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I did look at the daystar cradles but was concerned as to how they bolt on.
The air-lift bags have 2 bolts for attachment to the brackets where the daystar cradles appear to be in 1/3’s.
Do they get bolted to the lower bracket and the bag floats loose? I can see that being an advantage if major suspension travel is anticipated so that the bag doesn’t get over extended, but for a pavement queen my feeling is that firmly bolted into place is right for me.
I will look into a metal cutting saw blade for my chop saw instead of the abrasive. That 1” steel bar played havoc with it and took forever to cut.
I too have Air Lift bags with the internal bump stop.
Yes, the cradle sits on the bottom bracket. Fasteners is not a concern for me as there are all sorts of fasteners available, if I decide to go the Daystar route.
I agree, a pavement queen may never utilize the Daystar cradle. Although, how I use my truck in National Forest and BLM land, I see a possible advantage. Further planning must take place though once we return home.
I did look at the daystar cradles but was concerned as to how they bolt on.
The air-lift bags have 2 bolts for attachment to the brackets where the daystar cradles appear to be in 1/3’s.
Do they get bolted to the lower bracket and the bag floats loose? I can see that being an advantage if major suspension travel is anticipated so that the bag doesn’t get over extended, but for a pavement queen my feeling is that firmly bolted into place is right for me.
I will look into a metal cutting saw blade for my chop saw instead of the abrasive. That 1” steel bar played havoc with it and took forever to cut.
I think airbags should never be mounted with one end floating loose. That just means the wrong airbag has been installed for the range of articulation of the suspension.
Just got the word that my roll plates weren’t available locally, and are now on order from a supplier in California.
Supposed to be here Friday but we shall see how that goes. Hopefully so because we have a 1 week trip coming up and my wife prefers that I have some local miles on the truck after performing work on it before hitching up to the trailer.
Not sure if I will ever live down the loose bolt on caliper bracket scenario. But in my defence she did call me in for dinner before I got it torqued down.
Got the last of the spacers drilled today and cleaned up for painting. Still have to prep the lower brackets for paint.
Saw a carpenter on a job site the other day wearing a t-shirt that said “ SAWDUST IS MAN GLITTER”. I chuckled to myself.
Today I looked down at the pile of metal shavings from drilling the holes.
At least my glitter is shiny.
Got the last of the spacers drilled today and cleaned up for painting. Still have to prep the lower brackets for paint.
Saw a carpenter on a job site the other day wearing a t-shirt that said “ SAWDUST IS MAN GLITTER”. I chuckled to myself.
Today I looked down at the pile of metal shavings from drilling the holes.
At least my glitter is shiny.
Those are some beefy looking airbags. I'm assuming you made the spacers so they're not stretched when the suspension is at full droop?
Your glitter might be shiny but it might also give you tetanus after you sprinkle it over yourself.
Those are some beefy looking airbags. I'm assuming you made the spacers so they're not stretched when the suspension is at full droop?
Your glitter might be shiny but it might also give you tetanus after you sprinkle it over yourself.
From the research I’ve done as per Air-Lift
Non jounce bumper bellowed bags have a maximum distance of 8” between brackets with a minimum of 5” at normal ride height.
Jounce bumper bellowed bags max is 7” with a minimum of 5”.
Whoever installed mine originally clearly didn’t see this and at normal ride height was just under 9”.
The replacement bags I chose are the 50201 non jounce so the 1” blocks get me within the 8”.
I wasn’t planning on spreading the glitter around so the chance of outer membrane puncture leading to tetanus is slim to none. In fact I took great care to pile it for photo op then deposited into disposal receptacle.
Good job. I must admit I myself did not do as much due diligence as you have when I installed my air bags. All I did was follow Firestone’s instructions on where to mount the brackets for a given amount of suspension lift. It has all worked out as luck would have it. The first time supporting the truck by the frame and allowing the axle to droop all the way was nerve-wracking.
I don’t think that them being stretched is the issue at all.
The closest to being off road while I’ve owned the truck since 2004 is a gravel driveway.
Im spitballing here but my best guess is constant jarring from segmented concrete freeways from my trips down into Washington State compounded by under inflation and 9” instead of 8”.
Once the bags are done the next step is to go with
Got a call today. The local supplier found the roll plates and come get them.
Coffee break at work this afternoon was spent applying paint.
I also picked up the 2” receiver stub that I believe was mountainmanrob who showed as a weld on to the outer hitch tube for storage of an unused hitch. I will get that welded on Saturday before all the kids show up for a BBQ.
I think I need to take a self imposed hiatus from FTE before I’m either in the poor house or the dog house.
I keep bringing home bags of stuff and handing her receipts, or emailing her receipts and waiting on the package to arrive.
