Firestone Airbags Query

I have never fitted firestones but if they are like polyairs you have to remove the bump stop and use a hole saw to open up the bolt hole to 40mm.

The bump stop does'nt stop the coil falling out, if the coil is loose on full travel then the shocker is to long and unroadworthy!

No alloy is correct with the Firestones (the surf uses the same springs and setup as the 80). The firestones air line goes through the bottom (I had to drill a hole for mine).

ACDC , the Firestone "coilrites" are much the same as polyairs ,EXCEPT for they are blue/ not red / wall thickness is thicker / load capacity is higher / and for fittment on an 80 series coil suspended the bumpstops are REMOVED and CUT DOWN to 2 spaces/rings ,, then REFITTED ,, the hole for the airline therefore does NOT exist as per the written instructions ,,the hole for the airline is full of bolt holding the bumpstop ,turn the bag upside down = no drilling /no problems ,, and as an aside you can get the Firestone delivered to your door for less than 1/2 the price of polyairs in Aus from Trucksprings in the US of A.

My Firestone Airbags were fitted by professional fitters and they took the bumpstops out and drilled a 30mm hole in the top where the bolt was then they put the airline though the top.

Regards
japmel

japmel, yeah if you've read any of my posts before, you'll probably know that I don't think much of a lot of 'professionals' work. :-)

These were the instructions I received with the bags an followed:

http://members.westnet.com.au/themeads/pictures/host/crin4112[1].pdf

Jeff M,

Yes I received the instructions from truckspring as well. But I wasen't entirely happy about cutting the bumpstops. (just in case I want to remove the airbags in the future) So I went and got them installed by the People that are installing them all the time.
They took one look at the instuctions and threw them away, Saying they where for the Yank cars (that hardly ever get used off the road)

Regards
japmel

Hi Jeff:

Weird ... Just checked out my fitting instructions and it says through the top. But nowhere does it say anything about drilling out the bolt hole, and I am certain it will be a tight fit.. I think I will just assess it when I pull the car apart and work it out from there...or call Firestone.
Thanks.
Jack

hahaha, I love comments like that. Just go have a look at YouTube and tell me the yanks don't go 4wding! :-)

I can't see any reason why the way firestone intended them to be installed should be a problem, hell mine have been in comming up 2 years and they are good as new. I regualry have them pumped up to 35psi to keep the rig level when we do trips and do some quite sevre offroading with them like that.

Ah, it won't matter, do whatever looks best. It's a pretty basic concept. Bag goes in spring, air goes in bag.

I followed my instructions and didn't have a problem, I would assume if you do the same, then you will have no problems either. ;-)

Sorry but don't agree !

Dribble , what has an air bag inside a coil spring got to do with "shredding tires " for effs sake , the air bag makes the coil spring no different than replacing the standard coil with a heavier spring rate coil EXCEPT for the fact you can then adjust the air to suit extra load , you shred tires by wrong tire pressure , NOT because of the spring rate.

I would be loath to believe anything that you see from the Pink Road House.

In my personal experience its also not the case having had Air Bags for quite some time have found them to be excellent.
And I assure you they have done some pretty corrugated roads in their time with no ill affects.

If your friends did tyres on 4 vehicles then I would suggest that their tyre pressure was to high or the tyre was unsuitable for the conditions.

First you need to understand that the people I saw were not my friends just acquantances. All I am saying and I have seen it personally on a number of occasians particularly with heavily laden vehicle, not overloaded.

Think about how th air bags work. Basically they stiffen up the spring restricting the speed and amount they can compress. Hence the tyres have to work harder to do the work of the spring. Yes tyre pressure is definately the most important thing but not the be all and end all.

Bah humbug. Air bags do not work my restricting shock absorbtion.

The work by squeasing between the different coils of the spring to 'stiffen' the spring so that it is harder for the spring to compress, it's just like using HD springs instead of normal springs except you can adjust them as you need.

It's a common missconception that air bags work by pushing upwards pressure and using air to do the work of the spring/shocky. It is not the case, if it were the air bags would go POP.

I've been running the firestones on mine with 2" raised HD king springs for years and never had a problem, even in the harshest terrain. We are on the verge of being overloaded, but correct tyres pressure make almost any journer acceptable.

!MPG:14!

That sounds like a good tip. I was a bit concerned about it kinking if I was on some rough stuff. Thanks for that.
Jack

Yep - the fitting instructions on mine are to cut the bump stop, but then thread the air line through the bump stop and the hole. My guess is that the air line keeps the bump stop in position. I have a pair of blue spacers with my kit, which I guess go on top of the air bag. Obviously once the airline is through I can't then re-attach the bump stop with the bolt, and given it is not a huge bolt hole, I figured some drilling would be needed.. I think the 25mm would give me enough free space to make it work fine.
Many thanks ... I think you have solved the mystery. The instructions are pretty good, but the little things tney miss out on with mine are a bit annoying.
Cheers
Jack