Installing the FWC Camper on the Tacoma, near the weight limit, you should consider heavier springs or airbag system. I had Firestone airbags I installed on my 2011 Tavoma and liked them so well, that I ordered the same ones for my new Tacoma
Above is the Firestone airbag on my 2011 Tavoma. They worked great for my 3 years of FWC Camper travels.
Yes, I do the install myself. It’s not that bad to do in my garage. A floor jack and jack stands, revive the wheels and follow the directions. You will need hand dexterity with the bracket on the inside frame rail. Also the right size ratchet and sockets and wrenches make the job easier.
Above is the assembled airbag. This one has a heat shield so it goes on the side where the exhaust pipe passes.
You need to cut the rubber bumper off as it goes dead center in axle.
The bottom of the airbag system clamps around the spring pack. The top mounts to this metal bracket built onto the Tacoma frame.on both sides. The large bolt head in the center of the frame holds the inside bracket with 4 bolts and nuts holding it to the airbag assembly.
There is the airbag mounted next to the exhaust pipe with heat shield facing the pipe.
Drive the truck a few hundred miles and then go back and check the nuts for tightness.
On both sides on the bumper I have an air fill valve. The fill stems are like what you put air in on a tire. You can see one fill on the lower bumper drivers side. It is a piece of angle aluminum that I cut and drilled a hole to mount to the bottom of the bumper with a hole in the center for the sir valve. The Firestone instructions indicate that the valves sound be mounted through the bumper on either side of the license plate. I don’t like this method as it compromises the bumper and do not want rust to start.
I mounted the air valves this way on my 2011 Tavoma and had no problem.
Red airline tubing is run from each airbag to each valve on the rear. I was asked about using a wye to have one bag fill for both and equal pressure to both bags. I don’t recommend both bags tied together as the weight of the camper is not ewlqualized side to side so I can set the bag pressure to match the weight distribution.
You can get an air compressor to mount under the truck and gages to mount in the cab of the truck with a switch to increase pressure to both airbags at the same time, but I just fill the bags from the rear as I have to carry an air compressor to refill tires if I air down in sand.
FYI: It is recommended to keep 5-10 lbs of air in the bags with no weight in the bed of the truck and I often run 50 lbs in the road to equal the ride with the camper on. One thing I do is measure the height of the truck bed before I started the install so I can measure the height of the bed to level the load with air in the bags with the camper on.
Leveling the load also ensures breaking of the truck is leveled to ensure better weight distribution. Also, when you hit bumps the springs don’t get stressed.
Brent
macaloney@hotmail.com
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