Replace 2 air bags or just one?

Bags can look rough on outside. Especially where they roll up and down. Replaced mine once. I cut used one open and was like new inside. So I figure I will only replace if really bad looking or leaking , of course. May add lots of times they will rust through at the top, where they secure to your frame. Especially up north where salt and brine gets in and does its dirty work. Never had a bag actually blow out, but it can happen. Thats 20 years, before that it was spring ride .

 

It is a good rule to replace all suspension and brake parts across an axle minimum. Ok, change one to get you home from a breakdown but change the other side to match asap. Leaf springs are way more picky than air bags for sure but the same theory applies to all components. There can be differences in manufacturing that can cause issues which the biggest noticable one is leaning with suspension parts.

 

Typically brake and suspension components get both sides done at the same time (as noted above). I wouldn't be super concerned about air bags though. If one failed due to wear or deterioration I'd do both. If one got punctured by road debris and the other looked fine I'd just do the one.

 

was is the right rear airbag that failed?

 

Buy a new one and keep it in the truck, I bet the weathered looking air bag last another 10+ years.

A good idea is to remove the airbag at home and put it back in just to make sure all the hardware won't fight you if you do have to change it on the road.

I like using my OEM parts as long as they will last because I think replacement parts just don't last as long.

 

For me, one airbag started leaking. I replaced it. 4 months later another started leaking. My guy replaced the other three today. It was not very difficult and the bags were not that expensive. I am sure that the ones I replaced are original from the year 2000. The truck has 444,000 miles.

 

I Have 1.8 million on my 97 with original airbags on the low air leaf. They are dry rotted on the top and bottoms of the bag but they don't leak at all. I keep one spare bag in the truck, just in case for the past 15 years. Still haven't needed it.

 

How long do you guys think a new airbag would last on a non-working truck that's just sitting outdoors 100% of the time?