Forum Discussion

Bob_Vaughn's avatar
Bob_Vaughn
Explorer
Sep 11, 2016

Ride Rite air bag install

I am beside myself. I am installing Firestone Ride Rite Airbags 2528 on my 2013 GMC 3500 diesel truck. The driver side joust insert was a very hard to get installed but the passenger side is proving to be an impossible task. Fire stone says use a hammer and a screwdriver well after pounding repeatedly over a 2 day period the driver side finally seated. Not so with the passenger side. I even took a coal chisel and ground it flat and used 1" pipe and had my son pound the pipe while I held the chisel in place......that sucker will not move any more. I do not know how it could come loose as tight as it is. I am thinking of going to Harbor Freight tomorrow and getting an air hammer to see if I can get the insert to turn the last 1/8 of an inch. If I had a lift I could stand under my truck but I don't so I am stuck scrunching under there and trying to work up side down.......

7 Replies

  • I put 'Ride Right' air bags in my F250 at a RV park and it took 4-5 hours 'cause they were the wrong ones... My order no. was right but they sent the ones for a 2wd... when I got home from AZ I took them off and sent them back and they gave me the right ones and this set went on in a about an hour... Great help as I have a 70 gallon reserve tank in the bed..
  • Chuck_thehammer wrote:
    some jobs are harder than they should be...

    just got to Love AIR tools. and I own many.

    and Congrats on NOT Giving Up.

    us old guys need rewards also. plus reward your helper...

    I ran out of them along time ago. aka, last one standing.

    I get a lot of satisfaction out of doing things myself. I was laid up for 3 months and not able to do things because of a total knee replacement and a surgery for a skin cancer. I just hate paying some one to do things I can do myself.....
  • some jobs are harder than they should be...

    just got to Love AIR tools. and I own many.

    and Congrats on NOT Giving Up.

    us old guys need rewards also. plus reward your helper...

    I ran out of them along time ago. aka, last one standing.
  • Bob Vaughn wrote:
    93Cobra2771 wrote:
    MIght be worthwhile to give their tech dept a call and see if something is amiss. Should not be that difficult to install...

    I did contact them and was told to grind down the insert so they must know that they cast some too thick.....

    I got an air hammer from Harbor Freight and ground down the chisel that came with it till it was flat. I then climbed under the truck and squeezed the trigger and in less than a second the tab moved the 1/8 of an inch and bingo it was in place and I could start installing the air bags.....I am too old to be scooting around on my back under a pick up truck. But I got all the parts installed and now my bags are installed and full of air.....
  • 93Cobra2771 wrote:
    MIght be worthwhile to give their tech dept a call and see if something is amiss. Should not be that difficult to install...

    I did contact them and was told to grind down the insert so they must know that they cast some too thick.....
  • I have the ride rite no drill bags on my 2011 Ram. No problems putting mine on. Like stated above call the tech dept.
  • MIght be worthwhile to give their tech dept a call and see if something is amiss. Should not be that difficult to install...

About DIY Maintenance

RV projects you can tackle on your own with a few friendly pointers.4,377 PostsLatest Activity: Jul 17, 2025