Air Bags/Springs - Firestone, Air Lift or?

Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli wrote:

Reddog1 wrote:
It appears that some folks are not reading my original post. I have Stableloads. I am not concerned with carrying the load, my concern is to maintain headlight adjustment and level the TC when camping. I know how top adjust headlights, but prefer not to every time I load the TC.

For the headlight issue.
The airbags would definitely lift the back of your rig to level things out and restore your headlight beam to close to normal.

It works pretty good on my '96 2500.

Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli wrote:
I think you are asking about using the airbags to level in a campsite.

I have used them for that purpose on my '96. I was hopping for input on the bags themselves. I thought I stated my intended use.

Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli wrote:
They will only work for a small range of motion. You could let air out to lower the back down if that's what you needed to make level. If it is the front of the truck that needs to come down, then it won't work because they are already at the inflated point to statically lift and level your rig to a flat ground with 0 tilt left or right. Most of your lift has already been used to get to the static position. You would not be able to go up farther to level a high front condition. For the purpose of leveling, I would call them ineffectual. Get ramps.

For the most part, I agree. On my '96, I can easily get 3-inches (or more) side to side. The ability to raise or lower the back also has benifit. That can be enough to level for the refrigerator use. Most of the time that is all that is needed.

I presently am using hydraulic jacks on my TC. I also used them for quite a while using my '96 truck. To unload, I would raise the back of the truck to its maximum with the air bags. Lower and pump pressure on the jacks, then let the air out of the bags. Sure made for as lot less jacking up the hydraulics. Using the same method on electric jacks uses less battery, and less wear and tear on the motors and jacks. A small thing, but I think worth while.

I do have ramps, and legos, but prefer not to use them if I can level with the bags.

Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli wrote:
On frame bending, I recall there have been a couple posts by people that had this happen. Some have had bolts snap. Others, myself included, can see a slight hump in the bracket indicating that it has bent up. I used to run mine with 80 PSI but have now reduced that to 60 PSI trying to rely on the spring packs to handle the load more and the frame less.

I have never bent the frame of the truck. I too have had bolts snap, and hump in mounting bracket. Having never used the bag between axle and frame, I don't know what issues that method has, if any. This is exactly the information I am looking for.

I have pretty much ruled out the outside frame mounts and not trying to decide if I go with the Air Lift or Firestone (between axle and frame).

Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli wrote:
Hope that's what you were looking for Reddog1.

Pretty much. Of all the discussions we have had about air bags on the TC Forum, I do not recall seeing one about the actual differences in the bags, mounting or issues.

I appreciate your input.

Wayne