Airbags
 

Anyone ever blown an airbag?

I have Firestone Ride-Rites and my passenger one keeps leaking down. I have sprayed it with soapy water and cannot find the leak. It takes about 2-3 days to go from 65 psi to about 10-12.

Everything is tight, the hose ends are square cut and seated and the fittings are all teflon taped...I'm stumped[duhhh]

I have Pac Brake bags on my 2011 and when I first installed them if I moved the hose at the bag it would leak, you couldn't hear it but you could see the bubbles. Have you checked the fill fittings, I use sealed valve caps so even if the schrader valve leaks the cap will hold pressure.

Hi Kurt! I have the same issue with my passenger side ride rite air bag. I traced it down to where the hose enters the air bag fitting. If I wiggle the hose at the fitting it will spurt out some air and then quit. I'm pretty sure that the hose is releasing little spurts of air as the truck suspension moves around during normal driving. When I get back home early next month I plan on redoing the fitting on the bag including re squaring the hose and so forth. Hopefully it will fix the problem because it is very annoying.

Cheers!

Mike

Thanks for the replies, guys. Mike L, my passenger side hose routes kinda weird because the 'L" fitting on top ofgthe bag tightened down snug facing forward, I'm thinking this may be an issue. IIRC I can turn the bag 180 and get it going rearward.

Bus, yes, I checked the fill schraders and no bubbles. The sealed caps are a good idea, I will get some.

I'll post up if I can figure this one out.....

I like my Timbrens. [laugh] Just poking at your wound since I have no advice for ya.

Check your gauges, too. My Firestones had the dual needle gauge go bad, so I switched it over the the AirLift Wireless Air. Problem solved.



-Kris

Thanks, HMX. My gauge is good, the left side is firm, the right is sponge, that's how I know it leaks.

I like your Timbrens too, Katoom!

Finally had time to pull the bag off....leaking at elbow into top of bag. As I figured the fitting was at an off ideal angle so I gave it another half turn. ..

Recut line end, cleaned out fitting, silicone spray and reseat. What a PIA!!

Well, both bags leaked down in a couple days. Pulled them out aired them to 90 psi and dunked the whole mess in my fish cooler.

Leaking at hose inlets at both push lok on each units. Been a few years. Replaced all fittings with SS ones.I'm sick of messing with these!!!

TIMBRENS!!!!! [laugh]

I know, I know......

What I like best about Timbrens is how you can dial them exactly as firm as you need for whatever weight you're carrying, or go all the way stock-soft when you're unloaded.

Oh wait, Timbrens can't do that?
Never mind.

Yeah, I guess they're the same as airbags whereby you can run them at zero air pressure without damage, and you dont even know they're there without a load, and the axle can fully articulate without risk of damaging them, and they never leak, and they're not affected by ambient temperatures, and they hold side to side loads equally without the need for complicated valving or on-board air compressors.....

Oh wait.....Timbrens and airbags are nothing alike since none of those things apply to airbags.

Rather Timbrens dont contact the axle with enough force to feel unless you have a load on the truck. Far better than secondary air bags, but seemingly people enjoy screwing with leaking problematic bags. [whistle]

Ha! An excellent retort sir!
I'll only argue that the Airlift bags I've got are designed to be left at zero pressure with no ill effects and leaks aren't an issue if the lines are well done. The left/right valving is very simple and when used with an onboard air compressor, the in-cab adjustability on the fly is pretty great.
I've had several trucks with everything from stout springs that needed no help, to overload springs both factory and add-on, to a few different airbag setups.
The springs do have the ultimate reliability. But the bags have more adjustability and convenience and last a very long time. I would indeed go with the springs on a truck that always has a load on it, I just like bags for a truck that does double-duty as a daily driver and heavy hauler.

I've gotta qualify, I may be extra biased because I have a Kelderman rear air-ride setup that gives a pretty soft ride when empty and airbags make more sense for me than if I didn't have that thing on there.

The other tiny pro-bag argument is they don't rely on squatting the rear suspension to reach the stiff point, so your headlight aim can stay correct.

Well at least we both got our point across all in good taste..... :cheers:

Yes, you're correct in that the airbags are adjustable. The Timbrens work the same as any regular overload type spring, whereas its only there to do something when there's a load on the trucks suspension. They do function progressively but bummer part for some people though is you have to customize the kit with different Timbrens when a lift is involved.

But let me just say that I only have a $200 Timbren kit thats been sitting under my truck for around 5 years. I forget its there until I hook up to the 5th wheel.

I know a Kelderman air ride is a sweet set up and I'm sure it rides pretty nice too.....but for the couple grand you probably have invested in just the rear axle, I'd expect it to greet me when I enter the truck. [laugh]