Shocks/leaf/coil suspension upgrade

Submitted: Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 15:08

ThreadID: 95772 Views:3454 Replies:5 FollowUps:6

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Wolfy03

Hi all, I'm in the market for a complete overhaul of my existing suspension. I'm a tradie that uses car (D40 2010 dual cab with service body box on tray) for work during week and play on weekend. With the constant weight (90% of time) around the 400-500kg mark on the back I've decided to upgrade...I've currently got polyaire airbags on bag which assist the weight but feel obliged to upgrade suspension to prolong the life of airbags and car overall.

If anyone has some words of wisdom/advice/experience please entice me, this will be much appreciated and ever so grateful and enable me to make an informed decision before parting with my hard earned cash!

P.S. - GVM is 2850kg with existing weight around the 2600kg mark with full tank of fuel n two people plus 14month daughter. 70L tank.
Cheers.

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Reply By: Member - Serendipity(WA) - Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 18:22

Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 18:22

Hi Wolfy

I would like to help but ...... which 4x4 do you own? Brand?

And also where do you live .... city? if you live in my area?

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AnswerID: 486668

Follow Up By: Madfisher - Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 20:27

Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 20:27

He told you mate, Nissan d40.
Cheers Pete

FollowupID: 761950

Follow Up By: Wolfy03 - Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 20:35

Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 20:35

Hey serendipity,
It is a d40 Nissan navara dual cad 2010 model and I live in Adelaide. Hope this is a start.
Cheers

FollowupID: 761955

Reply By: splits - Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 22:48

Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 22:48

Wolfy

Do you have anything in the cabin apart from the two of you and your daughter? Dual cabs are designed to carry five decent sized people in the front and the rest on the back. You have it the other way around which is why you are well under GVM but the rear end is down.

If it works now then I would leave it and replace the air bags if they eventually wear out. If you want it a little higher then I would add another leaf to the springs. I did that years ago to a Mitsubishi L200 single cab that was carrying a pop top camper and it worked perfectly. I simply cut the eyes off the main leaf in another set of stock springs and put them in as the second leaf.

If you do anything then alter the springs, don't blow the bags up any harder. They become progressively harder as they are compressed and are real good at bending chassis.

Check in Google if you want some never ending reading on that subject.

AnswerID: 486855

Reply By: GT Campers - Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 21:37

Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 21:37

get rid of the airbags - they will eventually break your chassis just above the axle. Much better to upgrade the leaf springs and put the stress into the chassis where Nissan designed it to be put in.

Are you sure of your weights - many service bodies weigh several hundred kegs when empty...?

AnswerID: 486944

Follow Up By: Wolfy03 - Sunday, Jun 03, 2012 at 09:04

Sunday, Jun 03, 2012 at 09:04

Hey gt, took it to a weigh bridge and with the box on it was 2650kg and the next wend I had it off and had it weighed which was 2180kg. I am leaning towards getting the suspension upgraded but tossing up between 300kg or 500kg springs but unsure what shocks to get so just trying to get people's opinions/wisdom from their experiences. How'd the mainland show go by the way...disappointed in not being able to get there...again!

Cheers for everyone's input thus far.

FollowupID: 762750

Reply By: Dough Boy - Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 20:30

Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 20:30

Hi Wolfy03
I have a D22 2010 model
I took it to ARB and the help and advice was great. I know have a full Old Man Emu set up and all the sagging issues are gone and the ride quality has improved out of site, the added bonus is a 50 mm lift in ground clearance . ARB is a company well worth talking to !
Cheers

AnswerID: 487123

Follow Up By: Member - Scott M (NSW) - Sunday, Jun 03, 2012 at 17:16

Sunday, Jun 03, 2012 at 17:16

"ARB is a company well worth talking to" .... as long as you buy their products !!! For independent advice - forget it !

Needed to upgrade and lift the leaf springs on my 40 series tray ... wen't to the local ARB delear (no names) for advice .....

OME - "greatest thing since sliced bread"
Lovells?? - "peice of bleep mate - wouldn't buy them"
SaxSuspension? - "nah - not rated mate"

despite the fact that the latter 2 are extensively used by the mining industry and other heavy transport industries...

Wound up going to the independent Climax suspension dealer who said the standard Lovells are rated better than any Heavy Duty OME's and Ironman suspension. Wound up buying a set of rear HD Lovells springs.

Ironically I spoke to both the sales folks at Lovells and Sax and mentioned I was thinking of buying the others products - both of them said either Sax or Lovells are good springs and I would be happy with either.... fairly honest advice !!!

FollowupID: 762797

Reply By: GT Campers - Monday, Jun 04, 2012 at 09:47

Monday, Jun 04, 2012 at 09:47

yep I am also an admirer of ARB, the product is developed to the 'nth' degree so there is no guesswork - you know your weights (getting heavy!) so it will be easy for them to specify a kit that works for you. Plus there is a big dealer network for warranty etc

Scott, like a lot of manufacturers/retailers, ARB probably gets its fair share of brain-pickers, time-wasters and dreamers in thier stores, too - especially on Saturdays. But of course their aim is to retail ARB product,which they are familiar with, not hand out free information or specs on competitor product

AnswerID: 487573

Follow Up By: Member - Scott M (NSW) - Monday, Jun 04, 2012 at 13:50

Monday, Jun 04, 2012 at 13:50

GT, I don't have any issue with them pushing their products - hey that's business. Most of their products are fine, albeit expensive copies of other things.

It's just the rubbishing of competitors that gets on my goat. This particular store my father and I have had a long relationship with, and they used to sell both ARB & TJM equipment. Used to flog Lovells and Engel kit, now ....

"piece of sh*t mate..."

I still have a lot of respect for the guy who runs the store, it's just you can see the ARB "toe the line" coming through. Erodes my faith in any independent advice is all.

FollowupID: 762872