Bump stops after Air Lift 5000...

[MrFigs]

So I bought my 2017 last fall and it came with Air Lift 5000s with the Auto-air controller.. yay. Anyhow I don't know if it was a tire shop issue or a winter issue but the drivers airbag line fitting snapped off (timing wise I thought maybe just a line froze due to winter. Anyhow, I had bought some airbags to replace the Air lift ones. Turns out the bag was all sorts of separated too, all the hardware when comparing to the Air Lift Install docs was wrong and it's all sorts of Grrrr.. I spent way too long just getting the upper mound for the airbag off, never did get the bottom. So I said screw it, I was putting in new shocks and TufTruck 1223VT springs anyhow so left the garbage air bags in for now as I'll have to cut them and cut the hardware tog et them out.

PS the TuFTruck Springs give you about 1.75" lift on the rear (well on my '12 1500, they haven't settled yet but so far the rear of my '17 is like 3" higher. Which also creates issues if I were to keep the airbags as I'd over extend that airbags just sitting empty

Anyhow.. part of installing the Air Lift 5000 bags is you cut the bump stop cup off. Which brings me to my question, does anybody know of any good bump stops I can some how mount up without the cup? I'm not looking for weight carrying like a timbren, the 1223VTs more than take care of that. I'm just looking for something that stop metal on metal if I over articulate the back end.

Thanks

 

[olyelr]

So I bought my 2017 last fall and it came with Air Lift 5000s with the Auto-air controller.. yay. Anyhow I don't know if it was a tire shop issue or a winter issue but the drivers airbag line fitting snapped off (timing wise I thought maybe just a line froze due to winter. Anyhow, I had bought some airbags to replace the Air lift ones. Turns out the bag was all sorts of separated too, all the hardware when comparing to the Air Lift Install docs was wrong and it's all sorts of Grrrr.. I spent way too long just getting the upper mound for the airbag off, never did get the bottom. So I said screw it, I was putting in new shocks and TufTruck 1223VT springs anyhow so left the garbage air bags in for now as I'll have to cut them and cut the hardware tog et them out.

PS the TuFTruck Springs give you about 1.75" lift on the rear (well on my '12 1500, they haven't settled yet but so far the rear of my '17 is like 3" higher. Which also creates issues if I were to keep the airbags as I'd over extend that airbags just sitting empty

Anyhow.. part of installing the Air Lift 5000 bags is you cut the bump stop cup off. Which brings me to my question, does anybody know of any good bump stops I can some how mount up without the cup? I'm not looking for weight carrying like a timbren, the 1223VTs more than take care of that. I'm just looking for something that stop metal on metal if I over articulate the back end.

Thanks

Airlift 5000 bags come with internal bumpstops. You can run them at 0 psi.

 

[MrFigs]

The regular ones (57365) or the ProSeries don't the Ultimate (88365) do. I think the LoadLifter Standard or the ProSeries was installed on mine, no internal jounce considering I can fully compress it by hand without hitting anything

 

[olyelr]

Well mine arnt the ultimate, just the regular 5000, and do have bumpstops. But ive had them for 10 years now (not an issue yet). I think the ultimate meant they came with stainless hardware…at least back when i bought them.

 

[MrFigs]

On the description pages the Ultimate it says "With its internal jounce bumper," and it's the only one that says 0psi, the rest don't says it and say min 5psi.

Semantics aside, whatever airbags I have don't have the jounce bumper. Hell for all I know could be a knock-off Air ride bag/mount kit as the rest of the hardware doesn't quite match up, then they just slapped the WirelessOne on.

 

[olyelr]

Do the bags actually say airlift on them? If not then they arnt airlift.

Yea they coulda added the wireless one to any brand airbag.

 

[olyelr]

Also, the bumpstops just bolt on from the factory. They just get unbolted and the hardware from the bags just reuse the bolt holes.

 

[MrFigs]

Also, the bumpstops just bolt on from the factory. They just get unbolted and the hardware from the bags just reuse the bolt holes.

really? All the instructions I see say there's a cup they pop into. Like the Timbrens say pop out the old pop in the new. The Airlift instructions say pop them out and cut off the cup that holds them

 

[DILLIGAF]

There is zero room to add bump stops. That's why you need to get the bags with them in it.

 

[olyelr]

really? All the instructions I see say there's a cup they pop into. Like the Timbrens say pop out the old pop in the new. The Airlift instructions say pop them out and cut off the cup that holds them

Well…i must add, that was on my power wagon. I suppose the half tons could be different.

 

[MrFigs]

There is zero room to add bump stops. That's why you need to get the bags with them in it.View attachment 584723

The bags I bought to replace the dead bags did have them, but the hardware is so buggered up, and with the new springs I sit to high for bags, well without spacers that I want to get rid of the airlift or whatever hardware is there and put bumpstops back in

 

[MrFigs]

Well…i must add, that was on my power wagon. I suppose the half tons could be different.

I think 1500s are different

 

[olyelr]

I think 1500s are different

i just looked at my ‘26 half ton…yea, welded cups on the frame with a bumpstop that fits into it.

 

[62Blazer]

Already mentioned but the 1500 rear suspensions are different. The bump stops sit to the inside of the springs and the rubber presses into a cup. You need to cut the cup off in order to install most airbag setups. On the 2500 the bump stops sit to the outside the springs and just unbolt.
However I'm a little confused about the comment of the springs being too high to fit the airbags? Assuming it is stock height in the rear and the bags that were bought are actually advertised for that vehicle? Maybe the different brand airbags also require way different brackets? Keep in mind that when you attach the bags they will be pulled down. If you are just looking at them statically they may look too short. But it's like a rubber band......if you just let the rubber band hang down it is only so long. But you can stretch it down quite a bit. Maybe not the case, but just a thought.

 

[MrFigs]

62Blazer. Bags do have an operating range before you can damage them, for example the ones I had bought (and have since returned) to replace the broken bags says:
"
Min compressed: 3.94"
Max extended: 7.87"
"

The failed driver side airbag the nut grommet/rivnuts whatever you want to call them actually ripped out of the bag top plate due to over extension. The alley to my driveway is a little tight and the neighbor across the alley has a little hill from the alley to his fence, so in a 3.5ft width it goes up about 3ft, and I need to have my front end hug his fence in order to back trailers into my driveway, so I come darn close to 2 wheeling worth of articulation backing in a trailer. My old 2004 Durango I had a picture of it literally with the drivers front and pass rear tires just floating in the air mid back-up.

Anyhow, I replaced the stock rear springs with aftermarket springs, they're supposed to only give a 1.5-1.75" lift once they settle, but unloaded compared to the old springs I'm sitting at close to a 4.5' lift in the rear thus the bag would be sitting at full extension with the truck unloaded as that gap where the airbag would go is pushing 8" and any articulation would risk over extending the bags, I'd have to put in limiter straps.

That and frankly with the springs I put in, airbags are redundant Like I have a bumper pull camper attached right now, with a full load of water, no weight distro, no sway (just doing a short in town trip with it) and it's sitting just above level. Attached is my '12 1500 with 1700lbs of concrete pavers in the bed and 600lbs of tool box/headache rack/etc, and it's sitting level.. with the same model springs. I was going to replace the broken bags cause it has the Wireless Air and and and til I saw how messed up the hardware was, so now I'm just looking to simplify.

 

[62Blazer]

I understand. Just like a rubber band you can only stretch it so far. On a stock 2500 with the Airlift system if you jack it up by the frame so the axle is at full droop, when you bolt on the top bracket of the air bag it will not reach the bottom pad. You have to jack up the axle to remove some of the droop to get it attached. Once the bottom is attached it stretches out the bag some. Again, you can only stretch it so far. I am surprised that the mounting hardware failed by over extension before the actual bags did, but it obviously happened in your case. One option a lot of people use, including myself, are the lower cradles (Daystar is a popular brand). The bottom of the bag is not actually connected to the axle but rather just hits a cupped pad. That avoids over extension. I will also say that less than 4" total travel doesn't really sound like a lot. I'm not sure what the Airlift Ram 2500 system bags are listed at (didn't see it on their website).
But if you don't need airbags than no real reason to go to the problem.

 

[DILLIGAF]

If you don't use cradles you need your head examined

 

[MrFigs]

Sorry maybe phrasing. The "nuts" ripped out of the top of the bag, as well the air valve snapped off. The rest of the hardware on the brackets is just.. they didn't use the right hardware when the installed the brackets

 

[MrFigs]

If you don't use cradles you need your head examined

I didn't install it, it came that way.