2007 Grande suspension improvement - no lift no constant load

[acerider Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acerider]

Hi all,

i just purchased a 2007 Grande which the previous owner converted the airbag to springs (2 inch lift) and oztec shocks/struts all around.

The Grande is going to be mainly a city car with 4/5 family trips a year doing some touring and minor 4WD - nothing dramatic.

I am looking to lower the vehicle back to standard height and possibly put either OEM airbag or airbag man rear airbags back in AND some better/sporty shocks to better handle the urban adventure. I dont want over valved shocks which just goive to give me a choppy ride - another reason is that our garage is about 1.91m - so very marginal in getting the prado in - hoping the adjustable air suspension might help

Although decent shock travel (up to geometry limit) is always good to ensure maximum ground contact on the occasion we go 4WD.

what combination would you advise i should consider and what additional reading/consideration would you recommend - i had a read about comments here but seem to all gear towards lifting the vehicle.

i am thinking the Bilstein A712 and A713 or A715 for the rear?


what do you all think?

aaron

[Guest Close Guest]

Stick the genuine airbags back in and standard (aftermarket) springs in the front. I would go with better valved shocks than the A712/713.

[acerider Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acerider]

unfortunately the previous owner dont have the stock airbag anymore... which shocks are better valved for stock operation with occasional traveling load than A712/713?

thanks

[Guest Close Guest]

You buy new genuine ones from Amayama.

[acerider Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acerider]

yes was thinking of new rear airbag from Amayama - but are you saying genuine TEMS shocks as well?

[acerider Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acerider]

By the way, i just talk to someone at a local suspension shop - they are saying that TEMs shock and airbag suspension and ride height control all work as one unit - that i cant have airbag suspension control (hi/lo control and self leveling) without TEMS shocks in place - that cant be right, guys, can it?

[Guest Close Guest]

You can fit aftermarket shocks but just lose the in-cabin firmness control.

[acerider Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acerider]

yep just shows how knowledgeable some of these so call suspension experts are

amts, which shocks would you recommend to go with stock or slightly uprated springs

[Whitey Shockie Maker of the Month Award Find all posts View Profile Close Whitey]

Hey Aaron,

Interesting discussion about what is the most suitable rear valving for the Grande airbags! If you're keen on Bilsteins, give Fulcrum R&D in Moorooka a call, as they have previously re-valved a B46-1478S for a PP member with a Grande.

A Bilstein BE5-A712 is just a copy of the OEM strut valving. If you want to sharpen the front end up, I'd run a BE5-D563 (runs higher rebound damping, giving you much more more handling capability), but you'll want to run a 710lb/in C59-350 Dobinsons if you have a bar/batt combo up front, or a lighter 660lb/in KTFR-101 if you only have a bar.

The issue you'll have ride height wise is both the 350 and 101 will lift too much. Fulcrum can machine a new circlip groove lower down on the D563 body for you to ensure you run minimal lift.

It won't be cheap machining a new circlip groove and re-valving a 1478S....but it is all possible!

Best

Mark

[acerider Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acerider]

Hi Mark,

thanks for the intel on Bilstein A712 - although i have to say, if memory serves correctly, i was reasonably impressed by a 130k grande i once tested on original TEMS shock on sport mode- i thought not too bad at all!


Will check out Fulcrum Moorooka, and those springs/shocks you mentioned... thanks

Looks like there is so much to learn about prado suspension - i thought a couple hours on google should sort out what i need for the Grande.... i think i might just get some cheap ebay copy of airbag spring and second hand front stock spring and leave the oztec shocks in for a while - that or i could get my hands on a second set of grande springs and shocks cheap from someone who upgraded , just until i can figure out what i need/want.

[Guest Close Guest]

Do not get cheap ebay copies of the airbags. The bottom is plastic instead of steel like the genuine ones.

Very unlikely to get good condition 2nd hand factory shocks now since the last of them were 2009.

[Guest Close Guest]

i think i might just get some cheap ebay copy of airbag spring and second hand front stock spring and leave the oztec shocks in for a while - that or i could get my hands on a second set of grande springs and shocks cheap from someone who upgraded , just until i can figure out what i need/want.

I'd suggest having a read here.. These are Cheaper (But certainly not as bad as the ebay cheap copies) Airbag man Grande Air bag springs. http://www.pradopoint.com.au/showthr...l=1#post579788 Id personally be buying genuine or fitting a set of AMTS springs for the meantime till you decide what your doing.


Getting a set of second hand Original shocks and springs is likely to just be complicating your issues, you'll be getting maybe older more worn than you already have, I wouldn't even entertain this thought.. Unless you find someone who has a low KM set they took off for an upgrade.. I personally had a set of 10,000 km TEMS shocks I took off, sadly they went to the dump a month ago after sitting in my warehouse for 10 years unused..

[acerider Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acerider]

thanks for the comments guys.

there is someone selling a whole set of stock grande suspension (4 shocks & 2 spring & 2 airbag) for $350 (maybe still negotiable on price) including compressor pump and reservoir, lines etc which apparently come off at around 50k km but then close to 8 years ago when he upgraded to coil with 2 inch height raise.... i am a little tempted to try them out if the price can drop a bit more. He also said he had problems with the rear king spring not seated probably and brackets had to be welded on and lips made to hold spring probably (which the previous owner of my grande didnt seem to have done). He also mention the coils and Bilstein package he had was great when fully loaded off road touring, but daily drive was too rough for his liking. And he prefers the 120 petrol over his later 150 diesel


BTW, Amayama's price for 2 air spring assemblies to ship from Japan is almost as expensive as Aust AU$730 before shipping charges (no cheap UAE price anymore) - i find partsouq.com 's price a lot more bearable - Au$450 incl shipping for the 2 OEM springs, not as cheap as the ebay questionable ones but certainly a good deal

[Guest Close Guest]

Amayama's price for air bags sky rocketed recently, I brought a set in a couple months ago for $320 landed.

[Guest Close Guest]

He also said he had problems with the rear king spring not seated probably and brackets had to be welded on and lips made to hold spring probably (which the previous owner of my grande didnt seem to have done). He also mention the coils and Bilstein package he had was great when fully loaded off road touring, but daily drive was too rough for his liking. And he prefers the 120 petrol over his later 150 diesel

Shouldn't be fitting normal Prado springs directly onto the airbag seat on the rear diff. This is why I went down the path of custom airbag to coil conversion springs to solve this exact issue.