I went with an Air Lift system, they had the only kit that was compatible with my B&W turnover ball. I pull a 31ft 5th wheel with the truck and the bags made a noticable improvement in handling.
see, with the overload springs, i dont have a issue with handling or control. it tracks real nice and doesnt sway not one bit. but im trying to get rid of the overload springs.
and if it makes a difference, i need bags that mount outside the frame, or under, not inside, as i made my own g/n assembly out of a piece of 12" channel made to fit between the frame and bottom of the box, and a kicker coming off the inside of the frame up to it. so i need a under or outside mount.
Either Firestone or Airlift would work for what you are asking for.
Since you are going to 08 springs the full air like the Kelderman system would not be what you are looking for.
If you haul frequently and at different weights I would recommend getting the full kit with the compressor to adjust your air pressure for each load you haul. If it is only every once in awhile that you haul or the same load every time I would think that just mounting the schrader valves at the rear bumper would work and you could stop at a gas station with air and pump them up before your trip.
if im gonna do it, ima do it right. just wanna make sure what right is. if the full kit lets me do it all from the cab, with zero messing around, lets flip a switch/toggle/controller/whatever, watch a guage, then thats what i will do. the idea does not appeal to me to guess what i need for air before i hook up, or pull it loaded to a air pump to put air in it.
i looked at the kelderman sys, and thats not what im after. while if i went that way, i would not need the 08 springs, i cannot justify the dollars between the two. i got a set of 08 springs on the way here, from a boneyard, with 25k miles on them, for $130 shipped. ill just replace the helper springs, and relocate my spring perch to accomodate the new springs.
if firestone or airlift are the two preferred kits on the market, then thats what i will do.
is one kit better than the other? this one has better bags, or that one has a better controller, or........? or are they pretty much the same, just a different name.
here is my set up had them about 6 months now and no problems...these are Firestone bags, I just ran the air line to a schrader valve that came with the kit and use that to air up, one of these days I am going to add a compressor.
before installing these when I had my Toyhauler hooked up and some wood in the bed I would be sitting on the over load springs but with the bags I can bring the back up to where it normally sits. And the ride towing is alot nicer!
install was easy only about 1 1/2hrs, hardest part was drilling the frame but with new drill bits it goes pretty smooth.
so, i suppose i should ask another question. looking at how that is mounted, and the way it is bolted around the overload spring, can the bag replace the overload? i want to remove the overload. i lost some ride quality when i put it on, but i needed it, so i dealt with it. bags caught my attention, so im researching them.
bags can be used without overloads, and in place of them, and used as them, correct?
other than that, that looks like a nice kit. looks like what im after.
yea you can take the overload spring out I guess, but with these bags on and with about 60psi (max is 100) my truck will sit the same height loaded as it sits unloaded. I had 1/2 my bed full of wood and 15 gallons of gas chairs and misc camping stuff and my 26' toyhauler loaded to the max hooked up and still only needed 60psi and I was no where near my overload spring...
If I remember correctly when I ordered my kit they asked me if I had overload springs or not, they might have a kit for each...
I've got firestone bags on mine. I put new springs under my truck brand new from Ford last year, and they screwed up and didn't send me the right ones. (my truck came from the factory with the auxiliary overloads, rear sway bar, etc. Basically a f-350.) Well, first time I towed, I said screw it, I was keeping these springs...it's nice to tow something, that levels my truck out, but doesn't slap the overload perches on dips in the road. I can pull a gooseneck loaded with 19k lbs inside the trailer (33k gross), 65 psi in the bags and the truck sits level, and rides like an air ride Peterbilt. No bucking from the springs hitting, or anything. Now, if I could just figure out how to get the overload perches off the frame....I'd be set.
I personally would go with the firestone. I used alot of their bags on big rigs over the years with no issues.
Since you want the in cab control (which I would prefer too) you will need to add a compressor and some extra wiring/plumbing to your list. I believe that firestone makes a kit that is complete with all of this, but I am not sure.
If I was you I would also think about adding an air tank to the setup. Not that it is needed for the air bags, but it is nice when you have a tire go low on air on a trip, to be able to air it back up to get to a place that can repair the tire. Or just carry a tire plug kit with you on trips and be able to fix it yourself.
I have a full air set-up for my 450 that has enough air to operate my 1/2 inch impact gun and my pneumatic jack to change tires on the side of the road. I have been stranded one to many times in the middle of no-where and had to do it all by hand.
will the firestone air comp be able to be set up to run to fill a tank? i thought they just run to pressurize the bags. or am i over thinking this. just a cut off to seperate the tank from the bags. when you want the tank, fill the tank.
I think it depends on which compessor you get, I know firestone has a couple of kits with and without tanks. I am probably going to go with a kit that has a tank so I can use it to fill my tires up if need be...all depends on what you want/need, just filling the bags, filling tires, running air tools ect...just the bags and all you need is a kit with a small compressor.
I've seen air systems in guys trucks that put my garage air system to shame.
Also you don't need a firestone compressor set up just because you have firestone bags...
A nice set up but pricey is the wireless controller by airlift, my buddy has that on his truck and it is nice. It has multiple programable settings so you can have setting 1 at say 30psi for your boat and setting 2 at say 60psi for your camper. It also has a min setting that will keep your bags inflated automatically. Just a suggestion...
I would get just the bag and control setup from firestone. I personally use viair for my compressors and tank and I love them. Have been running them for 3+ years with no issues at all. They sell all different kinds of kits depending on your air usage.
I personally am running dual 300 series compressors with a 10 gal tank. Have been able to use it to air up tires, run my air jack to lift the axle, run my impact gun, inflate pool rafts, toys etc.
with two air shut off valves, open one close one, bags. open other close other, tanks. otherwise the tank pressure is the same as the bag pressure.
i just put X codes on the front of the truck, so im goin to see how the truck rides with the plow on it this winter. if i got to put bags in the front, thats ^^ what im goin to do to be able to seperate the front from the back. if i have the plow on, i dont tow anything, so i dont want to have to air up the back with no weight back there, to air up the front. otherwise i have to buy two compressor kits, and mount two guages in cab, etc etc.
You can also use electric valves mounted inline on each bag and switches mounted inside the cab to control the air pressure in your bags. There are a couple of aftermarket companies that sell all in one controllers that allow you to use 1 air source to individually fill each bag. Look into the mini truck stuff as that is what I plan to use when I bag the rear of the 450.
ya, but for $150 for the dual system, i can just put in two air toggles for $30. i dont need to level side to side, i dont haul in the bed of the truck much. i haul a g/n trailer, so even pressure is fine for me. i just need to seperate the front from the rear, IF i put fronts on.
i think i have setteled on the firestone bags, with the firestone single guage controller, with the heavy duty compressor. that will run my rear bags just fine. then if i add front bags, ill just add two air toggles. shut the back off open the front, and vise versa.
might take that $125 i save and go to the strip club........
Dpnt forget to buy a new cobalt bit..i find they drill much better, least when they are new...lol
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