Are Firestone Ride Rite air bags too small for E450 class c?

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Hello,

Just curious if anyone else has installed the Firestone ride rite air bags on their class c and if they thought they made a difference. I have had them on for my rig for about a year now, and have never really been impressed. I installed them exactly as per instructions, and even at full pressure (100psi), I only see about one inch of lift at the rear wheel wells (from the ground to the fender above the tires). Maybe 2 inches at the rear bumper. I can't honestly say they make much of a difference in the ride at all. I installed them because I believe the leaf springs on my 2008 29' E450 rig have sagged a bit over the years. It drags it's tail on a lot of entrants/exits, and the ride is very harsh over bumps. My thinking was the leaf springs have sagged past the softer range of the springs and now sit deeper into the firmer range, causing a harsher ride. I hoped air bags might help raise things back up into the softer spring range, but they don't seem robust enough to do that. I had a Dodge Ram 2500 diesel pickup that I used to pull our previous tag along travel trailer. I put air bags (a different brand) on that truck and loved them. They could raise the rear of the truck several inches if I wanted. The thing that strikes me as odd is that the air bags for the 7klb pickup truck where larger and much more robust looking that the ones specifically ordered for my 12k+lb 29' RV. I was expecting the rv specific bags to be bigger and beefier than the pickup truck air bags, but the opposite was true. There is definitely room for larger bags. I think if they supplied bigger bags, even as just an option over the standard bags, they would be much more beneficial to rv owners.

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Home Skillet wrote:
I installed the Air Lift air bag kit on my E450. I also added the on board compressor.

The ride height can be changed from the cab through the switches on the pressure guage.

I can raise the rear up about 3".
Ride is much better.

Was that at the rear bumper? I get about 2" at the bumper. I was hoping for at least 3. The 1" rise I get is in line with the axle, from the ground to the fender.

Again, what surprised me was that the bags for my pickup truck were bigger and beefier looking than for the motorhome. I just don't understand that. They were from a different company (Arnott industries) which unfortunately does not appear to make any bags for my motorhome application.

[ron_dittmer]

My experience with air bags with our first motor home was that the more air we put in, the harsher the ride became. That is the primary reason why I won't install air bags on our current rig. We got it handling right and the ride is "ok". I don't want to make anything worse just to get a few inches of lift. One personal negative is that I also would need to remember to deflate the air bags to clear our garage door.....what if I forget?

As far as how much "lift" ??? Each rig will have it's own numbers.

[Home_Skillet]

I installed the Air Lift air bag kit on my E450. I also added the on board compressor.

The ride height can be changed from the cab through the switches on the pressure guage.

I can raise the rear up about 3".
Ride is much better.

[klutchdust]

My 09 Cambria came with air bags and when going over bumps or train tracks it pounded like metal to metal. I installed Koni RV shocks and it went away. I use my bags to level my rig when towing. They don't provide an "air ride' suspension like the big rigs have. Empty (no trailer) I use 35 lbs. Trailer maybe 90 lbs. Riding empty and having 100 pounds doesn't seem like the thing to do. As far as springs wearing out, i have seen trucks in heavy duty work go many years with the same springs. We only changed them when they broke. A spring shop should look at your rig, not a general repair shop.

Entering or exiting driveways usually is best at an angle.

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They are Firestone ride rite part# 2153. What I was hoping to accomplish was to help raise the rear up some. I believe the leaf springs have sagged some, I was hoping to raise the ride back up to a more stock like height to help with dragging and possibly provide a better (less harsh) ride. My rig does not wander, it rides down the road nice and stable, but it is very harsh on bumps. The air bags did not seem to make it any better or worse, no matter the psi.

http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/firestone-2153-ride-rite-air-bag-kit-1992-2017-ford-e450

[ScottG]

Firestone makes all kinds and sizes of bags. We need to know which ones you have.

[Hank85713]

If ya post the part number folks might be able to help? Anyhow my aspect came with them and they are not so much to raise the rear end as to provide a stable ride. Mine wandered all over until I figured out what air to run in them then it became more manageable. When we got it it had no air and was terrible to drive. My pick up is just like what your was. Yes you could lift the rear with air pressure but again it was just to keep level more than anything.

How does the rig handle at various pressures? what are you trying to accomplish with them is another question. Too much air too harsh a ride, too little and it is mushy right? I tune around 55-65 psi and yes it sometimes drags its rear over speed bumps curbs but less so at the psi I indicated. it weighs in around 13K and we tow a small car behind.