Polyairs vs Hayman Reese

Interesting, In my experience with airbags the vehicle runs very well on long stretches of corrugations. Tyres will work hard anyway has you should lower pressures a little when on rough/corrugated dirt dirt......Very interesting........Did the Great Central road last year and down the Oodnadatta track without issue and an excellent ride........

Yep - can add the Gibb, the Kalumburu Rd (picture left) and the Tanami track to the "bag run" too Teabag - bags that are used within their limitations (not overloaded or thrashed) seem to work fine (like anything - exceed their design capacity and anything will hapen !).
I'm sure that load levelling hitches are better in certain applications, but they present a severe compromise it seems, for those of us wanting to crawl in and out of camping spots, once we come off the graded roads.

Hi Andrew

The information I'm about to give you is from a guy that owns his own suspension outlet and when necessary makes his own springs.

We were talking the other day about air bags, he said idealy you should lift the car and its load about 1 inch or so with the springs, EG heavy duty, another inch or so with the air bag using the correct air pressure.

If the car still sags perhaps try weight distribution.

This is for coil springs, He said people the sell air bags for leaf springs are nothing but thieves.

If you need to drop tyre pressure to get a better ride on dirt roads, simply means your suspension isn't working properly.

Cheers Steve.

Steve,

Can you please clarify something? Are you saying you shouldn't lower your tyre pressures on dirt roads or when traversing our great outback roads? This is the way I took your comment and please correct me if I have it wrong?

Thanks,

Teabag

Hi Teabag.

There has been lots of debate on this forum in regards to tyre pressure on dirt roads, I run Oz made Bridgestone A/T duellers at 40 front and 42 rear.

I have done this on 8 cars over 6 years and covered approx 580.000 km, 1/2 of which was on corrugated roads across the top end, from Gove to Broome.

I have never blown a tyre, Most people on the forum that tell you to lower your pressure and lower your speed, they also tell you to take an extra spare in case of a blow out.

All suspension adds tell you what happens to tyres if the suspension isn't doing its job, I've never seen them say adjust your tyre pressure to fix the problem.

So to answer your question, my opinion is no you shouldn't.

Cheers Steve.

Steve,

I guess this is each to his own....I don't do it to cover up poor suspension but for proven longevity of tyres........I have done this for 20 plus years with the similar Km to yourself living in Gove, Darwin etc and has work extremely well for me....I guess we have a difference of opinion on this one.....

Hi Steve, i to run the aussy made bridgestones and have never had to run them at the pressures you are talking about, i also have done trips you have spoken about and have also towed C/T and wagon fully loaded and have only ever run at 32- 33psi all round including C/T, i have never had a blow out and get about 100,000ks per set, i have only a 2inch lift with big heavy duty shocks. Its my opinion that tyres will do the same job no matter what sort of suspension or up grade fitted to any vehicle, i also carry an extra spare and never had to use it but for peace of mind.!! The pressures you run at must give a horrid harsh ride when on corrugations. What sort of prssure do you run with an unladen vehicle. Col

Hi Teabag and Kiwicol.

Firstly Teabag there's nothing wrong with agreeing to disagree, If we all agreed with each other life would be pretty boring.

Hey Kiwicol It just goes to show what a great tyres they are,My springs give a 65 mm lift and when the truck is fully laden the ride is perfect, on my own it is harsher but I'm not going to lower them for myself these trucks are primarily for work.

Have a nice day

Cheers Steve.

Thanks for the tip off John but wrong model and I have a 2" lift plus the guy wont ship.

Looks like I am up for a new set.

Best price for airbags , www.trucksprings.com , you get them delivered to your door for about 1/2 the price even allowing for $au to $us conversion rates.

They don't list the air bags as being available for the 2000 or 2001 Montero (Pajero)

Ya cant be looking hard enough , click onto montero sport 2000 model , firestone air helper springs ,{yes I know the picture doesnt look like its what you want } click on it a voila , Firestone airbags for your Paj , $77.28 us , easy as to self fit.

Montero Sport is a Challenger not a Pajero....

pchris

You beat me to it....that'll be why the picture doesn't look like what I want Alloy c/t.

Thanks Guys but Easter is rapidly approaching and local warranty carries a lot with me, so I am going local with supply and fit. I carry pretty valuable cargo (family) so I don't want any unexpected surprises.

And if the pair of you looked properly you would find that that the part required is 1 and the same !! ooh well spend your $s how you wish ,wont bother trying to help u again., lest to say that the Warranty is not a real excuse , the Firestone "bags " are heavy duty while the polyair does the job at a price only.

Thanks for the tip Doug but the Pajero is a coil spring vehicle.

I know the Paj is coil sprung, didn't you read the OME link
Here it is again, THE OME LINK FOR COIL SPRUNG VEHICLES

Site Link

I must add that Steve in the NT has pushed his mates springs before on the Forum, wonder who's going to drive all the way to Darwin just to get a set of springs, He also pushes the idea of running tyres at high pressures on rough road , That is plain Stupidity ,

OHHHH!

That link, I could have sworn that it said "leafs" but keyboards have been known to misinterpret the typists commands from time to time.

Your 20' van would be dual axle wouldn't it?

My camper has a hellish tow ball weight the wheels are at about 75% from the front of the camper (no not the draw bar).

I wouldn't know an NM Pajero if I fell over one ....lol I wasn't sure that's why I put both up, you know "kill two birds....." your right the link was for Leaf in www format but the other link for Coils came up as only "Site Link".
Now on the subject of Mitsubashi's, have you seen the 2007 Delica , just one word say's it ....WOW , Keep an eye for a new post , I will put it up for you .

Doug

Doug

hehehehe cheeky lot aren't we.

No I can't say I have seen the 2007 Delica but I am going to have a look now.

We a having a demo at the end of the month on the new "Bush Winch" with the club and some of the Delica Club guys are coming along so no doubt I will hear about it then as well.

Paul

Oops....like a speeding Mitsubishi I beat you to it.

<img src="http://www.mitsubishi4wd.org.au/images/delica2007.jpg"

You Mongrel .....
Do I detect a slight Honda CRV in the window lines

Doug

With the risk of going so far of topic I would need a GPS to find my way back, I would say you are right and that is the problem with the newer stuff these days all starting to look the same.

Why did you say ...."so far off topic" these vehicles run Pajero running gear so they would be a very capable 4x4, maybe these new ones are lower in the roof too , I know a couple of blokes in the East that have the older ones as Pilot Vehicles, ,
Now we here in Australia pronoince the word wrong too Pa j ero , the J should be sounded as an H , Pahero , Pajero's are a South American Wild Cat so in South America, Mexico, as an example San Jose , we don't say Jose , more like Hozay .
The Mitsubishi Pajero, known as the Mitsubishi Montero in the Americas and Spain, and as Mitsubishi Shogun in the United Kingdom, is an SUV built by Mitsubishi Motors. The name Montero (meaning "mountain warrior") was used because Pajero is slang for wanker in Spanish.
Check link
Site Link

I am saying off topic because the thread was about Poly Airs vs Hayman Reese.

Yes the Delicas are very capable indeed. Can't see them not being able to go anywhere a Pahero can go.

Graham & Ann

My vehicle fully laden is sitting level at the moment. I have a 2" lift with heavier duty springs but that hasn't firmed up the suspension enough to carry the load of my camper. I have a drawer system and recovery gear in well underneath that. Even when I put the fridge in and extra water etc the car is OK but when the camper goes on it sags a good 40-50mm.

The camper is front heavy with the 115 amp battery, fridge, boot and water tank all forward of the axle line. The read overhang of the camper has only the spare tyre to counter balance. I have even contemplated moving the water tank to the other side of the axle line.

Polyairs I hope will stop most of the sag, I have a pair of load levellers that lift the rear about 30mm and I am hoping the poly's will stop the other 20mm sag. If not I will have to upgrade to Hayman Reese kit to get it level.

My main concern is that the poly airs may well prevent sagging in the rear but will not transfer the weight onto the front wheels like the levellers will. Hence I feel having both will be the ultimate.

I agree with you on the tyre pressures it has been proven many times over. Although many tyre experts say that if your tyre pressure between hot & cold is more than 4 degrees you don't have the correct inflation for your speed.

Your right the polyairs wont transfer any weight back onto the front wheels to aid steering/braking etc. if your only using a light 2 bar system for up to 85kg tow ball weight at the moment maybe the 4 bar 110kg system would do the job for you. The 250kg units are very heavy & bulky themselvs adding probably around 20kg odd to the ball weight...
www.hardingscaravans.com.au/towing4.htm

IT Dr, just noticed some other lighter WDH systems 125kg & 130kg
that maybe suitable. tinyurl.com/326sq3