Toyota Sienna Forum - siennachat.com banner
41 - 60 of 68 Posts
@RCP2013 Also, a couple of questions, really one is a request.

1) Can you take some photos of your rear Firestone airbags installed? I'd really like to see some good shots of how you oriented the bags (outlet down or up?) and how you routed the airlines - this is useful for a DIY guy like me. I have the airbags in my garage waiting to be installed. I'm really interested in how you accomplished this with the JOR lift spacers installed. With the lift, this should be easy to see (van is higher off the ground).

I've asked a few guys on the 4th Gen FB Group and keep getting these type responses, "what's a coil spring?" and "I'm not even sure what you're asking for, a mechanic installed everything for me." ...so I gave up :LOL:. Comes with the minivan territory, I suppose.

2) Did you install the Sumo Springs on your front coils?

---

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it.
No problem on sharing the info! Honestly don’t understand why more peeps don’t help others on the upgrade installation info.
A fire stone representative asked me to send him those detailed pictures because they do not make the bags for the all-wheel-drive hybrid as of yet.
The airbags went on, fairly simple, I just had to sit back and think it through. You do not have to remove your Springs.
That black tubing that you see on the top of the airbag, the air line is inside that fuel line, are used it for protection, going through the hole, where it is routed through to prevent any friction rubbing.
The sumo spacers, I drilled holes in them, so I could zip tie them on just like a pair I installed on my Toyota Highlander that came with the holes.
 

Attachments

Linking this post here for posterity and future use by those searching for airbag photos / install feedback. @RCP2013 was able to mount his Firestone rear airbags with the airline fitting/outlet facing up, which is the preferred routing, IMO. Reduces the risk of damage to the airlines from road debris and heat expose from the exhaust on the passenger side; it also reduces the routing complexity and length of the airlines. He used the existing bolt hole in the upper spring perch. Clean install.

 
Anytime on sharing info! My next thing I plan to tackle is remove the rear seat and utilize that compartment. I currently have those pack out Milwaukee boxes mounted to the mounting plates on a piece of plywood that I cut out and wrapped with indoor outdoor carpet.
It serves its purpose currently, and does not shift around and rub on the doors or anything in the back. My plan is to cut that board in half and fabricate a frame out of extruded aluminum and do two separate slide outs one for the refrigerator and one for the pack out boxes which I have two facing out the back door and two facing inward in the van. This would allow me to maximize storage and access space without tweaking my back. I could pull each individual slide out Out so that I can access the third row seating compartment that I will be using for storage as well.
One more question - did you modify the upper spring perch in order to route the air line? It's hard to tell from this photo (below), but it looks like the upper perch was notched to allow enough clearance for the line to exit the perch - maybe I'm wrong? Area of interest is circled in red.

View attachment 64331
 
One more question - did you modify the upper spring perch in order to route the air line? It's hard to tell from this photo (below), but it looks like the upper perch was notched to allow enough clearance for the line to exit the perch - maybe I'm wrong? Area of interest is circled in red.

View attachment 64331
That was actually the easiest part of routine the air line. It’s a plastic cover & there is more than enough room to drill the plastic & not compromise anything structurally.
 
That was actually the easiest part of routine the air line. It’s a plastic cover & there is more than enough room to drill the plastic & not compromise anything structurally.
No kidding… perfect. I assume it’s the mirror situation on the opposite side of the vehicle? I.e. the plastic cover and indentation in the spring perch is present on the driver and passenger side rear of the vehicle?

Sounds like this is a straightforward install. Incredible that Firestone is still stating that their airbag kit isn’t compatible with the 4th Gen AWD models. At this point, it’s proven compatibility in my book.
 
No kidding… perfect. I assume it’s the mirror situation on the opposite side of the vehicle? I.e. the plastic cover and indentation in the spring perch is present on the driver and passenger side rear of the vehicle?

Sounds like this is a straightforward install. Incredible that Firestone is still stating that their airbag kit isn’t compatible with the 4th Gen AWD models. At this point, it’s proven compatibility in my book.
When I contacted fire stone and told them I was going to install the bags or attempt to. The guy asked me to send them some photos providing they did not have to do any hacking on the vehicle.
I took those detailed pictures. I have on this side and sent them to the guy at fire stone and he called me back. Super stoked.
As big of a company they are they have to cover their tail due to so many lawsuits out there.
 
When I contacted fire stone and told them I was going to install the bags or attempt to. The guy asked me to send them some photos providing they did not have to do any hacking on the vehicle.
I took those detailed pictures. I have on this side and sent them to the guy at fire stone and he called me back. Super stoked.
As big of a company they are they have to cover their tail due to so many lawsuits out there.
Most important, Lots of dish soap on the bags when fitting them through the spring!
 
I do not have the actual specs but used my torque wrench to figure out that they are torqued to about 33 ft/lbs
I have subscribed to Techinfo Toyota to get the torque specs for the whole job

Top Spring retaining Plate bolts are 37 ft-lbf
Swing arm to wheel is 74 ft-lbf
Rear Stabilizer link is 52 ft-lbf

The manual also mentions to loosen rear suspension toe adjust cam sub-assembly did you do this? Not sure if its necessary.

I'm getting ready to do this job, I'm going to try to document the exact steps.
 
I have subscribed to Techinfo Toyota to get the torque specs for the whole job

Top Spring retaining Plate bolts are 37 ft-lbf
Swing arm to wheel is 74 ft-lbf
Rear Stabilizer link is 52 ft-lbf

The manual also mentions to loosen rear suspension toe adjust cam sub-assembly did you do this? Not sure if it’s necessary.

I'm getting ready to do this job, I'm going to try to document the exact steps.
Awesome info - extremely helpful.

I have yet complete this modification; maybe someone else can chime in. @RCP2013 did the install himself, so he would probably be the best firsthand resource.
 
I'm copying coil spring airbag related posts by member @RCP2013 to this thread, as he documented the Firestone kit installation very well.
 
Awesome info - extremely helpful.

I have yet complete this modification; maybe someone else can chime in. @RCP2013 did the install himself, so he would probably be the best firsthand resource.
I am curious as to the torque settings that are listed above for each of the parts on the sienna rear suspension?
If that has to do with installing the airbags, you do not have to drop the springs or spring assembly to do the install of Fire stone airbags.
 
I am curious as to the torque settings that are listed above for each of the parts on the sienna rear suspension?
If that has to do with installing the airbags, you do not have to drop the springs or spring assembly to do the install of Fire stone airbags.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the rear coils need to be removed and the upper spring perches removed in order to access the bolt that secures the upper jounce assemble in the spring perch. That jounce needs to be removed and the old hole in the upper spring perch is then used as a routing path for the air bag airline.

I'm not tracking a way to remove the jounce assembly without removing the upper spring perch. But then again, I haven't tackled this project firsthand. If there is a way to remove the jounce assembly without pulling the spring+upper perch, then that would make the install of airbags very easy.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the rear coils need to be removed and the upper spring perches removed in order to access the bolt that secures the upper jounce assemble in the spring perch. That jounce needs to be removed and the old hole in the upper spring perch is then used as a routing path for the air bag airline.

I'm not tracking a way to remove the jounce assembly without removing the upper spring perch. But then again, I haven't tackled this project firsthand. If there is a way to remove the jounce assembly without pulling the spring+upper perch, then that would make the install of airbags very easy.
No, you do not have to drop the springs. Nothing has to be unbolted.
The Joan’s stop if you take an extra large size channel locks tool, and grab the Joan’s stop close to the widest part of the rubber squeeze with the wrench and pull toward you which would be counterclockwise. It may take several attempts, but you break the nut loose up inside the housing above.
Once you break it loose, then reach your hand in there and rattle it and turn it counterclockwise at the same time so that the nut continues to spin off.
 
No, you do not have to drop the springs. Nothing has to be unbolted.
The Joan’s stop if you take an extra large size channel locks tool, and grab the Joan’s stop close to the widest part of the rubber squeeze with the wrench and pull toward you which would be counterclockwise. It may take several attempts, but you break the nut loose up inside the housing above.
Once you break it loose, then reach your hand in there and rattle it and turn it counterclockwise at the same time so that the nut continues to spin off.
No kidding... I assumed the head of the bolt was inside the upper spring perch, with the threaded portion of the bolt facing down and threaded into the jounce cup.
But it sounds like it's the opposite - great info.

I assume the easiest way to do this would be to:
  1. chock the front tire, parking brake on
  2. jack-up one rear corner of the van / secure with a jackstand
  3. remove the wheel on that corner
  4. ensure suspension is at full droop (which should open up the spring)
  5. then follow your steps for jounce and jounce cup + bolt removal
  6. then the steps from Firestone to insert the air bag inside the spring
  7. Drill the 3/8”-1/2” plastic buffer pad you mentioned earlier (in the upper spring perch)
  8. route the airline to the air bag (via the newly made hole in the plastic buffer pad) and route the line out of the top of the spring perch
  9. plumb the line to a pump air fitting / compressor output fitting; inflate the bag per Firestone’s instructions (to seat it within the spring under no load)
  10. reinstall the wheel
  11. lower the corner of the van
  12. verify lugnut torque specs
  13. repeat on the opposite corner of the van
  14. done
 
No problem on sharing the info! Honestly don’t understand why more peeps don’t help others on the upgrade installation info.
A fire stone representative asked me to send him those detailed pictures because they do not make the bags for the all-wheel-drive hybrid as of yet.
The airbags went on, fairly simple, I just had to sit back and think it through. You do not have to remove your Springs.
That black tubing that you see on the top of the airbag, the air line is inside that fuel line, are used it for protection, going through the hole, where it is routed through to prevent any friction rubbing.
The sumo spacers, I drilled holes in them, so I could zip tie them on just like a pair I installed on my Toyota Highlander that came with the holes.
I think this is the last question - what size fuel line did you sheath your Firestone airline with? ID and OD?

I've found a 1/4" ID x 1/2" OD line on Amazon, but I think the OD might be too large to pass through the jounce bolt hole.

Trying to get my supplies in order so this is a short job. I want to prevent those last minute runs to NAPA/Autozone while the van is on jack stands.
 
I think this is the last question - what size fuel line did you sheath your Firestone airline with? ID and OD?

I've found a 1/4" ID x 1/2" OD line on Amazon, but I think the OD might be too large to pass through the jounce bolt hole.

Trying to get my supplies in order so this is a short job. I want to prevent those last minute runs to NAPA/Autozone while the van is on jack stands.
I am unsure on the size of tubing that I used for that.
I purchased majority my auto parts for my older Toyota vehicles from O’Reilly’s, and since I know a few of the people there, they gave me a few different sized pieces so I could test it.
I just asked him if I could get like a 1 inch piece of a couple of the sizes and they were cool with that. Just explain to them what you were trying to do and if they’re cool, they would be willing to help you. I took that one inch piece and cut a small piece of Airline and soaped it up and put it inside. It was kind of a snug fit going through the Jounce stop hole, so use the flathead screwdriver to help feed it through but remember not to put a bunch of pressure on it where you poke through the protective sleeve.
 
I have subscribed to Techinfo Toyota to get the torque specs for the whole job

Top Spring retaining Plate bolts are 37 ft-lbf
Swing arm to wheel is 74 ft-lbf
Rear Stabilizer link is 52 ft-lbf

The manual also mentions to loosen rear suspension toe adjust cam sub-assembly did you do this? Not sure if its necessary.

I'm getting ready to do this job, I'm going to try to document the exact steps.
Do you have more about suspension torque specs? Cuz I`m gonna to upgrade coilover for my 22 sienna xse by myself, after replace coilover, it needs to bushing reset, and I can`t find anymore about torque specs.
 
No, you do not have to drop the springs. Nothing has to be unbolted.
The Joan’s stop if you take an extra large size channel locks tool, and grab the Joan’s stop close to the widest part of the rubber squeeze with the wrench and pull toward you which would be counterclockwise. It may take several attempts, but you break the nut loose up inside the housing above.
Once you break it loose, then reach your hand in there and rattle it and turn it counterclockwise at the same time so that the nut continues to spin off.
Just tried to break the jounce loose. I think I need a bigger set of vice grips. I thought these were big enough, but I couldn’t get a firm purchase and after about a 1/4 turn, the vice grips would slip off the jounce. The jounce is on there tight, I feel like if my vice grips could get me another 1/4 turn, the bolt would break loose.
Image
Image


@RCP2013 does this look right to you? I need a bigger set of vice grips, correct?
 
Just tried to break the jounce loose. I think I need a bigger set of vice grips. I thought these were big enough, but I couldn’t get a firm purchase and after about a 1/4 turn, the vice grips would slip off the jounce. The jounce is on there tight, I feel like if my vice grips could get me another 1/4 turn, the bolt would break loose.
View attachment 64822 View attachment 64823

@RCP2013 does this look right to you? I need a bigger set of vice grips, correct?
Are use the large pair of channel locks like the attached picture. The vice grips do not grab enough of the material to bite and allow you to pull hard and keep that good grip. Look at the size of the jaws on the channel locks.
 

Attachments

Are use the large pair of channel locks like the attached picture. The vice grips do not grab enough of the material to bite and allow you to pull hard and keep that good grip. Look at the size of the jaws on the channel locks.
Yeah, my largest channel locks are about the same size as my largest vice grips, so not big enough.

I’m going to swing by Home Depot tomorrow and see what they have in stock.

Thanks for the assist.
 
41 - 60 of 68 Posts