Daystar cradles

[swampedout]

Update on the truck:

Got my airbags back on with the daystar cradles on. Did a test run and feels good on the dirt road. Really smooths out the ride.
Hauling water this week so we will see how it feels loaded.
The install was fairly simple. I had a lot of mud and dirt caked everywhere so that was fun. The only difficult part is lining everything up. My method was jacking the truck way up from the frame and lowering it slowly until I had the cradles lined up square where the bags settled. Its not perfect but Im happy and I dont see how I could flex the suspension enough to unsettle them enough they could slip out or anything.
So, the real test will be done this week but Ill keep you all updated.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Sam - Glad to see that they were fairly simple to install and that they smoothed out the ride.  You'd had the airbags on before, right?  Is it the airbags or the cradles that smoothed out the ride?

[kramttocs]

Curious on Gary's question also. Did you replace the existing bags with new ones or only change cradles?
I look at air bags periodically but hadn't ever heard of upgrading the cradles from what they come with stock. Is this a common upgrade?

[Gary Lewis]

From my research, Daystar cradles are needed to allow full articulation or droop when using air bags.  Bob pointed out that limiting factor when I started considering air bags to pick up the load capacity on Big Blue after I remove some spring leaves.  Otherwise the air bags constrain the suspension.

So I inquired about them at 4 Wheel Parts and Cory, the manager, said they use them routinely and they work well.  I asked about the statements from the air bag manufacturers that using cradles voids the warranties, and he said they haven't had any problems.

[swampedout]

I bought the truck with firestone airbags and was really happy about it because I got this truck to be my hauler. However I did have to take them off due to what Gary explained about lack of rear suspension travel.
I dont know how to explain it but I could feel the whole truck drop with the axle and it was very unpleasant.
With the airbags completely removed, I had more flex but a lot of rough riding still. With the airbags and cradles on, its better than both. You get the flex plus the cushion plus more load capacity.
And to be clear, Im talking about driving that would be considered trail driving or similar to a non maintained fire service road. For street driving, there really is no reason for the cradles.
Its a common upgrade for offroaders and expedition trucks that do offroad travel and camping stuff with heavy gear loads. Theres also people building rock crawlers with airbags, often with huge bags like youd see on a dump truck or something. Idk if those folks are using cradles or not.
The suspension on this truck will continue to be tweaked. The airbag and cradle combo is good but Id still like to take a look at leaf spring options when the wallet can afford it.

[swampedout]

Actually, Im curious Gary, how many leaves are in your pack?

[Gary Lewis]

Seven leaves, Sam.  The same spring pack that Bill/85lebaront2 has on Darth, the crewcab DRW truck.  These things are so stiff that I had a complete 400 on a pallet set 1/2 in the bed and 1/2 on the tailgate and it barely dropped.

But thanks for info about the air bags and cradles.  It give me hope.

[swampedout]

Ok. Ill have to check how many I have. Id like to lose a leaf or 2 for more flex but Id rather keep carrying capacity. My daily driver is back up so the ford will do a little more relaxing between the big jobs.
I haul 300 gallons of water which I believe is somewhere around 2400 lbs so I will definately put these things to the test.
I put 10 psi for for my trial run but just checked the net and theyre rated up to 100 psi. Not sure how high I want to go with them.

[Gary Lewis]

Most of the bags I've seen are rated at 5000 lbs.  So you could take a lot of leaves out and still have the same capacity.

[swampedout]

Im still not thrilled about putting plastic on a truck. I dont understand why they dont make these things out of aluminum at least.
But like you said Gary, theres hope.