball thinking I was being sold a stock truck just to find aftermarket mods in electronic, motor and exhaust that void by not-so-cheap warranty and adds more time, labour and $ to remove or???!
ideally, I’d like a set of functioning airbags and the sway bar but I was recently told I can’t add them due to something in this setup.... i purchased this truck to pull a 32ft travel trailer (and I love a white tundra)!so the towing capacity/ enhancement was my main objective ....any thoughts. ?

 

Those look like firestone bags to me. Its got nothing to do with the rear TRD swaybar install. I have both firestone bags and the TRD SB installed on mine.

 

thats what i thought - as i've seen many builds using both; but the mech at toyota (with 30+ yrs experience apparently) said it wasn't doable. I am not concerned about using parts other than OEM, like I mentioned, my main objective is to enhance my towing capacity weight distribution of the trailer.
What I was told was that the airbags are in the way of where the sway bar mounts would go - i figured even if that was the case, there'd be a mod avail...So, my next question, do they seem to be in okay condition and how would I know? I know firestones are good, but no idea when they were inflated last - the air tubing is cut at the valve...can ya advise me where to lead new tubing to and place the inflation valve?
I suspect there is nothing in the way of normal placement of the sway bar and i can follow a thread showing the basic install?

 

The only thing I could see being an issue with what you’ve shown in the picture is the location of the airline along the frame in the picture. Just in that little window it looks like it’s pointed towards the rear. The end link of the swaybar bolts on near the bumper bracket on the frame. You may just have to move the airline up and out of the way for the link to articulate.

 

points towards the front - both sides are cut and i cant find an existing exit valve (wording) - i've seen it placed in the interior console, tailgate step by license plate lights, also in wheelwell where a rivet for flares would go - lol - no clue what is best, but i figure anywhere thats accessible is all that matter eh

 

Didn’t realize it was cut! It’s possible someone had a compressor system hooked up to it. It’s also possible they may not hold air which is why they were cut. I don’t have airbags so I couldn’t tell you the best way to route everything but I imagine it’s just some quarter inch tubing connected to a T and Schrader valve.

Here is a shot of my swaybar and where it mounts to the rear axle.

 

well thanks!! i guess for starters ill just try to inflat them before worrying about the placement of tubing and valves - if i needed new ones, can the sway bar be mounted without having to take off for changeover of airbags when the time comes?

 

Not sure, but at the most you may just have to disconnect the links from the frame so that the axle can fully droop. They are really easy to take on and off worst case scenario.

 

If you remove the air bags, you’ll have to replace the bump stops. They are cut when installing air bags as they’re in the same spot. Like others said, I have the TRD sway bar and air bags. No issues with install. I’d fix the hose and hook them up to see if they hold air.

 

Firestone airbags and a rear sway bar.

 

Can't say it's the best but I ran mine right beside the license plate. I also put a T in mine before I exited so they were both filled at once it also allows if I'm on uneven ground to give a little to the other bag.

 

Yes!

 

The Firestone ride rite instructions state minimum pressure should be 5 psi. This is because there is no internal bumpstop in the bags and the pressure allows the bags to act as a bumpstop. It is possible that you may have damaged the bags if you have overloaded the bed at some point with the bags uninflated. You are also not supposed to lift the back of the truck with the axle hanging as that could stretch the bags and damage them. Some of us run daystar cradles to avoid this issue and get more flex.

You could jack up the back (on the frame) slightly and inspect the bags for any signs of damage. Might be cheaper just to buy the entire kit if you suspect the bags might be damaged. If the bags are good, you can buy replacement tubing and shrader valves. I like to leave my lines separate so i can control pressure to each side depending on how its loaded. Also, having separate lines acts almost like a sway bar because the pressure in each bag is always constant regardless of whether it is being compressed or unloaded. With a T-connecting both lines, the compressed bag will send pressure to the unloaded side (cornering) thus allowing more sway.

 

I have seen this statement alot about the Firestone bags and it is not correct. Here is what it says directly from Firestone web site. Not trying to stir the pot just want people to know Firestone says you can indeed lift it by the frame without hurting the bags.

 

@Prostar 190 Thanks for the information. Good to know this.

 

Yep. My truck has been on the lift at Discount Tire a few times for tire rotation, and it never hurt the bags.

 

i purchased this truck to pull a 32ft travel trailer (and I love a white tundra)!so the towing capacity/ enhancement was my main objective ....any thoughts. ?

know that air bags do not alter the tow capacity. They can help with any remaining rear squat, after you have already set up your WDH but what your truck can haul and tow is not increased by adding/using air bags.

 

Whats the trailer weight and tongue weight?

 

From the pics, looks like there many be some rust on the airbag plate up at the frame. If that's the case, I don't know if I'd trust the airbag to hold the weight under load.

I have airlift 5000 bags, an on-truck airlift compressor, backup feed lines, and a TRD SB. No issues.

 

I am not the OP, just quoted her post- the top sentence, then my reply is below that.

OP made a post with a pic of her trailer in the towing section. dont think she ever listed the trailer tongue weight or her trucks payload.

 

Here is her post https://www.tundras.com/threads/van...-towing-tundra-long-list-of-mods-to-do.88513/

 

I see. I missed that it was OPs wording from her post.

 

The best way to do what you tried to do there is just hit the "Quote" button, then delete everything except the part you want to directly address. That will frame the comment you want to address in a nice quote box. See what I did with your "quote" above.

I went back and looked at the thread you linked. Yep, OP's doing everything you suggested.

I hadn't read that thread previously, but when I saw the sentence about the 32' TT, my immediate response was "Holy ****!!!". OP needs to back the heck up, and do the fundamentals first to see if that truck/trailer combination is going to work out.

 

This looks to maybe be this trailer - https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers/cruise-lite/263BHXL/2240

Tongue/hitch weight @ 682, uvw @ 5854, CCC @ 1828.

That doesn't sound outrageous for hitch weight but that sag looks dangerous. With the bit of rust I see on the airbag mounts, my guess is that this truck was probably used with a boat in the Puget sound so it's been exposed to sea water.

I'd replace the springs first and foremost and go from there.