air adjustable shockies

Air adjustable shockies where a big thing back in the 70's and 80's ...... they have a number of problems, thus that are no where near as popular as they once where.

The biggest problem is that they do not address the source of the problem.

cheers

They can put undue stress on the point where the shocks attach to the chassis instead of spreading the load across where the springs attach. In the case of dual cab utes, this can cause the chassis to bend because they don't have the extra support provided by the full body of a wagon.

Most shock mounts are not strong enough to take additional loading. most are one sided and therefore there is a bending action at where they are fixed. Fatigue then breaks them off.
The above comments of the load being presented in areas between the spring support area are true.

If the caravan load is making the nose rise and the bum drop down then those forces won't be altered by pumping up shocks. it will only cause an modest increase in ride height. The principle of levers still applies.

Springs suited to the load are best, so ride height is maintained and caravan ball loading modified and/or a levelling device may be needed.

Air bags only lift the load above it and do nothing to return weight to the front axle which has been lifted due to attaching the caravan.

The only way to do this is with a weight distributing hitch.

There has been endless fighting/discussion on the Caravan Forum about this for as long as I can remember so I suggest you join there and search the subject.
Will keep you reading for a week at least.

Look at it like this You load your tug and it sits ok You attach the van and the rear drops and the front lifts due to the weight at the end of a fulcrum .
Put air bags under the load and all you do is lift the fulcrum point higher and in some cases make the problem worse.

I had them many years ago in my FC to stop the guards rubbing on the wide wheels I had on it.Eventually it punched them through the shock mount and into the boot. Absolutely useless they are.

Paul

It sounds like you are asking this question because you have a caravan hooked up to your car and the rear end is sagging.

If that is the case then have a look in the car owner's handbook and see if the manufacturer has said anything about using a weight distributing hitch above a certain weight on the tow ball.

That is the only way you can lift the rear of the car. A WDH levers the rear end of the car up and takes weight off the rear axle. That weight is then redistributed between the front wheels of the car and the wheels of the caravan.

A WDH is not a spring. Heavier springs, air bags or air shocks do not take weight off the axle and they do not put any back onto the front wheels. The correct weight on the front wheels is critical if the car is to steer properly.

I could write for half the night on this subject but it would be much easier for you to read these links.

dynamics

towing weight

3500kg

If you happen to have a cab chassis ute then read this one

bent utes

Ah, the 70's ! I remember parking quite some distance from other campers at Alice as I oxy welded up the holes punched through the floor of my mates HR wagon. About 5 cm from the fuel tank ! An extra 60 l of fuel in the spare wheel well and corrugations will do that !

I would suggest don't use band-aid ideas and get the correct springs to support the load and shocks to match that way they will last longer than the standard springs and you can still have a comfy ride when unloaded. Standard springs usually can't support much extra weight because they are mainly based around comfort and not load carrying.