has anyone added an air bag system to beef up suspension? - The Hull Truth

striper97 · 09-27-2009, 08:08 AM

looking at the Firestone system. For $300.00 it seems like a worthwhile investment. Pro's? Con's? This is for a 3500 series GMC dually pulling an 8 horse trailer (goose neck style with 5 wheel ball in bed mounted to frame)

Bigger Hammer · 09-27-2009, 08:37 AM

I've got air bags on my Excursion, both front and rear. Firestones on the rear, AirLift on the front. Firestone doesn't make a front spring for this application. To sum things up, I'm very pleased with both of them and would definitely do it again.
Excursions are too softly sprung from the factory, and there are some other problems with the suspension, so this was part of my effort to correct all this. I needed the springs on the front because the front suspension would often bottom-out, even on the Interstate when not towing.
I went overboard with mine, installing a compressor and air tank that allows me to adjust mine on the fly from inside the cab, and also have air available for airing up tires and using air tools.
The great thing about the air springs is that they can be adjusted to provide just enough additional support when you need it, and you can air them down when you don't need it to maintain the best ride possible.
Bill

dieselpusher · 09-27-2009, 12:23 PM

I installed Timbrens on my Chevy Silverado 2500HD. They are rubber biscuits that fit between the axle and the bump stop. Here's why I chose Timbrens over air bags:

They do not affect the empty ride. Excellent ride when loaded.
Solid rubber, will NEVER leak or wear out.
No adjustments needed, ever.
Ten minute install.
No additional hardware needed, such as compressor, air hoses, etc.
Less expensive. (around $160)
Install & forget. No fiddling with pressures, no bags, hoses or connections to leak.

We regularly tow a 16,000 lb fifth-wheel toyhauler with our truck, and the Timbrens have been great. Lot's of folks seem to like the air bags, but there is an excellent alternative...

LouC · 09-27-2009, 02:06 PM

On a much smaller vehicle I put them in my 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee and they work great for reducing sag and the bouncing that the trailer tongue weight causes with soft coil sprung rear suspensions...

petrel · 09-28-2009, 11:42 AM

I had the heavy duty firestone airbags installed on our excursion. have been very pleased with them. they do leakdown and need to be topped off occasionally.

Bighammer, what model and brand of compressor did you install, and where did you find room for it? Please post a photo if you have time. Thanks!

Bigger Hammer · 09-28-2009, 03:17 PM

I don't recall ever having to top off any of the bags on ours once I spent some time making sure they weren't leaking. I sprayed a soap solution on every joint in the system looking for leaks.
One other advantage of the system I've got is that if I want to get underneath the truck, for oil changes or other things, I just increase the pressure to the bags and the truck raises up enough for me to get underneath. You also need to make sure that anyone working on the truck knows what you've got.
The pictures aren't too good, if there's something in particular you'd like to see let me know.
Everything was bought on E-Bay.
The ViAir 480c compressor is installed on the edge of the body panel directly under the driver's seat. I used pre-existing holes, and some of the j-nuts used for attaching body hardware.

The tank, I think it's 2.5 gallons, is mounted on the outside of the frame rail on the driver's side, just behind the compressor. I did have to drill holes to mount the tank. The emergency brake cable runs through the supports, under the tank.

The valve & gauge assy is mounted in the glove box. If I were to do this again I would use a 2 valve setup with a single gauge. Each gauge measures two pressures, so I would only need one. Might be different if I carried loads that weren't symmetrical side to side.
This what I've got now:

Bill

liveaboard74 · 09-28-2009, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigger Hammer

I've got air bags on my Excursion, both front and rear. Firestones on the rear, AirLift on the front. Firestone doesn't make a front spring for this application. To sum things up, I'm very pleased with both of them and would definitely do it again.
Excursions are too softly sprung from the factory, and there are some other problems with the suspension, so this was part of my effort to correct all this. I needed the springs on the front because the front suspension would often bottom-out, even on the Interstate when not towing.
I went overboard with mine, installing a compressor and air tank that allows me to adjust mine on the fly from inside the cab, and also have air available for airing up tires and using air tools.
The great thing about the air springs is that they can be adjusted to provide just enough additional support when you need it, and you can air them down when you don't need it to maintain the best ride possible.
Bill

Bill I think you and I just love toys with the boxes on the trialer and boat things going on.

Striper Ditto on Bills set up. I run the Firestone air bags on the rear with the pump mounted under the truck control and gauge inside the cab. With the camper and the boat i"m 21000 rolling. After reading your post I was going to say if you had just a truck no, but I see you pull a 5th wheel trailer. For those, the Firestone airbags would be a dream come true.
Mine has a set of springs under the front that a welder would have a tough time cutting through from the factory and even with the Generator
box on the front I didn't need anything up there. With 60lbs in mine the unit rides like a bmw. Honestly its as good a ride with all that weight as my Saturn Sky. I installed them in about 3 hours with the incab unit. Nothing hard about it and most any kid with a hot rod car could help you out.
I have seen post where if all you have is a open bed pickup and do a lot of empty driving it makes it rough. Camper stays on mine all the time so have to take there word for it. No experence in that. Again like Bill, i ran mine off the air bag line to a fitting on the back bumper of the truck. I carry one of the small walmart portable air tanks in the camper and can fill it up off the air bags and help friends out with flat tires. Works well with the electric impact off the generator. If I can get the girlfriend to work the jack and yell when she's finished .... we'll be stroking !!

striper97 · 09-28-2009, 05:23 PM

that truck and trailer stays together all of the time so I should be fine with the airbags. Thanks for all of the input guys!

petrel · 09-28-2009, 09:30 PM

thanks for the pics. i'm adding that to my project list!

kerno · 09-29-2009, 11:52 PM

I tow less weight (only about 12,000 lbs) so I cheat. I remove one leaf out of the rear spring pack on each side to improve the unloaded ride. Then I add the air bags to give me back the capacity when I need it. It is the best of both worlds!

Brocnizer1 · 10-05-2009, 09:32 AM

Firestone air bags are great! I had a set on my old truck and we installed them on a friends dodge ram.

We both couldn't be happier. He tows 12,000 pounds almost daily with his masonry business and they have never leaked. He doesn't have the fancy air tank, all we did was the air bags, compressor, and control switch. It only takes about 1 min to inflate so a tank, in my opinion, is not needed.

I will be installing a set on my tahoe very shortly. It makes towing so much easier and safer

Think Done Deals · 10-13-2009, 12:09 PM

I have the Fireston bags on my '07 and love them. Even running around town empty I think it rides better with 25-30 psi in the bags. I notice that keeps the overload from slapping the stops on bumps, etc. I ran a single Viair 380C, and swapping it out this week for dual 480C's. I went with the single guage that reads from two inputs. I have the tank pressure on one and the bag pressure on the other. I started with the bags split, but trying to even them out drove me nuts.

ruuster · 10-14-2009, 10:43 AM

yes i had some on 06 gms 2500 great makes it ride better when not towing put just a little air in it. i i still have them in a box if you are interested doesnt have pump iaired them up with air hose firestones make me a offer

Think Done Deals · 10-14-2009, 12:07 PM

BTW - Good looking trailers. I loved my Jamco.

SlipperyWhenWet · 10-14-2009, 01:05 PM

Had Firestone airbags on my F-350 and loved them. I was towing a 48" Gooseneck trailer with a TON TON TON of weight...actually gross weight of almost 34,000lbs one trip. The bags made the truck ride like a caddy. Without them, there was sag on the truck and alot more "bouncing" on bumpy roads. When I realized how much weight I was actually hauling, I did what any reasonable man would do...I got a bigger truck!

GO OVRIT · 10-15-2009, 07:12 PM

I run softer lift springs on my Dodge Cummins with a set of firestone bags and its the best of both worlds. With a tank, compressor and in cab controls I get a soft unloaded ride and can pump them up when I'm loaded. I had a Kelderman setup that cantilevered the rear spring hangers on airbags on my dually with a super heavy set of springs. It worked pretty good, but I prefer the other setup.

patrickg · 10-15-2009, 08:31 PM

I had the same system as big Hammer on my F450, but only on the rear leaf springs only one gauge, and two switches. It was bad @ss. It made the truck so much tougher and it made a world of difference hitting bumps with a heavy gooseneck load. I also have a regular f250 and I am scared to death when I tow a heavy tongue load because it feels like the rear springs are going to snap every time I hit a big bump. I had the tank under the bed and the compressor behind the back seat. I had the gauge and switches beside my right knee next to my two trailer brake controllers.