Rear airbags suspension discovered... is this a win for me?

[mannym]

I purchased a 23' Rubicon from a local Jeep dealership last weekend. Well today my brother noticed a small hose zipp tied to my rear passenger side bumper. I followed it down and low and behold I have rear airbags. Is this a win for me? I am guessing the previous owner must have had some overland gear and rack installed therfore the need for additional spring support. Should I leave them or replace? I also wonder if they would be covered under the extended warranty I purchased from Stellantis, since they were already installed when I purchased the vehicle.

Manny
23' Sarge Green Rubicon

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[azmojave]

It’s a win if they hold air and you want to haul stuff. Looks like a pita to air up at the current valve location. I highly doubt they are covered by any warranty.

 

[Texbaz]

Leave them in place, especially if you have a travel trailer. Also, make sure you run a couple of psi (5-7)in them as recommended by most manufacturers. Nice looking Rubicon.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Leave them in place, especially if you have a travel trailer. Also, make sure you run a couple of psi (5-7)in them as recommended by most manufacturers. Nice looking Rubicon.

yep and 10-12psi is full. Yours look to be over filled right now. (Bulging).

bags are different to bellows. They utilise the effects of low pressure applied to a large surface (internal) area (of the bag).

over filling them achieves zero additional functionality from them. And ruins your ride.

without the sleeves fitted they’re only good for maybe an additional +400lbs additional weight in rear of rig.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

here’s mine at 10psi. 12psi is max for my rig. At 14 the ride just gets destroyed.

Are yours cross-linked? Or independent? I’ve had both. I prefer independent.

that way I can run maybe 10on one side and 12 on the other, if the load is a little more to one side.

I have the valves here at the back of my service body.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Those look like Air Lift 1000’s. Great bags, life time warranty on the bags. Contact the company and ask if their warranty is transferable. I ran them on my 2021 JTR to firm up the side to side floaty FOX ride. Typical psi for driving around, maybe 150 lbs in the back and family and dog up front, I liked 12 lbs psi. When you get over loaded with the family and dog and loaded fridge/freezer, camping gear, kitchen, propane tank, rack, Kayaks up top or electric bikes hanging off the back, 30 lbs psi is what I set the bags too. Makes a huge difference in level and ride stability. Air lift website and install instructions will tell you the minimum and maximum psi settings.

In addition to the bags, I added SUMO bump stops. Throw those tiny factory bump stops. Air bags are only a piece to the ride puzzle. They aren’t the all and be all. As far as ‘will the dealership warranty them?’ No, it’s not their product and they probably don’t know what they are, let alone replace a bag if needed.

In my 5 years running those Air Lift bags, I had one split and Air Lift sent me two bags, no questions asked. They’re extremely affordable, look them up! Mine were sold on Amazon.

 

[Freems]

Had them on my JKR, and about to install a set on my JT, loved them.

 

[Dhstec]

I have them installed on my 21 Sport Max Tow. Helps to level it out when towing my travel trailer. I ran the airlines to my license plate and have two schrader valves coming through the bottom two holes of my license plate.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

yep and 10-12psi is full. Yours look to be over filled right now. (Bulging).

bags are different to bellows. They utilise the effects of low pressure applied to a large surface (internal) area (of the bag).

over filling them achieves zero additional functionality from them. And ruins your ride.

without the sleeves fitted they’re only good for maybe an additional +400lbs additional weight in rear of rig.

That 400 lbs figure is only fine/legal if you’re still under the GVWR in the door jamb mounted by a rated by the manufacturer! Never go over that! Or be very careful. What they will do is level out the ride under the rated weight, so you won’t have to lower your headlights at night.

 

[tysongladiator]

Those look like Air Lift 1000’s. Great bags, life time warranty on the bags. Contact the company and ask if their warranty is transferable. I ran them on my 2021 JTR to firm up the side to side floaty FOX ride. Typical psi for driving around, maybe 150 lbs in the back and family and dog up front, I liked 12 lbs psi. When you get over loaded with the family and dog and loaded fridge/freezer, camping gear, kitchen, propane tank, rack, Kayaks up top or electric bikes hanging off the back, 30 lbs psi is what I set the bags too. Makes a huge difference in level and ride stability. Air lift website and install instructions will tell you the minimum and maximum psi settings.

In addition to the bags, I added SUMO bump stops. Throw those tiny factory bump stops. Air bags are only a piece to the ride puzzle. They aren’t the all and be all. As far as ‘will the dealership warranty them?’ No, it’s not their product and they probably don’t know what they are, let alone replace a bag if needed.

In my 5 years running those Air Lift bags, I had one split and Air Lift sent me two bags, no questions asked. They’re extremely affordable, look them up! Mine were sold on Amazon.

That's why I had the Ram 1500 1000HDs. They're thicker than the regular 1000s so they ride a tad bit harsher with air, but no issues with splitting or anything. And those bags put in work! I now have airlift air springs.

 

[InvertedLogic]

For what it’s worth, I’d think it rides very harsh with how much they’re inflated. I have them in my Rubicon and can feel the extra stiffness even at 5psi. I usually run them with the valve cores pulled (this is not recommended btw) and it firms up the compression without the subsequent rebound. I’m not recommending this, but at least I’d drop them down to 5psi or so.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Those look like Air Lift 1000’s. Great bags, life time warranty on the bags. Contact the company and ask if their warranty is transferable. I ran them on my 2021 JTR to firm up the side to side floaty FOX ride. Typical psi for driving around, maybe 150 lbs in the back and family and dog up front, I liked 12 lbs psi. When you get over loaded with the family and dog and loaded fridge/freezer, camping gear, kitchen, propane tank, rack, Kayaks up top or electric bikes hanging off the back, 30 lbs psi is what I set the bags too. Makes a huge difference in level and ride stability. Air lift website and install instructions will tell you the minimum and maximum psi settings.

In addition to the bags, I added SUMO bump stops. Throw those tiny factory bump stops. Air bags are only a piece to the ride puzzle. They aren’t the all and be all. As far as ‘will the dealership warranty them?’ No, it’s not their product and they probably don’t know what they are, let alone replace a bag if needed.

In my 5 years running those Air Lift bags, I had one split and Air Lift sent me two bags, no questions asked. They’re extremely affordable, look them up! Mine were sold on Amazon.

love seeing a Glad work hard like that. Enjoying these and all pics. Lovely pics.

i also muck around w some rubber pads underneath, I notice it greatly improves initial impact cushioning.

As can be seen in the real world a vehicle sometimes has to earn its keep/work.

dead right re being one piece of the puzzle. Important piece on a coil rear end. I run +200kg springs and the bags give me +200kg for ~1000lbs additional support.

note 10mm rubber pads

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

For what it’s worth, I’d think it rides very harsh with how much they’re inflated. I have them in my Rubicon and can feel the extra stiffness even at 5psi. I usually run them with the valve cores pulled (this is not recommended btw) and it firms up the compression without the subsequent rebound. I’m not recommending this, but at least I’d drop them down to 5psi or so.

x2. That’s v similar to my experience with them on my rig. In reality very fine adjustments make a large difference to “spring” rate. Yet fine adjustments are difficult in the pressure spectrum we’re talking about ie +1x atmosphere.

 

[InvertedLogic]

x2. That’s v similar to my experience with them on my rig. In reality very fine adjustments make a large difference to “spring” rate. Yet fine adjustments are difficult in the pressure spectrum we’re talking about ie +1x atmosphere.

Same experience here. I installed them before pulling a 5klb trailer and started at 25psi and had maybe 1” of suspension travel it was so stiff. I ended up dropping down to 10psi for that load, 0psi for a camping load out, and valve cores out for daily driving. I haven’t had any issues with no pressure so far, I suspect the biggest danger is pinching the bag but there’s just not enough articulation back there vs the bag stiffness for that to be a thing. I know I’m just really sensitive to NVH though

 

[NC_Overland]

I hope they didn’t do any heavy towing with it! That would be my immediate concern.

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