AirLift 1000 Airbag Install..

[navin]

Hey all -- finally picked up some AirLift 1000 airbags for my 08 Sport Edition and just wanted to see how people are installing these. I thought I read on here that you can install the bags without removing the spring, but after poking around underneath the car and looking at the instructions I was curious how people are doing this..?

There is a rubber boot [??] that according to the instructions from AirLift needs to be trimmed. Also AirLift says something about drilling into where the stock spring sits so the 'nipple' of the bag can be ran through.

Are the AirLift instructions just generic, or should I just pull the springs and to do this?

 

[4x4mike]

Drop the springs one at a time, trim the bump stop, insert bag, run the hose and repeat on the other side. Pretty simple to remove the springs. By not removing the springs you'll be fighting them the entire time.

 

[ARunner]

Cutting of the top spring perch is required. No drilling on my 03. 2 hour install maybe. I think just remove wheel, sway bar (Id remove where it attaches to axle housing), and lower shock bolt and pull bottom of shock off and you'll have plenty of droop. Then just manhandle the springs in and out of there.

 

[blackoutt]

I've heard of people fighting to cut the bump stop and fish the bag between the coils to prevent removing the spring, but it was certainly easy to removed, modify and reinstall. The thing that took the most time for me was fishing/routing the air lines really cleanly through frame as much as possible and adding the valves onto the side of my trailer hitch wiring bracket.

 

[AARONR]

Way easier to remove rear springs than fight it. You have to cut the bump stop down and being out of spring makes it a lot easier. I did mine on a rack at work and it took me about an hour.

 

[riceandpho]

Watch the video on etrailers.com and use the video as a guide.

 

[ARunner]

And FWIW my 03 bumper had holes already in it along the bottom edge behind the mud flaps. They worked great for attaching the valves with no cutting necessary. Might check yours if that placement suits you.

 

[navin]

thanks guys... I'll just pull the rear spring out and stop being lazy.

I was being super lazy and thinking about taking it to a shop close by my job... until they quoted me $300 to install. I just laughed and said no thanks

 

[powermargin]

I just finished doing this on my 03 SR5. I debated whether or not to try to work them through the springs, but in the end decided that it was either all or nothing, and just pulled the springs. It was a bit more difficult than I though to get enough droop without stressing the brake lines, but I managed to get just barely enough to work the springs in and out.

Plus removing the springs allowed me to drill out the hole in the bottom perch. Used a 3/4" step bit, then a dremel drum sander to smooth out the edges.

The one area of my Air Lift kit that concerned me was the supplied air lines. They were so soft, I could easily pinch them closed between my thumb and forefinger, and I also didn't like that plastic tee. I went and purchased 18' of the air lines for the Firestone kit, and also the compression tee made of metal, from etrailers.com. The new hose was much stronger, and I couldn't even squish it a bit between my fingers. They were a bit more difficult to get onto the valve, but I feel that it will be much harder to accidentally pull out as well.

 

[navin]

welp figured I'd update this. If you are stubborn and lazy like me, you can definitely install airbags w/o removing the rear springs.

Grabbed a mini hacksaw blade (just the blade) and was able to cut the bump stops when the suspension was drooped. The airbags when squished easily fit inside the springs.

Routing the lines took me longer than the actual install of the bags since I tried to consider the best route. I used some of those stick pads where you can run zipties through to secure the lines along the body of the car. Fill valve was installed in a pre-existing hole for the trailer plug.

Seems to be more raked now than w/o bags or I'm just seeing things. Makes me want to level the front now.

 

[bzettler83]

I am surprised to see so many people leaving out the on board compressor. My experience with the air lift 1000 is that over time it develops small leaks and especially when traveling a distance the bags drop PSI and become worthless. With the compressor and on board PSI guage you can monitor the PSI while driving and make adjustmens as needed.

I ended up going with the ARB compressor, and have a T value installed which allows we to use the compressor to the air bags, my lockers, and on board air..... i will never own another truck without on board air, useful for so many reasons. Mind you I have to manually flip the T valve, but whatever.

 

[reelamin]

It needs mentioned that air lift strongly suggests you get internal measurements for diameter and height AS THE VEHICLE SITS before ordering your bags!!! Call them and they will tell you what kit you need for proper fitment and results!!

 

[flipflopnfly]

I am surprised to see so many people leaving out the on board compressor. My experience with the air lift 1000 is that over time it develops small leaks and especially when traveling a distance the bags drop PSI and become worthless. With the compressor and on board PSI guage you can monitor the PSI while driving and make adjustmens as needed.

I ended up going with the ARB compressor, and have a T value installed which allows we to use the compressor to the air bags, my lockers, and on board air..... i will never own another truck without on board air, useful for so many reasons. Mind you I have to manually flip the T valve, but whatever.

I carry a Wagan Power Dome jumppack/compressor combo. Keep it charged using the 600W inverter on the truck. Been a blessing many times, used the compressor and jumppack yesterday. Also was thankful the Firestone airbag kit came with valve covers that double as a valve core tool. The slow leak on the truck LR tire was a loose valve core. I saw it was a little low, removed the valve cover and heard it hissing from the valve, removed the airbag valve cover, tightened the valve core, five lbs from the Wagan compressor all is good.

 

[YetiX]

I had these on my previous 2WD 4Runner and they were great. Had a friend install them in his shop on a lift. Took him 30 minutes.

One of the bags blew out at a seam about a month later. Airlift had a new bag to me within a few days. Great customer service.

I'm going to install them in my new 4Runner soon. I haul a dirt bike on a hitch carrier so I kind of need them.

 

[03v8raleigh]

It needs mentioned that air lift strongly suggests you get internal measurements for diameter and height AS THE VEHICLE SITS before ordering your bags!!! Call them and they will tell you what kit you need for proper fitment and results!!

Uh.. what? Pretty sure all of our 4th gens just use the Airlift 1000 60809 model.

Plan to install mine this weekend. Tried last weekend but was pressed for time and couldn't figure out how to cut the bump stops while springs were in. Might just take them out and do it that way, if I have to.

 

[reelamin]

Uh.. what? Pretty sure all of our 4th gens just use the Airlift 1000 60809 model.

Plan to install mine this weekend. Tried last weekend but was pressed for time and couldn't figure out how to cut the bump stops while springs were in. Might just take them out and do it that way, if I have to.

Dude...spray some windex and cut them with any POS knife. :Like cutting butter with a hot knife it yours is sharp. As far as fit...well....LOL....you are drinking the same Kool aid I drank with my kit sitting on the bench. STUPID FN ME...I called because Im a freak about detail....exact words from them. My experience with air bags is class 8 and smaller heavy haul trucks. The bags were units you bolted in and out not added to current suspension. What I was told make total sense.

 

[J.A.]

Uh.. what? Pretty sure all of our 4th gens just use the Airlift 1000 60809 model.

Not if the springs were changed out which many here do. I changed out the 60809 for Airlift 1000 60744 model which are 1" longer and love them. These are not a huge difference, but for those running 2" or 3" longer springs should definitely try a different length bag to engage more coils.

I have a chart on my site showing a few different Airlift model number choices.

2007 Toyota 4Runner Air Lift

 

[03v8raleigh]

Not if the springs were changed out which many here do. I changed out the 60809 for Airlift 1000 60744 model which are 1" longer and love them. These are not a huge difference, but for those running 2" or 3" longer springs should definitely try a different length bag to engage more coils.

I have a chart on my site showing a few different Airlift model number choices.

2007 Toyota 4Runner Air Lift

Gotcha, good point! Mine has stock springs with 2" spacer on top as far as I know.. so I bought the kit Amazon recommend. I imagine if I had aftermarket springs I would have just gotten heavier springs that didn't need the Airlift anyways lol but good to know there are taller options for sure

 

[J.A.]

Gotcha, good point! Mine has stock springs with 2" spacer on top as far as I know.. so I bought the kit Amazon recommend. I imagine if I had aftermarket springs I would have just gotten heavier springs that didn't need the Airlift anyways lol but good to know there are taller options for sure

Spacer lift only such as yours would indeed use the recommended length bags 60809. But even aftermarket springs with the heaviest spring rate are no match for the AirLift air springs. They are rated to 1,000lbs and I carry over 1,500 with no issue. Try finding a coil spring rate that high. The main benefit of the air springs are that you can have the higher rate when needed and deflate them when not carrying the load and have the nice factory ride/rate. Best of both worlds.

 

[BackOff]

I did the stock size the first time around.
Cut bump with a serrated steak knife.
Stuffed bag in coil.
Its much easier to remove the coil...disconnect rear sway bar links for more drop.

After adding +1.5" coils, I ditched the rubber isolator/bump.
Topped the coil with a 1/8" UHMW plastic cut to fit top of coil (round/disc shape).
Then filled up the coil with AirLift AIR-46132.

J.A.
I need to get that great little Pneumadyne air valve...after I finally wrapped my head around what it actually did.