Auto-Craft Bilstein Suspension Setup

[Damien Parker Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Damien Parker]

Well it appears that i have been given the OK to get the suspension.

I guess my birthday in a few weeks will be rather fun, with a bullbar and suspension to fit.

Then to get out and get it all dirty :twisted:

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

you can read my mind chippy !!!!!!!!

Sorry Matt .... It was a very short read ! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Cheers
Chippy

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

You blokes are descending into filth... (black dildos??) :shock: :shock:

Could we have more of this in future please??

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Have a look at Matt's avatar ... he's actually rising out of the filth :lol:

Cheers
Chippy

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

he's actually rising out of the filth :lol:

Unlike the rest of us (who remain stuck in it!)

[Byrnsie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Byrnsie]

Although I still love my new suspension setup, I was disappointed in how much sag I experienced when loaded up. I lost all of the 65mm lift which resulted in a arse down / front up aspect when driving. (Not good for cars in front when driving at night!).

In hindsight, should have either opted for stiffer rear springs or gone the Polyairs. May have to do a retrofit afterall.

Here is a picture of my saggy rear end under load.


Cheers - Byrnsie

[Signature035 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Signature035]

Hi Byrnsie,

Just come back from our first trip away, with the new suspension (same as yours) & Polyairs and couldn't be happier, I really believe (having had them before) that the stiffer rear springs make your 'daily drive' just too harsh. Pumped the polyairs up to 25psi and kept everything completly level, and thats with 5 in the car and a loaded 2000kg camper on the back.


PS where was the picture taken......looks familiar?

[Byrnsie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Byrnsie]

Just come back from our first trip away, with the new suspension (same as yours) & Polyairs and couldn't be happier, I really believe (having had them before) that the stiffer rear springs make your 'daily drive' just too harsh. Pumped the polyairs up to 25psi and kept everything completly level, and thats with 5 in the car and a loaded 2000kg camper on the back.

Rob, you have convinced me. I will organise the Polyairs before my next outing.

PS where was the picture taken......looks familiar?

Picture was taken on Teewah Beach between Noosa and Rainbow Beach on our way to Fraser Island. :wink:

Cheers - Greg (Byrnsie)

[HappyPradoOwner Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close HappyPradoOwner]

Has anyone got a good idea about making the Prado handle better on the road? I'd like to have a firmer suspension and maybe a little less hight. Are there any springs out there that are harder without increasing the hight of the car? I'd love it to be less wallowing around corners.

[robn Member Find all posts View Profile Close robn]

Hi

Rang ATS today to organise a suspension job Bilstein/Ridepro set up.Cliff was very helpfull.I was wondering if any one has this set up and also use the poly air bag.My concern is that even if the polys are slightly inflated (which i believe they need to be at 3 psi when not in use)do they inter fear with the springs.In other words do they affect wheel travel or do you bounce on the air bag instead of the spring.

I used to have bellow air bags on my hilux and they had to be at 5 psi when not in use.i found that the shockers almost became obsolete because the bellows at 5psi would do the job of the shockers but with a real lot of bounce so they were removed.

The only time i would need the polys is when i tow my Kiberley Kamper

Regards Rob

[robn Member Find all posts View Profile Close robn]

Thanks for quick reply and all of it noted.

You mention adjustable bilstein shocks is that the norm or a request to ATS.Why would you need ajustables if you have the poly bags or do i have no idea .When i spoke to Cliff there was no mention of adjustable shocks as such but he did say the the shocks would be adjusted to the right height depending what weight i was carrying.(mainly front end)

Rob

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

Hi Matt.

Just remember you cant "change' a springs rate.
What your effectively doing is changing the preload by moving the lower spring seat.

Same as on a motorbike, you set the preload to suit the weight its carrying. But first you need the correct weight(or Rate) spring.

Changing the preload sets the vehicle(whether bike or car) at your desired ride height.
EG. on the rear shock of a bike you want the suspension 1/3 through it full stroke when your on it in the riding posi. That can be achieved with a wide range of spring rates by the preload. The rate of the spring will determine how harsh or compliant the ride will be (how much force needed to compress it) you tune it with the shocks compression/rebound adjustments.

Like if you are happy with the way your front shocks "work" on the Prado but want more height, you could just wind the preload up (if your lucky enough to have that adjustability).
It would feel the same but just be higher - more preload, or lower -less preload.

If you whack on a lot more weight to the front of the car, you could wind up the preload to achieve the same ride height, but the ride feel would definitely change. But a 1% weight increase would not show up, Maybe a 10% increase of the total front end mass would show up.

But then you have rising rate springs... They have different winds in the spring... But i wont go there.

Jeff.

[Signature035 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Signature035]

Hi Robn,

As Matt said above, it does not interfere at all.
I have the ATS + Polyair setup and am VERY pleased. I have had 2 previous cruisers with OME Suspension and thought that they were good, The ATS setup is just so much better, I wish I had installed it years ago.

I am hooking up the Camper this morning to head off up the coast for a couple of weeks, Polyairs pumped up to 28psi. (Anyone around Crescent Head?) It's a Jayco Eagle Outback and loaded it is around 2000kgs and the Prado sits perfectly level fully loaded....... Perfect. You won't do better IMO.

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[Guest Close Guest]

just to clarify, the spring seat grooves offer height adjustment, for fitting of acc, etc, not spring rate adjustment :wink:

[bitdist Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bitdist]

Does the little spring circlip ever fail. It seems like a lot of weight on a little bit of metal