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Adding airbags to my 2500, brand and style recommendations?

Highcountry

Highcountry

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I plan to add airbags to my 2500 soon. I've been reading what I can find as well as watching some installation videos. I'm planning to go with the manual fill option for now because I won't be using the air assist frequently. I'm looking at airlift 5000, Airlift 500o with the internal jounce bumpers and Firestone ride right kits. I'm curious if anyone has advice of why one option may be better than the others? I'm also curious about the Daystar type cradles. From what I can tell they look like the way to go for lifts and flexy suspensions. I'm staying with stock suspension other than maybe a 1-2" level. I appreciate any insight. I'm hoping to do this before the weather turns
 
Check out Timber Grove bags as another option. All stainless hardware and very well built. Easy install. I have the manual fill as I don’t change it often enough to spend the extra coin. They work great.


Sent from me
 
Those look like a nice kit and stainless is a nice feature. Do you run a single airline like the kit refers to?
 
Highcountry said:
I plan to add airbags to my 2500 soon. I've been reading what I can find as well as watching some installation videos. I'm planning to go with the manual fill option for now because I won't be using the air assist frequently. I'm looking at airlift 5000, Airlift 500o with the internal jounce bumpers and Firestone ride right kits. I'm curious if anyone has advice of why one option may be better than the others? I'm also curious about the Daystar type cradles. From what I can tell they look like the way to go for lifts and flexy suspensions. I'm staying with stock suspension other than maybe a 1-2" level. I appreciate any insight. I'm hoping to do this before the weather turns
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Check out Full Travel Air Bags as an option, an expensive one but great if you wheel your truck a bit and want the full travel, CJC also sells them
 
Highcountry said:
Those look like a nice kit and stainless is a nice feature. Do you run a single airline like the kit refers to?
Click to expand...

Yes both bags run to a tee and then to a single fill port. Simple install. Works fine for my needs.


Sent from me
 
whitexc said:
Yes both bags run to a tee and then to a single fill port. Simple install. Works fine for my needs.


Sent from me
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I have a similar setup on my 1500 with Airlift 5000's. Great bags and have worked great for me, however... At some point I may swap to each side having it's own fill port. As it is now, when I roll to one side or the other (like on corners or uneven roads) it compresses one bag but pushes that air to the other so it makes the roll even more extreme. Pros and cons to both ways I suppose. The reason I went with a single fill port initially, is because if one bag pops it will deflate both bags. I didn't want one to deflate and the other to remain full and potentially throw me to one side while cruising down the highway under load. Pick your poison I guess.
 
whitexc said:
Yes both bags run to a tee and then to a single fill port. Simple install. Works fine for my needs.


Sent from me
Click to expand...
MegaRed said:
I have a similar setup on my 1500 with Airlift 5000's. Great bags and have worked great for me, however... At some point I may swap to each side having it's own fill port. As it is now, when I roll to one side or the other (like on corners or uneven roads) it compresses one bag but pushes that air to the other so it makes the roll even more extreme. Pros and cons to both ways I suppose. The reason I went with a single fill port initially, is because if one bag pops it will deflate both bags. I didn't want one to deflate and the other to remain full and potentially throw me to one side while cruising down the highway under load. Pick your poison I guess.
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You really shouldn't plumb bags together for this very reason.

Talk of a bag pop or rapid air loss is rare, particularly if they're supplemental. I ran bags for 15 years and never once had an issue.
 
Can these be used to level a truck on a camp site pad that is a little off ?
 
whitexc said:
Yes both bags run to a tee and then to a single fill port. Simple install. Works fine for my needs.


Sent from me
Click to expand...

You should plumb them independently for the best performance. There isn’t roll control with them plumbed together, which is a big benefit to airbags especially if you have a higher CG.

HarryN said:
Can these be used to level a truck on a camp site pad that is a little off ?
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You definitely could. How effective will depend on how much weight is on the rear axle. You likely won’t be able to negate carrying leveling blocks.
 
AH64ID said:
You should plumb them independently for the best performance. There isn’t roll control with them plumbed together, which is a big benefit to airbags especially if you have a higher CG.
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We’ve been through this. There are many ways to skin a cat. If Timber Grove designs, patents and sells the system to work with a single fill port it’s probably ok for certain applications(discussed during the purchase). Remember these are supplemental. We still have factory coils (rated for the task), shocks and a rear sway bar. If the air bags ever got the truck into a situation of pitch and roll…..with the 5th wheel hooked up….we have other/bigger problems. We aren’t hauling a skyscraper.


Sent from me
 
Another recommendation for Timber Grove air bag, good company to deal with. I plumbed dedicated air lines to each bag instead of a tee, feels more stable when towing.
 
whitexc said:
We’ve been through this. There are many ways to skin a cat. If Timber Grove designs, patents and sells the system to work with a single fill port it’s probably ok for certain applications(discussed during the purchase). Remember these are supplemental. We still have factory coils (rated for the task), shocks and a rear sway bar. If the air bags ever got the truck into a situation of pitch and roll…..with the 5th wheel hooked up….we have other/bigger problems. We aren’t hauling a skyscraper.


Sent from me
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lol, a poorly designed install that’s marketed and sold doesn’t make it right. Beautiful kits, with a decent design flaw. I mean truly beautiful kits.

About the only time plumbed single is the proper method is for bagging low riders and street/show trucks that don’t tow/haul anything.

NC Rebel said:
Another recommendation for Timber Grove air bag, good company to deal with. I plumbed dedicated air lines to each bag instead of a tee, feels more stable when towing.
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Because it is. Airbags plumbed together simply don’t work as well. There isn’t the lateral stability when plumbed together, and sway can even be exaggerated.
 
AH64ID said:
You should plumb them independently for the best performance. There isn’t roll control with them plumbed together, which is a big benefit to airbags especially if you have a higher CG.



You definitely could. How effective will depend on how much weight is on the rear axle. You likely won’t be able to negate carrying leveling blocks.
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Well, if I went down the 2500 path, then the rear axle would be at 80-90% of the 6k rating.
 
HarryN said:
I am estimating 5000 - 5500 lbs on a 3500 srw rear axle, so I think those are rated at ~ 7k lbs.
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Ah... this is a 2500 thread so I was thinking about that suspension.

The 3500 will have less impact, especially at that relatively low weight. You actually won't even need (or likely want) airbags that light as the standard springs are pretty stiff, so the airbags would probably be at 5-10 psi max, just above minimum.
 
AH64ID said:
Ah... this is a 2500 thread so I was thinking about that suspension.

The 3500 will have less impact, especially at that relatively low weight. You actually won't even need (or likely want) airbags that light as the standard springs are pretty stiff, so the airbags would probably be at 5-10 psi max, just above minimum.
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Thanks - I edited my post after I thought about it being a 2500 thread. In that case it would be at 80-90% of the 6K.

The goal is leveling side to side. If I still have to carry leveling equipment, then there isn't any point.
 
AH64ID said:
lol, Because Airbags plumbed together work just fine. There isn’t the lateral stability when plumbed together, so you must exercise caution when taking your truck and trailer through the slalom course.
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We are flat landers. Strokes/folks. Years of towing. Two different camping set ups with the bags as they are, dump trailer, car hauler, lift trailer. We aren’t carving corners in such a loaded fashion. My install works for me. The truck and 5er are hitched and hitting the road this afternoon. 18 psi on my single fill port.

Back to the OP. Many opinions out there. Sort through and make your most well informed decision.


Sent from me
 
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