120 Series Prado Grande rear suspension

Sounds nasty

G'day

I would suggest that you weigh your vehicle when fully ladden. Make sure that maximum weights are not being exceeded:-

1. On each wheel
2.On each axle
3. Overall

Look in your manual for permitted vehicle weights. On the tyres for max permitted weights.

I am a fan of airbag suspension but do not over load it. I would suggest that you investigate how to change an airbag on your vehicle and.....take a deep breath....the replacement cost and perhaps consider carrying a spare.

You may find the airbag man web site of interest Airbag Man

Regards

Paul

Check this thread out LINK
If you don't want this to happen again I would Sell the Grande and buy GXL..
Also you might get rid of Air Suspension in the back of the Grande and
put normal Springs/Shocks suspension on the back like in GXL

Are you the guy who's Prado had to be recovered to Longreach on a trailer behind a LC ute? Did it arrive in Longreach in one piece?

Looked like the guys used every piece of bubble wrap and tarp they could get thier hands, on so hope it was OK for you.

Cheers....

Hi
When crossing the Simpson Desert in early July we came across a couple in a poverty pack Prado with a popped airbag (they have no coils) stopped on a claypan before Poepells. The bag had fallen out entirely and the owner couldn't get it back in. With 2 jacks to jack up the car and jack down the suspension we were able to gain sufficent room to refit the otherwise undamaged bag and reattach it with hose clamps and gaffer tape to prevent the bag being damaged. The vehicle drove away from us and we never caught him on the way to Birdsville, back to Rockhampton.
IMHO the factory installed clamp holding on the bag can't take extreeme suspension extension and compression found driving on the French Line.
Regards
Ian at Mount Dare

I remember reading the last 4WDOTY by 4WDM (I think), and the Prado Grande was knoocked out fairly early because they suspected that the Grande's achilles heel would be the fancy airbag suspension in the bush. Seems to have proven them right.