New Eagle on a Taco, Airbag Questions..

[GaryMc]

I've got an '03 Tacoma with a Deaver 9-leaf pack w/ approx. 3" of lift in the rear and am shopping for airbags that will accomadate the amount of lift my truck has. I was wondering if the Firestone Ride-Rite springs use the same bolt patteren throughout the line (the spring bodies themselves not the frame/axel brackets)....? I was thinking about buying the standard Tacoma setup and then buying some 'bigger' springs for a full size truck to take up the extra room.

Thoughts? Am I over thinking this? Think the stock Ride-Rite springs will work and I should just shut-up?

[dbolton]

Not sure I understand about the bolt pattern - unless the concern is whether the bigger springs would be too wide to fit between the bolts holding the lower bracket of the air bag.

If it helps - I had an '02 with the Deaver 9 pack and an Eagle. It needed airbags or something to adequately stabilize the load.

That truck was sold and I bought an '06 Tacoma with Dakars springs in the back, about the same lift as the Deavers were. I put the Firestone's on and the setup really controls the load of the camper well.

I bought spacers along with the airbags as I was concerned about the lift - didn't need them and they're sitting in my garage.

Dan

[slooowr6]

Not sure I understand about the bolt pattern - unless the concern is whether the bigger springs would be too wide to fit between the bolts holding the lower bracket of the air bag.

If it helps - I had an '02 with the Deaver 9 pack and an Eagle. It needed airbags or something to adequately stabilize the load.

That truck was sold and I bought an '06 Tacoma with Dakars springs in the back, about the same lift as the Deavers were. I put the Firestone's on and the setup really controls the load of the camper well.

I bought spacers along with the airbags as I was concerned about the lift - didn't need them and they're sitting in my garage.

Dan

Dan,
How much lift you get from Dakars with the camper on the truck? I was told by ARB with ~800lbs (my camper weight) I should be about 1" above stock. I'm hoping with the weight of the camper I'll limit the lift to around 1" to avoid the vibration issue some people are experiencing with the 2.75" lift from Dakar.

Thanks
Alex

[dbolton]

Alex-

I'll have to check for you - putting the camper back on after Christmas for a trip up to the local mountains and I'll post up some measurements.

IIRC, I was about to stock height (give or take) with the Dakars and the camper. The problem was I ended up with the truck "stinkbugged" with the OME on the front. Also, I noticed (what I felt was) excessive rear sway that was addressed well by the bags.

FWIW, I didn't notice the vibe that others have, though I did install the cv spacer provided.

Dan

[slooowr6]

Dan,
Thanks!
Are you using OME shocks in the back?

[dbolton]

Yep. Love em.

[slooowr6]

I've stock 3 leafs with a add-a-leaf and air bags. I can still see the leaf shapes like a very mild "W". The center is supported by the air bag but the side of the leaf is still not strong enough for the load. Eventually I'll get a Dakar or custom Alcan.

[allochris]

I have a 91 ext-cab pickup with a camper in the back. I also did a u-bolt flip, so I now have 4 nuts & remaining of u-bolts ends sticking upward for about 1"-1.5" or so.

As camper is sagging when loaded from 5000lbs -6000lbs, (already have longer shackle/add-a-leaf), I would like airbags to stabilize & level the backend. Does anyone know if the standard Firestone Ritelite Airbag lower bracket (kit 2116) would interfere with my u-bolts ends/nuts above the spring pack?

or who has this 2116 kit? I'd like to get some measurements of lower bracket & vertical space needed between the bottom of frame steel bumpstop bracket and highest point of spring pack/u-bolts plate.

Thanks,
chris

ps, the kit is $245 at summit. Would much do other suitable leaf pack goes for?