BradW
Flat Rock, Alabama
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Joined: 10/29/2001
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Good info. Added to the TCU Thread.
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KKELLER14K
BEAVERTON OREGON
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Joined: 12/15/2006
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Sorry I left a little info out so I'm adding it now. First I have the on board controller which compliments the entire setup. Here is a pic of my/the DRW dodge fully loaded, no air, and full overload spring contact. The travel of the air bag and the point of where the rubber axle stop meets gives the bag about another inch before the bag will bottom out. This takes some "patience" to measure out.
This is a pic of the overload spring contact at 100 PSI. Notice it comes off the spring. This works well for a comfortable ride in a straight line down the road. In town or on something curvy, I let the pressure out to get it on the springs for stability.
All I can say is that a well thought out installation has its rewards.
* This post was
edited 06/06/09 08:23pm by KKELLER14K *
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KKELLER14K
BEAVERTON OREGON
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Joined: 12/15/2006
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Thanks Brad!
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FF1063
USA
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Joined: 08/04/2004
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* This post was
edited 06/15/09 06:07pm by FF1063 *
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kcabpilot
CA
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Joined: 04/07/2008
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If they are installed properly, and I believe it says this in the manual, they could be damaged if the truck were lifted by the frame. I've never lifted my truck by the frame and don't know of any circumstance where I'd need or want to do that so it's never posed a problem. If there were some reason to do it you could disconnect the lower brackets beforehand. I've also never "caught air" in my pickup (become airborne)
Never had a problem with my AirLifts in 15 years on two different trucks (Fords) and it's my opinion that broken bolts and bent brackets are probably due to the airbags bottoming out before the axle travel limit bump stop engages. When I installed my airbags I inflated them (unloaded with a bicycle pump) to the max dimension specified in the manual then marked and drilled the holes for the brackets with the truck sitting as it normally does with no load. In some cases you will not be able to use the max dimension as it won't fit in the space. The manual gives you a range and says that the closer to max the better. Installed this way the actual physical travel limit of the axle should be reached prior to the airbags bottoming, even if that is only very slightly beforehand. The airbags and the brackets are not designed to take the full weight of the truck nor do they in any way increase the load carrying capacity of the vehicle. Their function is simply to help bring a loaded vehicle back to a level attitude.
1994 Lance 990 on 1997 F350 PSD Dually "Rhino Haunches"
We also have a 'truck' that FLYS
Our recent camping trips
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2Gordons
Wisconsin
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Joined: 07/25/2006
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All:
Modifications completed. The grade 8 bolts I needed were easiest to purchase at the local ACE Hardware. As others mentioned, the big-box home centers carried maybe two of each bolt in grade 8.
Interestingly, the bolts shipped by Ride-Rite to fasten the upper brackets to the frame are actually Grade 8 now... They must have upgraded hardware specs recently, in response to the problems. So I didn't even need to change them.
The carriage bolts shipped with the kit used to fasten the bottom bracket to the axle/springs were spec A307 (tensile strength 60 ksi, per the provided chart). The Grade 8 bolts I replaced them with are tensile strength 150 ksi. The bolts that worked perfectly for my dually were 3/8" x 16 in 2" length.
It's worth noting- the lock nuts they provided with the original carriage bolts were the most difficult to use little monsters I've ever seen... In fact, I twisted off one of the carriage bolts trying to tighten the nut down. That should tell you something about the quality of the original carriage bolts. So do yourself a favor and buy some matching lock nuts for your new bolts while you're there at ACE.
Final check of the lines for leaks, and we should be good to go. Total cost: Less than $10. Better peace of mind? Priceless...
2Gordon
2003 Ford F-350 LB DRW 6.0 PSD, Ride-Rites
TorkLift SuperHitch with 3' Ext., FastGuns and Stable Loads,
Lance 880, Hawk 2-Horse BP, 1953 Chris-Craft 18' Sportsman
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SoCalDesertRider
SanDiego, CA, USA
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Joined: 12/14/2003
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If you take your truck to a service shop, they will likely lift it by the frame. Most full service shops have a few frame lifts and use them regularly.
92F350 CrewCab 4x4 351/C6
LoadNGo service body
69Bronco ATC250R CR500
20' BigTex flatbed carhauler
B&W TurnoverBall g-neck Curt Magnum rr DrawTite ft
HD springs Rancho9000s Bilsteins poly sway bushings
285/75-16E BFG AT on 16x8 Stocktons
4.56's & Lock-Rite rear
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sirwilliam
VICTORIA
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Joined: 02/02/2003
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Hope this new set of bags works out ok for ya!! I never liked those airbags that mounted on the side of the frame rail. To much twisting when loads applied. This new installation looks like the same mounting setup as your old set. Does Firestone not make an airbag application that mounts between the frame and the axle ie: mounted where the jounce(rubber)bumper is normally installed? I wonder why Ford uses such narrow curved frames on their Duallys? No flame intended here!! Below are photos of my Chevs setup. When I bought this truck I transferred this setup from my previous 2000 GMC 2500 truck & with a little modification to the mounting brackets they fit right into place without a hitch. This airbag setup is 9 years old now and still going strong. Good luck..........
Steve 
5'ER
TV = 02 CHEVY SILVERADO K2500HD DMXALLY XCAB LB, RANCHO SHOCKS RIDE-RITES INCAB CONTROLLER KIT BD-POWER XMONITOR CW PYRO BOOST DIGITAL INDICATION HI-JACKER DOUBLE PIVOT PRODOGY
5'ER = 03 CITATION SUPREME26RKS LDD WGT/PIN WGT = 10450/1800
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93mastercraft
Raleigh NC
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Joined: 06/23/2003
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Where did you order just the brackets from? already have the airbags with the brackets that mounted inside the frame for an F250. But now I have an F350 Dually and want to use the airbags on.
2007 F350 6.0PSD 4X4 Dually w/Tow Boss, 4:30 26000 GCWR
2010 Raptor 361LEV 12900lbs 15600 GCWR
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saltamontes
la, ca
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Joined: 05/06/2004
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here are a couple of good links concerning broken mounts for airbags on a Ford:
http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/f32/firestone-bags-2400-stay-away-153411/
http://rv.net/forum/Index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/21110543/gotomsg/21128426.cfm
* This post was
edited 11/04/09 10:56am by saltamontes *
07 f350 srw shortbed 4x4
06 Northern-Lite 8'11" Q
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