Anyone installed air bags for load and towing?

Looking into the air bags for my Tundra as I do a lot of hauling. It has a 2" spacer lift on the back, will I need to add a spacer kit to the airbags as well? And if so, can I run the cradles with the spacer kit for the air bags? Or do I remove the spacers since the airbags will give the truck the lift? Thanks in advance.

 

Just picked up the air bag system with compressor from Rough Country and I was wondering where everyone is mounting the gauge and switch for the compressor....

Also, any reason to *not* mount the compressor in the engine compartment?

 

Ok.... so went a head and put the switch and gauge in the console compartment and mounted the compressor in the engine compartment.

Bags will go in on Sunday...

 

Just installed an airlift-knockoff kit from Amazon on my '14 Crewmax and it has a weird sensation of way too little rebound dampening now. Anyone have to change shocks after their airbag install? I was running them at 5psi - I'm going to remove the valve cores on the fill lines and see what it's like on a drive. That will let me know if it's an air issue or the internal bump stop causing it..

 

I have Firestone bags without an internal bump stop. Even with just 5 PSI, it is a little firm. I only really notice it when going over speed bumps. Its not really noticeable to me when driving down the road. My truck suspension is stock with the exception of the bags and a TRD rear sway bar.

 

Do you have cradles for your airbags? I added them when installing the bags but now I'm wondering if that is some of the issue? I think the cradle pushes everything up another 3/4" - 1" in an already tight area, which contributes to riding on the internal bumper. I went for a drive with one of my trailers on at 5psi and the same route home at 30 psi - it rode better at 30 than 5 because I wasn't hitting the bump stops

 

I installed Air Ride bags to help level out the truck when towing my RV. Haven't had the trailer on it since, so I can't give you a report on that. With no load, 10 psi is necessary or I get a rough ride. I expect 30 psi or so will help with the little bit of rear sag from the trailer weight.

 

In case you are still wondering… if by spacer kit, you mean you have a small lift block that sits under the leaf springs? Since the airbag sits between the frame and springs, the lift block won’t affect your bag install, or your ride height. If you have springs designed to give additional lift via springs that have more arch, then you would need a spacer for the airbag.

If your leaf springs are stock, you won’t need to worry about modifying the airbag install. Firestone used to use an L shaped bracket that sat on top of the springs with the leg of the L resting on the axle tube. They no longer use that bracket so leaf springs height and lift blocks no longer affect the install.

I would advise against using the airbags to achieve lift; the are for restoring loaded ride height to unloaded levels. Using them to achieve lift will create a terrible ride.

I use cradles with my Firestone bags - no internal jounce bumper. The cradles do take up about 3/4” of space, but shouldn’t affect the ride much at 5 psi.

I suspect the real problem is how close your main spring pack is to the overload. New OE springs ride close to the overload; worn OE springs practically ride on it. So your spring rate is jumping up ridiculously fast without enough suspension travel for your shocks to control/dampen anything. Running the bags at 30 psi lifts the spring pack enough that it. I longer rides on the overload, giving you a better ride. I have experienced the same thing, and is for why I no longer run an overload spring, but replaced it with airbags.

 

I have an earlier Tundra, but I notice this both with it, and with the 98 Tacoma I previously owned and had airbags on. On both these trucks, especially the Tacoma, even aired down to 5psi, the airbags still impact the suspension on small-ish bumps. They're still "there", rather than unnoticeable until you air them up higher.

And I also have the Daystar cradles. I definitely think they make it worse. I'm really happy with the airbags and I think they're a great compromise if you tow/haul heavy weight, but they do still impact unloaded/aired-down ride quality in my experience.

 

I'm thinking it all comes down to the internal bumper in the airbag on this one. I think it's worth the time to remove the cradles and see how it reacts. I don't have a secondary/overload spring, not the style that I'm familiar with anyways, so don't think that's an issue. Spring pack wasn't an issue under normal conditions before the airbags anyways..

 

I wonder what the pressure increase is when the bags are compressed? If you start with 5psi at normal ride height then add weight and force the suspension/bag down to say half it's std length I wonder what the pressure increase is? Not that it matters but it would be interesting to know

 

This is the overload to which I refer. Most spring packs including the stock springs use this type of overload spring.

Forgot to load the pic…

 

Yes. I do have cradles.

 

Just installed Airlift bags, airlift cradles, and airlift wireless one compressor on my '19 Tundra. Truck currently has a 3/1 Wescott Designs collar lift w/ 5100 adjustables up front and 5100's in the rear. With this specific kit it comes with a 1" spacer for the rear lift. Truck sat pretty level. I think i had 1/4" of rake. Ride quality was great!!! Rode like a truck! LOL After install of bags and cradles I noticed the rear sits about an inch higher now. Anyone else have this issue? upon driving truck around it feels like the rear is now sitting on the internal jounce of the airbag and any little bump you feel! It is like the rear jumps up and then slams right back down onto the jounce. I do not like it at all. The airlift wireless one compressor keeps 5lbs in the bags when deflated, thats fine. I am just wondering if anyone has any takes on this issue? I put the bags in because we have a camping trailer that weighs about 6000lbs that we are towing and it did cause some squat on the truck and trying to get rid of that and get some better towing. Any one have any ideas? I have any idea to pull the 1" blocks and see how it rides that way but not sure if there is anything else that will need to be done since I am running stock leaf springs. Any ideas or thoughts are appreciated.

PS - not using the bags to create lift. have that with the spacer but now with the bags and cradles the rear sits about an inch higher than it did before the bags and cradles.

UPDATE 8hrs after original comment - I removed the 1" blocks in the rear and now the truck is sitting level all the way around and riding like she used to ride before i installed the bags and cradles. I was in conversation with airlift and they said to remove the cradles and they are aware of the situation with these airbags and cradles causing it to be compressed in between the frame and the leaf springs. They said it sounds like the cradles are compressing my bags and causing truck to feel like its riding on the internal jounce, which it was, and to remove the cradle. I dont want to remove the cradle and install with the bottom roll pan because I dont want to lose articulation. So i removed the 1" block and at 5psi she is sitting level with the front and rides so much better! not bottoming out anymore. true test will be this weekend when i connect travel trailer and see what these bags can do.

 

AirLift bags, no compressor, license plate valves, Bilstein 5100s on top setting. The bags take so little air to increase the pressure I can't see using a compressor, just use a bicycle pump. I run 5-10 psi empty and about 40 psi hauling my small fifth wheel with 800 lb. pin weight.

 

We have a 24 Tundra that we use to tow our Escape 5.0 fifth wheel 5,500 gvw It has been converted to a goose neck using a Reese Goose Box https://www.etrailer.com/5th-Wheel-Gooseneck-Adapter/Reese/RP94716-61301.html
And the truck has a B&W Turnover ball which makes it so that you can't use air bags because the mounting location is taken up by the B&W Turnover ball. The trailer has a tongue weight between 7 and 9 hundred pounds depending on loading. When towing we are usually at full load My first gen Tundra had a rail mounted fifth wheel mount so it didn't interfere with air bags and I had Fire Stone Ride right air bags. I would say the rear end sags somewhere between 3-4 inches when loaded and the truck handles this ok but I would rather not have that much sag.
Does anybody have any suggestions for an air bag system or maybe adjustable air shocks that wouldn't interfere with the B&W.

 

Good to hear. I'm curious about the 1" block that you removed - do you have a picture of before and after? If it is what I think it is, removing it shouldn't make a difference in ride quality as the distance between spring and frame doesn't change. Regardless, I'm glad it's riding better.

Perhaps you can look in to other options like Sumo Springs? I'm not well versed enough in the 3rd gen setup, but I am wondering if Sumo's mount in a better spot to clear the gooseneck hitch. Gooseneck hitches for 2nd gens also said they were incompatible with air springs, but I believe Firestone Ride Rites worked just fine with them.

Another option would be a variable rate coil, or simply a heavier coil. I know the latter isn't quite ideal, but the former option gives you a more compliant ride unloaded, just like stock, but gives and increasing spring rate once it compresses a little. I don't recall offhand who offered them, but there were a few guys testing new coils here on the site a couple of years ago. Maybe General Spring?

Ok, a little search on the inter webs yielded these from General Spring, which are very reasonably priced: https://www.generalspringkc.com/202...ngs/?msclkid=acb4c6752892188912edaeed977cb9d2

Or Icon offers a similar spring both .5" and 1.25" lift, the .5" inch being a dual rate and the 1.25" being a triple rate spring.

Dual rate: https://www.jackit.com/ico-51210.html

Triple rate: https://www.jackit.com/ico-51211.html

 

I just got off the phone with someone at E-Trailer and they confirmed that this Firestone kit will fit the new Tundra with a B&W Turnover ball installed. https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Suspension/Toyota/Tundra/2024/F89VV.html?VehicleID=2024144640
I'm going to give it a try. It might be a while but I'll report back as soon as I have them installed.

 

I ended up modifying the bottom half of the brackets on my B&W hitch to allow for the airbag install, not for the faint of heart or average backyard mechanic though!

 

I ended up removing the cradles, welding/machining studs into the stock airlift roll plates, and using them like a cradle but without the aprox. 7/8" thickness of a std cradle. This gave me the stock ride back, but still have the articulation/movement of the cradles.

 

For heavy towing/hauling (aka 5th wheel or slide-in camper), I'd go air bags every time. There are some use cases for Sumo Springs, but air bags are just better.

 

Do you have time to look at the link to the airbags I posted above at e-trailer to see what you think. I hope you're not the guy they sold them to and so they think they fit.

 

The '24 is a different setup than my '14 would be I think?
The style of bracket for the firestone bags that are shown in the link would work perfectly on my truck as it would clear the lower mounting bolt for the gooseneck hitch. Won't know until you try them I guess!