Has anybody ever used RideRite double convoluted airbags by Firestone?

I have a set my dad gave to means was wondering if anybody had used them before. They're the spring helper type that you install next to leaf springs but I want to use them as the main springs. I hope I'm making sense.

 

Something like these? They don't have a lot of travel, mine are 8" diameter with about 8" travel, so they must be installed to get maximum use of the travel available. I haven't finished the truck, so I can't tell you how they will work out. I got less than $50 each in them, so I figured I'd make them work.

 

This is what they look like. Of course I would get rod of the brackets and use the correct ones. I just wanted to know if it was possjble to use them.

 

Yes, that's it. They were on a RV for about a month and he got rid of the Rev and kept the bags.

 

Brujo
They work real well if you reduce your spring to the main leaf (monoleaf). What they are for is a load levelor and not to be used for ride control. That doesn't mean that they won't work, just they they do work better in conjunction with another spring of some sort.

 

That answers my question. Thanks!

 

I'm using it on a c10 trailing arm set up in my '58 Chevy fleetside truck. I was planning on using them as the main springs. What type of springs would you suggest I use?

 

Heavy trucks have used them for over 40 years. You would need to check the weight rating on them. They can be used in place of coil springs fairly easily because the other suspension components locate the axle and control the torque. Leaf springs locate the axle and control torque. If you start removing leafs to soften the ride, it allows the axle to twist under acceleration, deceleration and braking. Bagging a truck arm suspension has been done and there might even be a kit for it.

 

I use them on my daily driver as an over load spring.

They would work well with the trailing arm style because that stops axle wrap by its design.

****, try it you can always replace them with other bags and reuse every other part.

 

Thanks guys! I just wanted to hear somebody else's point of view. Knowing that you use them on your vehicle makes me comfortable to use them in mine.

 

I had a set on a 74 truck. Worked good but air pressure had to be set very carefully. I think I ran 14lbs, 1-2 lbs either way and the ride quality suffered.

 

They don't work out so well on their own but it can be done. As stated earlier they are intended as a helper spring. I tried using them on an S10 with just a couple leafs to locate the axle on a budget. And it drove like it had slinkys on it. Check out airbagit.com they have been in the industry for many years and can steer you in the right direction for cheaper then you would think.




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those bags you showed, are either #2500 or #2600 pd double convoluted bellow bags, the same bags i have used for nearly 20 years as the only suspension on hundreds of cars/trucks. they are the std design for all air bag suspension today.

so yes, those will work just fine by them selves in your set up.