Firestone Ride-Rite rear air bags? - Diesel Forum

rms0726ea · 08-11-2006, 09:39 PM

I was thinking about adding the firestone airbags to smooth out the ride while towing my fifth wheeler (30' @ 10,000 lbs after loaded) & family on the summer camping runs. I have the pullrite 16K superglide slider hitch and I am worried that the airbags won't fit because of the superglige mounting brackets bolted to the frame. Anyone have any experience/advice with this situation? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]

HoustonStroker · 08-12-2006, 09:02 AM

I bought the kit that is supposed to be 5th wheel compliant. I don't have a 5th wheel hitch yet so I don't know. I do know that there was no drilling involved. Where exactly does your hitch mount to the frame? I'll take a look at mine.

dunesday · 08-12-2006, 10:50 AM

I have the "no drill" 5er hitch compatible on my truck,, sorry I don't recall the part #. No issues at all,, except the pass side mount rubbed my 4" exhaust,, a lil' finess cured that though. I'm happy with mine,, I do wish I had purchased the on board air for convienience,, oh well another mod to look forward to.

Brian

hhills · 08-12-2006, 11:00 AM

where did you find the kit that works with the 5th wheel hitch?

Rich807 · 08-12-2006, 11:45 AM

I just bought mine from Suspension Connection.com I believe Summit Racing.com has them also.

Because my truck is an 05 I have a slightly different model than you'll have to buy. I have the model 2400 which is a no-drill/non-hitch interference model. I am NOT real happy with the design or fitment (especially on the right side).

Top Mount Problem:

We had to fabricate homemade washers to go behind the top mount bolt nuts as then ones supplied were too small as the washers would fall into the big azz hole they'd punched into the top mounts for the bolt to go through.

Bottom Mount Problems:

The bottom mounts on the kit I have are a urine-poor design (IMO) compared to their normal kits or even my buddies non-interference kit for his 03 2wd. Instead of having a nice wide chunk of steel setting on the rear axle for the bottom mount this particular design comes down to a less than 1/4" thick (5mm actually) "knife blade" that rests on top of the axle.

That's bad enough but on the right side the top and bottom of the airbag does not line up vertical (and against the spring stack) so it walks the knife point on top of the axle over so it's contacting the axle at a lean instead of straight up and down. I have fabricated a 3/8" shim to go between the spring stack and the outside of the lower mount which has helped align the top and bottom of the bag some but it still has the knife point leaned over a bit.

All the weight on my kit's design is directly being pressed against the axle by that knife edge like contact. The lower mounts don't really even touch the jounce stops. I'm not liking this design more and more all the time.

Some credit though:

The ride quality and handling of the truck is awesome with the bags on though. I also wish I had the on-board air but the manual way is doable and I may upgrade later IF I can get this model 2400 kit fixed so I know it will last and not break itself or the rear axle. The right side fitment is atrocious.

I'm just REALLY disappointed in the design on the kit I have for my particular truck. It's obvious they're trying to make 1 kit work for many applications and it shows.

p.s. Firestone would not return my tech support email questions to them.

rms0726ea · 08-12-2006, 01:31 PM

HoustonStroker,

Thanks! Here is a link to the photo I took of my 5th Wheel mounting bracket along the passenger side frame rail. There is a pin holder that I am concerned will get in the way of the airbags (I drew a box around it in the photo). If I drew a vertical line from the center of the rear axle upward (black line in photo) the pin holder part of the bracket is only 2 1/2 inches (towards the front of the truck) from that vertical line. Hope this makes some sense [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]. If you can't see the photos through the link - please let me know. I'de appreciate any advice before spending the $ and having it not work for me. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...79151195yEMIVT

Rich

rms0726ea · 08-12-2006, 01:35 PM

Thanks dunesday for the heads up with the exhaust. I guess I'll be in the same boat. I assume all you had to do was loosen up the exhaust clamp & twist the pipe a bit.

If I can make it work - I would like to buy the onboard air also.

Rich807 · 08-12-2006, 01:36 PM

The no drill kit that are for 5ver hitches mount to the inside of the frame rail. Both mounts and the airbag itself are located inside the frame rail. The bottom mount for the airbag rests on the jounce stop and rear axle.....not on top of the leaf spring stack. The no-drill kit will have you remove one of those bolts going through your 5ver hitch in that picture and use one of the firestone kit's longer bolts. The back side of this bolt will secure the top mount (again, which is inside our your frame rail).

I will go out and take some pictures of mine if you want me to.

Rich

Rich807 · 08-12-2006, 01:41 PM

Hey, just looked at your signature...... I thought 2002 was the last year of the 7.3 and 2003 the 6.0s started.

rms0726ea · 08-12-2006, 01:51 PM

Rich807, wow, thanks for the info - I hate when companies throw a product out quickly just to get it on the market without getting it done right first. That pisses me off that they won't retun your technical questions. After all - tons of folks are interested & buy these products.

Flatborke, here are a couple of links to some sites. I have'nt dug deep enough to find the cheapest yet.

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...scon/2330.html

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/se...ategoryId=11265

WB

rms0726ea · 08-12-2006, 01:57 PM

They made some 7.3L in the beginning of 2003 also. I got lucky and found this one used a year and a half ago with only 24K miles on it.
[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Pictures would be great if you have the time! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

All the photos on firestone & suspension connection show them mounted on the on top of the leaf spring stack. Thanks for all your help [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Rich (WB)

Rich807 · 08-12-2006, 02:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]
All the photos on firestone & suspension connection show them mounted on the on top of the leaf spring stack.

Rich (WB)

[/ QUOTE ]

I know, they're just lazy I think.

See if this link work for you.

http://community.webshots.com/album/553073478pSLRqh

rms0726ea · 08-12-2006, 02:06 PM

Rich807,

OK! Now I understand your initail post a whole lot better. They sure are lazy on the websites about posting the right photo - your right - lazy bastards. Thanks for the photo link.... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Rich807 · 08-12-2006, 02:29 PM

Glad they provided a little more insight.

Good luck with them, they are AWESOME when you get everything working the way it should.

p.s. FWIW, the one thing on the right side that I didn't have an issue with was the clearance between the exhaust pipe and the airbag hardware. Plenty of space in my particular application.

hhills · 08-12-2006, 02:44 PM

[ QUOTE ]

Flatborke, here are a couple of links to some sites. I have'nt dug deep enough to find the cheapest yet.

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...scon/2330.html

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, I think I am going to go with these, and the dual onboard air. I would like to install a train horn or something loud like that. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/warmsmile.gif[/img]