10-18-2018, 11:06 AM
Each airbag helper spring kit's mounting brackets are a bit different depending on vehicle.
On mine they basically replace the little rubber bump stops that prevent the axle from hitting frame rails.
While My Firestone riderite kits claimed No drill, well they use self drilling bolts. What fun that would be using a rachet. I used the drill plenty.
Airlift also sells kits for vehicles.
I usually keep 15LPSI in passenger side and 25 drivers side just to have it levelled out. 100PSI in both bags raises the rear end over 4 inches and it rides incredibly stiff.
100PSI in one bag and 0 in the other makes street parking much more level for sleeping.
I have both schrader valves inside my van, and can adjust from within with my MV-50 12v air compressor. They sell kits that one can flip switches to raise or lower airbag PSI.
The airlines use these simple push to connect fittings. Requires a clean perpindicular cutof airhose , insert hose into fitting, then pull back on hose and the little sliding collet. This last portion is not in the directions but insures a better seal, as opposed to airpressure itself once everything is plumbed.
The kit will say to always keep a minimum of 5 or 10PSI in the bags when driving.
The exhaust pipe will likely be in the vincinity of the airbags. The kits include a heatshield to protect the one airbag. Airlift on my kit attached a shield to the E pipe itself, the firestone kit used a shield on the mounting plate of the airbag. I used a Pizza tray amd rivets to enlarge this heatshield, and also had to cut my exhaust and extend its length about 1 inch for proper clearance.
Steel cans and hose clamps are still holding it together 11 years later, though I replace the cans every few years.
The kits say a certain PSI loss is to be expected. i forget the amount but mine leak a fraction of this amount..
I very much like the adjustability, and handling of my Van with these airbags.
I am glad i went this route over a new Leafspring or hellwig helper springs, although I believe that a leaf pack tuned fo r the load would likely be the best riding handling and most durable set up.
I had some cheezy gabriel shocks when i first got the airbags and they were not able to properly dampen the bouncier ride with teh airbags.
KYB Gas A Just shocks improved that dramatically. They are not user adjustable.
Bilstein shocks are said to be even stiffer and have more dampening, at 2x the price of KYB gas a just.
The handling was dramatically improved and on the highway it was very noticeable that the big rigs were not pushing me out of the way nearly as badly and it was easier to stay in the lane.
I did have issues with the first airbags from the Firestone kit, but Summitt racing sorted it out and the second pair do not leak and have been in place for 11 years.
No personal experience with the kits from Airlift.
One can find the specific kits directions for their vehicle from both companies and see how they mount the upper and lower brackets and make the better choice for themselves/ their vehicle.
Do NOT use shocks which have coilover springs or use Air to increase load carrying ability.
The shock mounting brackets and hardware of the shock were never intended to support the weight of the vehicle. A shock can only exert so much force on these points but a giant spring or airbag inside the shock itself, can easily exceed the strength of these mounting points/hardware, and mangle them.
Sure someone will come along and say they have used them and they have been 'just fine' for x amount of time. but they are ticking. And should be avoided in a modified camper van/truck, anything that will see offroad conditions.
Once one gets their new helper springs installed, and possibly adjusted, then the headlight aim will be different. Headlight aim is extremely important not only to not blind oncoming drivers with excessive glare, but so the driver can actually see what they need to see at speed. Humans are extremely bad at judging just how well they can see, or not, and any modification they make is not objectively tested, they just subectively insist it is an improvement.
There is a lot of absolute junk marketed out there regarding vehicla forward lighting, much of it illegal and dangerous. It is a different topic, but the short of it is that halogen fixtures need to have halogen bulbs in them. LEDS in halogen fixtures cannot properly focus the light, blind oncoming drivers, and make me machete swinging push you off the road rip you out of your car and smack you silly type of mad.
On mine they basically replace the little rubber bump stops that prevent the axle from hitting frame rails.
While My Firestone riderite kits claimed No drill, well they use self drilling bolts. What fun that would be using a rachet. I used the drill plenty.
Airlift also sells kits for vehicles.
I usually keep 15LPSI in passenger side and 25 drivers side just to have it levelled out. 100PSI in both bags raises the rear end over 4 inches and it rides incredibly stiff.
100PSI in one bag and 0 in the other makes street parking much more level for sleeping.
I have both schrader valves inside my van, and can adjust from within with my MV-50 12v air compressor. They sell kits that one can flip switches to raise or lower airbag PSI.
The airlines use these simple push to connect fittings. Requires a clean perpindicular cutof airhose , insert hose into fitting, then pull back on hose and the little sliding collet. This last portion is not in the directions but insures a better seal, as opposed to airpressure itself once everything is plumbed.
The kit will say to always keep a minimum of 5 or 10PSI in the bags when driving.
The exhaust pipe will likely be in the vincinity of the airbags. The kits include a heatshield to protect the one airbag. Airlift on my kit attached a shield to the E pipe itself, the firestone kit used a shield on the mounting plate of the airbag. I used a Pizza tray amd rivets to enlarge this heatshield, and also had to cut my exhaust and extend its length about 1 inch for proper clearance.
Steel cans and hose clamps are still holding it together 11 years later, though I replace the cans every few years.
The kits say a certain PSI loss is to be expected. i forget the amount but mine leak a fraction of this amount..
I very much like the adjustability, and handling of my Van with these airbags.
I am glad i went this route over a new Leafspring or hellwig helper springs, although I believe that a leaf pack tuned fo r the load would likely be the best riding handling and most durable set up.
I had some cheezy gabriel shocks when i first got the airbags and they were not able to properly dampen the bouncier ride with teh airbags.
KYB Gas A Just shocks improved that dramatically. They are not user adjustable.
Bilstein shocks are said to be even stiffer and have more dampening, at 2x the price of KYB gas a just.
The handling was dramatically improved and on the highway it was very noticeable that the big rigs were not pushing me out of the way nearly as badly and it was easier to stay in the lane.
I did have issues with the first airbags from the Firestone kit, but Summitt racing sorted it out and the second pair do not leak and have been in place for 11 years.
No personal experience with the kits from Airlift.
One can find the specific kits directions for their vehicle from both companies and see how they mount the upper and lower brackets and make the better choice for themselves/ their vehicle.
Do NOT use shocks which have coilover springs or use Air to increase load carrying ability.
The shock mounting brackets and hardware of the shock were never intended to support the weight of the vehicle. A shock can only exert so much force on these points but a giant spring or airbag inside the shock itself, can easily exceed the strength of these mounting points/hardware, and mangle them.
Sure someone will come along and say they have used them and they have been 'just fine' for x amount of time. but they are ticking. And should be avoided in a modified camper van/truck, anything that will see offroad conditions.
Once one gets their new helper springs installed, and possibly adjusted, then the headlight aim will be different. Headlight aim is extremely important not only to not blind oncoming drivers with excessive glare, but so the driver can actually see what they need to see at speed. Humans are extremely bad at judging just how well they can see, or not, and any modification they make is not objectively tested, they just subectively insist it is an improvement.
There is a lot of absolute junk marketed out there regarding vehicla forward lighting, much of it illegal and dangerous. It is a different topic, but the short of it is that halogen fixtures need to have halogen bulbs in them. LEDS in halogen fixtures cannot properly focus the light, blind oncoming drivers, and make me machete swinging push you off the road rip you out of your car and smack you silly type of mad.
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