Firestone Airbags on 2011 CCSB 4x4 short box...with fifth wheel brackets..

Well.. started the install.....the U bolts that attach on the spring packs are too short....need 3/4 inch longer....Getting longer ones tommorow myself.

Lower mount....mount the bolts inside to out...pita getting the wrench on them with low clearance against the jounce stops.

Definately need a 9/16's deep well.....I didn't have one in ghe tool box....and a bunch of wasted time...

Things don't line up symettrically on this system exactl;y....I don't know if this matters on the airbag life....but Im not very impressed....upper brackets need to come in further towards center I believe..

Installed with fiflth wheel brackets already installed...would have been easier if airbags were installed first...

DEF bolt screw in is PITA...problem solved with half inch drill bit..... maybe smaller would work......not in the instructions...but after wasting 20 minutes....the solution of drilling it out..worked great!

So longer U bolts, mount bolts from inside, and a 9/16 drill bit is a must.....I'll had more after I get it finished...Truck parked for a day unitl finished...

 

sorry your install didn't go as planned.
I've installed them on all three of my super duties, and have found the instructions to be not very helpful.
if it helps, they get easier to install as you do more of them
with my new truck, I had the 5th wheel hitch installed before I bought the bags, this caused me to have to do extra work, but I sure do enjoy having the bags on-board.

Did you go with on-board air or ??

 

I have never had u bolts too short, confusing.

I pre assemble the lower bracket on my workbench. Much easier.

The driver side upper bracket is challenging but I don't remember getting in a bind bad enough to drill.

The airbag does have a slight angle on it and there is a small amount of play in the position of the bottom bracket where you can get a pretty good fit.

Sorry for your frustrations. There are several good threads on giving notes and video of how the install process goes.

 

Sorry about your frustrations. I just installed the Firestone air bags on my F-350 long box two days ago. Took about a hour in a half. I have to admit the DEF tank thread insert was a slight slowdown. I just ended up bending in out until the inside piece snapped off and the outside then fell off. It does have some spring to it and took some effort to pry apart. My parts all seem to fit OK and go together smoothly. I did not need a deep well socket for the lower bracket. I tightened from the outside with socket and used a wrench to hold the inside.
Where did you get your air bags from? I wonder if it is a kit someone threw together.
I am now working on getting air compressor installed and piped up. Just filling with valve stem for now. My first big test with be Sunday when I put my 15,000lb. 5er on. I can’t wait to see how much different it is.

 

Needing longer U bolts doesn't sound right... Have never heard of this. Mine were pleanty long enough. What model# kit did they send you?

 

Here is my experience.

I just installed Firestone Ride Rite air bags #2535 on a 2011 6.7 F350 Supercab Dually.

Previously, I had used the new Valley 5th wheel brackets, for my older 24,000 lb Valley hitch, when I reinstalled the old hitch in the new truck. The Valley brackets worked fine.

However, when installing the Ride-Rite bags, I had to remove the two major bolts for the Valley brackets that went through the frame--the ones asking for 300 lbs of torque.

After taking that Valley bolts out, I installed the upper Ride-Rite brackets and reinstalled the Valley hitch bracket bolts, which went easily through the Valley bracket, the truck frame, and the air bags upper brackets. After that, I installed all the other parts, which fit fine, and tightened everything up. All the parts fit exactly as one would hope. I then added the air lines--no leaks. Since I don't tow everyday, I did not install an unboard compressor. It looks like I will not need it, because even a 12 volt tire pump will fill the air bags rather quickly to the unloaded pressure I will need when loaded.

I have a rather heavy 5th wheel hitch weight (36 foot Mobile Suites) so I need about 55-60 lbs of air in the bags before I hook up in order to have the truck at the same level/height as unhooked. (The top of the back bumper is 30 1/4 inch from the ground unloaded.) After hooking up, the pressure shows about 70 lbs without adding air, and the bumper height is less than an inch, + or -, from the unloaded 30 1/4 inches of height. I will fine-tune the unloaded and loaded air pressure so the truck doesn't sit higher or lower when towing compared to non-towing. Then, I will know the unloaded pressure needed before I hook up the 5th wheel.

Incidentally, with the bags at 50-60 lbs, the ride--without the fifth wheel--rides surprisingly well, though it raises the bumper height about 2 inches. Therefore, when I do not plan to tow, I will reduce the bag pressure to somewhere between 10 and 20 lbs. pressure (5 lbs is the minimum pressure) so the ride is good and the bumper height is back to 30 1/4 inches.

So far, so good!

 

Update...

So the U bolts supplied were long enough.

The confusion was with the P Poor instructions relating to the alignment button on top of the air bags. No-illustration portraying proper placement, in fact the only diagram shown, actually pointed me in the wrong direction.

Definately preassemlbe the lower brackets after lining up for proper height, and place bolt heads on the inside of the bracket, not the outside.

This gives you more room to adjust against the jounce.

Still things don't line up perfectly on a up/down vertical line at the end of install. Guess I don't understand that one...but they'll work...

aired up to 10 pounds to see if they leak down dramatically overnight. Firestone states, normal air loss of 3-4 psi a week is acceptable?

Anyone experience leak down like that after installed?

 

Leaking is not an issue for me but temperature is. Especially now, 80F in the afternoon and 60F in the morning nets me a loss in psi but not much, maybe 5 at the most if I am inflated to 40psi.