which air bag ??

subzero · Dec 30, 2013

I have 2012 dodge - 3500 - mega cab ...
reese 5 th wheel hitch - with slider

I'm leaning towards the Pacbrake air bags ..
what do you use ?
ease of install ?

CJR · Dec 30, 2013

subzero said:
I have 2012 dodge - 3500 - mega cab ...
reese 5 th wheel hitch - with slider

I'm leaning towards the Pacbrake air bags ..
what do you use ?
ease of install ?

I'm pretty sure that's what I'm running. The kit I bought comes with two separate fill lines that I ran back to my rear plate. A buddy of mine joined his lines for one common fill point. Seemed like a better way to go. If one leaks, they both go down in pressure proportionally.

pistonbroke800 · Dec 30, 2013

I have Firestone bags, they seem to be doing the job just fine. I hard lined mine in with 3/8'' stainless tubing and Swagelok fittings. I have the Schrader valves going through the license plate mounting holes. Install looks very sharp and im pretty sure I wont have any leak issues

ThrottleOps · Dec 30, 2013

I also run the firestone bags, I haven't had any issues with them!

OVERKILL 19 · Dec 30, 2013

subzero said:
I have 2012 dodge - 3500 - mega cab ...
reese 5 th wheel hitch - with slider

I'm leaning towards the Pacbrake air bags ..
what do you use ?
ease of install ?

Any lift? Firestone bags with Daystar cradels. Or if ya want long travel ...Carli bags.

Phil67 · Dec 30, 2013

Installed all types and have found the firestone ones to be the best ones to install. Last the longest and make a great compressor kit to compliment them. Most applications I install are in commercial vehicles such as welding rigs and take a beating and firestone mounts definitely last the best.

gates559 · Dec 31, 2013

I got the firestone ride rites. Really easy to install and work great. I plumbed them seperately. One does have a slow leak in the quick connector fitting. For this reason I am going to plumb them together and have one main line so if they ever do go down again they will at least deflate together. I don't have the compressor kit.

Shop around. Some places are way cheaper than others. I think they are a company that has set pricing but if you look hard you will find some good deals.

Shitfly · Dec 31, 2013

Have had Pacbrake bags on my truck for prob 4-5 years now, 3/4ton with sled deck, no issues. Have not done the compressor, but really have a hard time justifying it for myself. An air compressor that plugs into the trailer plug has worked for me if no other airline around. I have fill lines to each bag in the lic plate, I would not tie them into a common fill line as I would not want the load to shift side/side..unless you're plumbing in check valves for fill lines which will need a separate bleed line with check valves too...seems like at waste of time for the small gain.. only takes 3 sec to fill both..

Lowlife82 · Dec 31, 2013

CJR said:
I'm pretty sure that's what I'm running. The kit I bought comes with two separate fill lines that I ran back to my rear plate. A buddy of mine joined his lines for one common fill point. Seemed like a better way to go. If one leaks, they both go down in pressure proportionally.

When you corner wouldn't the air transfer and make outside bag soft? Thus being a bad thing and why the fill lines supposed to be separate?
Maybe I'm thinking wrong...?

danmilton87 · Dec 31, 2013

Get the compressor kit it makes all the difference you adjust while you drive i haul and tow regularly and am always adjusting my psi other then that shop around for a good deal

chop · Dec 31, 2013

firestone ride rites ,easy to install

OVERKILL 19 · Dec 31, 2013

I had ride rites and Carli bags with a Airlift wireless compressor control kit. Worked good. But FYI wire in a on off switch as the compressor kicks in and out to maintain set pressure which is great when u want it to do that but driving to the mall ... It drove me nuts, hence the switch!
I mounted mine under hood which was noisy but protected, couple buddy's mounted there's by spare tire and had troubles freezing off at times.

http://www.airliftcompany.com/products/compressor-systems/

Grinder · Dec 31, 2013

I have the air lift smart air auto leveling set up. When I dolly the trailer down on hitch in 20seconds the system fills bags to my set ride height. When dropping trailer in 20 seconds after unhooking will drop bags to ride height. The levels are magnets on axle and receiver on frame when it gets out of range it adjusts air. I have it hooked up to my air tank that feeds my horn and exhaust brake. I have the separate bag set up so one receiver per bag so too heavy on one side it will top up that bag. I added an air brake methanol sniffer so it wont freeze up. My tank and compressor are in the box under sled deck protected.

OVERKILL 19 · Jan 1, 2014

Ya I'm not sure who would actually follow airlft's instructions and mount compressor under seat??

CJR · Jan 1, 2014

Lowlife82 said:
When you corner wouldn't the air transfer and make outside bag soft? Thus being a bad thing and why the fill lines supposed to be separate?
Maybe I'm thinking wrong...?

i don't know. Never thought about it. Good question. I don't think that amount of transfer would be noticeable. Pressure would always be the same in both bags. What do they do when you install a compressor? Are they common to each other or can you select which side your inflating?

OVERKILL 19 · Jan 2, 2014

If you plumb both bags T'ed to one fill line then yes it will transfer in a bad way. The best way is to have two fill lines.

My Airlift compressor set up fills or deflates each bag individually.

sled_wrangler · Jan 3, 2014

I tried to T my lines together on a 02 dodge 1/2 ton .... you may as well not bother putting the bags in if you do this ...Like overkill said it will transfer from one bag to the other when taking a corner

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

OVERKILL 19 · Jan 3, 2014

If you just putting bags in for a bumper pull trailer .. Prob not a big deal. But if you get 2 quads/sleds on a 8.5 wide deck! It's a bit more leverage and not a good idea. IMO. really for the sake of one extra line why not do it. The hardest part is deciding where to put them.
I've mounted them in the license plate bolt holes...risk is kicking them while climbing in truck. A pain to fill while hooked to trailer at gas station.

Under seat just in side door! .. Protected and easy to deflate a little while moving. Not bad to fill at station.

Last truck I put them inside front grill. Had to pop hood to fill/deflate. But I had a compressor set up. So never used it much. But I liked this spot best as ya can fill at any station with ease. Protected and hidden.
But did have to pop hood.

Really once ya figure out your pressures for your set up. ya set it and forget it.

which air bag ??

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