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Joe28443

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Joe28443 Enthusiast

Joe28443

Posted
Posted

I am hearing that air springs are a good mod if you are towing. I have a 03 1500 Z71 that I tow a 6K lb camper with. My truck struggles a bit so I am trying to help it out some. Who has done this and does it help. Which air springs did you go with? I am also seeing different views about CAI and that they decrease the low end torqe. Is this true? thanks

dlstewart01 Senior Enthusiast

dlstewart01

Posted
Posted
I am hearing that air springs are a good mod if you are towing. I have a 03 1500 Z71 that I tow a 6K lb camper with. My truck struggles a bit so I am trying to help it out some. Who has done this and does it help. Which air springs did you go with? I am also seeing different views about CAI and that they decrease the low end torqe. Is this true? thanks

 

I have Firestone air bags on my 05 1500 with an on board air pump. I have a gage under the dash that tells me what pressure I am at. I push a button to raise or lower the rear. They recommend at least 5 lbs un loaded. I have never had to go over 30 lbs to level the truck with the bed loaded and the camper hooked up. I think they will go up to 100 lbs. This is one of the best mods I have added for towing. If my memory serves me right I believe the Firestone bags are the sport-rite. They have been on there for three years. I will have to look it up.

 

Any way you will like them.

 

Don

 

Edit. They are sport-rite and give 3000 lbs of lift if you should need it.

alaska511 Senior Enthusiast

alaska511

Posted
Posted

I have them, towing similar weight. Don't even think about it, just do it. I have the Airlift on this truck, but I have had 3 sets of RideRites as well. All work great.

  • 8 months later...
Dently Enthusiast

Dently

Posted
Posted

Guys,

You don't want Firestone ride-rite air bag system. I purchased and installed them over a year ago, just had my first failure.. Called the Tech suport, they had me send photos of the installaton, they agreeded I had installed them correctly, but they would not cover the blown air bag. Their lifetime warranty only coves defects in materials and workmanship not design flaws. I had the correct pressure, but when the bags fully compress it pushes on the heat shield and cuts the air bag. With their design, you remove the factory joust bumpers so now the air bag is the joust bumper, a lousy design. Goodyear air bags can be ordered with a hard rubber joust bumper internal and their bags are much stronger and rated higher... also save your self some money after installing this kit I could have fabricated a similar kit in about an hour, bought the goodyear bags 2 for $119.00 on ebay and not had a failure. If you do buy the Firestone kit do not install the heat shield, fabricate your own not connected to the air bag.--- just my opinion

tobias Senior Enthusiast

tobias

Posted
Posted
Guys,

You don't want Firestone ride-rite air bag system. I purchased and installed them over a year ago, just had my first failure.. Called the Tech suport, they had me send photos of the installaton, they agreeded I had installed them correctly, but they would not cover the blown air bag. Their lifetime warranty only coves defects in materials and workmanship not design flaws. I had the correct pressure, but when the bags fully compress it pushes on the heat shield and cuts the air bag. With their design, you remove the factory joust bumpers so now the air bag is the joust bumper, a lousy design. Goodyear air bags can be ordered with a hard rubber joust bumper internal and their bags are much stronger and rated higher... also save your self some money after installing this kit I could have fabricated a similar kit in about an hour, bought the goodyear bags 2 for $119.00 on ebay and not had a failure. If you do buy the Firestone kit do not install the heat shield, fabricate your own not connected to the air bag.--- just my opinion

 

Holy shit. I feel like I've read this a few times before. :lol:

jgold121 Enthusiast

jgold121

Posted
Posted
Guys,

You don't want Firestone ride-rite air bag system. I purchased and installed them over a year ago, just had my first failure.. Called the Tech suport, they had me send photos of the installaton, they agreeded I had installed them correctly, but they would not cover the blown air bag. Their lifetime warranty only coves defects in materials and workmanship not design flaws. I had the correct pressure, but when the bags fully compress it pushes on the heat shield and cuts the air bag. With their design, you remove the factory joust bumpers so now the air bag is the joust bumper, a lousy design. Goodyear air bags can be ordered with a hard rubber joust bumper internal and their bags are much stronger and rated higher... also save your self some money after installing this kit I could have fabricated a similar kit in about an hour, bought the goodyear bags 2 for $119.00 on ebay and not had a failure. If you do buy the Firestone kit do not install the heat shield, fabricate your own not connected to the air bag.--- just my opinion

 

Holy shit. I feel like I've read this a few times before. :lol:

 

 

LOL

 

I mean...remind me never to install airbags on August 21st...apparently shit WILL get real, quick.

2COR517 Enthusiast

2COR517

Posted
Posted

All you are doing is wasting everyone's time. I'm very sorry your bags failed, and you weren't persuasive enough with them to get them to mail you a $25 part. You should use your time more constructively, trying to help others with current issues, or beat it. Do you think you're making a good name for yourself with your first few posts?

nbscanuck Enthusiast

nbscanuck

Posted
Posted

So if two things rub together, and one thing fails, whose fault is it for the failure? If it was seen at installation, why wasn't the heat shield moved or removed? I don't believe that was a Firestone failure, that was an installation failure.

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