To Polyair or not
Submitted: Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 13:28
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KTM 520
I would be grateful if i could get some advice on whether to install Polyair bags to my Nissan 02 pathfinder.
The paramenters are
- I simply require the ass of the car to be lifted as i drag a camper trailer and it pulls the soft ass down.
- I am quite happy with the standard of
suspension in its current form for the amount of off road work that i do.
- the cost of 4 shocks and 2 springs is around $800-00 and i still may get the rear end dropping down (if the spring is not "stiff" enough) and to boot a ride that would undoubtedly be harder than the current
suspension.(which i am happy with )
I am lead to believe the Poly airbags are prone to busting (stick impact and chaffing) is this true or not i would think that the chance of getting a stick impact is pretty low.
Seems such a waste to repalce good
suspension that i am happy with and thees Plyairbags will (I assume) provide as good a result for my "limited application"
They sound like a godsend at $424-00 fully fitted
Any help would be greately apreciatted
Reply By: flappan - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 13:55
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 13:55
I don't have them fitted, but playing around with the idea of it for the same reason.
I know of a few folks that have them , and none have had them punctured, altough I have heard of one case of them getting pinched in the spring.
TThe reports I have got are they are definently worth looking at for this type of thing
AnswerID:
32690
Reply By: Revs - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 14:20
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 14:20
I have been running Polyairs in a 80 series for approx 6years involving a lot of long distance bush and desert runs,draging trailers and large loads,through the
Madigan line Simpson Desert ,
Kimberley & Canning and are still using the original Bags.
I have had the air lines pulled out numerous times from hooking on to undergroth but besides the inconvenience to connect them back up I fully recomend them, rear only
AnswerID:
32695
Reply By: Member - Karl - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 14:54
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 14:54
I have had them fitted for just over 12 months now and haven't had a problem. Fitted them so that I could tow my trailer etc. I have a 91 80 Series and would highly reccommend them.
KarlEveryone is entitled to have an opinion - just make sure that yours is correct.
AnswerID:
32698
Reply By: Member - Moggs - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 15:20
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 15:20
I have heard that the Firestone airbags are much better (read thicker and more robust). These are about $480 fitted. Don't know if this is true or not. i have the OME heavy duty springs in the rear and do not suffer any drop beyond original ride height when towing or fully loaded.
Suggest you have a look at the Pathfinder thread at Overlander in the technical section. Rohan K has Polyairs fitted to his Pathy for the same reasons as you are considering them - he tows a camper trailer.
Actually, he will probably read this and respond here....Rohan???Moggs ( Normanhurst NSW)
AnswerID:
32701
Reply By: GLAYVA MAN(bendigo) - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 15:20
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 15:20
gday ktm.
another option would be to just upgrade the rear coils to a higher rate coil you shouldnt notice the ride difference and keep all your original shocks should be about $250 fitted.had a guy with a gq wagon come in for some polly airs the other week but he only tows a small camper a couple of times a year so i just did the rear coils hes as happy as larry.
but just an ideajamieson wild cat
AnswerID:
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Reply By: joc45 - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 15:57
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 15:57
Quite a few threads on this
forum on this subject.
I ran Polyairs for 10 yrs in a GQ, not a single problem.
Now have had them in the GU for 3 years, again no problems.
On the QG, the idiots fitted the schrader valves right out on the ends of the back bumbers, ready to get bashed off; I shifted them. When I had them fitted to the GU, I prepared the fitting spot for them. Re getting the air hose ripped out, just make sure that the hose is tied up
well out of the way.
Gerry
AnswerID:
32705
Reply By: Member - Melissa - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 16:20
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 16:20
Kim,
We've done a lot of homework on getting Polairs for our GU and will definitely go ahead with them before our next trip away. Same reason as you as we just need a bit of extra support when towing our campertrailer. The OME
suspension is in good order and as most of our driving is around town, we don't want to have a permanent
suspension lift. I know several people with Polairs and all are happy. None of them have had any problems. I wonder if those that have had bags fail through bursting are due to suspect fitting. Although of course, freak incidents do occur from time to time when you're 4Wdriving.
:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: KTM 520 - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 16:56
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 16:56
To all that respnded,
It would appear that the Polyairs are a graet idea.
I noted the comment re stiffre springs but thsi si the same idea as a stiffer spring and will ensure that theb ride height can be adjusted "to suit''... NOT the case with a new spring... you get waht you "get" .
It would appear that a stiffer spring requires a new shock (or so i am told by the 4wd store..... seems to make sense to ensure the valving matches the new springy thing (new my bike days would one day come in handy) .
So given that they can actually extend the life of the spring and shock AND there is no "guessing" that would be the case with a new stiffer spring fitted ,...go the Polyairs.
Imagine a new spring fitted (and possibly shock) and finding out it is NOT stiff enough to handle the load.... then again throw in some Viagra Polyairs and wellllllllllllllllllllll here we come ):):):):.
Cheers to all
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 17:54
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 17:54
KTM,
Have polyairs on rear of 80 series, and only problem has been the hose being pinched, probably between body and chassis. Other than that they give good ride, and keep arse up, when loaded.
Hooroo...
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Andrew - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 20:46
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 20:46
I got my Polyairs from www.truckspring.com for U.S. $69.95 and fitted them myself. Cost about $40 US to have them come airmail and they were here within a week for $186 Australian and then I fitted them myself without any trouble. Saved myself a few hundred dollars. They arent a bad price really for what you get and I reckon they are worth it.
Andrew
AnswerID:
32725
Follow Up By: Member - Bradley- Monday, Oct 06, 2003 at 11:33
Monday, Oct 06, 2003 at 11:33
Hi Andrew, i checked out the site for airbags for the rear of my Jackaroo (Trooper to them) and they certainly are cheap and look really easy to fit. While i was there i had a look at the firestone compressors and they have a heavy duty compressor to do tyres etc as
well as the bags that looks fairly
well built and looks like a lot of the one's sold here under various names, at $160 us it seems pretty good value. Have you seen these also and do you have any idea of the quality ?? Thanks for the great lead on the site.. BradLife is short- but there's always time for a yarda.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Steve from Drive Systems Victoria - Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 21:22
Friday, Oct 03, 2003 at 21:22
The trouble with air-bags is that they work only if you can keep air in them, and if you plan to do some fair-dinkum 4x4 driving, then chances are you will rip off an air line and/or
puncture a bag. When this happens you are back to a standard rate spring with a bleep load of weight on it. Why not invest in a second pair of springs that you can fit when towing/off-roading and leave the soft compliant springs for running around town. Pathfinder springs are easy to change, 10 minutes with a hoist, no problem. No modifications to do to the car, no air lines to nurse, no bags to
puncture, no valves to perish.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - John - Saturday, Oct 04, 2003 at 06:52
Saturday, Oct 04, 2003 at 06:52
Hi KTM520,
My answer is YES!!
Had Polyairs in my GQ for 8 years and no problems.
Now have 4.8GU and fitted Firestones myself. Dead easy!
Maybe if you we going to do real extreme off roading the bags and air lines may be vunerable, but I am talking about EXTREME offroading.
Fit em and enjoy the benefits.
Happy 4 wheeling
WoodsyHappy 4 wheeling
AnswerID:
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Reply By: nifty - Monday, Oct 06, 2003 at 20:35
Reply By: Graham & Ann - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2003 at 18:28
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2003 at 18:28
Have had polyairs fitted to 3 vehicles now...no problems
Our Pathy has done around 80000km with them on, lots of dirt roads, just dont run too high a pressure in them if you travel fast over rough dirt roads, we run around 5psi normally, 12psi loaded without towing the van, and 18 to 22 with the van on.1999 Pathfinder
17ft Evernew 'All Roads' van
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Gordon - Monday, Oct 20, 2003 at 10:09
Monday, Oct 20, 2003 at 10:09
Kim 520
I was thinking the same as you when I looked at this 6 months ago. I fitted Polyairs for our
Cape York Trip in August. I couldn't be happier.
Compared with new springs you get the best of both worlds and a broad range of ride settings according to how much load and what pressure you decide to run.
I carry a small bike pump so that changing the pressure is dead easy.
Just remember they say to inflate before you load up. After loading reduce pressure to obtain the desired ride height. Don't inflate after loading.
Regarding the risks, I concluded that there are plenty of serious 4WDers who have had a good long run (8-10 yrs) with them. So its hard to go past them.
I can't believe anyone would contemplate having two sets of springs / shocks - one set for off-road and and another for on-road.
AnswerID:
34435