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Air bag rear suspension support

Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
It's actually easy and of course there is a youtube video out there.

I got help for once and installed the e-trailer air bags on a lift. Much easier.

https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Suspension/Hummer/H3/2008/AL59563.html?vehicleid=20081111975

While not as robust as Firestones for more of a lift type application, I believe these will serve my purpose.

They do state, for maintaining stock height, which is what I want.

I put 15 pounds in them today and immediately felt a difference in the ride.
It seemed more stable, not rocking around on the springs.

My shocks work great but even the new ones if I hit a narrow bump like a concrete seam that is unlevel the initial hit you can tell the shock softened the bump but then it slams the rear down and anything loose in the rear bounces.

I like having the shocks control keeping the wheels on the ground offroad going slow but on rough pavement it can be harsh.

The air bags took that out. I went around to my regular places it did that and no slamming down.
Great for my camera equipment I have on board most of the time that rides at the very back.

That was just a simple test.
Today I loaded up my average 400 lbs of tools and parts and several cases of photo equipment.
I also hooked up my 13' Whaler with a tongue weight I can't lift, about 250 lbs I'm guessing until I weigh it.

So far I think this has made a nice improvement.

I checked them at full droop on the rack and all looks good.
Interesting point is as they come they are not fully extended. Part of the bag at the bottom is rolled over the bottom raised base and needs to be pulled up when fitting them.

I ran the Shrader valves to the right of the trailer hitch on a flat plate that is already there. Maybe a little exposed but works for now.

PS if you have my Hunner EXtreme skids just place the square "U" bolt upside down with the threaded part facing up. No need to remove the skid! I used the cross piece that was to go under the spring, across the top to take up some thread. They could be cut off some later.





First photo is 5 lbs so as not to fold them down.


Second photo 60 lbs.


Might as well go somewhere now, I'm loaded up and level!
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
Don't know what that is, link? Ok, I don't need that, mine are connected all the time, top and bottom with it's own cup and top plate.

These actually expand more than they extend.
They are intended to maintain normal ride height rather than lift.

When packed up and/or towing with 75,000 miles it dropped enough to be too much unlevel for good ride and control.
I wanted to keep my nice ride when not packed up not stiffen things up too much.

That was why I went with this rather than a re-arch or adding a leaf.
Even load levelers that do not come into play until weight increases would not allow me as much control until that point.

We used the lift and with them rolled off the base instead of as they come all is well.
That was just a comment when I first realized they got longer and were supposed to be that way.
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
ATTENTION!

I have not used the boat in a while, several months, so have not paid attention to the airbags. I shot some air in them to move the boat in our weird warm winter weather we are having.

I noticed they leaked back down rather quickly.

Here is the issue. Because of the cooler weather before this, and the bags having little air in them, they deflated even more when it got cold allowing them to bulge out and the brake bracket sliced a gash in them.






So I set about to remedy this. I was able to purchase the bags alone so saved some money. I mentioned if they were going to sell this as specifically for the H3 they needed to write a warning or include a bracket to move the brake line bracket.
I took some blame as we probably should have checked at deflated as well as full inflation. I could stick my hand between the bag and bracket so it was not obvious. I do plan to inform them that some compensation would be nice. I feel obligated after recommending them to also post this problem on the forum.

Sorry about this but be warned!
The fix was to remove the bracket from current location and relocate using a flat strap metal bracket. I had to shoot this picture with the bag off but it was before I put in the second bolt for the bracket.
This is at full droop on the lift. The ABS line may need to be adjusted a bit more.

 
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MixManSC

Member
Messages
19
Location
SC
Semi-amusing..... The H2 guys are always ripping the airbags out from the back of theirs and the H3 guys are now installing airbags in the back of theirs. :huh:

I have an H2 that came with the factory bags. I personally love them. Better ride and much much better for pulling a trailer. Yes - the compressor can be expensive if it goes out - tip for the H2 owners, find up in the rear fender the small air intake tube with the little filter head on it. Change that - its probably clogged up and changing it might save your compressor. It all works perfectly on my 2003 and the only thing that has been changed are the bags. The bags themselves, yes they will wear out and eventually need replacing but they are not terribly expensive nor very hard to replace.

Another neat thing - at least on the H2 (I'm not sure how much lift these getting installed on the H3 can achieve) but manually jacking up the front of the trailer, particularly if the jack is worn and stiff and/or a lot of weight on the tongue. Get the ball under it where it needs to be, close all doors, press the rear lift button on the dash and it raises the rear end up 2 inches taking all the load off the trailer jack. Then raising the jack is a breeze since there is no weight on it. :thumbs:
 

Panzer07

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,548
Location
Ontario, CA
Semi-amusing..... The H2 guys are always ripping the airbags out from the back of theirs and the H3 guys are now installing airbags in the back of theirs. :huh:

I have an H2 that came with the factory bags. I personally love them. Better ride and much much better for pulling a trailer. Yes - the compressor can be expensive if it goes out - tip for the H2 owners, find up in the rear fender the small air intake tube with the little filter head on it. Change that - its probably clogged up and changing it might save your compressor. It all works perfectly on my 2003 and the only thing that has been changed are the bags. The bags themselves, yes they will wear out and eventually need replacing but they are not terribly expensive nor very hard to replace.

Another neat thing - at least on the H2 (I'm not sure how much lift these getting installed on the H3 can achieve) but manually jacking up the front of the trailer, particularly if the jack is worn and stiff and/or a lot of weight on the tongue. Get the ball under it where it needs to be, close all doors, press the rear lift button on the dash and it raises the rear end up 2 inches taking all the load off the trailer jack. Then raising the jack is a breeze since there is no weight on it. :thumbs:
The h2 guys ripping their bags I assume it is due the bags being bolt down top and bottom...i see it pretty hard to rip a bag in a set up like this...as for lift I got about 2 inches at 40 psi that's all I needed to level my rear end, I haven't pumped them up to the max psi which is 100 who know probably another 2 or 1 inches of additional lift
7bdebd6e4849382d35cf3a0285d0885a.jpg
a2b8f73d1d367c791f17a88b3a1cabfc.jpg


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

MixManSC

Member
Messages
19
Location
SC
No - its because the factory installed ones on the H2's are expensive to replace the pump and/or electronics on if either of those fail is all. Eventually any air bags will also just plain wear out (dry rotting or whatever) and have to be replaced. They are up above the axle too so damaging one is not really easy to do. Also not bolted down on the bottom. I've jacked my rear up to reset the level on mine using a Tech2. When you use the Tech2 to deflate the system with the rear end jacked up the bottom of them will pop right out of the lower cups (have to make sure they are centered back over them when you start re-inflating them). There is no air tank though - when they call for more air (via the self leveling switches) or you use the manual switch on the dash to raise the rear the pump runs. I'm going to add a tank and solenoid valves to so that I can have better air capacity and control over the setup.
 

Panzer07

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,548
Location
Ontario, CA
No - its because the factory installed ones on the H2's are expensive to replace the pump and/or electronics on if either of those fail is all. Eventually any air bags will also just plain wear out (dry rotting or whatever) and have to be replaced. They are up above the axle too so damaging one is not really easy to do. Also not bolted down on the bottom. I've jacked my rear up to reset the level on mine using a Tech2. When you use the Tech2 to deflate the system with the rear end jacked up the bottom of them will pop right out of the lower cups (have to make sure they are centered back over them when you start re-inflating them). There is no air tank though - when they call for more air (via the self leveling switches) or you use the manual switch on the dash to raise the rear the pump runs. I'm going to add a tank and solenoid valves to so that I can have better air capacity and control over the setup.
Got you [emoji106] I'm installing an on board system in the coming months...and move from there, airbags, air horn, tires, etc.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

jakesz28

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,041
Location
Cabool MO
I did the speedy mod of having an extra full leaf spring installed in the OEM leaf spring pack. Speedy used a stock spring from a 1500 truck I believe and I had a spring shop make and install a full length leaf. It helped raise the rear back to the stock height, no sag. The biggest difference is when I hook a trailer up it actually supports the tongue weight.
 
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