Any recommendations for an air spring kit? ('05 SR5)

[chrisp]

I've seen a kit (performanceproducts.com) made by Air Lift and a kit on a sponsor of this site (truckspring.com) made by Firestone.

Does anyone have experience installing either of these or what life is like with a system like this? I want something to support the rear end and level the vehicle when I am towing my car trailer. It has about 450 lbs tongue weight full and a total trailer and car weight of around 4,500. I also put about 300 lbs in the back of the 4Runner (tires, tools, fuel jugs, spares, etc)

I don't get a ton of sag (it's never bottomed) but wouldn't mind being able to lift the rear 1"-2" when it's loaded.

The Air Lift 1000 kit is $120 and the Firestone kit is $77. Both claim 1000 lbs of assist.

 

[Ele'ele]

air lift

I just installed a airlift kit for my 2004 4runner, rear kit. It took about 5 hours to install. It was not hard. You have to disconnect the panhard and sway bars, drop the rear axle and install the air springs. Then figure out where you want to mount the air copressor, do the wiring and your done. I installed my compressor inside of my cabin on the right fender well. My single gauge is installed in my center console so it is out of site and clean. I also have the 2.5" Revtek lift kit so I did not trim much off of the rear axle bump stop. The kit is great. I can load up as much as i want and not have to rear sag.

 

[Bobby]

Here's a thread about airbags:

THREAD

I went the cheap route and got the one w/o the compressor.

 

[cruzmissile]

I've been meaning to post my experience with the AirLift 1000 but have not had the chance. Here's a quicky....

It took me about 4 hours to put it in myself. You HAVE to disconnect the panhard and shocks but not the sway bar.

I did not install the on-board compressor but routed the valve to a handy location in the rear for easy fill with my portable air compressor.

WOW. With full air (30psi). I got about 3 inches of lift in the rear.

With the same pressure and about 600# of tongue weight from my camper, the runner stayed about 1" higher than normal. With this, driving is so much more stable since I bottomed out all the time prior to installing it.

I tow my trailer about a dozen times a year so that is why I chose to manually connect and fill since it really only takes another minute or two and only happens every so often. It takes me longer to fill the water tank for a weekend trip.

I normally keep about 10 psi in the air bags when not towing and I have a slight rear lift. You can go as low as 5 psi (no less) with almost no change in lift from stock.

I paid only $80 for the kit from CampingWorld.com and got them pretty quick.

If you tow and have rear sag. I would most definitely recommend these. I'm not too concerned with the extra 2 minutes it takes me to pull out the 12v compressor and fill the bags before hitching up and the 12.7 seconds to deflate when I reach my destination and disconnect.

Good luck.

Eddie

 

[cruzmissile]

Oh. BTW, I have an '05 SE V8.

 

[chrisp]

Thanks guys. How does the factory Toyota system work?

 

[Bobby]

The reason I had to disconnect the sway bars is because I have a lift (rear coil spacer) and the sways won't let the axle go far enough to get the springs out.

The factory system has a switch in the center console that activates a compressor to fill the air bags. I'm not too familiar with it but Koz has it and I've seen it in action. Pretty cool but an expensive option.

I've been driving around with 10psi in my air bags and I don't notice it.

 

[Spider5]

I've been meaning to post my experience with the AirLift 1000 but have not had the chance. Here's a quicky....

It took me about 4 hours to put it in myself. You HAVE to disconnect the panhard and shocks but not the sway bar.

I did not install the on-board compressor but routed the valve to a handy location in the rear for easy fill with my portable air compressor.

WOW. With full air (30psi). I got about 3 inches of lift in the rear.

With the same pressure and about 600# of tongue weight from my camper, the runner stayed about 1" higher than normal. With this, driving is so much more stable since I bottomed out all the time prior to installing it.

I tow my trailer about a dozen times a year so that is why I chose to manually connect and fill since it really only takes another minute or two and only happens every so often. It takes me longer to fill the water tank for a weekend trip.

I normally keep about 10 psi in the air bags when not towing and I have a slight rear lift. You can go as low as 5 psi (no less) with almost no change in lift from stock.

I paid only $80 for the kit from CampingWorld.com and got them pretty quick.

If you tow and have rear sag. I would most definitely recommend these. I'm not too concerned with the extra 2 minutes it takes me to pull out the 12v compressor and fill the bags before hitching up and the 12.7 seconds to deflate when I reach my destination and disconnect.

Good luck.

Eddie

Did you remove the bump stops in the springs completely are cut them?

Are the bag tied together to one filling point or seperate?

Where is your air filling connection located? Is this a good location or do you wish you put it somewhere else?

I have the same kit but not installed yet and had some of these quetions before proceeding.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Koz]

Thanks guys. How does the factory Toyota system work?

The OEM rear air works great. It has a auto leveling setting that will maintain the stock height regardless of the weight added. If towing or carrying heavy cargo it's worth every penny. It also has a low setting that is useful when loading or washing and a high setting that provides the equivalent of a 4" lift. Yes it is an expensive option and would not be worth adding after purchase, especially when there are very good after market systems at a fraction of the cost. The only real difference is the OEM system replaces the springs with air bags and provides a linear ride regardless of the height or weight added.

Koz

 

[Bobby]

Did you remove the bump stops in the springs completely are cut them?

Are the bag tied together to one filling point or seperate?

Where is your air filling connection located? Is this a good location or do you wish you put it somewhere else?

I have the same kit but not installed yet and had some of these quetions before proceeding.

Thanks in advance.

Check out the link in my first post in this thread.

 

[Koz]

Check out the link in my first post in this thread.

For approx $100 this mod should be done on all 4th gen's that tow or carry any kind of load.

Koz

 

[Spider5]

Check out the link in my first post in this thread.

Thanks and sorry I didn't see it the first go-around. Only one question left, with the connection of the airline on top of the airbag, did you route the line through the middle of the cut bump stops, and where does it go through the actual coil?

 

[Bobby]

You need to read the instructions

The lines go underneath the airbags thru a hole at the bottom of the spring perch. From there, I connected the t-connector and routed the line up and to the side.

The actual install took me about 45 mins in my shop but routing the line took another 30-45 mins trying different paths.

 

[Spider5]

You need to read the instructions

The lines go underneath the airbags thru a hole at the bottom of the spring perch. From there, I connected the t-connector and routed the line up and to the side.

The actual install took me about 45 mins in my shop but routing the line took another 30-45 mins trying different paths.

Thanks, unfortunately I have misplaced the instructions and have been reluctant to try and install the airbag because of it. After reading how easy you made it seem to install, I have new hope that this can be done without the instructions.

 

[Bobby]

It's really not that hard.

If you have a suspension lift, you'll need to disconnect the swaybars. If not, you'll need to just disconnect just the shock lowers and panhard bar (to the left of the diff).

Pop the springs out, cut the bump stops 2 sections if you have a lift, all of the sections if not.

Squeeze the airbags into the springs.

Route the air line up thru the spring perch and connect it to the airbag and install the spring.

Repeat on the other side.

Connect the lines and route them so they're at least 10" away from the exhaust pipe (that's what they say but 4" or more should be fine). Make sure the line doesn't bind or pinch at full drop or compression.

Reinstall lower shock mounts and panhard bar (and sway bar).

Fill to at least 5psi and no more than 35psi. Check in 24 hrs. 1-2psi drop is normal. More than that, check your connections for air leaks.

Very straight forward install.

 

[Bobby]

Almost forgot...

Installation instructions in PDF

 

[Spider5]

It's really not that hard.

If you have a suspension lift, you'll need to disconnect the swaybars. If not, you'll need to just disconnect just the shock lowers and panhard bar (to the left of the diff).

Pop the springs out, cut the bump stops 2 sections if you have a lift, all of the sections if not.

Squeeze the airbags into the springs.

Route the air line up thru the spring perch and connect it to the airbag and install the spring.

Repeat on the other side.

Connect the lines and route them so they're at least 10" away from the exhaust pipe (that's what they say but 4" or more should be fine). Make sure the line doesn't bind or pinch at full drop or compression.

Reinstall lower shock mounts and panhard bar (and sway bar).

Fill to at least 5psi and no more than 35psi. Check in 24 hrs. 1-2psi drop is normal. More than that, check your connections for air leaks.

Very straight forward install.

Dam, should have done it when I did my lift.

Nice write-up, thank you.

PS: PDF is even better.

 

[allirunner]

You don't have to remove anything to install the air bags.

 

[Spider5]

You don't have to remove anything to install the air bags.

Was that a question or a comment? The airbags are to stiff to put them through the coils without removing them even when you jack up the back of the runner. I've tried.

 

[allirunner]

Spider5,
No offense, but the air bags are very easy to install.

1. Jack truck one side at a time.
2. Cut the rubber bumper with a saw zaw.
3. Use a mini 90 grinder with a rotary file to open up bottom hole to the specified size listed in the instructions.
4. Deflate airbag by standing on and install the shipping cap back on to prevent the bag from reinflating. Soap down bag and then slide in through the extended spring.
5. Connect air line and route.
6. Remove jack and move to the other side.

There's no need to remove anything to install them. It's simple to install.....