1st gen. Tundra air bags and cradles

[sourdough]

9/27 update I do not recommend installing air bags on a vehicle that is to be used for any off-roading. I have removed mine due to failure.

6/3/13 update. Read and decide if airbags are right for you. http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/3518-a-danger-of-ride-rites-add-a-leafs-etc/ http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/brakes/32674-who-has-actually-adjusted-brake-proportioning/


Already installed Firestone air bags to help support the Hawk FWC shell on my '03 Tundra. The shell weighs about 1000 lbs. as optioned and the rear suspension bottomed out often on back roads. The bags have worked well. Like many improvements, one thing leads to another and I read about the Daystar cradles for rear suspension flex. I like the idea and thought why not a few photos of my install. Really was very simple, didn't need to remove a wheel or even jack up the body.
Here is a Firestone bag without air and truck setting flat on the ground. My '03 tundra has factory TRD suspension.

here is same bag with lower mounts being removed.

here is opposite side with lower mount removed.

here are the daystar air bag cradles.

bolted to lower bracket

Being squeezed in place without much trouble, set it on spring in front of bag and lift bag and slide under

I'm heading out to Moab this weekend3/29-3/31. I plan on doing a little site seeing but very little wheel lofting.

 

[Lighthawk]

Wow, this all looks very familiar, Sourdough! I was just wrenching on my 06 first gen Tundra, replacing an airbag. Everything looks identical to my rig. BTW: my 'bag failed when the horizontal tab (shown top right in your 5th photo), which hooks over the factory U bolt, jumped free. This freed the bottom bracket to slide forward and allowed the corner of the 'bag to touch the leaf spring = ka-boom!

Don't know if the Daystar cradles will help the action, but wanted to make you aware of this issue.

BTW: Firestone has backordered the bottom bracket (I was sourcing through Summit Racing) since early January. I finally got tired of waiting for a $28 dollar part and ordered a whole airbag kit ($336). As soon as the bottom bracket ships, I'll Ebay the kit at discount. Sorry for the highjack.

 

[sourdough]

Lighthawk, Thanks for the reply, it's relevant. I've got a few questions. You have the Daystar cradle right? Have you figured out why the lower bracket moved? The mounting nuts worked loose, bracket broke. Why do you need a new bracket did the hook break off or deform?
I was hoping new cradle and bag disconnect from the lower bracket would take any stress off the lower bracket. That bracket seems like the weak link of the mountings.

 

[Lighthawk]

Good questions, Sourdough. I Do Not have the Daystar cradle, just stock Firestone Ride Rites, with upgraded grade 8 bolts (thanks to Sunman recommendation). I snapped the stock bolts TWICE until I bought the grade 8's at my local hardware store. Come on, Firestone!!

Unfortunately I threw away the deformed lower bracket, so I'm recollecting what I saw. The hook had bent only slightly, but managed to jump past the U bolt. The two bolts that clamp the bracket to the springs were still tight (I'm using grade 8 nylocks there).

I think three things caused it:

• I was fully loaded for eight days of camping with 5 gal. of gas, hi-lift jack, and two mtn bikes; all hanging off the rear wall of the Hawk, adding considerable leverage on the rear suspension.

• I had pumped my bags up to 90 psi in an attempt to fully level the truck, when I normally run 60 psi
• The rut I crossed was very abrupt, a sharp down-n-up, and I attempted a little bounce of momentum

If you have a shell and travel lighter it might not be as much stress. Our Hawk has the 20 gal water tank, 5 gal. propane, furnace, fridge, etc.

 

[sourdough]

So you aren't running the Daystar cradle. Good to know, now I'm thinking I'll be fine.

 

[generubin]

If I may make a suggestion. Those of you with this set-up. Be sure to pack along the original Toyota bump stops that you removed to mount the airbags. Ive seen more than a few people blow these out or have the bolts vibrate off. If you have your bump stops, you can always go back to where you started. Without the bumps and if you blow a bag or have it fall off along a washboard road, your spring will greatly over extend. 800 miles into Baja, you'll be happy to have brought your bump stops rather than hose clamping wooden blocks to your axle like my parents had to do.

 

[sourdough]

FYI, I did not remove my stock bump stops. Why would you, they are not in the way on my '03 1st Gen Tundra ? Gen 2, ?
I now have 5,000 plus miles and no problems. I believe the Daystar cradles are a must for almost any forest service dirt road travel. Limiting the offroad suspension travel with the stock Firestone air bag brackets was an over site.

 

[sourdough]

bump for edited "Warning" in my first post !

 

[bimmeryota]

Good bump.
This is a timely read because I'm a soon to be four wheel camper owner and have thought about leaving my my extended bracket in after I remove my 4 inch lift kit on my 91 toyota 4x4 pickup and go down to 2in. Assuming I'll be fairly close to payload on the truck and would want proper braking when loaded, is that going to be enough accommodation or should I go more? It would be nice to have some sort of formula for load to amount of extension needed when the height is corrected. I plan on firestones with cradles also.
Great site and happy to join the community!

 

[Central Toast]

I've had AirLift airbags on my 2003 access cab 4x4 for ten years with a heavy Northstar camper on it. I've never had any issues with the airbags. Granted, I also had Santa Maria Spring add to leaf springs to each stack. Never tried the Firestone bags.

 

[sourdough]

I've had AirLift airbags on my 2003 access cab 4x4 for ten years with a heavy Northstar camper on it. I've never had any issues with the airbags. Granted, I also had Santa Maria Spring add to leaf springs to each stack. Never tried the Firestone bags.

Off-road much?

 

[Central Toast]

Off-road much?

Yes. Mostly washboard roads and easy two-track when the camper is on. Although we just did 5 days in Death Valley with the FWC Hawk on it and the airbags did great through Goler and Mengel, which were a little more rock crawling than I typically seek with a camper, but no issues. 10 years and counting on these bags with no problems!

 

[idahoron]

Good questions, Sourdough. I Do Not have the Daystar cradle, just stock Firestone Ride Rites, with upgraded grade 8 bolts (thanks to Sunman recommendation). I snapped the stock bolts TWICE until I bought the grade 8's at my local hardware store. Come on, Firestone!!

Unfortunately I threw away the deformed lower bracket, so I'm recollecting what I saw. The hook had bent only slightly, but managed to jump past the U bolt. The two bolts that clamp the bracket to the springs were still tight (I'm using grade 8 nylocks there).

I think three things caused it:

• I was fully loaded for eight days of camping with 5 gal. of gas, hi-lift jack, and two mtn bikes; all hanging off the rear wall of the Hawk, adding considerable leverage on the rear suspension.

• I had pumped my bags up to 90 psi in an attempt to fully level the truck, when I normally run 60 psi
• The rut I crossed was very abrupt, a sharp down-n-up, and I attempted a little bounce of momentum

If you have a shell and travel lighter it might not be as much stress. Our Hawk has the 20 gal water tank, 5 gal. propane, furnace, fridge, etc.

When you changed to the grade 8 bolts did you find carriage bolts, or did use use the cap screw kind?