Ping Tanks for Air Bags??

[jkoopmann]

I just finished reading the latest issue of TDR Mag. and will be upgrading the existing Air Lift airbags with a ping tank on each side. I have a 5000 lb Artic Fox camper with a full slide so in order to achieve "normal ride height", I have 70psi on 1side and 45psi on the other. It is level but is rough! Has anybody else done this upgrade? If so, what were the results?

 

[Newt]

My question is where do you buy them? I can see the WTF look on the local auto parts guy if I asked him for a Ping tank. :-laf



Newt

 

[CBari]

After reading the article I have been wondering if you could use the airbags off of a class 8 tractor as these tanks. I don't know if it would be better or not but thought it would also have the cushioning effect of the rubber along with the compression of the volume of air effect.

 

[jkoopmann]

I found that a local truck supply (Six Robbles) carried the ones made by Firestone but they wanted $80 ea. I looked around more and found that JC Whitney and Summit Racing carries them also. I purchased the 1 gal. Viair tank from Summit Racing because they had 4-1/4" NPT ports so I could use one for a drain and they were only $42 ea. along with free shipping. It pays to shop around!!

 

[mvaughn]

I just installed a Ping Tank to help smooth out the ride and I'm happy with the results after a recent 500 mile trip. Takes some of the shock out pot holes. I used a 5 gal tank from Harbor Freight. I'm not worried about side to side loading.

 

[JR]

Summitt does have some pretty good deals on certain things, and in most cases without sacrificing quality. I especially like stopping in every time Im in the area and walking through the "scratch and dent" section. No telling what I might come home with

 

[Bob4x4]

You can also find air tanks cheap at a truck salvage yard,as long as you are creative in mounting. I had 1 mounted between the bed sides both left and right side on my 94 when it was my main ride. They held enough air to ipact 4 wheels off and back on again

 

[RBellah]

In the new TDR magazine Issue 78 it goes over this Ping Tank being used with Pac-Brake Air Bags and they tapped into the pac brake aluminum plate and I assume you could tap into the firestone one but not sure of the thickness??

Anyone running the PING TANKS with Firestone Air Bags?

 

[jkoopmann]

I finally got the 1 gal. tanks installed. I used comp. fittings on all the air lines except the Schrader fill valves which were pop-on. The 1/4" NPT threads on the tanks were a bit rough so even the teflon tape wouldn't seal good enough to keep them from leaking. I ended up using a liquid teflon pipe thread sealant. So far so good. Without the ping tanks, you only have 2 connections that have the potential of leaking. There are 4 ports on the tanks I got so now each bag has 6 connections that can leak. Once you are loaded heavy, it's critical there are no air leaks... . especially if you don't have an on-board compressor.