Firestone Ride-Rite Air Suspension

Does anyone have the Firestone Ride-Rite Air System(Air Bags) in the rear of their truck? I leveled my truck with the 3" Edge lift and now when I hook up my 5th wheel the rear of my truck sags badly.
I know the air bags will handle the 5er but I'm wondering how the truck will ride without the trailer hooked up? Will the bags deflated all the way effect the ride quality? I've got on-board air, so it's no problem inflating and deflating the bags when needed. I'm just concerned about ride quality when the truck is empty.

Of course I'd much rather have THIS on the truck but who's got an extra 4 grand just laying around.

Any suggestions?

Y2KPSD

I have the firestone 2330 system. It bolts on INSIDE the frame rails, and requires NO DRILLING. The other model that fits our trucks requires you to drill a couple of holes in the frame. Not the end of the world, but I didnt feel like drilling.

You keep 5-psi in the bags when unloaded. This is as much for keeping the bags from being damaged as it is for ride quality. If you kept 80-psi in them empty, it would be a HORRIBLE ride.

I have noticed no difference in ride quality on mine, but I have not towed with it yet, and the roads here in new orleans are SOOoooooo rough anywayz, I wouldnt be able to tell.

Im just finishing my on board air install and hope to get pics done soon. The last thing I have to do is install the inflate/deflate valves on the airbags and the pressure sending units and then wire them all. Got the switches in, and the pressure gauge in the dash. Gonna be a sweet system once its done. air up and air down in the cab and monitor tank pressure and bag pressures on a single digital gauge.

I have had Firestone bags on the back of my 96' for many years and they do a great job. I keep a few pounds in them when the bed is empty and they don't seem to effect the empty ride at all.

Y2kpsd, I'v had Ride Rites on my last 3 Pick-ups. I run 15 lbs in'm empty, 30 lbs with my FW hooked up. I plumbed them so I can level each side independently, I'v found that to be a good way to go if I carry an odd load in the bed.

The ride is no different un-loaded with 15 psi in'm, as Daryl said: it's to protect the bags more than any thing else. The ride is much improved when loaded, takes the Shock out of the bumps. My truck does'nt sag with the FW on, but I think the Ride Rites help absorb the "road shock" some, instead of it all being transfered to the pin box/frame work of my FW.

JOE

Air Bags

I have air bags front and rear on my truck. I have had them on the rear of my trucks for the past 10 years and have used them to level the truck with the trailer attached etc. When empty I keep the rears at about 10psi and with a load usually around 40psi. I put the fronts on last year to level the truck and correct the listing towards the drivers side. The fronts are 35 and 20 psi respectively to level the truck front to back and side to side. As for the ride with bags in the rear it won't be changed noticeably. bags in the front stiffen the ride slightly and for me have improved the handling and nose pitching.

Car_nut57 said:

I have air bags front and rear on my truck. I put the fronts on last year to level the truck and correct the listing towards the drivers side. As for the ride with bags in the rear it won't be changed noticeably. Bags in the front stiffen the ride slightly and for me have improved the handling and nose pitching.

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I'm considering installing X-springs in the front of my truck because my U-springs are beginning to sag from the weight of my winch and occasional use of my snow plow. Maybe it would be to my advantage to install air bags in the front instead. It would certainly be easier and maybe cheaper too! How much were you able to "lift" the front end with the air bags?

What do you think? Would I get a better ride from the X-springs or from the air bags?

Just to throw another idea into the mix for you - I installed Timbrens on the rear. Unloaded they don't do anything - but I can hook up the trailer and excavator with zero sag now. Little over $200 bucks a set.

Ron

y2kpsd said:

I'm considering installing X-springs in the front of my truck because my U-springs are beginning to sag from the weight of my winch and occasional use of my snow plow. Maybe it would be to my advantage to install air bags in the front instead. It would certainly be easier and maybe cheaper too! How much were you able to "lift" the front end with the air bags?

What do you think? Would I get a better ride from the X-springs or from the air bags?

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I debated the merrit of the X-Spring or air bags for quite some time before I choose the air bags. Cost is about the same, but that really wasn't a factor in my choice. My truck is a CCLB 4x4 with fiberglass conopy. I have had air bags on the rear since the day the truck was new. In fact the night I brought the truck home from the dealer, I was under it drilling holes for the rear bags which I had also had on my 96 before this one. Even with only rear air bags I run a little higher pressure on the drivers side than the passenger do to the listing to that side which seems to slowly get worse over time as you factory front springs slowly go away. The X-springs most likely would have solved the front end sag, but are not adjustable so I choose the air bags for the front. The beauty of hte front bags are you can adjust the height , firmness and list side to side which you cannot do with the X-spring. I feel that the air bags in the front enhanced the handling of the truck by firming the front and correcting my ride angle especially when towing afterall this is a long truck with a 35' box behind it. A small truck to trailer angle change effects how the trailer pulls and the stability of the truck. Sorry to get so wordy, but after having installed front air bags, I would do it again. They may even show up on the Excursion when the wife isn't looking. You never know about these things.

I have had air bags on the thee trusk as well and feel they are they are the way to go since they are 100% adjustable to the load. I also have on board with an in cab regulator to adjust them as necessary. On board air is great for the air horns and ATV tires when they leak a little. I put a dual needle gauge in the top of my 4 pillar pod for the air.

Check this out:

www.forgotton.net/diesel/air/index.htm

Thats *MY* air system.

I *JUST LITERALLY* finished it tonight, so I need to update those pics to incluse the airbag UP/DOWN solenoids, the quick disconnect at the back bumper for a 25ft air hose and air chuck, and the indash gauge now reads left right instead of front back.

And LOVE the airhorns!!!