1st Gen Tundra w/ Firestone Air bags...???

W

waterwindsuntraveller

Observer
I recently got a slightly heavier truck camper for my 1st generation Tundra and decided to replace my Timbrens with Firestone air bags.

Ordered up the kit and had my local shop do the swap. The mechanic said that with the truck on the lift, there was about a 6 inch space between the top of the air bag and the truck frame (before he connected the upper air bag bracket to the frame).

He finished the install, although he had concerns about what will happen if I take the truck off road and the bags need to flex with the suspension- and too, what about when I get my truck tires rotated and its on a lift- won't the weight of the rear axel pull the bags apart...?

Please chime in. Who has done this before and can offer some advice. My truck has an add-a-leaf and Rancho RS9000s. I'm the 2nd owner- I don't think it was lifted, but it sits a tad higher because of the beefed up suspension...

Am I overreacting? Do I need to get an extension mounting bracket for the Firestone air bags, or pucks to raise them up?

It seems to me that the top of the airbags should not be connected, but should have some kind of a cradle that they nest into when the camper is on the truck....?

Please advise
 
G

GilStyle

New member
Long watch but i thought it was worth it. I haven't done airbags myself but its definitely on the list when I get a Tacoma

- Go to 46:24 for Air Bags

504907
 
vwhammer

vwhammer

Adventurer
It certainly sounds like this is not a good set up.
What size bags were used?

You definitely do not want the air bag to be the limiting strap or the bump stop in your suspension system.

One option is to look at a bigger bag.
It is likely that going from a 2500lb bag to a 2600lb bag is probably not going to do the trick as the difference in extended height between them is not enough.

However, a triple convoluted 2600 lb bag might take up a lot of that 6 inch space and the rest could be taken up with a puck/spacer.

The buckets that can freely drop off of the bags is a good idea but the bucket or a piece mounted on the bag needs to ensure that the bag will end up back in the bucket.
It could be possible to get the suspension all crossed up and the bag may miss the bucket at some point during suspension travel.

Perhaps making it so a part on the bottom of the bag is long enough so it does not actually pass the lip of the bucket when it drops out could work.
 
W

waterwindsuntraveller

Observer
After more research, I decided to go with the Daystar airbag cradles. The bottom of the airbag is detached from the lower bracket and allows for full suspension movement.
 
Buliwyf

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
Also, for others, consider Sumo Rebel springs. They're split in half, and come apart during articulation.
 
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