OK, so my air bags are on the way, but got a question about routing / hooking up the lines. Every single person I know (and it could be coincidence) has their lines ran individually so that you fill one bag at a time. Is there any particular reason??

Of all the towing and hauling I have ever ever done with my truck, I have never had a need, nor desire, to level the truck from side to side. So why doesn't anyone (I know) run both air lines to a tee so that both bags can be filled equally at the same time. I'm thinking this is what I would want. Is there some down side to this method for why no one has done it.

The only negative (if you want to even call it that) that I can think of is if you broke a line or sprung a leak, both bags would deflate...but that's what I would want. I would not want one empty and one full.

So what do you guys think??

 

I always run both bags to a "T" right before the air valve so only a single inflation point is needed. This keeps the load level because most of our installation applications are for bed mounted hitches with heavy loads.

I know a lot of people are paranoid about air leaks but I have never needed to repair one.

Cut your air lines clean with a safety razor and shield them with old fuel line hose near anything sharp or near anthing they may rub against them and you won't have any problems.

 

I just added my firestone Ride Rite Bags tonight, I went the separate line route..... The only thing I could see with the t fitting would be body roll cause the air will transfer from one bag to another in a turn making the inside bag "deflate some" the go back to equal psi once your straight again.......anyhow just what I think...(maybe maybe not)....on the other side with 70psi in my 07f150 and no load I gained two inches then dropped it back to 6psi.

 

You really should maintain a mimimum of 10PSI in the bags when not in use.
This will prevent abrasion and pinching of the bags that result in premature failure.

70PSI in an F150....wow
Bet that rode like a tank!
When we load the F350 Crew cabs with a loaded 20k GN trailer we only run 60PSI, just enough to level it back up.

40PSI on an empty truck makes it feel like you have a rigid motorcycle suspension.

 

I agree

 

Something just occured to me.
I have never installed air bags on truck without a rear sway bar.
The sway bar will keep the vehicle from "rolling" depressing only one air bag.
I also have never installed a set on less than a 3/4 ton either though...hmmm

 

I didn't drive it anywhere at 70psi (prolly would bounced right off the road) we were just measurin it up for giggles while doing the leak check.......Now I did hook up the trailer today and went for a drive 55psi I think is to much it leveled the truck out drove out OK but I noticed so much less tension on the equalizer bars prolly gonna raise the mounts up one notch for the equalizer bars and run a little less psi. I bet that single fittin is alot nicer for settin pressure tho.

 

Good thought on the body roll...but, even if individual filling would eliviate some body roll, I can't imagine that under the worst conditions with a tee fitting that body roll would be any worse than it ever was pre-air bag...no??

 

I just ordered the Ride Rite system also. I'm going with the seperate lines due to storied I've heard of body roll with a T connector.
This will be my first time installing bags. I don't tow often so I'm not getting the compressor. Any suggestions on where to run the lines for easy fill ups? Also, I can turn a wrench but I'm not a mechanic. How long does it take to put these in?

 

Here is PimpRohr's post on his install. He ran the air lines through the bottom holes in his license plate. Looks good to me. I am considering adding this kit after I put in my Autosprings.
Firestone Ride Rite Install

 

Well, I got the bags in over the weekend. It was pretty simple but a little bit of a pain in the butt with those lock-nuts. I filled the bags with 10psi and took it for a drive. I was hypersensitive but it seemed a little more stiff. I can live with it though. After the test drive, both air bags still had 10psi. BUT, then this morning when I checked them 0 PSI in both. WTF??? I will start looking through the trouble shooting guide tonight. Any thoughts?

 

Fill them up and get a spray bottle with some soapy water. You should find the leak pretty quick. Just make sure you made the air line connections in accordance with the instructions. I am sure you will get it worked out.

 

OK, I've thought about this...while running lines for each bag individually may indeed help, or reduce body roll effects, running one single tee line in no way would increase body roll!! Even though the common line would allow air to transverse back and fourth between the bags when uneven loads were applied (as in a leaning situation), it would in no way be any worse than without air bags. The suspension would revert to it's normal, pre-airbag performance. Body roll would not be increased in any way with a common air line. Even though two lines may increase performance, if body roll or side to side leaning was not a problem to begin with, seems like a common line would be a lot more convenient for filling up!

 

I put some on a chevy 1/2 ton truck and went with one line. were i work we sale and deliver heavy duty truck parts and the most i had in it was around 1800 lbs with 60 psi and the bags did great. did not have any roll at all. although i didn't have to go but about 7 miles.