What have learned from your Airbags.

[Fire5er]

NO not the ex-wives...your suspension airbags. I just had Firestone Ride-Rite airbags installed on my 2011 F350 DRW and want to know what to expect, what psi do you run with the truck empty and what do you have for psi when towing. I am hoping for a smoother ride for us in the truck and for the Big Sky when going down the interstates (I-5).

[PackerFan]

Had air bags on my previous 2 trucks and ran at 5 psi when empty and approx. 50 psi when I had the Montana hooked up. They helped a lot on leveling the truck when towing and gave a better ride too.

[dieselguy]

5 psi empty - 38 psi loaded. Takes the jolt out of the rough ones.

[Glenn the fifth]

Hey Karl, hope you're doing well. I have had Firestone bags on my last two trucks and recently put them on my 2012 F-450. With my 3402 I am running 65-70 PSI with the 5er hooked up and 10 PSI without it. The loaded PSI was simply through trial and error of getting the truck level and the ride where I want it. Made a big difference towing the 5er. I think you will really like them. -Glenn

[DQDick]

5psi empty and 20psi towing.

[drknapp]

quote:Originally posted by PackerFan

Had air bags on my previous 2 trucks and ran at 5 psi when empty and approx. 50 psi when I had the Montana hooked up. They helped a lot on leveling the truck when towing and gave a better ride too.

These are the settings we found that work best for ours also.

[johncamtravel]

You really have to see what works best for your combination. For my
Ram Dually and the Montana I find 45PSI towing and 10PSI empty works best foe me. But they really make a big difference. I would not tow without them anymore.

[1retired06]

Love them. Run at 55 PSI towing.

[Fire5er]

Thanks guys for all the info...it really helps give me an idea of where to start. The installer put 20 psi for the empty ride and I think it is just to much. Will try going down to 10 tomorrow.

[maximo]

Be sure to remember and drop the air pressure to 10 lbs when not towing. Almost put my son in law through the roof in the back seat when I hit a set of railroad tracks with 45 lbs of air and no RV behind.

[Dam Worker]

Frank I am assuming that you did not get the onboard compressor which would really make it simple to find the right PSI on the fly. I would also assume and hope that the two bags are plumbed, each with separate lines. I did not get the onboard compressor on my rig either so I had to keep playing with it by starting with a certain amount and then tweeking it up at gas stations with air or down where ever there was a big enough spot to park. I had to do that for the truck camper and then redo it for the Montanna. The next TV will have the onboard compressor.

Tom Marty

[maximo]

Tom,

I have two air lines that come up to the rear license plate and each air line replace the bolt that holds the license plate on and they have a acorn valve stem cap on then. You do not even know there are two air lines there. I have a small air compressor that I carry with the truck that I can use on tires and the air bags or any thing that needs air.

Frank

[Dam Worker]

Frank I also have a small 12volt high pressure low volume com pressure that goes up and down the road with me. The bags don't take much volume so yours should work great. I like the bags set at a pressure where my stock suspension still does most of the work and the bags just help it. I also like my Rancho 9000 adjustable shocks to go along with the air bags. :-)
Play around with the pressure until you achieve what fills like the best handling and load capacity are both achieved.
My two lines terminate in the niche that holds the fuel tank cap.

Tom

[richfaa]

We got the air bags to keep the truck and Montana level. Had them on two trucks. We do keep 5/10 PSI in them when not towing. Will fill them till the truck and Montana are level with the 13 3402 Big Sky that is 25PSI.

The PSI will depend on the pin weight and the truck suspension. The F-350 will drop 2 inches when hooked up so we raise the truck 2 inches whatever PSI that takes. A level ride is a good ride.

[speedster100]

Last truck 2006 duramax GMC I ran 12psi all the time loaded or unload with CF345RF Crossroads Cruiser. This truck 2015 duramax I am running 17psi all the time loaded or unloaded, now towing a Montana 3790RD... ride is great, firestone airbags. Both trucks 2500hd's

[The Bone]

hen I installed my air bags I just used one fill line. I wanted both bags to be at the same pressure. With the truck empty it should sit the same on both sides on the stock suspension. The hitch is in the center of the truck so it pushes down on the truck evenly. I do like the ride improvement when the truck is empty. It cushions the ride a lot.

[2Shays20]

Installed a pair of Firestone bags this summer. Run 5 PSI empty which was advised by a a longtime fifth wheel hauler to keep bags from cracking or possibly getting small sand or grit in the bag folds when not hauling (sounded reasonable to me). First time out, 50 PSI was really rough on overpass joints on the Interstate even with the Morryde pin box. Have been using between 38 and 42 PSI while towing all summer and seem pretty satisfied with the ride so far. I kicked up tire PSI a few pounds and this helping the edge wear on the Michelin's on the truck. I think it comes down to individual preferences.

[Trailer Trash 2]

I had Bags on my F350 DRW . I ran 5 # empty, that's what the manufacture states in the instructions, and I ran 35# with the Monty on. The main thing you will have to keep in mind is experiment with your PSI. every trailer is different and loaded differently so pin weight will vary. the harder the bag the stiffer the ride I would think. another thing to remember is keep the bag air lines separate don't connect with a Y connector I didn't want the bag to shift the air to the leaser bag when weight shifts on the road conditions.

[Fire5er]

Bone...I did go with the one fill as recommended by the installer and for the same reasons you indicated. So far empty I have tried 20 psi as recommended by the installer, 5 as recommended minimum psi by the manufacture, 10 psi as recommended by others, and have settled... for now anyway on 15 psi empty. I have not had an opportunity to tow yet as the Big Sky is at the dealers getting some warranty work done. I think I will start at 40 psi thanks to all your replies and work it from there.