At the risk of getting flamed, does anyone use airbags for the rear for weight leveling?
- Thread starter Moglocker
- Start date
Its been a while, but as I recall, the bump stops come out and the air valve/hose comes out the top hole where the stop bolted in. In that way, I guess the air bag with a low pressure would function as your bump stop. I realize its not a hard stop, but for low speed, it should be OK?
OP
Go forth and use levelling bags if you wish! But to tell you the truth I have over weighted overlanded my TJ with zero problems! Lets look at the weight of an average westerner in the back of a TJ, at least 80KG = 176 pounds each rear passenger to which jeep allowed for! If you are loading more than 250lBs on a TJ you should consider Motels instead of a camping road triplol
Good point rooftop tent and some extra gas and water will be about 250 lb but I also have a lot of tools and things
I run a set of Air Lift bags (kit #60811) on my '05 LJ.
I tow a 3000 lb trailer with a 340 lb tongue weight (yeah, I'm working on that). With the trailer, the rear of the Jeep sags about 1 inch. I fill the bags to the max 35 PSI, and it just levels the Jeep, and it rides great. Without the trailer, I keep about 5 to 8 PSI in the bags. That low pressure does not lift the Jeep at all, and it rides great. They don't seem to interfere with rear axle articulation. No bump stops, the bags act as a soft bump stop. I don't know what would happen if I smacked a rock hard, I imagine at some point a bag could be split.
I use a hand tire pump for the air bags. They take very little air volume, so it's easy to overfill them with a compressor.
Air Lift recommends a minimum of 5 PSI, or damage can occur. I suspect that could only happen if a bag got pinched in the spring, but the bags are stiff even without air, so it would be very odd to get them damaged. Maybe that recommendation is so they'll act as a bump stop.
I used these bags on the stock Jeep, without a lift. And I'm still using them with a 2" lift (OME springs). No changes were needed for this small lift. For taller lifts, a taller balloon would be needed.
I tow a 3000 lb trailer with a 340 lb tongue weight (yeah, I'm working on that). With the trailer, the rear of the Jeep sags about 1 inch. I fill the bags to the max 35 PSI, and it just levels the Jeep, and it rides great. Without the trailer, I keep about 5 to 8 PSI in the bags. That low pressure does not lift the Jeep at all, and it rides great. They don't seem to interfere with rear axle articulation. No bump stops, the bags act as a soft bump stop. I don't know what would happen if I smacked a rock hard, I imagine at some point a bag could be split.
I use a hand tire pump for the air bags. They take very little air volume, so it's easy to overfill them with a compressor.
Air Lift recommends a minimum of 5 PSI, or damage can occur. I suspect that could only happen if a bag got pinched in the spring, but the bags are stiff even without air, so it would be very odd to get them damaged. Maybe that recommendation is so they'll act as a bump stop.
I used these bags on the stock Jeep, without a lift. And I'm still using them with a 2" lift (OME springs). No changes were needed for this small lift. For taller lifts, a taller balloon would be needed.
OP
Remove the jounce pads, leave the cups in place. I ground the sharp edges of my cups smooth, just to be safe.
You have to remove the spring and drill a large hole in the bottom spring perch for the air line. It can be "fun" to get a drill and big bit in there. Disconnecting the shock and sway bar helps (which you do to remove the spring, anyway).
It looks like this at 0 to 5 PSI. The balloon just fills the space with stock springs. With 2" lift springs, you still use the same setup, with a small gap. Higher lifts will need the next taller balloon. There is a 1/2" rubber disk on the bottom spring perch (part of the kit).
I disagree with removing the jounces because then there are no jounces when the bag is not inflated.
The Air Lift instructions say to remove the jounce pads. The bags are supposed to have a minimum of 5 PSI. And there is NO room for the jounce pads with stock springs. And there is a rubber disk below the bag which will act as a firm jounce pad.
OP
Thanks,for the pics,would it hurt to leave the bumps in?I have 2.5 lift springs and the bags look pretty short,I think I need to do this for when we use the rtt,did you run the lines on the lower control arms,thanks again
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I know they say that. I disagree with them. I even spoke with one of their reps on the phone when I was putting mine together where it was clear they don't understand how a TJ suspension works. I didn't use their TJ bags because they were too small even for a stock setup.
I'm not sure what you mean by too small, mine perfectly filled the space (third photo in post #26 above).
When I installed my 2" lift springs, I didn't have the Air Lift in there. I cycled the suspension to determine what bump stop extension to use (1.5"), and made some aluminum pucks above the cups. Later, when I needed the Air Lift again, the bags fit perfectly with those extensions and cups in place.
No, I ran the air lines (shiny black) along the axle to the diff breather hose, and then along with it up over the gas tank to the rear bumper area.
"The most common cause for failure in air bags is running them without the minimum air pressure. This causes them to bottom out, tear, etc. You should always keep 5 lbs. of air pressure in your airbags to prevent any damage. 5 lbs. will not affect your ride but will ensure your air bags last."
- Truckspring.com
OP
"The most common cause for failure in air bags is running them without the minimum air pressure. This causes them to bottom out, tear, etc. You should always keep 5 lbs. of air pressure in your airbags to prevent any damage. 5 lbs. will not affect your ride but will ensure your air bags last."
- Truckspring.com
Ryan L Stone
New Member
Air bags increase diameter when inflated and push against the coils. effectively limiting their travel. At no time should they touch at the axle or at the bump stop. They should be centered in the coil. And the air valve goes at the bottom, and is plumbed to a fill valve at the bumper.
No. Air bags inside the coil spring effectively increase the spring rate. And the only way for that effective increase in spring rate to translate into influencing the ride height in a TJ is for the bag to react between the lower spring seat and the bump stop.
I installed a set last year for a trip to Big Bend. They were relatively easy to install and kept the jeep (LJ) level while fully loaded. They have held minimum pressure for a year and I donāt hardly remember they are installed. They donāt effect ride on a daily basis. Donāt recall the brand unfortunately but I sourced from Amazon for around $100.
OP
I have been running them,love em.I took the bump stop off and I just jack the back of the Jeep off the ground to extend the springs and then put 28 psi and they have been great on this 5000 lb shitshow
I used them for a while when I towed an RV. I was surprised how well they worked and how well they "disappeared" when aired down. I didn't maintain adequate pressure at one point, though and they didn't last long in that condition.
I use them front and rear. The rear springs provide a much more dramatic restoration force than the front, but the front ones do help with stiffening the ride especially when there is a lot of weight up high on the roof rack.
All four of my bags are plumbed individually and have their own Schrader valve to reduce body roll and to allow side to side leveling if it is ever needed.
All four of my bags are plumbed individually and have their own Schrader valve to reduce body roll and to allow side to side leveling if it is ever needed.
I used a local airbag manufacturer for my kit. They've. been in for quite a while now and still happy with the outcome. Day to day you don't know they are there, add some weight to the back and its a couple of minute job to level and firm up the back of the jeep.