Polyairs

Hi Craig,
Mine have 20psi in them for same reason....but they seem just a little more bouncy with the rig fully loaded for this trip.... than the original setup when it was more moderately loaded for a week long trip.
I so was really hoping that with say 5psi, and usual weekend load they would allow the original suspension setup.... which was excellent... to not be effected.
I'm headed to the Simpson, up the Hay River.
Cheers
Joe

Hmmm, interesting, obviously more difference in the Firestones that I first though. The maximum for the Firestones is 35psi,not 30 and I reguarly run mine at 35 when we go away. Around down I run mine at about 20psi.
My airlines also run out the bottom of the air bag, not the top... The airlines are polyutheraine type and would be very hard to break, even with some rubbing, but the kit also came with a braided type cover for them.

How do the bags effect articulation on a Hilux more than any other rigid axel vehicle?

Crackles, I was going to fit airbags on a 60 series, so i'm interested in your comment on 100pSI rubber type being better for leaf sprung vehicles. What are 100 psi rubber type? Brand name and supllier also please. Anyone else have comments re polys on a leafspring setup?
Thanks
Mike

O...... you're that lcool Joe :-))

Jeff on my hilux I fitted the Polyairs inside the mini coils as supplied in the kit but the bag size needed to support the rear of the car was then too tall to be compressed in the small distance between the spring & chassis. From memory when the spring had bottomed out on the bump stop there was less than 100mm of room for the bag & was so distorted it wouldn't have lasted a week up the bush.

Mike the rubber air bags I mentioned are from Firestone I believe & alot heavier duty than the Polyairs. Their bellows construction are more suitable for leaf sprung vehicles (IMHO) as they compress more. I have a good friend with a grossly overloaded 78 series with a set that carrys a Trayon camper & they have performed faultlessly on the roughest of tracks. Albury 4x4 centre fitted them from memory but are widely available.
Cheers Craig..........

Crackles, In the instructions for my Firestone's it told me to haxsaw off the bump stop so there was more room for articulation and the bag. Perhaps Polyair didn't think of this?

Hi Banjo,
Our Hay River trip is south north across the Simpson and we have over 700 Km between fuel and water. No track in the mddle seaction of the trip, just GPS points.

The Bilsteins with Lovells an my 120 are medium rated and in fact rode smoother than OEM setup...and this is confirmed by back to back comparisions by fellow drivers of standard 120 who I gave a drive on same section of "test track"

I'm not qualified to comment on your Jack, but you could speak to Darren McRae at AFT 4x4 in Geelong.
Cheers
Joe

Understood Joe - that is a different plan indeed...thanks re the 4 X 4 contact .... will give him a buzz.

Banjo,
Gave you a bum steer....it's ATS 4x4....not AFT....ph 0352216599...good luck
Cheers
Joe

Noted - thanks a lot Joe.

Hi David,
I'm sure you will be out with us again before long!

OK you have had some drama with them, overall the balance from the feed back is postive....nothing is ever perfect....they are on now, but I do have option of having them removed and going with heavier springs, before leaving if I'm not happy....but I'm inclined to stick with them. Keeping 5psi in them when not loaded seems very important.
I have the 120 roof rack set up with 4 marine fuel tanks(92lt) and fuel line fittings that snap on and deliver the fuel into the rig without hasstle.
Took out the rear seats and other stuff that totalled 100kg.
100lt of water is behind the front seats.Once we have done the Hay River with Darren and Guy's Marion and I are heading off on our own from Alice Sprigs, Tannimi, Balgo Hills, Halls Creek, Kananara, Kakadu and anywhere else we feel safe travelling alone...told everyone back in around 2 months.
Look forward to being together on a trip again.
Cheers
Joe

Spot on Bob - after the foregoing posts, Joe will probably be ready for you sage advice on the "excessive weight" factor ...........he might already know that, but it is a biggy in my books - causes more trouble than commonly known I think.

Hi Bob,
Here's my calculations for fuel...V6 petrol, and I know I have a safety margin....and I'm happy with it...I have detailed my reasons due to distance and remoteness of this trip...this information may help people make thier own decisions.
Given fuel will be used as we go the weight issue rapidly reduces...On first part of the trip we can accurately check consumption when we do the Warbuton, Popoels; Corner Birsdville section and restock at Birdsville...I have an empty 20lt Jerry can which I'm taking empty but really do not expect to fill at Birdsville.We also have to allow that we may have turn back beyond the half way point if we can't get through further up the Hay River.

As to water I have 90 lt drinking water, for 8 days which is also generous but provides margin should any radiator problems surface.plus 5lt in the porta potty and 5lt in drink bottles....also not planning to shower.

Fuel test...done locally
Completed 779.km in the 120....add 5% further for the larger tyres ...actual
distance travelled 818km.
Fuel used 143.8lt....regular unleaded

That's 5.68km to each lt.
or 17.6lt per 100 km

55% driving was very short city trips into/out of Geelong(loaded to around 70% of camping goods)
45% driving was good gravel tracks and sealed country roads...to Glen Aire and back ( loaded for weekend camping including roof rack load)
All driven in high range tyre pressure @36psi

For The Hay River...
On board the main tanks hold 180..... 165 usable, plus 92 lt in the marine tanks ....total of 257lt.
For the desert trip...
Fully loaded and travelling on sand constantly...... say estimated consumtion of 22lt per 100.(25% increase on my test done above of 17.6lt per 100)
Therefore to cover 772 km of the desert section 170lt req.
Leaves 87lt margin...seems very generous,however with another 150/200 kg on board the base calculation of 22lt per 100 may end up higher.

Did another run last week around Mt Cole close to fully loaded and got 17.9lt per 100...no sand, no low range and 36psi (pressures will be lower on the actual trip which has no track....so 22.5 lt per hundred good starting point.

That's fair bit of detail ...cheers joe

Something the "doomsdayers" here havent considered is that the vehicle was pretty much carrying the weight on its medium spring rate already, just sitting down slightly in the rear, so the polyairs have helped with this, and will be able to be adjusted, to less pressure as fuel, water food, and beer are used out of the vehicle, meaning the car wont be stuck with the heavier spring rate.

The Bilstiens certainly help with the polyairs, as I wouldnt suggest them to anyone with anything but the velocity controlled Bilstiens, as they do help prevent the bounce bounce bounce of the expedential spring rate air bags provide, better than other shocks IMHO.

I have seen the nipples break off polyairs, and seen a set burst in the rear of a rangie, jumping a dune at beachport, but not in recent years.