Custom Airlift bag installation

DavesTractor

Tremor Fanatic
Joined
Jun 9, 2021
Messages
100
Reaction Points
303
Location
Red Bluff, CA
Current Ride
2021 Tremor 6.7, 2019 Raptor, Supercharged JKU Rubicon
I tow often delivering tractors. The trailers I use and the weights I carry can vary significantly. I don't like the truck to squat much. So I ordered up the Airlift 5000 Ultimate plus. Then I customized the lower mount to meet my goal of not losing any up or down travel.

I don't really like the design of the lower mount that comes with this kit. It is really "busy" with several brackets, u-bolts, etc. I am sure it is strong and universal so as to fit different springs and block heights, but it seems like having a proper axle block with a bag perch is simpler, probably stronger, and way fewer fasteners and such. But even if I ignored how the included lower mount is designed and attaches, it mounts quite high (about level with the bottom of the spring pack I believe) and I would give up a good 2" of up travel. You only have about 4" of up travel to begin with before your bump stop touches. To not limit down travel means using Daystar cradles. They are 3/4" thick. If I were to mount them on the lower mounts provided, my up travel would be further compromised.

The factory blocks on my 2021 F250 Tremor with the heavy tow package are 3-1/8" as measured in the center (they are tapered). My goal was to retain the factory height. I ordered a pair of PMF 2.5" fabricated blocks and then added a piece of 3/4" plate steel below the block that becomes my lower bag perch, giving me about 3-1/4" of block. Close enough to stock.

I fabbed up the perch out of 3/4" MDF to get the shape, then burned that shape out of 3/4" plate. My plasma is an old-school optical follower and really doesn't like to burn through much more than 1/2", so my cuts aren't great - but they work. I had to modify the PMF block a little, but that was a lot easier than making one from scratch. My 3/4" perch clamps between the axle and the PMF block. I drilled it and put a pin in to locate the axle. After test fitting, I realized that I wanted my cradle 1/4" higher, so I burned a piece of 1/4" plate to raise it a little.

After making this up on the fly, I can see how a real-deal fab shop could do a much cleaner job. But I think this will work well, be very strong and will not impede up or down travel. I am waiting for my compressor/controller to arrive, so I have not yet tested this.

I should mention that the upper mount is awesome. 15 minutes max to install and well designed in my opinion.

IMG_0768.JPG
IMG_0776.JPG
IMG_0777.JPG
IMG_0779.JPG
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0773.JPG
    IMG_0773.JPG
    410.4 KB · Views: 19
I tow often delivering tractors. The trailers I use and the weights I carry can vary significantly. I don't like the truck to squat much. So I ordered up the Airlift 5000 Ultimate plus. Then I customized the lower mount to meet my goal of not losing any up or down travel.

I don't really like the design of the lower mount that comes with this kit. It is really "busy" with several brackets, u-bolts, etc. I am sure it is strong and universal so as to fit different springs and block heights, but it seems like having a proper axle block with a bag perch is simpler, probably stronger, and way fewer fasteners and such. But even if I ignored how the included lower mount is designed and attaches, it mounts quite high (about level with the bottom of the spring pack I believe) and I would give up a good 2" of up travel. You only have about 4" of up travel to begin with before your bump stop touches. To not limit down travel means using Daystar cradles. They are 3/4" thick. If I were to mount them on the lower mounts provided, my up travel would be further compromised.

The factory blocks on my 2021 F250 Tremor with the heavy tow package are 3-1/8" as measured in the center (they are tapered). My goal was to retain the factory height. I ordered a pair of PMF 2.5" fabricated blocks and then added a piece of 3/4" plate steel below the block that becomes my lower bag perch, giving me about 3-1/4" of block. Close enough to stock.

I fabbed up the perch out of 3/4" MDF to get the shape, then burned that shape out of 3/4" plate. My plasma is an old-school optical follower and really doesn't like to burn through much more than 1/2", so my cuts aren't great - but they work. I had to modify the PMF block a little, but that was a lot easier than making one from scratch. My 3/4" perch clamps between the axle and the PMF block. I drilled it and put a pin in to locate the axle. After test fitting, I realized that I wanted my cradle 1/4" higher, so I burned a piece of 1/4" plate to raise it a little.

After making this up on the fly, I can see how a real-deal fab shop could do a much cleaner job. But I think this will work well, be very strong and will not impede up or down travel. I am waiting for my compressor/controller to arrive, so I have not yet tested this.

I should mention that the upper mount is awesome. 15 minutes max to install and well designed in my opinion.

View attachment 28760View attachment 28762View attachment 28763View attachment 28764
That's really slick! ?
 
My compressor never did arrive from AirLift. They are suffering material shortages and are behind. I decided to go ahead and just run the air lines and use my 18V Makita as my air system. Not as slick, but it works. I found that where my bracket placed the Daystar cradle was too low for my application.

I ended up adding a 1.125" spacer to raise the cradle. Apparently, the engineers at Air Lift weren't too far off on placement. :) Now I seem to have enough range with the bags to eliminate most of the squat when towing without using max pressure. I think my original bracket design gives exceptional up and down travel, but the bag does not grow tall enough with air pressure to easily eliminate sag without using near max pressure. That in turn stiffens the ride more than necessary.

I've got a few deliveries in the next week and I'll be messing with pressures as it relates to squat and ride quality, but I think it will be about right with this spacer.
 
I tow often delivering tractors. The trailers I use and the weights I carry can vary significantly. I don't like the truck to squat much. So I ordered up the Airlift 5000 Ultimate plus. Then I customized the lower mount to meet my goal of not losing any up or down travel.

I don't really like the design of the lower mount that comes with this kit. It is really "busy" with several brackets, u-bolts, etc. I am sure it is strong and universal so as to fit different springs and block heights, but it seems like having a proper axle block with a bag perch is simpler, probably stronger, and way fewer fasteners and such. But even if I ignored how the included lower mount is designed and attaches, it mounts quite high (about level with the bottom of the spring pack I believe) and I would give up a good 2" of up travel. You only have about 4" of up travel to begin with before your bump stop touches. To not limit down travel means using Daystar cradles. They are 3/4" thick. If I were to mount them on the lower mounts provided, my up travel would be further compromised.

The factory blocks on my 2021 F250 Tremor with the heavy tow package are 3-1/8" as measured in the center (they are tapered). My goal was to retain the factory height. I ordered a pair of PMF 2.5" fabricated blocks and then added a piece of 3/4" plate steel below the block that becomes my lower bag perch, giving me about 3-1/4" of block. Close enough to stock.

I fabbed up the perch out of 3/4" MDF to get the shape, then burned that shape out of 3/4" plate. My plasma is an old-school optical follower and really doesn't like to burn through much more than 1/2", so my cuts aren't great - but they work. I had to modify the PMF block a little, but that was a lot easier than making one from scratch. My 3/4" perch clamps between the axle and the PMF block. I drilled it and put a pin in to locate the axle. After test fitting, I realized that I wanted my cradle 1/4" higher, so I burned a piece of 1/4" plate to raise it a little.

After making this up on the fly, I can see how a real-deal fab shop could do a much cleaner job. But I think this will work well, be very strong and will not impede up or down travel. I am waiting for my compressor/controller to arrive, so I have not yet tested this.

I should mention that the upper mount is awesome. 15 minutes max to install and well designed in my opinion.

View attachment 28760View attachment 28762View attachment 28763View attachment 28764
Would you being willing to make me a set? Happy to pay for the materials and your time.
 
Would you being willing to make me a set? Happy to pay for the materials and your time.
I'm so far behind on projects and things are humming at my business, so I'm sorry but I really can't make the time to do that. I've got about 15k miles of towing on the bags so far, and everything works as designed.
 
I'm so far behind on projects and things are humming at my business, so I'm sorry but I really can't make the time to do that. I've got about 15k miles of towing on the bags so far, and everything works as designed.
Totally understand. Have any plans or dimensions you could share that I could take to a local shop?
 
Also would be interested in dimensions and specs. Hell you could do some CAD drawings and sell the drawings to some of us.
 
Also would be interested in dimensions and specs. Hell you could do some CAD drawings and sell the drawings to some of us.
I'd just have to pay more taxes...lol. I'd be glad to send my wood mockups to someone. I made them out of MDF to test fit before I burned them on my plasma. My plasma table is an old-school optical follower type. I just traced my pattern with a sharpie and laid the pattern below the "camera" and burned them out. If someone wanted the mockups and then wanted to make a CAD drawing to pass out to others, that would certainly be fine with me. I'll even put them in a box and UPS them to someone. I don't need them back.
 
Also Interested if someone is willing to make more of these. If I had access to a plasma table id make them myself.
 
I'd just have to pay more taxes...lol. I'd be glad to send my wood mockups to someone. I made them out of MDF to test fit before I burned them on my plasma. My plasma table is an old-school optical follower type. I just traced my pattern with a sharpie and laid the pattern below the "camera" and burned them out. If someone wanted the mockups and then wanted to make a CAD drawing to pass out to others, that would certainly be fine with me. I'll even put them in a box and UPS them to someone. I don't need them back.
I would be happy to give that a try! I will PM you with my details and happy to send you $$ for shipping.
 
Back
Top