Air bag and tire pressure

[rruff]

Pretty sure they are including reaction time.

 

[ottorogers]

Ok new springs added at Deaver in Santa Ana, 2 leafs, we drove 60 miles, the difference is almost day and night, I’m very happy, 20 lbs air pressure in the airbags now, before 40 needed for the same height, most importantly the truck is very stable, I’m going to add Bilstein shocks down the road, and play with tire pressure, but it’s 80% better than before, and we are safe now, Deaver Spring did a great job!!!

 

[ottorogers]

Separate air lines is totally unnecessary for my “very heavy” setup, I do have more weight on one side, but with the new upgraded leaf springs, and 20 lbs in the airbags, I am perfectly level both sides, Deaver said airbags should be for fine tuning, and not to do the job of leaf springs, I’m a very happy camper now

 

[rruff]

Ok new springs added at Deaver in Santa Ana, 2 leafs, we drove 60 miles, the difference is almost day and night

Glad you got it fixed, but I think if you had separated your bags you would have experienced a similar result.

 

[ottorogers]

Glad you got it fixed, but I think if you had separated your bags you would have experienced a similar result.

i I was going to do the separate airbags, but with my weight I was told extra leaf springs was the only way to solve my issue, Deaver Springs has a very good reputation and are well respected, believe me I did not want to spend the $570!!! But it worked out very well!!! I’m pleased

 

[Wallowa]

i I was going to do the separate airbags, but with my weight I was told extra leaf springs was the only way to solve my issue, Deaver Springs has a very good reputation and are well respected, believe me I did not want to spend the $570!!! But it worked out very well!!! I’m pleased

Glad it worked out for you and that Deaver helped solve your handling problem....just for me with my truck and camper, while heavy, has more weight on the left side of the vehicle than the right side [26 gallons fuel and 26 gallons water on left side] which resulted in about 3/4 inch difference in height [left was lower].. so inflating the air bags to different pressures was the only way I could put the right and left sides of the Tundra at the same height...my springs were non-adjustable so the fine tuning for the uneven side-to-side load was up to the air bags..

Enjoy your rig!

Phil

 

[ottorogers]

Glad it worked out for you and that Deaver helped solve your handling problem....just for me with my truck and camper, while heavy, has more weight on the left side of the vehicle than the right side [26 gallons fuel and 26 gallons water on left side] which resulted in about 3/4 inch difference in height [left was lower].. so inflating the air bags to different pressures was the only way I could put the right and left sides of the Tundra at the same height...my springs were non-adjustable so the fine tuning for the uneven side-to-side load was up to the air bags..

Enjoy your rig!

Phil

i will definitely separate the airbags if needed for left or right weight issues, this is one thing airbags are good for

 

[Vic Harder]

Ok new springs added at Deaver in Santa Ana, 2 leafs, we drove 60 miles, the difference is almost day and night, I’m very happy, 20 lbs air pressure in the airbags now, before 40 needed for the same height, most importantly the truck is very stable, I’m going to add Bilstein shocks down the road, and play with tire pressure, but it’s 80% better than before, and we are safe now, Deaver Spring did a great job!!!

Good stuff. Safety first!

 

[So Cal Adventurer]

I just got back from 5 days in Death Valley.

One of our jaunts was a 3 day, 230 mile dirt adventure from cerro gordo to white talc, to saline, to dedeckera to steele pass to eureka dunes.

I ran the following setup and it worked flawlessly with 1000lbs in the bed of my truck and the 46 gallon tank!

2.5" Old Man Emu Dakars
(1) old man emu add a leaf
Bilstein 5160s
Firestone bags
tires aired down to 35 rear, 30 front
bags deflated off road
daystar cradles

Dedeckera and Steele pass get a bit gnarly (for a full size tundra), the daystar cradles allowing the truck full droop were a godsend and i wish i added them sooner.

my .02

 

[jimjxsn]

Ok new springs added at Deaver in Santa Ana, 2 leafs, we drove 60 miles, the difference is almost day and night, I’m very happy, 20 lbs air pressure in the airbags now, before 40 needed for the same height, most importantly the truck is very stable, I’m going to add Bilstein shocks down the road, and play with tire pressure, but it’s 80% better than before, and we are safe now, Deaver Spring did a great job!!!

ottorogers,

Sounds great, hope this solves your problem. Please give us an update after you have used them for awhile. And if you take the camper off, let us know about the empty ride.

Did you add 2 leafs or was that a new spring pack with 2 additional leafs?

 

[ottorogers]

Good stuff. Safety first!

exactly

 

[ottorogers]

I just got back from 5 days in Death Valley.

One of our jaunts was a 3 day, 230 mile dirt adventure from cerro gordo to white talc, to saline, to dedeckera to steele pass to eureka dunes.

I ran the following setup and it worked flawlessly with 1000lbs in the bed of my truck and the 46 gallon tank!

2.5" Old Man Emu Dakars
(1) old man emu add a leaf
Bilstein 5160s
Firestone bags
tires aired down to 35 rear, 30 front
bags deflated off road
daystar cradles

Dedeckera and Steele pass get a bit gnarly (for a full size tundra), the daystar cradles allowing the truck full droop were a godsend and i wish i added them sooner.

my .02

awsome

 

[ottorogers]

ottorogers,

Sounds great, hope this solves your problem. Please give us an update after you have used them for awhile. And if you take the camper off, let us know about the empty ride.

Did you add 2 leafs or was that a new spring pack with 2 additional leafs?

2 leafs added

 

[ottorogers]

2 leafs added

I can tell you my problem has been solved at least 80 percent, I’m going to add Bill Steen shocks at some point, but it might not be necessary, I’m sure the right is going to be rough with the camper out of the vehicle, I expect that, but it’s a truck I’m OK with that

 

[Juiceman]

Air bag question for a new guy...... So I ended up buying a 2014 Hawk to go on my 2006 Tundra double cab. The camper is currently at ATC for repairs so I don't have it with me (those guys are great by the way!) I just had Firestone airbags installed and from what I learned on here, 5-10 psi when unloaded and 20-30 psi should do it when loaded. The guy at 4 Wheel Parts who did the install said that it's a good idea to air up to about 20 psi before loading the camper. Then put in the rest of the air after loading. It almost seems like the bed may be too high for the camper with 20 psi. Does anybody else put the extra air in before loading the camper?

 

[So Cal Adventurer]

Air bag question for a new guy...... So I ended up buying a 2014 Hawk to go on my 2006 Tundra double cab. The camper is currently at ATC for repairs so I don't have it with me (those guys are great by the way!) I just had Firestone airbags installed and from what I learned on here, 5-10 psi when unloaded and 20-30 psi should do it when loaded. The guy at 4 Wheel Parts who did the install said that it's a good idea to air up to about 20 psi before loading the camper. Then put in the rest of the air after loading. It almost seems like the bed may be too high for the camper with 20 psi. Does anybody else put the extra air in before loading the camper?

A lot of variables come into play to give you a hard number to set them at. ie... springs, how loaded is it.. etc..

Not sure the logic of inflating before, but the ORW here locally has some pretty knowledgeable folks there so I’d be interested in hearing why.

As for your bed height.. I just sold off a Leer shell and Decked system that I had filled with tools and spare.

My bed came up damn near 2” with everything removed. You be height will drop a bunch when the camper is on.

But I’m running old man emu springs with an add a leaf.

 

[MattC]

Air bag question for a new guy...... So I ended up buying a 2014 Hawk to go on my 2006 Tundra double cab. The camper is currently at ATC for repairs so I don't have it with me (those guys are great by the way!) I just had Firestone airbags installed and from what I learned on here, 5-10 psi when unloaded and 20-30 psi should do it when loaded. The guy at 4 Wheel Parts who did the install said that it's a good idea to air up to about 20 psi before loading the camper. Then put in the rest of the air after loading. It almost seems like the bed may be too high for the camper with 20 psi. Does anybody else put the extra air in before loading the camper?

Sounds like a good place to start for pressures.
(May need 30-40psi loaded)
as far as putting a little more air in the bags before loading goes, it's probably so you don't pinch them.
probably not needed, but it certainly won't hurt anything

 

[So Cal Adventurer]

A good rule of thumb from a reliability standpoint is to have the truck almost at the right height without the bags. As in, add leafs or whatever to your springs to get them close.

Use the bags as a supplement, not as a lift

That way if you’re in the middle of no where and have a bag or line failure you’re not SOL and can still drive out safely.

My .02

 

[ottorogers]

Air bag question for a new guy...... So I ended up buying a 2014 Hawk to go on my 2006 Tundra double cab. The camper is currently at ATC for repairs so I don't have it with me (those guys are great by the way!) I just had Firestone airbags installed and from what I learned on here, 5-10 psi when unloaded and 20-30 psi should do it when loaded. The guy at 4 Wheel Parts who did the install said that it's a good idea to air up to about 20 psi before loading the camper. Then put in the rest of the air after loading. It almost seems like the bed may be too high for the camper with 20 psi. Does anybody else put the extra air in before loading the camper?

i’m still trying to find out what the right height is from the ground to the middle of the rear fender above the tire, mine is about 40 inches, but it seems a bit high to me, I’m thinking more like 38 inches is about right

 

[gaylon]

Air bag question for a new guy...... So I ended up buying a 2014 Hawk to go on my 2006 Tundra double cab. The camper is currently at ATC for repairs so I don't have it with me (those guys are great by the way!) I just had Firestone airbags installed and from what I learned on here, 5-10 psi when unloaded and 20-30 psi should do it when loaded. The guy at 4 Wheel Parts who did the install said that it's a good idea to air up to about 20 psi before loading the camper. Then put in the rest of the air after loading. It almost seems like the bed may be too high for the camper with 20 psi. Does anybody else put the extra air in before loading the camper?

I have a 2015 Hawk in a 2016 TRD Pro Tundra and run 50# or more in the bags to raise the rear up to be level with the front when the camper is loaded up for travel. The TRD Pro is factory lifted, so the bags have to raise the rear higher to match the higher front end...