Air bags / Dodge 3500

emm4273610re · Jun 30, 2012

Thinking about putting air bags into my Dodge 3500. Any pro's or con's . Do they work well? Compressor noisy? I'm towing a 3610 re Big Horn and very close to the helpers while parked and hits hard on some bumps. Any feedback would be great. Thanks Tim

jnbhobe · Jun 30, 2012

You only want air bags to level the tow vehicle.

Nabo · Jun 30, 2012

We just put the Firestone airbags with compressor just to help level up the truck. It's not that the truck was badly sagging in the rear but the air bags was just enough. The compressor is noisy while putting air into the bags but really like being able to add or subtract air while traveling or rolling down the road.

Moose · Jun 30, 2012

I have the Firestone air bags all around. In the rear for towing . . . in the front for snowing (Boss plow) LoL.

cms · Jul 17, 2012

I just put Firestone bags on my 2012 Dodge 3500DRW. I pulled 15K this weekend. It made me relax when I hit bridges now lol... Very soft ride. I ran mine at 40lbs... 39' Toy Hauler 5th wheel.

GOTTOYS · Jul 17, 2012

I put them on my 2010 without the compressor. I used a Firestone Ride Rite kit. Easy bolt on installation took less than an hour. I only use them to level my truck which only requires about 15 PSI. If I run the air pressure too high it rides like a ..err..truck. I just plug a small 12 volt compressor into my 10 pin plug using an adapter and inflate them when I first hitch up...Don

brianharrison · Jul 17, 2012

I use a bicycle pump, with gauge, to inflate the airbags. I run about 35 psi, which nicely levels out the truck.

wqmiller · Jul 22, 2012

I have the B&W Companion hitch installed in 2008 F250. Want to install the Firestone Ride-Rite rear air bags. Curious if anyone on the forum has done the installation with this truck configuration. Seems like there could be some interference issues with mounting the hardware for the air bags. Any help would be appreciated.

brianharrison · Jul 22, 2012

wqmiller said:
I have the B&W Companion hitch installed in 2008 F250. Want to install the Firestone Ride-Rite rear air bags. Curious if anyone on the forum has done the installation with this truck configuration. Seems like there could be some interference issues with mounting the hardware for the air bags. Any help would be appreciated.

I have the Reese Elite series hitch with underbed rails mounted to the frame. I would suspect it is simiar to the B&W but cannot confirm.

The RideRite mouting hardware fitted neatly underneath the hitch northsouth mounting plate on the outside of the frame (parallel to frame) because there is a slight indentation in the frame where the northsouth mounting plate bolts. I had to remove the hitch mouting plate to get at the predrilled hole in the frame for the RideRite upper mounting hardware.

Same airbag kit for 250 and 350.

Hope this helps.
Brian

Bobby A · Jul 22, 2012

Another option is the superspring, thats what I've got in my 3500 Dodge Mega Cab, I'm happy with it.

TandT · Jul 22, 2012

emm4273610re said:
Thinking about putting air bags into my Dodge 3500. Any pro's or con's . Do they work well? Compressor noisy? I'm towing a 3610 re Big Horn and very close to the helpers while parked and hits hard on some bumps. Any feedback would be great. Thanks Tim

I have had Firestone Riderites on my last three trucks.
The first two where manual fill and worked well.
This truck I finally bit the bullet and installed the onboard compressor with the tank, which I really like. It gives the peace of mind that no matter where you are you have a compressed air source in a very small package. Great for filling my Trailaire pinbox, or tires in a pinch. It is only slightly noisy when it runs low on air. The compressor doesn't run for more than a minute or so.

Riderites are great for leveling a load and putting the weight forward, removing any "light sensation" on the front wheels, if you have that. (I really never have with the setup I have now.)
As someone mentioned, I only put about 15-30 lbs. in mine with the truck unloaded. Then when you load the rig, the pressure goes up to about 50 lbs. and I have a great smooth ride. Trace

bd2dabone · Jul 25, 2012

Just had the Firestone RideRite air bags installed on my F350. Have the Reese Elite hitch also. Firestone even includs a heat shield between the bag and the tailpipe (nice touch). I did not do the install however the guy said it was definitely pretty much bolt on job. Got my sag back to level with the Cyclone 3800 on it.

BigDaveinNC · Jul 25, 2012

I have Air Lift bags on my 2012 F250 Super Duty and they work great with my BigHorn 3610. Level and smooth! Bite the Bullet and go for the Automatic with Compresser. Quiet and Quick! Their kits have every thing you need no matter how you are configured.

emm4273610re · Aug 23, 2012

Thanks to all that replied. Had the Firestone bags installed with compressor. Measured truck height, hooked up our camper put up to 55 to 60 psi to bring back up to ride height. Truck rides very smooth now when hooked to our camper, wife complained that the truck now rides nicer then her new car. Who would of thought. Thanks again, Tim

u243412 · Sep 12, 2012

I put Firestone airbags on the rear of our 2012 3500 DRW RAM Lar.

Rig is a '12 Cyclone 3010 - Pin weight of 2700 loaded. (ballpark MO) (I measured about 4.5" of sag when I loaded the Cyclone on her)

The Ram would sometimes bottom out on some highways. After I installed the air bags, that issue went away.
I've tried with 30psi - still seems loose/bumpy. I accidently put in 70psi and found the ride to be way better. I'll probably end up around 40 - 50psi.

As well - I installed a $20 CDN air compressor (and bleed valve) from Can Tire. It works great. I had it on both my old Duramax as this new Dodge. You really need to install an air compressor - way way better. The fancy ones that can be adjusted in the cab are extremely expensive, but any 12V compressor will do.

Good luck.

danemayer · Sep 12, 2012

I put Firestone airbags on the rear of our 2012 3500 DRW RAM Lar.

Rig is a '12 Cyclone 3010 - Pin weight of 2700 loaded. (ballpark MO) (I measured about 4.5" of sag when I loaded the Cyclone on her) ...
The Ram would sometimes bottom out on some highways.

Pin weight of 2700 causing 4.5" of sag on a 1 ton dually? Bottoming out? I'm not a mechanic or a truck expert, but that doesn't sound right and while airbags might hide the symptoms, I'd be looking for root cause.

dave10a · Sep 12, 2012

danemayer said:
Pin weight of 2700 causing 4.5" of sag on a 1 ton dually? Bottoming out? I'm not a mechanic or a truck expert, but that doesn't sound right and while airbags might hide the symptoms, I'd be looking for root cause.

don't sound right to me either. I have a pin weight of approx 3400 lbs loaded and my SRW F350 truck is level and handles very well. Of course it is at near max GCCW, but I would never know it by the way it handles and rides. It does have all the factory options for max GVW and a TravelAir hitch.

alaska dodge · Sep 12, 2012

I use timbrens, they bolt up using the factory bolts from the bump stop. For my 3500 Megacabit gives me a 8500 lbs payload plus sway control

Air bags / Dodge 3500

emm4273610re

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Nabo

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cms

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Bobby A

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