Air Bags! Do I need them

[Cummins12V98]

Hello Cummins12v98... How is your Pac Brake system made? Do your air bags replace the spring leafs or just increase
their capacity? Are your air bags between the axle and frame or between the axle and leaf springs? You must have
a great system to ride good and carry the big loads you are carrying! Thanks for your help...
Mickey...

I am happy with the Pac Brake product. You need to remove the axle bump stop. The top of the air bag attaches there.

 

[Cummins12V98]

 

[Cummins12V98]

 

[Cummins12V98]

Any questions ask.

I love the in cab controlls for the air bags. Air chuck under the hood is also awesome. I won the on board air kit in a drawing at the May Maddness Banquet, they had some great prizes. Bruce Sebring from Pac Brake donated it. I bought the air horns, air bags and in cab controlls later. I removed the factory horns and used one set of the wires for the air horn solenoid. Scares the He!! out of you if you hit the panic button on the FOB! Hid the air intake filter in the cross rail for the bed at the front of the bed.

 

[TGentry]

My truck camper finally forced me to add firestone air bags to my '98. 5:
#ad


I added air lift's wireless air bag control system:
#ad


I upgraded to Hellwig's rear sway bar, too:
#ad

 

[AH64ID]

As others have mentioned the front level kit will either require removal or airbags. Even a good WD hitch cannot transfer enough weight to offset the level kit, so your headlights and steering will be effected.

I went from a 2" level to a 1" level and now my airbags require 1/5 the air, so the ride is better (empty ride too), it's more stable, and looks better loaded.

Airbags also add stability, not just load leveling, and I would have them even if I didn't have the 1" level. My TT is about 8500 lbs and 1200-1300 lbs of tongue weight.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I did not HAVE TO do the bags but I think them with new Bilstien shocks smoothed out some of these SoCal roads!

 

[Newt]

Wife and I have decided airbags will improve the ride. We just had the 5th wheel weighed. We have 3,900# pin weight. Now, Firestone or Pac Brake?

Newt

 

[Cummins12V98]

Wife and I have decided airbags will improve the ride. We just had the 5th wheel weighed. We have 3,900# pin weight. Now, Firestone or Pac Brake?

Newt

Look at my pics of the Pac Prake install post #41-44, it was very easy. Very high quality, Geno's sell them.

If you still have factory shocks replace them, Geno's has Bilstiens on sale this month.

 

[RonD]

I installed Pac Brake air bags on my 05, and Firestone air bags on my 12, after doing both I would go with the Pac Brake, they install nicer, and appear to be a better built product, I wish I had not bought the Firestone's, but they are working fine so far

Wife and I have decided airbags will improve the ride. We just had the 5th wheel weighed. We have 3,900# pin weight. Now, Firestone or Pac Brake?

Newt

 

[AH64ID]

Between my dad and I we own 4 rigs with Firestones, and have been running them for 15 years. Not one leak or issue, they are a good bag. They have seen plenty of jarring dirt road miles as well.

 

[MHoge]

THANKS for all of the pictures, 12v98! Wow ... what a nice system and install! Sorry for the way I got mixed up

asking if your air bags were between your axle and springs... . I guess you figured you had to send pictures to a dumb nut asking questions like that! I can easily see why you like your total system... it looks so much better than my

Air Ride and the bags are much bigger which should not only do better as overloads but make the ride better.

Mickey...

 

[MHoge]

Hello TGentry... Your mix of brands looks like a good system!

 

[kcv67]

Could some one post pictures of both pac brake and firestone installed on a second Gen dana 80.



I would like to see from the front, side and back.



Also do the bags interfere with the 4" exhaust and the goose neck hitch.



Casey

 

[Cummins12V98]

THANKS for all of the pictures, 12v98! Wow ... what a nice system and install! Sorry for the way I got mixed up
asking if your air bags were between your axle and springs... . I guess you figured you had to send pictures to a dumb nut asking questions like that! I can easily see why you like your total system... it looks so much better than my
Air Ride and the bags are much bigger which should not only do better as overloads but make the ride better.
Mickey...

Thanks for the compliment! It was a lot of fun coming up with places and attachment methods for the Air horn, Air tank, Air compressor, air chuck and on board air controlls.

Pictures are always the best way to get how something is done across.

 

[carl07230]

Thanks for all the advice and aditional write ups. It was very informational reading them. We went to Mountain View Arkansas in March and went though some mountains with fair-pin turns. Conclusion-No airbags needed. Truck did awesome with the bumper pull Forest River V-Lite trailer. And what a better way to break in the new trailer than with the daughter and grandbaby. LOL