Shocks/leaf/coil suspension upgrade
Submitted: Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 15:08
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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.
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 - 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:
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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.
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Follow Up By: GT Campers - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2012 at 10:36
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2012 at 10:36
yeah I'm "hearing ya"...
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