Air bags
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 1
Air bags
hey just wondering if anyone has installed a firestone air bag system on a lifted truck. I have a 2014 with a 4" lift, I purchased the kit and also a 4" spacer that is supposed to work with the kit (this is right from Firestone) the problem that I am having is when you mount the top bracket to the frame and mount the bottom bracket to the axle, the air bag doesn't line up straight up and down or side to side. when I air them up with a camper on they lean off to one side and there is no way that you can adjust them so they are straight up and down. I called Firestone and sent them pictures and all I got from them for help was "if you modify them we wont warranty them" absolutely zero help
Has anyone had any experience with these? just wondering before I take them in to a metal shop for some welding and grinding. These are supposed to be "drill less" installation. when they are aired up with weight one side of the air bag is almost squeezed down to nothing and the other side is badly bulged
thanks for any help or advice
Has anyone had any experience with these? just wondering before I take them in to a metal shop for some welding and grinding. These are supposed to be "drill less" installation. when they are aired up with weight one side of the air bag is almost squeezed down to nothing and the other side is badly bulged
thanks for any help or advice
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,470
Likes: 535
From: Chandler, AZ
Sounds like you have to modify to get them to work. Their axle mount is non-ideal as you have experienced. The kit as whole leave a lot to be desired including the bags themselves.
Hope you don't plan to go off road... if so get daystar cradles after you fix bag alignment issues. Good luck.
Daystar? - Driven by Design
Here is another option for the axle side:
Ford F-250/350 Fabricated Lift Blocks
You can order then with airbag mounts built onto the block.
There are other options for long travel bag systems since your lifted. Maybe return the firestone for something more suited to your needs, given you have a winch, bumper and what not.
https://www.carlisuspension.com/ford...-air-bags.html
Hope you don't plan to go off road... if so get daystar cradles after you fix bag alignment issues. Good luck.
Daystar? - Driven by Design
Here is another option for the axle side:
Ford F-250/350 Fabricated Lift Blocks
You can order then with airbag mounts built onto the block.
There are other options for long travel bag systems since your lifted. Maybe return the firestone for something more suited to your needs, given you have a winch, bumper and what not.
https://www.carlisuspension.com/ford...-air-bags.html
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 1
Hey, thanks for the links , it sounds like you know exactly what I am talking about! I just came back from a long trip putting on close to 10,000 miles and had to take the camper off and re-adjust 4 times as I cant get them to stay where I want. It is a terrible set up and absolutely no help or service from Firestone.....never again. The whole reason I got a camper was to have the ability to go off road rather than pulling a trailer. I have an appointment next week to get another set of eyes on it and we may end up fabricating something to keep it all lined up and in place even though we shouldn't have to. Firestone said that if I modify them I have no warranty but the way they treated me so far I wouldn't count on one anyway. If I cant get these to work I will take them off, throw them in a box and start again with someone else. I just cant believe that they have been around this long and selling a product that doesn't work as its supposed to. I was curious if anyone else had to modify theirs as well
Thanks again for the links!
Thanks again for the links!
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,470
Likes: 535
From: Chandler, AZ
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-theory-3.html
With hellwig rear sway bar disconnected I get about 13" of travel at the wheel. The larger diameter bags can be run a much less pressure to support the same load with a softer ride.
Most people are happy enough with standard airlift/fiestone kits as they use to level 5th wheel and don't off road much or at all.
10k miles is one heck of a trip! sounds like more of an overland expedition.
I'm at 3.5" lift on 37s now but bag system is the same.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 1
Very nice truck! I took some pictures last night but I cant seem to get them to upload, Im not very good with things like that and I don't think I want a photobucket account just for a few pictures. If anyone would like to see them I could email if they like, if not thanks for the input and I will wait and see what the shop figures out for me on Monday. I think its going to require some welding, just a heads up for anybody else thinking about doing this it wont work out of the box as they state!
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 1
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 1
the install is very easy so I dont think we did anything wrong, the top bracket can only go in one spot and the bottom bracket can only go in one spot. the air bag just doesnt line up with the top and bottom! this picture only has 7 pounds of air in them you should see them with 50 pounds and a 2900 pound camper on them. it just doesnt make sense to me that they could manufacture something for our trucks and be that far off. Somebody told me today that are rear axles can be out by as much as 1 1/2" from front to back and maybe thats causing it????
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