Does anybody on this board use Firestone airbags for load assisting to keep your bed from dragging when hauling heavy loads?
I have a 97 regular cab f150 shortbed 2wd with very soft rear springs. I occasionally fill the bed with dirt, firewood, etc. and find that the rear end sags way too much.>
I want to add two Firestone air springs to help keep the bed from dragging. Does anyone here have an inexpensive source for the parts that I would need for this install? Anybody want to get rid of their own airbags?

Thanks,
-cigarxtc

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97 F150 Reg Cab Short Bed
4.2L Auto
Current Performance mods=
Accel 9000Series Race Plug Wires
Motorcraft Platinum Plugs 60 Series Heat Rating
K&N Air Filter(Modified Stock Airbox)
Flowmaster 40 Single in/out.
B&M Shift Improver Kit(highly recommend!!)
Current Musical Improvements=
California Profile3600 running two front Pioneer5x7 three way speakers and a single 10" Cerwin Vega in my homebuilt port tuned box.
Pioneer Cassette/cd control head unit with matching Pioneer 6 disc changer.
1/2 Farad Stinger cap.

My other truck is an in the works 1950 Ford pickup.

 

cigar,
I was just at the camper dealer today and he was pushing the Firestone Air Helper Springs on me for my truck.

I am interested in a slide-in camper for winter hunting/summer camping. So Lance makes this model called Lance 'Lite', suitable for 1/2 ton trucks. So i'm telling this sales guy that my truck (98 F15 Supercab 4X4) has a GVWR of 6,000 lbs and a combined GAWR of 6,900 lbs. The dry weight of my truck is 4800lbs, plus this camper he's trying to sell me is 2000lbs. I'm doing the math thinking 4800 plus 2000 equals 6800 subtracted from my 6,900 GAWR.. Hmmmm,,, i guess i'm not gonna be driving.

So he hands me this brochure for these rubber bladders and takes me over to this display where he's got a card table and this crap all laid out. He said this will add 20 percent more total load carrying capacity to any vehicle. But as I read through the brochure, no where did I find a reference to it increasing the truck's capacity. So now I'm wondering if he's feeding me a load of bull....
Anyway, here's a website to check out. I have not made contact yet, but am going to try it as soon as i get done here

I'll have to admit that I am a bit skeptical, and I can't afford to be breaking my leaf springs 400 miles from home..

Good luck with this and let me know if you hear anything else.

www.ride-rite.com or call 1 800 888 0650

thanks,
derek

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cigarxtc:
cigarxtc i have the 2500 lb. air lift assit bags on my 98 ext. cab. love them you have to carry at least 20psi. to a max. of 100psi i do a lot of towing and there great. carry the min. amount when empty and pump them up when hauling a big load got them a summit racing 169.95 dan

 

You can not, repaet not, increase the GVWR rating from Ford. This # is compiled from frame, brake, engine, trans, rear end, springs etc. That's why they make the 7700# option as it's the only F-150 ALLOWED to carry a camper! Buuuttt!, I did carry my camper on an 93 F-150 4X4 with Airbags and RS9000 shocks and it worked as a match made in heaven. I got the 7700# because I didn't feel comfortable carrying the camper with an overloaded truck.(ie: c-clip rear axles in the 8.8)

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Badd Andy

2001 Toreador
F-150 Supercab XLT
7700lb, 5.4L, 4R100
Tow Packg, 3.73
Foglite mod
Headlites Relayed
A/C cutout switch
RS 9000's all around
Bug & Wind deflectors
Lund Premier Tonneau
Short rubber antena
98 ANGLER 8.6 Camper
95 Windstar w/replaced head gasket
97 Susuki Bandit 1200
87 Yamaha XT-350

 

I hate to tell you this, but the 7700# option still has semi-float axles. Read hear c-clip.

But you are correct, the 7700# option gives you much beefier everything (including axles), and yep, you cannot increase the load capacity of any vehicle over that which the manufacturer states the GVWR to be. Although the air springs help alot in leveling out the load you have and making things a bit more stable.



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2001 Ford F150 Supercab 4.6L

 

Thanks Daniel Fine,
Is that the brand name? or are the air springs from Firestone? Also, what did you get for that price? Did it include everything needed? ie compressor, tank, bags, hardware,etc...?

Thanks,
-cigarxtc

 

FastDew. They are not c-clip. They're retained by the pressed on bearing and plate. Way more heavy-duty than c-clips!

 

They also make air assisted shocks. Much like the bags, but the shocks themselves have an air bladder. 20psi min up to 100 psi max. A friend got a pair in his BroncoII about 6 months ago installed for like $90 at Les Scwabbs.

I am going to look into a set of these for the rear this spring before towing the boat again. I like keeping the truck level when hauling and towing.