Grande Airbag Retaining after a Lift

[Peterpilot]

Airbags pinned

I decided it was time to pin the airbags to stop them popping again by drilling a 4mm hole in the airbag base pin and retaining it by using a 3mm R clip in the same way Craig did.



To deflate the airbags and allow me to work on them, I used a Toyota Special Service Tool (SST) that makes it easy to remove the air lines.




Thanks to Craig who allowed me to borrow the special service tool for this mod and Marc for coming up with the R pin idea in the first place.

[Peterpilot]

Airbag popped

I set up an articulation test to check the security of the air spring seat at full flex with my long travel shocks and found it was very easy to get an airbag to pop.



When the airbag popped, it also dislodged the retaining clip at the top of the airbag. This clip is a real PITA to get back in.



My rear shocks are 618mm open length and my set up allows 930mm total droop, but I was still surprised at how easy it was to pop an airbag.

[1coolbanana]

Your welcome mate, Im glad it worked out so well for you.
Cheers
Marc

[macaroon1]

Guys..With 1Coolbananas thorough help I did this upgrade on my Grande a few months ago and I'm well stoked by it. Initially the front was (L) 730 (R)720. Rear was (L)797, (R) 780.

Now the lift is 775, 780 830 and 825 in the same order so I've gained a lift of around 40mm. I spaced out the sensors using panel washers as 1Coolbanana instructed. I aimed for 820mm at the back but it's worked out slightly higher. I may have to drop the Rear left a little? I went to Fraser a few months ago and it was awesome. Drives a lot stiffer/firmer now and rolls far less so is a better ride. I used Tough dog springs and shocks front and naturally just T Dog shock in the back, OEM airbag still there! I obviously lost the firmness control but the ride H control is still there if I ever need it - would not keep it on high for too long though-must be near max droop?

I owe 1coolbanana a lot as he saved me a lot of dosh, a kit would have been x2 the price. Very happy with the Tough Dog adjustable suspension for the Grande, all the same parts as above PPer. Now feel more confident to do some bigger trips and do not plough through the sand collecting a ton in the bash plates! Just cycle the height with the R wheels on ground..a mechanic put the springs on ..do not have spring tensioners etc.
Again, many thanks 1coolbanana.

[1coolbanana]

I have to say that now after the Flinders trip that I am very impressed with the Tough Dog setup.
So smooth, soaked up the worst of everything, the adjustability made a huge difference.
Corrugations, bulldust holes, cattle grids and dips, ate them all up.
If there was one bad thing to say, it would be that it handles so well that you find yourself going way too fast, way too often!
Must exercise more self control, I cant remember how many times I bottomed out or got airborne in the last couple weeks and the TD's really made the car handle brilliantly.
Still very happy with my choice for the Grande.

Good job Craig. Will be doing this soon I hope. Maybe ironman foam cell shock or Bilsteins. The ironman seems to be longer to suit the Grande after a lift and then setting the ride height to high. Still undecided.

[craigm]

Been following you on your trip viewer...You lucky bugga!!!

[1coolbanana]

Excellent, good on you mate :-)
PS: Hi from the Flinders, what a nice place.

[Peterpilot]

Fantastic work Craig, well done!

[craigm]

OK. In the end it became all to hard to completely remove the Airbag. I couldn't see for the life of me how to get to the top of the bag to remove the top retaining clip and hose assembly (let alone reinstall it successfully) So we took Option 2 as per Marc's solution and used the "R" clip method. We deflated the airbags at the compressor (much easier to get to), using the $29 piece of plastic known as a special service tool (SST) and yes it does make it easier to remove the tubes...
Drilling a 4mm hole through the 18mm Dia pin


and then using a 3mm "R" pin from bunnings.


Because the front has now been raised (higher than expected which will need to be corrected), I have packed out the height sensors with panel washers totalling 14mm giving me an additional 42mm lift at the rear (840mm). once I reduce the front to around 810mm, I will most likely reduce the rear to a final height of around 825mm to keep it all sensible.

[craigm]

Thanks Marc. Enjoy your trip... looks like a cracker


Craig

[1coolbanana]

Good plan mate.
Let us know how it goes.
In the mean time, hopefully I wont loose a bag in the Flinders and hopefully be back in a couple weeks!

[craigm]

I would say that with the thickness of the seating pin at the bottom of the airbag you would need to remove the bag anyway (good luck MLC!) Ideally the better option than to install a clip would be to do what Mr Toyota should have done in the first place and weld a couple of tiny bars about 5mm long at the end of the pin and turn the seating pin into a Keyed Pin to suit the keyhole that it sits in. This is what I believe is done with the US 4Runner (see pics). That way the bag is held in place and "if" there was ever a need to remove the bag, it would just be a matter of turning the bag 90 degrees and remove. Why didnt they do that on the Prado? Then we would'nt need this thread!




Edit: The Seating Pin could always be drilled and a pin welded into place to form a keyed pin.

OK, after all the lengthy discussions on this thread, together with the decision on what springs to go for on the front, today I ordered my suspension package (the Bilstein BE5-A712's & BE5-A713's) and the KTFR-101HD's. I have also ordered as recommended, the optional stone shields for the rear.
I will also be having a crack at retaining the air-bags by the above method. But will avoid welding and will drill out and insert a roll pin which is split down the length of the pin and is compressed as it is tapped into place. These are high tensile steel and I have been advised that they should be fine as they only protrude out approx 5mm. This will also enable me to remove the pin should the need ever arise. I will be able to remove the bag without having to muck around trying to pullout an R or split pin either. It will simply be a matter of turning the bag the 90 degrees and remove.


Not having removed the airbags before and not knowing anyone who has removed and reinstalled the bags either (including a Toyota mechanic down the road), I have ordered replacement O-rings ($4.00 ea) for the pneumatic connections together with the tube removal tool ($35.00) as insurance. (see post #13 in this thread. They may well not need to be replaced but better to be safe than sorry. Once suspension is all done, I will then use washers as Marc has to space out the sensors.
I will take the obligatory pics this weekend and report back then..

[1coolbanana]

And dont forget:

5 - Just get Tough Dog suspension setup and lift, and you dont have to do anything else :-P

[MidLifeCrisis]

Well done to the guys who put this together. Can I suggest the summary gets put on the first post?