rydsno Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 (edited) Just arrived today from 4x4parts.com! I got Air Lift coil spring helpers and 4" Polyurethane rear bump stops. Edited February 16, 2012 by rydsno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I helped my buddy install those bags. Struggled at first but when you find the right angle for one the other one will be easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Magicians_Eye Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I have those same bags. I took them out after I installed the JGC springs. I'd recommend returning them and just getting a higher spring rate spring. One thing that bothered me is that they require more air than their max air pressure to really do anything. The other thing is that mine always seemed to loose their pressure. Not sure where the leak was but I suspect the amount of flex that our pathy's have had something to do with it. Again I'd return them before you can't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Thats odd, the ones on my friends have been awesome. Never loses air, and you can definitely tell when they have more air in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I've been considering these as I plan to hang a motorcycle off of the back of the pathy. Looking forward to hearing about the install and any observations. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rydsno Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 I have those same bags. I took them out after I installed the JGC springs. I'd recommend returning them and just getting a higher spring rate spring. One thing that bothered me is that they require more air than their max air pressure to really do anything. The other thing is that mine always seemed to loose their pressure. Not sure where the leak was but I suspect the amount of flex that our pathy's have had something to do with it. Again I'd return them before you can't. I think you may have had some problems, I haven't loaded them up yet, but the ride is instantly different. My girlfriend drives the pathy daily, and as soon as I put them in, she said it felt like a bouncy school bus, lol. Probably cause I have them inflated pretty high right now (20psi). But as for the install, not too difficult. The hardest part is squeezing the air bags into the springs. You have to get the truck on jack stands (with the wheel removed), then lower the side of the axle you are working on as far as safely possible. You only get a couple inches of a gap to get the bags into the spring. Your hands will be cramped up after getting them in, lol. I ran and secured the both air lines under the truck up into the small access panel in the drivers rear cargo area. I tee'd the lines inside, then added a small piece of tubing with the schrader valve in it so I could test the system. They only require 5 to 35 psi to operate. I can inflate them with my small bike tire pump. I also went down to my local electro-mechanical shop and bought a 0-60psi silicone(liquid) filled gauge for $25, cause I don't want to have to check the pressure with my tire gauge all the time. I will be installing the gauge this week and doing a test with my camper trailer. I'll load it with no air, then i'll load it at different pressures and measure how much the truck drops. I'll post some pics of the setup and my results of the weight/drop. I'm also installing the poly bump stops, which has been interesting on its own. More to follow..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rydsno Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 Here's the pressure gauge i'm putting in for the air lift. And here's the poly bump stops. Because the factory bump stops are installed on an angled bracket, I decided I should keep it that way. I assume they're like that for the direction of the axle travel. Anyways, because the new bump stops are wider than the factory angled bracket, I welded on some flat pieces of steel in order to keep them the same as factory. Also, the bump stop bolts snapped right off, so i'll be tapping in some new and larger bolts into the frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Are they meant to go inside the spring? If so they are NOT a replacement for springs. If your springs are sagging, you will have really bad results with those bags. If your springs are still good then those bags will definitely help to increase the spring rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rydsno Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) Ya, they go inside the springs. My springs seem to be in ok condition, so they should be fine. Here's a photo from the website: www.airliftcompany.com Edited February 21, 2012 by rydsno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Magicians_Eye Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Yes they go inside the springs and as he said your hands will be cramped up pretty nicely after fighting them into the springs. I'm not knocking the product I just realized better springs was way cheaper and way more effective for my needs. The bags are around $100 if I remember correctly. I really liked the why they felt when I first aired them up. I ended out having to put over 35lbs in to level the truck though. My front end might be lifted an inch over stock. Not sure though. The bags are strong but I was worried since day one about the amount of extension and compression the springs would be going though with those bags in them while wheelin. I don't know, after having them and using them for about 6 months I wouldn't recommend anyone go this route. That's just me. I would recommend air shocks over these just because an air shock's design seems to work better with our very flexible 4 factory 4 links. If you have a lift these are a waste of time/money. They barely make contact with the top and bottom spring seats in a stock spring. I honestly think the lift is coming from the bag pushing though the springs (like a fat chick in fish nets) helping to prevent the coils from compressing as easily. Again I don't think they're a bad product I just found that the money could have been spent on better more permanent solutions to the problem. That's just my Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Magicians_Eye Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesRich Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I've been considering these as I plan to hang a motorcycle off of the back of the pathy. Looking forward to hearing about the install and any observations. B I wanted to do that too because I'm too scared to ride the bike up a ramp into the back of my titan. My bike has a big fat ass though weights 750#. That's too much for even a class 4 hitch. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY1PATH Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) If you have a lift these are a waste of time/money. They barely make contact with the top and bottom spring seats in a stock spring. I honestly think the lift is coming from the bag pushing though the springs (like a fat chick in fish nets) helping to prevent the coils from compressing as easily. For lifted rigs maybe there is a taller bag out there. Or you could put a spacer underneath the bag. Just make sure the spacer is shorter than your bind height (coil diameter x number of coils) so that you do not damage the bag on bottom out. How tall are the bags anyway? Edited February 21, 2012 by MY1PATH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Magicians_Eye Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 For lifted rigs maybe there is a taller bag out there. Or you could put a spacer underneath the bag. Just make sure the spacer is shorter than your bind height (coil diameter x number of coils) so that you do not damage the bag on bottom out. How tall are the bags anyway? Sure you can do that. My point is that I don't feel it's worth it. Why spend that kind of money just to have to go through all that effort? You can accomplish the same thing for far less money, time, and effort. Plus the other option are much more reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stalker Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) Sure you can do that. My point is that I don't feel it's worth it. Why spend that kind of money just to have to go through all that effort? You can accomplish the same thing for far less money, time, and effort. Plus the other option are much more reliable. TME: seems like you really had a bad experience with those bags.. i say go for it, sounds like you have had great results before on other rigs and it doesnt matter what others think how your ride should be, its your truck bud Edited February 21, 2012 by stalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rydsno Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) Ok, I need to clarify. These are NOT installed to provide a LIFT like a lift kit would. The are a helper for when you need to carry extra weight. In my case, i'm loading an old camper trailer which has already cause my bump stops to get ripped off due to how low it was riding. (hence the bump stop install). Don't buy these if you already have a lift kit, or want a lift. They are for LEVELING. So when you have a load like heavy cargo or like how Precise1 or JamesRich want to load a motorcycle, you add air to the system and it will keep the pathfinder where it should sit, instead of riding like a slammed '64 impala at the back. In my stock springs, the bags fill up the entire spring from top to bottom. If someone installed them and they didn't fit, they either got the wrong bags, or have taller springs. I'll post some pics of mine in the springs, and my install when i'm done. I'll also post some pics of my trailer loaded without air, and then with the air. In the meantime, those who are still wondering, go check out this site. It's the best pathfinder build i've seen(and most detailed), for guys like myself who want a more capable towing set up or those who just want good info for their Pathfinder...... This is where i got the idea fr the bags, it was originally posted on the forum, but their website address has changed, so the forum link doesn't work. Project Nissan Pathfinder Edited February 21, 2012 by rydsno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I wanted to do that too because I'm too scared to ride the bike up a ramp into the back of my titan. My bike has a big fat ass though weights 750#. That's too much for even a class 4 hitch. James Ahh, well, I'm talking about a 250cc enduro or so, probably not weighing more than 250-300lbs. 750# eh? No, I wouldn't ride that into the back of a truck either unless it was off of a loading dock. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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