LSUMatt1514

I came across a few threads about these today while doing a little research during lunch. The folks that had used them seemed to speak pretty highly of them and said that they definitely improved the ride quality/comfort of their truck. I found these...

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...T.html#ITEMIMG

I emailed Andy (Bamachem) because he had used them on one of his older 2WD 4Runners and he said that they did help. He sent me this post from Ebay...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEDW%3AIT

A few questions for you guys.

1. Do they need to be installed on all four corners?
2. Will they lift the truck at all?
3. Is the improvement worth spending the money on?
4. What pressure should I run them at for on road driving?

Anybody that has got experience, please speak up. I've got 118k miles on my truck and I figure it's time to get rid of these crappy stock shocks/struts and this would be the perfect time to install these air bags, if of course they're worth it. Thanks guys. Later.

Matt

Sherpa

I have them installed, and under certain circumstances they are very worthwhile. Most of the time, however, they simply are along for the ride.

No, they won't really lift your truck. Perhaps they will a little bit when they are inflated to their maximum rated 30psi, but that isn't their intended design. They are designed to help level the rear of the vehicle when towing or hauling a very heavy load in the rear of the vehicle. Having said that, you really are not supposed to exceed the vehicles recommeded max tongue and trailer weight, with or without the additional airbags.

When I moved from Kentucky to Virginia, I towed a medium sized Uhaul trailer. I had it loaded up enough I lost about two inches of height at the rear bumper. When I inflated the air bags, I gained nearly all of that 2 inches back, so the truck sat level, even with the trailer loaded.

I also bought mine brand new for 43 dollars. Had I know at the time, I could have gotten an additional discount and gotten them for $36. If I remember where it was I bought them, I'll post it here. The point is you should be able to find them for less than the $79 posted.

-Sherpa

BTW, they only fit in the rears. The go inside the coil springs, and the front coil springs have the shock inside them. The rear springs only have a bumpstop, and the shocks are mounted outside the springs.

LSUMatt1514

Sherpa,
Was there a noticeable difference in ride comfort when you weren't towing something?

Matt

Sherpa

Not really. The instructions state to keep them at 5 psi minimum when not towing. Come to think of it, I need to check them. You are not supposed to run them at very high pressure when the truck isn't loaded. I think them might have helped the ride a slight bit, and did help the bottoming out feeling when going over dips in the road, but not much. When I did trail rides, I could lift the rear by about 1/2 to 5/8 of an inch, but that was about it.

Don't purchase them with the intent of improving your ride. You will be sorely disappointed.

Sherpa

I'll be lifting my truck in the next few weeks, so I don't know if I'll keep them or not. I guess I have to do some research and figure out if I can use them with the lift. If not, the they will be available for cheap.

-Sherpa

LSUMatt1514

Definitely keep in touch dude. Thanks.

Matt

WT

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/ebay-trd-air-helper-springs-51863/
More information and I say they stiffen it up a bit for sure in the rear when there inflated up without a load on the back end, I get a few inches when fully inflated

LSUMatt1514

Anybody else?

MTL_4runner

I tried to get them at one point at the $36 price and they were all sold out if I remember right. You can get them on ebay every now and then, but they are not being made anymore (AFAIK) so you kinda have to take what you can get. Not being able to get them cheap sorta set me over the edge on comitting to an OME lift and that's what I finally did (881's and 890's with soft valving). Glad I did finally go that route.....way better handling and ride.

Bigkahuna808

I need somthing thats gonna be used at a constant basis. Im running the downey 3.5s in the rear, but my sound cause my rear so sag lower than the front. I was thinking of using the bags, but then from what I hear you cant drive with them all the way inflated everyday.

ssyota

I am thinking of these ones over the air-lift set up. They seem a little more beefier and they can handle more weight. Just alittle more in $$.

http://www.truckspring.com/airspring...oduct/2304.asp




www.puresynthetics.com

bamachem

matt:

you take the conical bumpstop (which is currently limiting your rear axle travel to about 2" of compression before bottoming out) and trim it shorter by about 3", then you install the bag under it. you can do this w/o ever taking the coils off the axle. you run the lines to a common fill valve (regular tire valve type). you keep them at about 5 psi and it will help your ride tremendously.

matt, trust me on this one. if you want an incredible ride, then get some OME FIRM shocks/struts at all four corners and then put the bags in the rear. that can't be beat for a good ride at stock height.

LSUMatt1514

Andy,
Do you have part/model numbers for the OME struts and shocks you're referring to? BTW, I talked with three different Firestone shops on Friday and none of them had ever heard of, let alone installed, a set of the Firestone air bags. Is it something that I could do myself? I'm an electrical guy, so I have absolutely NO experience with mechanical stuff, especially suspensions! Thanks again Andy.

Matt

MTL_4runner

That is because they were made by Firestone only for TRD, not available anywhere else except the dealer.
Most of them don't have any left and they have stopped production.
You need to get lucky to find a set that hasn't been installed.

MTL_4runner

Here is what they look like.....very distinctive blue:

LSUMatt1514

Jamie,
Looks very similar to these, only without the TRD attached to them....

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...T.html#ITEMIMG

MTL_4runner

Those are the same I am pretty sure.
Wonder if those are overstock or are they still in production somewhere?

LSUMatt1514

By the looks of it, they are still in production just without the TRD attached to it. I think I remember finding a few sites that had them listed. Question is, do I want to spend the money on them and how difficult will the install be. Andy says they're easy to install, but he's torn his suspension down more times than most mechanics. We'll see.

Matt

Flamedx4

The Firestone TIRE dealers wouldn't know about them, and they <edit> were NOT specially built for toyota. Try RV dealers and truck shops. Firestone is the largest manufacturer in the world of air springs for air suspension. Firestone makes the airbags on 90% of all the semis (and large RVs) you see on the road.

These auxiliary air springs you are talking about - the ones that go in the coils are near useless - you can only get a bit on firmness out of them, barely work as a load leveler and they don't last very long. The other kind, that go between the axle and the frame, will carry a real load. We have used dozens of different models on thousands of RVs and I swear by them - they work! This is not a "lift kit" and should not be used as one - although you can certainly get lift with them if you install them right. They are for carrying a load - to level the vehicle.

Bigkahuna808

Will it still work on my downey 3.5s, I stupidly tossed my conical center bumpstops a while ago. I kinda want them. I checked out the other style, bag. (leaf spring style ez ride) I think it would be impossible to hook up without building a whole rear suspension bag system. I just think it would be a waste to go through all that trouble. I'm just looking to gain another 2" in the rear, so that my truck looks level. Sof if I can use it, I rather do the easy way and do the bag in the spring.