Which air bags to buy?

Darryla

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
318
Location
Livermore, CA
Ok, it looks like I need air bags as I appear to be tilting to the left. As you know I have a 2001 Tacoma 4x4 with a fully loaded Bobcat. Please advise which air bags you guys think are best appropriate?

Thank you for helping me.

Darryl
 
Ok, it looks like I need air bags as I appear to be tilting to the left. As you know I have a 2001 Tacoma 4x4 with a fully loaded Bobcat. Please advise which air bags you guys think are best appropriate?

Thank you for helping me.

Darryl

PACBRAKE, I THINK NOW AVAILABLE FOR TACOMAS
 
I've been very pleased with the Air Lift airbag system.

Firestone has a similar airbag product.

The price and quality between the two brands are a wash. I've recommended both brands to many camper owners and all seem happy with the brand they chose.

I use the Air Lift kit and it has been thoroughly tested on some long, rough trails. No problems or issues to report so far.
.
 
Firestine Ride Rite's. I also just put them on my 2008 F-150. Piece of cake to install, suspensionconnection.com $289.00 with a 20% discount on line coupon. Total cost with shipping...roughly $279.
 
Thank you.

Thanks you guys. I will try to figure out which is better. Air Lift or Firestone for the Tacoma. I do not see that Pac Brake makes them for the Tacoma. The Firestone is about $60.00 more than the Air Lift. I don't care about the cost, just want the better one.

Darryl
 
I've got the Firestone air bags and the only leaks I've had were fixed by tightening up the valve cores. The main reason I went with Firestone was that parts seem to be more readily available than other brands.

Rob
 
I've got the Firestone air bags and the only leaks I've had were fixed by tightening up the valve cores. The main reason I went with Firestone was that parts seem to be more readily available than other brands.

Rob

Follow the herd: every time this airbag question comes up, and it comes up a lot for some reason, I suggest Pacbrake bags. Why do I continually suggest these bags, mainly because they are of a better design. The bags have more windings, the hardware is of better quality, and is powder coated. They offer a better compressor, and more options for pressure tanks if you want on board air. I know one thing for sure, I'm not going to bring them up again I think people by the Firestone bags because they are cheap, and cheap is not always better, case closed.
 
Firestone

I bought the Firestone ones last year. Had a flat tire last Summer and after that, one of the bags has had a very very slow leak (about 1 lb lost per day). Very frustrating cause I cannot find the leak. Pumped them up to about 80 lbs and sprayed bubble solution on entire fixture and could not find the leak. Chris
 
Follow the herd: every time this airbag question comes up, and it comes up a lot for some reason, I suggest Pacbrake bags. Why do I continually suggest these bags, mainly because they are of a better design. The bags have more windings, the hardware is of better quality, and is powder coated. They offer a better compressor, and more options for pressure tanks if you want on board air. I know one thing for sure, I'm not going to bring them up again I think people by the Firestone bags because they are cheap, and cheap is not always better, case closed.

Maybe I'm reading you wrong but you seem to be taking it personal that people haven't picked up on pac brakes which is silly. :confused: I took a quick look at them but the firestones are more readily available and seem to perform acceptably for what we're doing so I went with them. That said no reason not to pitch in for pacbrake bags when the question comes up just because everyone from now on hasn't went with them.
 
Maybe I'm reading you wrong but you seem to be taking it personal that people haven't picked up on pac brakes which is silly. :confused: I took a quick look at them but the firestones are more readily available and seem to perform acceptably for what we're doing so I went with them. That said no reason not to pitch in for pacbrake bags when the question comes up just because everyone from now on hasn't went with them.

Are you kidding, I don't take anything that goes on here personally, and actually I'm the kind of person who is impossible to insult, and to get me mad, it would take more than some air bag BS, I don't care what kind of airbags, or anything else people might want or think they want, that's up to them. The only reason I ever brought the things up in the first place was to let people know that there was an alternitave to Firestones, after that, it's up to you,you get what makes you happy. And like I said before, for me, case closed.
 
Are you kidding, I don't take anything that goes on here personally, and actually I'm the kind of person who is impossible to insult, and to get me mad, it would take more than some air bag BS, I don't care what kind of airbags, or anything else people might want or think they want, that's up to them. The only reason I ever brought the things up in the first place was to let people know that there was an alternitave to Firestones, after that, it's up to you,you get what makes you happy. And like I said before, for me, case closed.

I just don't get why you think its not worth while to mention them in the future that was all. To stop recommending a product because folks haven't scooped them up isn't a reason so stop recommending it if you feel good about the product.
 
I bought the Firestone ones last year. Had a flat tire last Summer and after that, one of the bags has had a very very slow leak (about 1 lb lost per day). Very frustrating cause I cannot find the leak. Pumped them up to about 80 lbs and sprayed bubble solution on entire fixture and could not find the leak. Chris


I went thru' the same deal and discovered it was just a loose valve core. 1/4 turn and it was fixed.

The only other problem I've had with the Firestones was that my parking brake line runs close to the left one. Last year an adel clamp broke allowing the brake line to wear into the bag. I spotted it when cords were visible but before it started to leak. When I brought the rig into the shop who installed it they replaced the bag free and I paid a half hour of shop time. I thought it was a pretty good deal since it really wasn't a defect in the air bag.

This kinda illustrates why I chose Firestones. They didn't have the bag in stock but got one from another shop across town that did so I didn't have to wait on shipping. I'm sure there are better systems out there but, since I'm hours away from a city large enough to have good parts availability, I tend to go with what's easily available.

Rob
 
Salty,
Spoken like a true diplomat. And I want you to know I agree with everything you (and other gun owners) say. How anyone could mistake your true concern for your fellow man, your passion for others to not buy badly manufactured goods for anger is beyond me. Why I find your timely, incisive, keen and penetrating comentary and suggestions helpful and necessary.

Incidentally anyone interested in Pac Bags (the better air bag system) try Geno's Garage.
 
Salty,
Spoken like a true diplomat. And I want you to know I agree with everything you (and other gun owners) say. How anyone could mistake your true concern for your fellow man, your passion for others to not buy badly manufactured goods for anger is beyond me. Why I find your timely, incisive, keen and penetrating comentary and suggestions helpful and necessary.

Incidentally anyone interested in Pac Bags (the better air bag system) try Geno's Garage.

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKIN' ABOUT?
 
Fisherman,
What do you mean by more windings on the air bags.
 
Fisherman,
What do you mean by more windings on the air bags.

All airbags are reinforced with a wire winding, sort of like a radial tire, these bags contain more reinforcement, I believe that the containment wall is stronger.
 
And I want you to know I agree with everything you (and other gun owners) say.

Look, I think it's important to think for yourself. The herd mentality just don't cut it.
 
Baaaaaaaaaaaaa

I take no responsibility.
 

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I Have A Brilant Idea

Behind the shop where we keep the VanDeiemen a friend of mine has a shop called DC Customs, he builds rock crawlers, very hi tech desert racers, and any amount of custom truck work. He helps me quite a bit with the race car, and when I can I help him with his projects, I learn a lot around that place. Dustin and I have had a few arguements over this same airbag issue. He has installed probably hundreds of sets, up until recently mostly Firestone. He's had many come back with broken brackets, and leaking issues. Airbags are pretty simple, it's not rocket science, but somebody like Dustin doesn't want to deal with a lot of problems, because it's keeps you from getting anything done. I told him to take a look at Pacbrake, it took a while, but he finally ordered a set. Well, now if you go to DC Customs in Ukiah for airbags, you can only get Pacbrake, because there less problems, for you and Dustin. I will be in the shop tomorrow to finish up the Toyota, I'll take a picture of both Firestone and Pacbrake bags, you decide. Then, can we talk about something else. By the way I got pretty carried away with the Toyota, it's back together,aside from the fender flares which I'm painting tomorrow, it's not the same truck it used to be, I really like the way it turned out, I think you might too, especially if you have gear oil for blood.
 

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