Help - Air Lift 1000 bags won't go in springs

[G8RB8_12SR5]

Ok so I have the whole rear end of the truck apart to install the Air Lift 1000 kit (#60809 per Antman). I have the spring on the work bench and no matter what I do the bag is such a tight fit I can't get it all the way down into the spring. Its all folded on itself at the moment. Trying to possibly get it out and start over.

Anyone have any suggestions to get it in? Everyone made it so easy when they say they did it and I'm struggling for some reason. :noidea:

 

[G8RB8_12SR5]

Ok looks like working the edges with pliers has seemed to work. Getting the passenger side rear spring back in on the other hand is giving me fits. Might have to drop the spare to get the spring compressor to fit.

 

[Morphyne]

See, I don't get that. My Firestone airbags don't even touch my springs yet the seller says they are right.

 

[Morphyne]

Trade?

See below.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/155305-does-not-look-right.html

 

[Antman]

Ok so I have the whole rear end of the truck apart to install the Air Lift 1000 kit (#60809 per Antman). I have the spring on the work bench and no matter what I do the bag is such a tight fit I can't get it all the way down into the spring. Its all folded on itself at the moment. Trying to possibly get it out and start over.

Anyone have any suggestions to get it in? Everyone made it so easy when they say they did it and I'm struggling for some reason. :noidea:

Seeing this a little late...but-

Kneel on the bag until it's flat and then cap the nipple so the air can't re-enter the bag. Then you can push the bag in there, situate it properly and then pull the cap off. Magic- it self inflates right into position.

 

[G8RB8_12SR5]

Thanks Antman. A little late. I worked it down with a set of channel locks no problem. Just reconnecting the rear sway bar and shocks, remount the wheels and put the spare tire back and I'm done. Only took 4 hours lol. The passenger rear spring was a pain in the ass to get back in because of the rear sway bar mount getting in the way of the spring compressor, but its done now. Can't wait to see how the set up works when I tow the RV to storage on Sunday

 

[Jesserue]

I sprayed soapy water on mine, helped quite a bit.

 

[Jeremy556]

Spring compressor? If you disco the shocks and swaybar, you don't need a spring compressor, it will fall right out.

 

[G8RB8_12SR5]

I disconnected all that and still was about a 1/2" more compression needed to get it out. Not sure if the brake lines were holding it back or what. All done now and everything drives fine with no special lights coming on the dash so I consider this a win.

 

[Jeremy556]

Did you try pulling down on the axle? Even without pulling down on it, the stock spring should fall right out, mine did. My longer, much stiffer, Icon springs took a bit of shoving and cursing, but no spring compressor to install.

 

[Titanpat57]

Cursing is the key....


Plus once I got my purse off my arm it went right in...

 

[G8RB8_12SR5]

Setting the purse down def helps. Cursing worked too. Ultimately I got it figured out. When I do my lift next year some time I will see why the springs didn't just come out after everything, I intentionally left a lot of slack for both that and to allow for flexing off road. Thanks for the suggestions, since when I do the lift I'll be pulling the bags out of the old springs to put them in the new.

 

[eddiebx]

Definitely no need to compress a stock rear spring for removal, there's way more than enough room to take it out uncompressed, you just need to use the rear spring SST that I used here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...ation-kdss-equipped-vehicles.html#post1525564

 

[jbstrd]

As mentioned previously, disco shocks and swaybar on the rear axle. Some feel it is necessary to disco ABS wires, but I have skipped this step with no ill effects. A trick I like to use is jacking up one side of the rear axle, therefore dropping the other side. This makes plenty of room for the stocks springs to fall out.

 

[G8RB8_12SR5]

As mentioned previously, disco shocks and swaybar on the rear axle. Some feel it is necessary to disco ABS wires, but I have skipped this step with no ill effects. A trick I like to use is jacking up one side of the rear axle, therefore dropping the other side. This makes plenty of room for the stocks springs to fall out.

This is probably what I should have done. I even used that jack to raise the diff to reconnect the lower part of the shocks. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20 as they say. Overall it was still a good experience. I consider myself mechanically inclined but I never had a vehicle that I've done anything to outside of changing speakers on (parents always sent things to a shop so never learned growing up, but I machined and built model engines with my grandfather). Starting out with simple mods that I can't do much damage doing after lots of research and reading instructions has helped but I won't be touching engine stuff anytime soon. Confidence isn't there yet and this is my DD so it can't be down for too long if I mess something up.

 

[jbstrd]

This is probably what I should have done. I even used that jack to raise the diff to reconnect the lower part of the shocks. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20 as they say. Overall it was still a good experience. I consider myself mechanically inclined but I never had a vehicle that I've done anything to outside of changing speakers on (parents always sent things to a shop so never learned growing up, but I machined and built model engines with my grandfather). Starting out with simple mods that I can't do much damage doing after lots of research and reading instructions has helped but I won't be touching engine stuff anytime soon. Confidence isn't there yet and this is my DD so it can't be down for too long if I mess something up.

That is awesome you are taking these tasks on yourself. I have learned everything I know reading countless hours worth of forum material. I am in no way a master mechanic, but with the help of members on forums like this, I feel like I can do most of the stuff on my own.

As far as the rear shock, you don't have to jack the diff up to re-connect the shock. You can compress it yourself with a little muscle.

 

[reelamin]

It needs mentioned that air lift strongly suggests you get internal measurements for diameter as 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!!