Let's talk air bags...

[86Scotty]

Originally Posted by SierraHawk

86Scotty: I do not know how Sumos are graded or sized. I know nothing about height, density, compression, etc. Since you used the black Sumos can the black Sumos be used with any Sportsmobile 4X4 that has a Dynatrac front diff and 3" leaf springs from Heber's shop? Or are there other options?

I do not know. I used the black Sumosprings bump stop replacements on the front axle of my 2011 E350, installed when I installed Agile's RIP kit (F/R Fox shocks and Moog progressive front springs). To be clear I have NOT added Sumos to the rear axle of my van.

Here is what I ordered based on advice from MG and a couple other folks around here but I can't remember who.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Twoxentrix]

Originally Posted by SierraHawk

Hi Twoxentrix, My bump stop sits 1" above a heavy piece of rectangular tubing that Heber welded onto the U bolt plate. Did you have to remove the rectangular piece of heavy steel tubing? If so did you use a Sawzall or torch? How did you finish out the upper surface of the plate after removing the heavy piece of "tubing"?

I'm 'that guy' which chooses to have the work done for me. The guys at the Shop I use are gifted when it comes to projects and custom work - and trust them implicitly. If they did remove a rectangular bar, I see no evidence it existed (but then they would have left it no other way).
*My front sumo's have approximately 1.5" of travel gap before the plate makes contact with them.
Did you end out ordering the Blue or Black?

[SierraHawk]

I suspect that when the RIP kit was installed, you probably used a new plate for the U bolts that did not have the spacer Heber welded onto his builds - leaving you with a clean surface for the Sumo to sit on. Because the nuts on the U bolts are so hard to take off, I am hoping to leave them in place. I may try to rent an acetylene torch but most probably I will use a sawzall to cut Heber's spacer off. Fortunately a friend who lives in Lebanon (Near Hershey PA) will be working with me and may have tools that I don't. To clean up the area where I cut the spacer off, I will need to bolt a clean piece of 1/4" steel plate to the ends of the U bolts to cover the mess where I removed the spacer. Just curious how others prepped their front axle to accept a set of Sumos.

[SierraHawk]

I will install the Firestone air bags in the rear next week. Still trying to determine what configuration I need for the front. The instructions for the SuperSprings shows a spacer (looks like 3" high) that is attached to the upper end of the Sumo Spring. Why remove Heber's spacer if I don't need to. If I do not need the Sumo spacer, I can simply (wishful thinking at play here) bolt the Sumo where I removed the stock bumpstop. I may need a "metal bowl" bolted to Heber's spacer but I want to talk to the vendor before ordering.

[keytothestone]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

I do not know. I used the black Sumosprings bump stop replacements on the front axle of my 2011 E350, installed when I installed Agile's RIP kit (F/R Fox shocks and Moog progressive front springs). To be clear I have NOT added Sumos to the rear axle of my van.

Here is what I ordered based on advice from MG and a couple other folks around here but I can't remember who.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Good info Scotty! I'm trying to get rear ones in Black having a little difficulty figuring out which ones fit exactly. The pics i see from various sites seem to point me to these. https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Sus...-47.html...The van is not close to me and want the spring for when I go retrieve it next. My rig conversion is a MG done by UJ originally and then redone by local mechanics . I have read and found that there are SMB specific ones, but do those work on other conversion? Like these? Both of these seem to have dif bolt on attachments? https://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index...ducts_id=54411 Don't wanna show up and it not work.

[SierraHawk]

So....this shouldn't be this hard. I ordered the Firestone air bags for the Ford E350 (W217602061) otherwise known as 2061. The order page lists the 2061 as the kit for an E350. Good quality but the lower plate cannot be mounted to the configuration of my 2004 Sportsmobile 4X4 with original leaf springs and lift block.

Got a buddy who has installed airbags on other trucks but we cannot figure out how the lower plate mounts on either the axle or the plate the Ubolts are attached to.

Biggest problem is that I cannot reach a Firestone rep. When I dial their 800 number the out going message gives the caller 3 choices but when I press 1, 2 or 3 or "0" the OGM just loops back to the beginning.

Anyone have an inside number for Firestone or insight into how to mount the lower plate to the axle tube or Ubolt plate? Also, the airbag has bolts protruding from both ends. How were you able to cut the lower set of bolts and leave a clean surface on the lower airbag plate?