Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Springs - Double Convoluted - Rear Axle
This item does not fit your vehicle
2003 Ford Explorer
These items fit your vehicle
2003 Ford Explorer
To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully. You should be able to view your question/comment here within a few days.
Error submitting comment. Please try again momentarily.
When you’re hauling a heavy trailer or a bed full of gear, rear-end sag can throw off your steering and braking. The Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Springs add up to 5,000 lbs of load-leveling capacity to keep your truck level and steady under weight. By sitting between the frame and rear suspension, they help maintain even load distribution, reduce strain on the axle, and keep your headlights aimed where they should be. The result is smoother handling and braking confidence when towing or carrying heavy loads.
Every load is different, and these air springs adjust easily to match. You can set the pressure anywhere between 5 psi and 100 psi using the included manual inflation valves. Add air when towing a camper or heavy trailer for more support, or drop to the minimum pressure for a softer ride when unloaded. Each side can be adjusted separately to level off-center loads, keeping your truck balanced and comfortable no matter what you’re hauling.
The double-convoluted rubber construction with a braided wire girdle provides strong load support while softening contact between the axle and frame. That means fewer harsh jolts from road shock and less bottoming out over bumps or dips. The reinforced rubber and corrosion-resistant metal end plates are built for long-term durability, helping prevent permanent sagging or wear in your leaf springs so your suspension keeps doing its job mile after mile.
Each Ride-Rite kit comes with custom-fit brackets, air springs, air line tubing, hardware, and separate valves for manual inflation. The brackets mount to existing points on the axle and frame with no drilling required. With everything you need included in the box, adding real load support is straightforward for any DIY setup using common hand tools.
Customer Satisfaction Score:
78% were satisfied with this product
22% of customers were not satisfied
Ratings & Reviews
I recommend this to anyone with a 3/4 ton that wants stability without adding springs. It works well at giving support when I hook up to the 5th wheel. Before adding the airbags the rear suspension would settle 4 inch or more when hitching up to the trailer. Now I can control how much it settles and I get more stability and a better ride. Good system and not too difficult to install. I would have given 5 stars but I had to make three attempts to get the airlines to seal. The airlines are plastic and are a tight coil and are tough to straighten and install. I had a leak that I finally was able to remedy after several attempts at connecting. This was frustrating but I am still a big fan of this system and highly recommend these airbags. I have run with as much as 60 psi in the bags and have decided that around 40 is about right for my setup. The truck settles about 1-2 inches with about 40-60 psi.
Best airbag kit on the market! Going on 10 years and 160k miles on one kit and a year and a half on the other (two different vehicles). Firestone’s quality is excellent, their customer service is exceptional, and the kit design is simple. Quality components means ZERO air leaks in 10 years when installed properly (cut the airlines at 90 degrees with an inexpensive airline cutter or brand new razor blade). Their mounting brackets are simplified, making more room for the airbag between the axle and frame. And the double convoluted bag offers better ride quality and more suspension movement than a single convoluted bag. I’ve run a single convoluted bag setup from another reputable manufacturer and noticed a marked decrease in ride quality and comfort. I also recommend installing cradles such as those from Daystar (also 10 years on a set) to allow 100% downtravel for maintenance or off-road articulation without fear of tearing a bag. Well worth spending a little more for this USA brand kit over the cheap Chinese copy-cat kits. I tow and haul regularly - weekly, if not several times a week - and these have stood up to snowy sub freezing winters, 100 degree summer days, dusty and gravely off-highway adventures, and general use and abuse that comes from working out of a vehicle for a decade. Can’t find a better kit.
The installation was pretty straightforward, and was managed at campsite with basic tools. It is filled with Milwaukee portable air inflator and has been keeping air pressure set at. We have had good use of it to level truck after loading 5th wheel. I elected to not join both lines together so I can keep individual air pressure in case one had leak but has been fine, I might join them with optional part etrailer offered.
After 1 year and 8,000 miles has been great purchase. All bolt on, no holes to drill, I even placed fill valves in license plate to conceal installation.
Alex at etrailer was excellent as helping us find the correct kit and shipping promptly with great communication and follow up.
Really quite easy installation. Honestly, the hardest part was routing the air line. (that coiled up hose!) I ended up covering the lines with cable wrapping to protect them from any rubbing or scuffing. I also don't have a compatable hitch for the mount, and didn't want to mount them through my bumper in the license plate area because I know I would step on them at some point in time. Product had all the correct parts, high quality, and super happy with it. I wish I had gotten them sooner.
I just installed them and put them to work immediately and I am impressed so far! Installation was pretty simple, and they fit great even with an Old Man Emu 3" lift (7 leaf spring stack). It only took about 15 psi to level up the Tacoma even with 1000 Lbs of feed and a steel high rack on it and they handled that load over 50 miles of some very rough west Texas terrain. They seem to be very well made and heavy duty. Time will tell if they hold up but again, I am very impressed thus far!
I’d really love to give these a 5 star as they massively improved the ride and porpoising of my truck with a fairly heavy truck back camper. We were shorted one bit of hardware in the kit that caused a 1 hour RT drive to the hardware store for a stupid bolt. One of the hex head flange/wedge bolts for the upper mount was missing . Simple ‘miss’ by someone but was annoying . That aside everything g was great.. instructions were clear and helpful… I’d give them a 2 of 5 for difficulty installing.. any weekend mechanic can do this. The truck rides better and is safer now so thumbs up all around except for Mr Bolt pack loader!
Just what my Tundra needed to help balance load of bed and trailer.
etrailer.com and the products they offer are 100% in my opinion.
Thank You for your excellent service and follow up.
Installation was really easy except for the lower brackets that attach to a lip of metal. There was another piece of metal on the axle that got in the way but i pried and then hammered the bracket into place, squeezing it in. If I didn’t I’d still be able to get the bolt through but I bet as I tightened it down it would move the base plate and wouldn’t be lined up as well. No air is leaking so far. I didn’t buy the compressor so I might screw on some Bluetooth tire pressure monitors so I’ll get notified if pressures drop below 5psi. I have a 2023 Chevy 2500 and surprisingly with 15psi and no load in the bed it rides much better! Doesn’t hop all over the place
This installation took twice as long as it should have! The top plate had to be modified to clear the leaf spring U bolts and shock absorber bracket.
The Jounce doesn’t allow the installation of the 3/8@ bolts close the leaf spring that holds the brackets together. I’m not sure what to do with this now. I saw in other reviews where other people had similar issues. Not sure if it’s the universal bracket design vs having slotted holes like your video.
Any help would be appreciated.
Also both valve inserts had to be replaced!
I purchased this Firestone Air suspension and installed it myself on my 2017 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab 4x4. Not having a lift, I had to use a creeper and tarps under and beside the truck to do the installation. Installation was pretty straight forward after viewing the video from etrailer a few times and using the provided diagrams. You will need good 3/4" drive hand tools for the installation. An electric or air impact wrench and ratchet also speeds things up. I then installed a mini onboard compressor with remote control for in cab or outside operation. The system has never leaked air but if it did, any time the vehicle is started, the compressor will refill the system. I keep 10 lbs. air pressure in it and raise it to 20 when I haul my dirt bike on my hitch carrier and it compensates nicely and keeps the vehicle level. All good so far.
This the 3rd truck I've used and installed myself of the Firestone 5,000lb rated airbags on, and not one has ever failed on me. I used them on a 2007.5 Chevy LMM 2500 LT Silverado, a 2020 Chevy 2500 LTZ Silverado, and yesterday I put them on my 2025 GMC 2500 Denali. I did pair my new bags with an Airlift wireless compressor, which is an awesome addition to the bags. I like the fact that etrailer did a comparison video on the Firestone and AirLift bags, and they found the Firestone bags are of better quality and can support the weight of the axle if you lift the truck off the ground by the frame. If you have never installed these bags, you do not have to lift the truck off the ground or remove your rear tires. If you're like me, and do not have access to a lift, I suggest removing your spare tire, which will give you more seating area, and you will not bonk your head into it. Two thumbs up on this kit
excellent product, very easy (uncomplicated) install. anyone who is somewhat mechanically inclined can install themselves. It took me about 3.5 hours by myself with simple tools and a jack on my garage floor. Hardest part was me getting up and down from the creeper.
On my truck, (2015 GMC) i had to remove Ebrake cable brackets on both sides and reroute, not a big deal. also, did not find it necessary to remove spare tire heat shield, worked around it just fine. Routed my schrader valves through the plate screw holders for easy access.
I received this kit and it was incomplete. There was a hole in the box in the bag of hardware was open. Not a big deal though, as only a couple of bolts were missing. The problem came upon trying to install this kit on an F150 2023. The left side has the ABS and brake lines along with a breather line for the axle. There is simply not enough clearance to put the product in without cutting up, the clamp that holds the ABS line and brake lines. I’m not sure why they did not make this kit to fit over the spring Shackles instead of the axle? Pretty sure engineers could have figured something out. I installed this on a 2012 Ford and it went great because it went over the shackle bolts. Only took about two hours. I’ll probably return this and just go with a spring helper unless there is a easier kit for installation.
EXCELLENT SERVICE!
Relatively easy to install and served the purpose.
I installed this kit (F59VV) on my new 2023 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid 4x4 with the onboard scales.
First off- etrailer's service is excellent. 5 stars. Arrived on time and nicely packaged.
This kit, however, was a royal pain to install. Nothing went together as described in the instructions, and some of the hardware was not as described in the manual (socket head versus hex head), making for a lot of confusion and frustration. What could have been (should have been?) a couple hours of installation ended up with 6 hours under my truck. I'm reasonably handy and not afraid of complexity, and this thing was still frustrating.
I ended up having to modify tools and essentially install each piece individually with several installs and removals to make sure everything fit right. I had to trim a bracket on my brand-new truck (never a good feeling) and still don't have the clearance described in the manual and am waiting Firestone's response to my inquiry about this. My truck is otherwise 100% stock so it should have fit without much drama.
The good: Once it's finally installed there are lots of big bolts so there's lots of redundancy in hardware. The air lines are tough and everything was leak free on the first shot. Running with 7psi currently and first drive this afternoon. New camper coming next weekend and hoping for good performance.
It doesn’t fit my 2024 f150 the lower base on the drive side is hitting the abs and brake line bracket only way is too cut which I won’t be doing what a terrible product and big waste of time
You should never sell this product. It is not made not made for a ford 150. It’s a do it yourself kit. After six hours and all kinds of problems I am down to running the air lines. It is inside the frame so it will not help with stability is what you need it for.
Wonderful product, could not have ask for a anything better. i would have giving it a 5 star plus if 6 bolts were not missing. good thing i happened to have a good supple of bolts that saved me a trip to the hareware store.
Very good so far
1st ETrailer customer service/shipping/pricing were excellent (5 Stars here).
Truck is a 2023 F150 4x4 with self aligning head lights.
Have not towed with the air springs yet, so this review is focused on installation (which was bad experience). Instructions are "WAY OFF", u can not follow them!! PERIOD!
1.Bolting on the top plate- no problem instructions are fine.
2.Side brackets for lower plate- in my case really had to work to get the two bolts in the right position for the lower plate. If u slide them to the inside of the leaf spring u bolts they are too close together, so they have to impinge on the U bolts making it tough to get the side brackets in position.
3. There is "NO WAY" u can install the lower plate with the 1/4 bolt installed. So this bolt has to be installed "AFTER" the plate is in place.
4. U MUST trim the brake line/cable bracket. Instructions say "IF", wrong choice of words, u are going to trim it.
5. Then, they sent the wrong bolts for attaching the spring to the lower plate. Sent short flush mount allen drive bolts, should have been a longer Hex head.
What I found to be the easiest way to install was to: leave the 1/4 bolt out of the side bracket, install the lower plate loosely, slip the air spring in, line it up, install the upper jam nut (I wedged the air spring up off the lower plate to engage the alignment pin and snugged). Then push up on lower plate and install the lower bolt in the air spring. Install the 1/4 side bracket bolt and tighten everything up.
PS-- Instructions say to torque the side bracket assemble to 14 ft/lbs. Those 1/4 grade 5 bolts will BREAK. Max torque for a 1/4 grade 5 is ~9, so use 8lbs. I upgraded to grade 8 bolts and torqued to 10.
In summary, Firestone needs to install one of these kits and write new instructions. I would strongly suggest modifying the side brackets, if the legs on these were min 1/4 (3/8 to 1/2 if possible) longer and slotted further to the inside that would help with any interference with leaf spring u bolts and if the legs were long enough, the 1/4 bolt would not interfere with the lower plate.
Do you have a question about this Vehicle Suspension?
Info for this part was:
At etrailer we provide the best information available about the products we sell. We take the quality of our information seriously so that you can get the right part the first time. Let us know if anything is missing or if you have any questions.
Heather A.
10/7/2024
This installation is definitely a tricky one compared to the other vehicles. If the air bag bracket interferes with the ABS brake line bracket, it will require you to disconnect the cable. Then you will need to bend or trim the brake line bracket for installation. I understand this is not ideal but the air bag installation location is closer to the brakes on this vehicle, that is why it requires 2" of clearance. I did put in a note to our fit guide team to add a special installation tip for future customers. We appreciate your honest feedback.