Pressure in air bags?

[The Dukes]

I'm installing Firestone Ride Rite air bags on my 2012 F250 HD today.
I'm looking for information on approximately what presssure to run in them both when towing the Monty and when running empty.

Thanks, Warren

[bncinwv]

I set mine on about 15 empty and leave them there. When towing this increased the pressure to a little above 40.
Bingo

[WeBeFulltime]

10 psi minimum when empty and whatever it takes to level YOUR truck when hooked. Probably about 40 as stated above but could be different since you have a 3/4 ton TV.

[bigskyjimmy]

Everybody is right on 10-15 p.s.i. empty about 40 or when level loaded

[pineranch]

I believe the book is 5 psi minimum and whatever it takes to level the truck hooked up. On my 250 it took 35-45 psi.
Mike

[8.1al]

I run ours 5 empty, really don't need more, and 45 with trailer but that will vary depending on your pin weight

[mtheo]

i Agree with the 5# empty. usally 40 with trailer. Good thing about the air bags is you can adjust depending on load/or trailer being towed

[ols1932]

I run mine at 50 psi and leave them. Too much bother to reduce pressure and then repressurize all the time. My truck rides like a ... truck. How about that?

Orv

[DQDick]

I leave mine at 40psi all the time. As Orv said, I didn't buy a Lincoln and don't really want a ride like one.

[washley1]

Interesting...I have the bags sold at CW, not the Firestone. In order to put my rear bumper level where it was empty pre bags, I need 40. To put it at the same level with the 5er on it takes 85, which is 100 when trailer is hooked. Why os different from yours?

[Ren]

35 will bring it to level when hooked up, but rides better at 50.

[PackerFan]

I run 5 psi empty and about 50 with the montana hooked up.

[okierver]

had the firestone bags in my 2003 f 250 , empty around 10psi, loaded with the monty, (2011) 3323rl hig country, and run about 50 psi loaded, handels well and rides good. i just finished installing new firestone airbags on my 2008 f 250. will check for leaks and first test run with the new truck and monty together. good choice with the airbags versitle.

[gar&lin]

washley1, measure your front and rear bumpers at 0 psi while unhooked and note the difference. Hook up the rv. Add air (while hooked up) until the difference between the front and rear is equal to what you had at 0 psi. I think will be at the difference attained well under 100 psi. What I think you are doing is trying to raise the rear bumper to the same height as before the rv is hooked up. The center of your pin should be slightly ahead of your rear truck axle, meaning that some of the pin weight is transfered to your steering axle. I expect the way you are doing it is raising your rear higher than the front, meaning your low beams are shinning right if front of the truck if you tow in the dark.

[washley1]

quote:Originally posted by gar&lin

washley1, measure your front and rear bumpers at 0 psi while unhooked and note the difference. Hook up the rv. Add air (while hooked up) until the difference between the front and rear is equal to what you had at 0 psi. I think will be at the difference attained well under 100 psi. What I think you are doing is trying to raise the rear bumper to the same height as before the rv is hooked up. The center of your pin should be slightly ahead of your rear truck axle, meaning that some of the pin weight is transfered to your steering axle. I expect the way you are doing it is raising your rear higher than the front, meaning your low beams are shinning right if front of the truck if you tow in the dark.

I'll go through my entire reasoning. problem was the trailer sank the rear of the truck so far it lifted the front, threw my alignment off and ruined tires. Prior to putting the bags on I measured the height of the bumper off the ground when the truck was empty, to establish the "stock" height. Then I put on the bags. I inflated them until the bumper reached the stock height un loaded, and it took about 40PSI. I then hooked up the trailer, and increased the PSI until the stock height was reached again. Loaded PSI was 100. The truck was then perfectly level, lights all proper, and tires firmly on the ground. Also much less bucking when traveling.

[The Dukes]

Thanks to all for the input. Your info is about what I expected, but there are no reccommendations in the air bag info except to load the truck and increase pressure to level it back up. I'll use your input to experiment. Thanks again,

Warren

[Dave Nowlin]

The air bag retailers will tell you never to run the air bags without air in them. The wireless controller and compressor setup I put on mine allows me to set a memory setting of 5# for when I am driving with no load on the truck. When towing the Montana I go to a memory setting of 40#. The nice thing about this setup is it constantly monitors your pressure and will either kick on the compressor or open the bleeder as necessary to maintain the set point. It kind of caught me by surprise the first time I went to un hook the Montana with the setting at 40#. As I began lifting the front of the Montana with the jacks the compressor kicked on as the pressure in the bags started going down as the load was being removed from the hitch. I had to stop and think for a minute about what was going on.

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by washley1

Interesting...I have the bags sold at CW, not the Firestone. In order to put my rear bumper level where it was empty pre bags, I need 40. To put it at the same level with the 5er on it takes 85, which is 100 when trailer is hooked. Why os different from yours?

I'm missing something here. Adding airbags should not have changed your rear bumper unloaded height.

[washley1]

quote:Originally posted by Tom S.

I'm missing something here. Adding airbags should not have changed your rear bumper unloaded height.

I guess you are right there, but fact remains that to get back to that height when the trailer goes on it takes 100PSI, and that seems higher than most are reporting here.

[Champ_49]

I got mine and at first set it at 75, ride was terrible, I lowered to 50, ride was terrible, I am now down to about 25 and it rides much better but its not doing the job of getting it back to level. So in my eyes I wasted about $500 plus on bags and pump because I hate the ride the bags give. If you go down one of our famous cement hwys you feel every expansion joint like no other time. And yes I have brand new KYB shocks so that isn't it. I'm now considering the Super Spring to level the ride. Just not happy with the bags!

Dave