Airbags and Tire Rotation

camper101

camper101

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
224
Location
Colorado
I've got Firestone Ride-Rite airbags on the rear, and I understand that I can't have the truck lifted by the frame or the bags might break. That means they have to use the drive-on lift, and I just realized this means that getting tires rotated is a challenge.

What do you all with airbags do to get your tires rotated? Just deflate and go for it, or is there another option?

Thank you
 
wouldn't you just lift by the axles? I rotate my own tires. I don't have a frame lift.
 
Thanks AK Nomad,

That sounds pretty reasonable to me. The dealership that gives me free oil changes/rotations (for now) didn't mention that, but it gives me the idea to call local shops and ask if they can do it.
 
I had this too and just made sure to tell them before it goes on the lift to do it by the axles and be careful letting it down. They'll know what to do.
 
Am I missing something? I have had my truck serviced several times even just today for brakes.Didn't know there was a problem about lifting with air bags.Mine don't seem to have been affected in any way.
But I will keep my eye on them.
Frank
 
I was told by the suspension shop that installed my airbags to deflate the airbags before putting on a lift.
 
There is a note in the instructions to deflate the bags before frame lifting or damage can occur. There is a recent thread on Tacoma World where a guy had his truck on the lift and was losing air out of one of the bags afterwards. Not sure if it was related or not.

Note from instructions:

Once the air helper springs are installed, it is recommended that the vehicle not be lifted by
the frame, as over-extension may occur, resulting in damage to the air helper springs. However, should
it become necessary to raise the vehicle by the frame, deflate both air helper springs completely.
 
OK this is all helpful, thanks.

BobD said:
Once the air helper springs are installed, it is recommended that the vehicle not be lifted by
the frame, as over-extension may occur, resulting in damage to the air helper springs. However, should
it become necessary to raise the vehicle by the frame, deflate both air helper springs completely.
Click to expand...
I wasn't sure what constitues necessary - like if I should really go out of my way to avoid having it lifted by the frame (find somebody who'll lift it by the axle), or if it's not a big deal to deflate for regular maintenance.

Thanks again all.
 
It is necessary to lift by the frame when performing certain suspension and driveline repairs like replacing springs, also makes it easier on some vehicles to replace shocks, etc.
 
A question about air valve placement.I have mine just to either side of the spar tire crank hole.I don't use the tailgate as the camper stays on all the time.
Where does everyone place theirs?
Frank
 
Mine come through the license plate where the two screws for the bottom of the plate would be. Wasn't my idea (Chris at Rocky Mountain FWC did it), but I like how you don't really notice them there.
 
When I had my A/T tires installed at Discount Tire I warned them about the airbags, then when they did the actual lift I noticed they used 4 floor jacks; one under each axle, so no problem. I suspect they will do the same for rotation, but will keep an eye on it.

I had my airbag valves installed in the lower license plate holes, after reading positive comments about that location, then discovered that is far from ideal on a Tacoma - makes it impossible to get any angled air fitting on there, such as a gauge or hand pump. I then moved them down to holes on the underside of the bumper (the bumper came with that set of holes from the factory.) I asked the Land Rover drivers at Overland Expo if that position would ever be a problem for dragging or getting hit from underneath and they said "not a chance."
 
If it remains a concern you could either add some limiting straps or swap your airbag bases to the daystar airbag cradles. I've got the latter and it has worked pretty well for me so far.
 
I've seen the air valves installed next to the fuel filler cap under the access door. Seemed like a clean install to me. At least until someone asks why you're putting air in your fuel tank......
 
If there ever was any damage, would it be obvious becuse the bags just wouldn't hold air anymore? I'm assuming that the main concern about lifting by the frame is the bags tearing -- not some other kind of damage like bolts breaking or something. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Bill has a good point about the license plate location. I carry 2 pumps (a bike pump and 2-chamber foot pump) and I can only get the foot pump to work with the air valves. You might try to hold your pump up against the license plate screws before you do anything.
 
In reading some of the posts,others have good spots for the valve placement.I like mine out of the way from stepping on them while going in or out of the camper.I can get the air pump on them and check the pressure with my gauge. I carry a 12v mini air pump that works well.
Thanks for all the different ideas.
Frank
 
Casa Escarlata Robles Too said:
A question about air valve placement.I have mine just to either side of the spar tire crank hole.I don't use the tailgate as the camper stays on all the time.
Where does everyone place theirs?
Frank
Click to expand...
My valves are placed (not by me, but by the Les Schwab shop that installed the Ride-Rites) on the driver side, behind the rear wheel. I don't know why they put them there, and I'm not saying that it's the right position, but that position works OK for me...at least, I haven't had any issues with it. Dirt/mud gets thrown up on the valves by the LR tire, but the valves have caps on them, so not a problem.

Air-bag-valves-1.jpg

REGARDING THE ACTUAL TOPIC OF THIS THREAD: I have had work done on my truck -- in addition to tire installation and rotation -- that surely must have required lifting the truck, and I didn't tell the shop(s) to lift it in any particular way -- because I didn't know/think about the potential for damage. However, my Ride-Rites seem to have survived intact.
 
Exactly. They simply won't hold air for long- could be a bag tear, or where the line attaches to the bag, but after 20min it'll be soft [insert joke here]. You won't hurt anything else.

camper101 said:
If there ever was any damage, would it be obvious becuse the bags just wouldn't hold air anymore? I'm assuming that the main concern about lifting by the frame is the bags tearing -- not some other kind of damage like bolts breaking or something.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads - WTW

J
••SOLD** For Sale: Four Wheel Camper Hawk and Toyota Tundra
Spitfire
S
C
Truck and Camper Dropped Off Lift
2
Jon R
J
B
Does anyone have any over-the-payload related incidents/stories?
bluffwandering
B
H
Questions on Ranger + Swift Model
Occidental
Occidental
T
Tundra Hawk Suspension Mods
JHanson
JHanson

New posts - WTW

Back
Top Bottom