# Firestone air bag lift or supersprings



## ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER (Dec 14, 2008)

Whats going guys. Im usually on the hunting forum but have a question for ya'll.

I have a 2008 GMC Sierra 4x4. I lifted the front to level out with the back. Truck looks great like that. Now my problem is when I haul a trailer or load the bed of the truck it sags bad and doesnt look good at all. I was leaning first toward the supersprings but then I started looking at the Firestone air bag lift.

Difference: superspring price is around $400.00
Firestone air lift is around $280.00

I've read the both do the job but just undecided on which one to buy.

anyone has either of these and can you let me know what ya'll think

Thanks


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## ReelWork (May 21, 2004)

The Firestone Air Bags are quite nice and load adjustable (can be done with a bike/foot pump or add/use a compressor). A co-worker put some airboags on his last week ('11 F250) and I may put them on my 250 eventually. The advantage of the air bag setup is you can adjust the bag pressure to the load and when unloaded, return to stock height and right quality - can't do that with the spring.


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## Ducatibilt (Jul 8, 2010)

I've got the airbags on my 2500HD, I added them when I went to a fifth wheel with a heavy pin weight. 

The great thing about the airbags is that you can adjust them to whatever the load is that your carrying. When I drop the trailer I drop the air out of them and it's like their not even their till I need them again. 
I opted not to get the built in compressor because I'm not going to have this truck a whole lot longer, although it would probably be nice I just hit them with the compressor when I hook up. Their pretty small and only takes 35lbs to get my truck back to level with my heavy *** trailer on it so it's pretty quick and takes very little air.

Also only took me and buddy about 30 mins to get them installed.

The supersprings and Timbrens are nice in that once their on there you don't have to do anything else with them, but you also don't have any adjustablity with either one of those. 
Good luck with whatever you go with!

Ha! If I wasn't such a slow typer I wouldn't reposted everything ReelWork just posted!


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## lx22f/c (Jun 19, 2009)

x3 on the airbags and get the compressor you will love it.


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## ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER (Dec 14, 2008)

I made my choice and ordered the firestone air lift. Can't wait to see how it does. I'm going out to the ranch in 2 weeks and gonna be pulling a heavy load. I'll let ya'll know how it goes.

Thanks for ya'lls comments.


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## ATX 4x4 (Jun 25, 2011)

ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER said:


> I made my choice and ordered the firestone air lift. Can't wait to see how it does. I'm going out to the ranch in 2 weeks and gonna be pulling a heavy load. I'll let ya'll know how it goes.
> 
> Thanks for ya'lls comments.


Smart choice! I have Ride Rites on my leveled F150. I LOVE them. I opted out of the built-in compressor. I carry a portable 18 volt air compressor in my tool box. I ran the air valves back to the bottom two holes in my license plate. They act like mounting bolts for my LP. They are side by side and very easy to inflate when I load up.

I carry a low pressure air gauge in my console to check air pressure and also use it to deflate the bags after unloading. While this method is not as easy as an on board compressor, it takes all of 2 minutes total and saved me a couple hundred bones.

The bags help a lot with body roll in corners and curves as well. Much more stable towing and as previously mentioned.


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## ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER (Dec 14, 2008)

I installed my air bags saturday morning. Took about 2-2 1/2 hours. Wasn't difficult at all. I added a tee to my hose connection so i wouldn't have to air up each bag individually. I left around 8 psi in the bags. I can tell a difference in my ride. 

Question: My left rear (driver) bag is leaning toward the front left. Its not touching anything, but is this ok. Everything is on correctly and not loose. The other bag has no lean. Since the tank is on the left side, is that causing my bag to have that lean?? 

Thanks for ya'll comments and help


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## ATX 4x4 (Jun 25, 2011)

ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER said:


> I installed my air bags saturday morning. Took about 2-2 1/2 hours. Wasn't difficult at all. I added a tee to my hose connection so i wouldn't have to air up each bag individually. I left around 8 psi in the bags. I can tell a difference in my ride.
> 
> Question: My left rear (driver) bag is leaning toward the front left. Its not touching anything, but is this ok. Everything is on correctly and not loose. The other bag has no lean. *Since the tank is on the left side, is that causing my bag to have that lean?? *
> 
> Thanks for ya'll comments and help


Very possible. Since you put the T in it, the air easily rolls from one bag to another. With them plumbed separately, you would have less body roll. Plumbing them separate allows for much more control over the ride and stance. With the T, it is much like a straight axle compared to independent suspension in that one side's movement is dependent on the other side's movement since the air is shared. With the T, the over all height of the rear will come up but will still be more inclined to favor one side or another, especially under load. I, myself, would not have put a T in it but many people do and have no complaints.


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## Ducatibilt (Jul 8, 2010)

I would pull out the T fitting and go with individual hoses. 

If you happen to load one side heavier it will actually push the air out of that bag and into the other making the problem seem even worse since it will raise the lighter side as well. 
If your going straight down the road and not loaded heavy it's not as noticable, however if you go around a corner loaded and the weight transfers to one side the air will just pass to the unloaded bag and flatten the loaded side.


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## ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER (Dec 14, 2008)

That does make sense. I'm going out to the ranch this weekend and will be pulling around 3500+ lbs. with the bed of the truck loaded. I'm going to use the tee and see how that works out.

When the air is shifting from bag to bag does that damage them? Is the pressure going to be different in each bag? The ranch is in Rocksprings, Texas. I go over lots of rocks to get to camp. The truck does rock from side to side at times.


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## ATX 4x4 (Jun 25, 2011)

ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER said:


> That does make sense. I'm going out to the ranch this weekend and will be pulling around 3500+ lbs. with the bed of the truck loaded. I'm going to use the tee and see how that works out.
> 
> *When the air is shifting from bag to bag does that damage them? Is the pressure going to be different in each bag?* The ranch is in Rocksprings, Texas. I go over lots of rocks to get to camp. *The truck does rock from side to side at times*.


No, it will not damage them at all. The pressure will be different in each bag but since you have the T, you can't measure each bag separately since they are tied together.

The truck will continue to teeter as the air transfers from one bag to the other. If you plumbed them separately, you would nearly eliminate the body roll but the ride will firm up, with air in the bags.


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## Ducatibilt (Jul 8, 2010)

ATX 4x4 said:


> No, it will not damage them at all. The pressure will be different in each bag but since you have the T, you can't measure each bag separately since they are tied together.
> 
> The truck will continue to teeter as the air transfers from one bag to the other. If you plumbed them separately, you would nearly eliminate the body roll but the ride will firm up, with air in the bags.


Keep in mind you should only need enough air pressure in them to get the truck to sit level when loaded up. To much air and the truck will ride like a chuck wagon. I put 70lbs in mine the first time before I hooked up to my trailer, rattled my teeth out going down the road. My usual running pressure loaded is 32-35lbs.

You also might want to take the stuff with you to change them over once you get out there! Just in case.


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## ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER (Dec 14, 2008)

Thanks for ya'lls help.

I've been reading more about it via the web. Some say it's ok some say it's not a good idea. This, is what i'm gonna do. I am going to place a valve on one of the lines before my (1) valve fill up. So I can fill up with one valve and close my in-line valve to stop the flow of air to move from bag to bag.

So, I can go either direction with it. 

Thanks. I will keep you posted on how it goes.


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## Jetpadge (Mar 17, 2011)

I have the airbags on my 2500HD and love them. I went with the air compressor upgrade and all i have to to is press a button to fill the bags, and it comes with a nice easy to read air gauge inside the cab. I highly recommend.


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## bighop (Feb 28, 2008)

I've got the firestone bags with the firestone wireless controller in my CCLB F350. DON'T get the firestone if you want a wireless controller. Though they advertise a 50ft range, it won't connect from the cab with the compressor mounted under the bed. Called firestone and they admitted that "yeah that happens if there's anything between the remote and the compressor." Had no solutions to offer me. Moved the compressor up to just behind the cab, still no connection. Have to get out and stand next to the truck to make it work.

No one with the Airlift wireless has had any problems with range that I've seen.


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## ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER (Dec 14, 2008)

UPDATE on airbags.

Towed around 4000lbs. I put 40 psi in the bags and that leveled off the rear end. Ride was smooth and handled really good driving on curved roads. I kept the TEE to see how it was going to do. I didn't encounter any problems with the TEE. I'm probly just going to leave it on. I looked at the instruction manuel and it states that a TEE can be added if desired.

OVERALL: I'm glad I bought these bags. Very happy on how they worked. Only thing is i didnt buy the compressor to install in the truck, so it was kind of a hassle to have to stop and use a gas station compressor. I say that because I stopped at one station and the darn air com. didnt work, so I had to go to another gas station.

Thanks guys for ya'lls advise and comments.
I will try to post a pic of my truck loaded down.


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## ATX 4x4 (Jun 25, 2011)

ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER said:


> UPDATE on airbags.
> 
> Only thing is i didnt buy the compressor to install in the truck, so it was *kind of a hassle to have to stop and use a gas station compressor*. I say that because I stopped at one station and the darn air com. didnt work, so I had to go to another gas station.
> 
> ...


I already had a garage full of Ryobi 18v cordless tools. I just purchased a $20 cordless air compressor and toss it in the tool box. It works like a charm.

If you have a 12volt corded air compressor already, you can just pick up a 12 volt extension cable, plug it in and run it to the back each time you need it. If you use it enough, you'll want to do one of those. Otherwise $.50-$1 each time you stop for gas isn't so bad.


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