LMTV Cab Suspension Airbags Alternative

Sorry for not posting sooner, but I am not @ work where the computer will post pictures, being @ home after a chunk of my ear was removed for skin cancer a few weeks ago. The best I can describe what I got without pictures is the rubber sock banded to the shock absorber, with two studs sticking out the top. You transfer your old base to the new unit by removing the C-clamp & taking out the pin; then the base slides off. You install the old base to the new air bag assembly & reinstall the pin & c-clamp making sure you have not reversed it. The outer shell bolts back on with the slot lining up with the hole that the pipe goes thru to allow air to the system & reuse that pipe & associated fittings. Replace the two bolts on top of the assembly shell & tighten firmly. At that point, you are ready to install it back into the truck. It is labor intensive, but not like replacing a transmission or an engine.

Now I just need to adjust the shelter on the back of my M-1081 & get it tied down to make it a camper or offload it & make it into a small shop.

I found the picture of the air bag, so here it is. Was the description accurate?

FloridaAKM said:

[img removed] I found the picture of the air bag, so here it is. Was the description accurate?

Click to expand...

FloridaAKM said:

.... best I can describe what I got without pictures is the rubber sock banded to the shock absorber, with two studs sticking out the top. You transfer your old base to the new unit by removing the C-clamp (CIRCLIP or C-CLIP) & taking out the pin; then the base slides off. You install the old base to the new air bag assembly & reinstall the pin & c-clamp (CIRCLIP) making sure you have not reversed it. The outer shell bolts back on with the slot lining up with the hole that the pipe goes thru to allow air to the system & reuse that pipe & associated fittings. Replace the two bolts on top of the assembly shell & tighten firmly. At that point, you are ready to install it back into the truck. It is labor intensive, but not like replacing a transmission or an engine.

Click to expand...

sounds like your saying shock was included... so if that is the case then yes it is accurate beside wrong term for the clip. If the shock is not included then a tweak of wording is needed maybe???

FloridaAKM said:

View attachment 775701I found the picture of the air bag, so here it is. Was the description accurate?

Click to expand...

Sorry to ask what is probably a dumb question but i will anyway. The part number referenced for the Power Packer unit (997900) is not the Firestone unit shown in the picture, is it?

Does the Power Packer unit come with the shock as well, like I assume the Firestone one does?

What is the P/N for the Firestone unit?

ckouba said:

Sorry to ask what is probably a dumb question but i will anyway. The part number referenced for the Power Packer unit (997900) is not the Firestone unit shown in the picture, is it?

Does the Power Packer unit come with the shock as well, like I assume the Firestone one does?

What is the P/N for the Firestone unit?

Click to expand...

Thought the Power Packer included shock but apparently does not. Suspect Firestone one in image comes from same manufacturer as one Power Packer uses... just sold thru Firestone

BTW the YELLOW lettering of the firestone sleeve is important. Keep that in mind. Apparently color of lettering is a Firestone code. (according to their catalog). Another hint in their catalog is the crimp ring may have code on it that shows the model number of their sleeve/bag.

coachgeo said:

Power Packer includes shock. do not think the firestone does... it is just air bag

Click to expand...

I just got off the phone with Jeff who had just gotten off the phone with Power Packer. He said that they said the bag unit 997900 does NOT include shock. I wasn't sure how it wouldn't, but this is my first exposure to these types of parts and I'm learning as I go.

Also...

He looked up the invoice for FloridaAKM's order (or at least another order in the April/May timeframe which went to Gainesville), and it showed the 997900 being the part number ordered. Would the PP unit be Firestone branded for some reason?

...and according to Tenmogger from page 1 of this thread:

tennmogger said:

PP 997900
Power Packer

...Reuse the frame and shock absorber.

Click to expand...

coachgeo said:

Power Packer includes shock as does the firestone pic. It is same manufacture as one Power Packer uses... just sold thru Firestone

Click to expand...

ckouba said:

Also...

He looked up the invoice for FloridaAKM's order (or at least another order in the April/May timeframe which went to Gainesville), and it showed the 997900 being the part number ordered. Would the PP unit be Firestone branded for some reason?

Click to expand...

??? guess we still need clarity from FloridaAKM and/or TNmogger cause your right. Makes no sense for shock not to be included. the bag is installed via a special crimp machine that exist pretty much no where but the manufacture

firestone makes the bag that the unit uses is only reason that name is on there.

PS You were too fast for me...... I edited my first response to you slower than your quote of it.

UPDATE..... crap my edit did not save. Just fixed it

ahhh.. I see now.... this thread has always confused me... ok so seems the shock is attached to a separate bottom end. The bag/sleeve is crimped to its own metal ends at top and bottom? Top is a cap.... bottom a ring.

Shock slides into bottom of bag/sleeve and pinned / screwed / bolted? into ends

explains the no shock included thing. My bad. kept picturing the bag being crimped to the puck holding the shock.

When I pull mine apart, will take some pics and post them here. I am reluctant to do so in the short term though as Jeff said there is a long lead time (6w) for these and I don't want to be out of commission that long.

If someone else has a better pictoral demonstration of this, I'd be happy to observe.

coachgeo said:

ahhh.. I see now.... this thread has always confused me... ok so seems the shock is attached to a seperate puck. The bag/sleeve is crimped to its own metal ends at top and bottom? Top is a cap.... bottom a ring.

Puck and shock slides into bottom of bag/sleeve and pinned / screwed / bolted? into ends

explains the no shock included thing. My bad. kept picturing the bag being crimped to the puck holding the shock.

Click to expand...

here is post with pics of it seperated.

So bringing this thread full circle then, this pic:



...is the actually the Firestone airbag already replaced over the shock. The two are separately manufactured, and based on the other pics such as this one:



..they are "easily" swappable individually. It's starting to make sense now. Sounds like I need to order the shock as well then.

Thanks for all the assistance.

what most call a "bag" is actually a "sleeve".

don't forget looks like some kind of O-Ring that sits on the bottom tube the sleeve is crimped too. Believe there is a rubber ring ( in the bottom of the cup the lower ring mounts into?) as well. Someone posted pic of their ring being worn out.

if you replace yours... please cut open a sleeve to see if there are any numbers stamped or embossed inside

What is confusing is wrong information posted as fact by those who have no information. Sorry, but too much of that is going on.

tennmogger said:

What is confusing is wrong information posted as fact by those who have no information. Sorry, but too much of that is going on.

Click to expand...

. Yeah blew that one but in my defense had corrected it earlier...... well thought I had. Owe you a thanks. went back to read thru and saw the original changes was making to post 25, actually didn't get saved at all. ..... .

Directly after writing that post did some rechecking of notes and realized it needed changed. Was in process of changing /updating it, but it got quoted before got done (as noted at post 28 )... .. then those changes being made didn't even get saved like thought had. That made mess of things .... grrr.

Anyway Fixed 25 AGAIN and added a bit.. does it read more correct now? Look forward to input.

BTW.... do you recall how the four holed plate and cup is attached to the end of the shock? Seem to recall bottom of shock is a threaded post but not positive..

Just a heads up, Ohio hydraulic said power packer doubled their prices on this unit. I recently went through this and was going to buy the Firestone bags, but ended up getting a set of good used ones instead for a fraction of the price.

Asymair95 said:

Just a heads up, Ohio hydraulic said power packer doubled their prices on this unit. I recently went through this and was going to buy the Firestone bags, but ended up getting a set of good used ones instead for a fraction of the price.

Click to expand...

When you say "bags" where you planning to be buying just the sleeves from Firestone or the whole sleeve plus crimped on components (minus shock and it's parts -n-pieces)

if anyone can get just the number for the rubber sleeve Im contemplating a way to crimp new sleeves onto the top and bottom. That is if Firestone will sell just the sleeve.

Yes, the complete unit already crimped like in the picture above.

The part number is pp997900

I believe they are about $400 each now $800 for a set.

Asymair95 said:

The part number is pp997900

I believe they are about $400 each now $800 for a set.

Click to expand...

They were $239 each plus freight on Thurs, according to Jeff, roughly $500 for the pair of bags without the shocks.

He is checking on the availability of the shocks for me and I will follow up with info when I get data.

They are still listed on the Ohio Hydraulic site for $112 though:

As promised a while ago, I broke down my defunct unit for some pics.

The unit as removed from the cab, 4 bolts hold it in at the top, 4 bolts at the bottom:


Remove the two nuts and the air line input to remove the upper mount from the shock/bag assembly:


Removal reveals the airbag (or more accurately, sleeve) over the shock unit still attached to the base:


Remove the "C" clip and tap out the pin. Should remove without excessive force:


Sleeve can now extend beyond the travel limits of the internal shock:


I neglected to photograph the next steps for some reason... Remove the nut from the bottom mount of the shock and remove the washers and rubber isolator. I put the end of the bag in a vise and used a wrench on the hex at the lower end of the shock. Interestingly enough though, the collar at the bottom of the sleeve is NOT threaded into the lower end of the shock. It seems as though it's just held in by the fit of the components and the O-ring which seals it when assembled. There are no threads.

This is what all the components look like when disassembled:


There was a fair amount of debris which fell out of the bag when I opened it. I assume there is supposed to be a bushing in the eyelet of the shock and I believe that debris was its rotted remains. Makes a lot of sense why the cab sounded like someone swung a sledge hammer at it whenever I hit a big bump.

In the end, I got a used bag from Martin at FMTV Sales, but while researching this and talking with Jeff, there are new units available with both the shock and bag for about $450 each. I wrote down that part number but seem to have misplaced it at this point. If/when I find that, I will update or add it in another post. The good news on those units is there was no lead time, he said they were in stock when we spoke ~2w ago.