Air bags and ping tanks

[CBari]

I am in the gathering phase of my Air bag install on my 2013 and have a few questions and wonder if any of you have been down the road in the direction I am thinking about heading or if yall have went at it a different way. On my 03 I did Pac-brake airbags and did their dual control valves in the cab. I have no complaints with that set up other than I think the ping tanks would help the harshness I feel when fully loaded.

Now my thoughts on the 2013 is to do the Pac bags again but do the airlift wireless control as I really don't want to run air lines in the cab on the 2013. Now this is were I question my madness on the 03 I have the dual set up but have never had the need to have one side have more or less air than the other so I was thinking on the 2013 I would just go with a single, but every where I read about the ping tanks it is always a dual set-up Could I just not do one 2 1/2 gallon ping tank and put both bags into it and have the single control the bags.

I will be putting a 5 gal tank and a larger duty cycle compressor somewhere on board also.

I would appreciate any info or pictures of your set-ups.

 

[DJAustin]

I have the Airlift wireless system w/ duel side control on my 2012 3500 (Soon to be traded; 2014 w Aisin expected at dealer between March 7-11) The wireless system has been flawless, I got duel side control only to level out the slide in camper when camping. Airlift often has rebates, so check online. I also have a larger compresser w/ a 2.5 gal tank for my "little" horn. Check out Hornblasters.com A must have in my book. I was able to put both compressers under/behind the rear seat and the tanks attached to my Iron Cross slider/step rail. These have a slot that runs the entire length and accepts a 3/4 wide x 1/4 thick piece of flat stock that I drilled and tapped to mount the tank brackets, etc... they are tucked under the truck inside the sheet metal at the rear cab corner. I am stripping the truck down to move everything to the 14- so I wll try to get pics this weekend. I don't have a ping tank installed on my current sys, but have a 1 gal tank to add when I install on the 14.

 

[mpaulson]

For controls I went with the pac brake HP10022 unit, but only used the little black switch for airing up and down the bags and the valves as you see in the picture. I got a glow shift dual guage instead and this way I don't have any airlines into the cab. I have the HP 625 compressor and the HP10116 unloader for it. I have the 5 gal tank HP 10051 for the air tank and two 2 1/2 gal HP 10050 tanks for ping tanks and 5 train horns under the truck. I also ran an air line to the back of the box in the box for pumping tires. I used one of my 5 aux. factory switches in the dash to enable the compressor to work when I want it to. I put a switch where the older trucks had the dimmer switch for the train horns, that way my foot can be twitching/ready to blow!
I have gone overkill on the ping tanks size, but at 50 psi unloaded they are not that noticeable, so it's worth it in my opinion. I don't run them at that psi unloaded, but in playing around I've tried it. I used 3/8" lines for everything as well to increase flow. I have the Pac Brake bags as well.

 

[Tryingit]

I have just the single air to both airbags on mine. I bought the cheapest compressor set up from airlift and installed it on the drivers side near the frame (see picture). This set up is four years old no issues and I had the same setup in my 04 truck for 5 years before I sold it. My friend has the truck and still no issues with the compressor or the bags (all airlift).

This set up is for my air horns.

this set up is for the airbags

The airbag compressor is behind the horns on the right side.

 

[Woodenhead]

This isn't my setup but I saw it on NWB a while back. Very nice to say the least!
http://www.nwbombers.com/forums/topic/48218-air-bags-ping-tanks/?fromsearch=1

 

[n7gxz]

This isn't my setup but I saw it on NWB a while back. Very nice to say the least!
http://www.nwbombers.com/forums/topic/48218-air-bags-ping-tanks/?fromsearch=1

That's my setup, if you have any questions let me know.

There is also a post on the TDR that has the same pictures - https://www.turbodieselregister.com...ombinatation-TDR-ISSUE-78&highlight=ping+tank

Kevin

 

[Cummins12V98]

 

[Cummins12V98]

PacBrake Air Bags, horns, air chuck and in cab bag controls.

 

[CBari]

Lots of nice looking set-ups there, but what I still can't get a handle on is if I don't do the dual air bag set up can I do a single large ping tank or do I still need individual ping tanks for each air bag.

 

[mpaulson]

Lots of nice looking set-ups there, but what I still can't get a handle on is if I don't do the dual air bag set up can I do a single large ping tank or do I still need individual ping tanks for each air bag.

I would think that if you go with a 2 1/2 gal tank, you could share the one tank for both bags as there would be enough volume there. I have never had controlers for each side and it isn't needed unless you are carrying a slide in camper that isn't even in weight from side to side, or the fluids shift from one side to the other as you use them.

 

[CBari]

Thanks Mpaulson that was what I was thinking just wanted to hear it from someone else too.

 

[mpaulson]

Thanks Mpaulson that was what I was thinking just wanted to hear it from someone else too.

I did a 2 1/2 gal tank for each bag which is over kill, but too much doesn't hurt either. Most are only using a 1 gal tank per bag, so one 2 1/2 gal tank for both bags is more than that. So if the one gallon guys are happy with the ride they got from that, then you should be good at 2 1/2 shared.

 

[AH64ID]

I wonder how effective a ping tank will be on a setup with a 1/4" line, can it move enough air to make a difference? I have thought about adding them, but my ride is great and I just don't know if a 1/4" line will cut it.

The other thing is that I have had multiple rigs with airbags and the only way the ride was too harsh was when they where over inflated (empty or loaded vehicle), if they are properly inflated the ride actually seems to improve for me. I often see trucks with heavy trailers or slide-in campers have too much air, if the truck still has a rake there is too much air. The bags should still allow the truck suspension to squat a little, I like about 1-1.5" of squat.

Leveling kits also increase the harshness of the ride with airbags because so much air is required to level the load. I was able to cut the pressure required in my tanks by about 50-60% when I took out the 2" level in favor of a 1" level.

The other issue I see with plumbing them together is the bags then do nothing for sway control, even if your not running a lopsided slide in. Every time you go around a corner with them plumbed separately the truck sways and the inside pressure increases and the outside pressure decreases, this reduces sway. If they are plumbed together you just get a momentary pressure change, but the air moves and you end up with a volume change and not a pressure change so no decrease in sway, but until the air can equalize after the corner the truck may hold the angle from the corner.

Over the years I have seen many complaints about airbags, and they almost always are from 1 of 2 things, overinflated or plumbed as one.

 

[mpaulson]

I guess I've never really though about the cornering sway since I've put on a big sway bar on both of the trucks where I've hauled top heavy loads. That is a good point and a reason to run separate ping tanks although this would also require the dual controlers to keep them separate. As for plumbing in the air bags to the ping tanks, I chucked all the quick insert fittings that came with the kits anyway and bought all my own that are the proper furls with internal inserts and I used 3/8" lines for everything. You want to for sure use at least 3/8" lines between the bags and ping tanks so the air volume will be high enough for the suspension action to move the air with minimal restrictions. The quick insert fittings that come with the bags and air kits have always given me grief in the past when I've used them, so I just chuck them straight from the box to the garbage. In my case, in the winter the plastic tube contracts and leaks, so every winter I'd have a leaky system. This likely may not be an issue where you live, but I've learned the hard way, not fun going back under to redo all the fittings later.

 

[AH64ID]

Did you run your setup without the ping tanks? If so is it worth the time and money to install them?

Even after sitting all winter my bags hold air, the temps get into the -10°F range but no colder.

 

[mpaulson]

Did you run your setup without the ping tanks? If so is it worth the time and money to install them?

Even after sitting all winter my bags hold air, the temps get into the -10°F range but no colder.

No, I didn't, but I've had bags on all 7 trucks that I have owned and I can say that if I ran them up at 20-60 psi with no load, it was brutal, but I can get away with 40 psi unloaded now with this one (not that I run it there anyway). I'd say this is the ping tanks helping this out. So on this truck, I don't have a before and after comparison. I'd say it's worth it by all means though. The real test will be on May long weekend when I load it up with the quad deck and get about 10,000# on the rear axle to see how it feels. This is my first time trying ping tanks.

 

[AH64ID]

Very interesting, I am curious how May works out for you.

 

[mpaulson]

Did you run your setup without the ping tanks? If so is it worth the time and money to install them?

Even after sitting all winter my bags hold air, the temps get into the -10°F range but no colder.

At -40 c/f everything shrinks, even ones manhood can disappear!!!!

 

[CBari]

On my 03 I ran it 100k with out bags and finally put them on when the truck wore enough that it was not sitting level any more with our big lq trailer and it helped it immensely, but the empty ride got much worse with the bags at 10 psi or 1 psi it doesn't matter it is just rougher. That is why I am leaning toward the Ping tanks on the 2013. I guess I could go to the truck salvage yard and find me a couple tank and put them on the 03. That would probably be the cheapest way to see if they really help.

 

[LJones]

I have a 2013 RAM 3500 and after 10K mile In Alaska last year I have decided to add RideRite air bags (#2299). Ordered them and went to put them on, the upper brackets don't fit. After research on Firestone's site I see they don't have a setup that works.

So quick question is what are you guys doing with the 2013's? The upper bracket is almost 3.5" in height while the Jounce bracket is only 2.75". I could cut the RideRite upper bracket, but hate to.

If someone has a picture of a airbag installed on a 2013 RAM, see signature I would be interested.