Firestone coil air bag

[AlexJet]

I'm about to finish my trailer and thought that with additional weight of the trailer and all the gear I'm curring inside my rear will sag. One of the guys on 4th Gen. installed AirLift 1000. I can't get AirLift localy, its all Special Order, but I can get Firestone ones for $20 cheaper then AirLift.

Did anyone installed Firestone in-coil airbags to support extra weight? What is your experience? How well they do their work? Is it worth? What is expected life of the airbags? How would they handle rough terrain and off-road conditions with big flex?

Many questions, and I'm hoping some members here can help me.

 

[DIHOWARD]

I'm running the Firestone kit,

works very well pulling 17' boat and moderate off-road use.

 

[Jedd]

I'm running a firestone air bag kit on my tacoma. I had originally added 2 extra leaves to my rear packs then the drivers side settled ( fuel tank and 200lbs in the drivers seat), not having time to properly fix the leaves in went an air bag kit, the air bags are great and I'm planning on keeping them in the truck.

I've just got to figure out a way to make them easily removable beacause they are the ****s off road, unless you install limit straps you cant air down the bags 100% otherwise you'll tear them apart flexing. They make the rear end way to stiff, I find, even for logging roads.


I think for you your best bet as far as airbags goes would be to install them, air them up 100% then install limit straps just before that point and drop them down to a couple psi if that when your needing the real flex.

 

[Poorboyota26]

I've seen people run a "jumper" air hose between the two air bag fill valves while on the trail. So that if one side is stuffed in the wheel well the other can droop. This lets the rear axle articulate like normal. Just a thought. I've had the Firestones on an 04 Tacoma and they were great for that extra lift and when loaded down. I never got around to making the jumper though.

 

[rynosurf]

I have Firestones on my 05 Tacoma and they work great. I had Airlifts on my old Tacoma and they were fine too but you had to drill into the frame to install them. Right now I have the valves coming out the license plate but I plan on installing the gauge/controller kit so I can monitor them and fill them up from in the cab.
The jumper idea is good too but I would install a valve so you can run them linked or individually, if you have an uneven load you might need to fill one up more than the other
I think Summit had the best price on the Firestones when I bought mine.

 

[DIHOWARD]

I ran mine using a "T" fitting so the bags stay at equal pressure and there's only 1 valve to fill both. I used the bracket that holds the connector for the trailer lights as the point to mount the valve.