Grande 120 Suspension Upgrade

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

Can anyone advise on the below kit from superior engineering? It incorporates the airbagman extension kit.
I think I would go medium coil ratings but getting really confused. Apparently they contact you when you order to set the rating.

https://www.superiorengineering.com....ies-prado-6495

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

When I was doing research for my 150's lift, I sent superior a list of my questions/concerns and asked for their advice based on my situation. They were actually quite helpful. I didn't end up choosing any of their gear, but that's for other reasons.

If you want some advice from them, it cant hurt to ask...

[Guest Close Guest]

Can anyone advise on the below kit from superior engineering? It incorporates the airbagman extension kit.
I think I would go medium coil ratings but getting really confused. Apparently they contact you when you order to set the rating.

https://www.superiorengineering.com....ies-prado-6495

The tough Dog gear doesn't appear to have a good rap on PradoPoint for some reason.

[macaroon1 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close macaroon1]

Can anyone advise on the below kit from superior engineering? It incorporates the airbagman extension kit.
I think I would go medium coil ratings but getting really confused. Apparently they contact you when you order to set the rating.

https://www.superiorengineering.com....ies-prado-6495

I reckon my 'cobbled' together kit is pretty much the same:
Front Strut (T Dog) :BM404400
Rear Shocks(T Dog): BM401116
Front Coils(T Dog) :TDC974H (NOT HD) Should have possibly bought these now....look below)
ABM Rear : 2" raised Airbag (new version with top retaining nut).

I've Sov bendy bar, dual batts, Spotties and factory cradle with steel rope winch.
I've found the front dives a bit easy and I've often smashed the front bash plate requiring it to be welded back on with T nuts. Overall I'm fairly happy though. Like amts says a lot of people hate the Tough Dog gear stuff but it's fine for my simple requirements. I reckon if I took the winch off it would be fine but it's too hard as I hardly use the vehicle.

If I do it again I might just drive to Dobinsons and get all their gear. Ive found no matter what dial setting the Tough Dogs are on, it all feels the same...The dials often can get smashed off too, (I've one gone on mine).

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

That's good info I did speak to them today and they pretty much said ditch the air bags, been getting good advice from another pradopoint member too, so will probably go dobinsons gear.

So I'd like to ditch the air bags, but got to figure out what's required. Anyone got some glx pictures of rear suspension ? I was wondering if I could get parts from a wreckers rather than getting welding done.

Macaroon- so have you been happy with the airbagman kit? Would you do it again?

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

Tough dog off the list then I think!

[macaroon1 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close macaroon1]

Macaroon- so have you been happy with the airbagman kit? Would you do it again?

Plums..I'm very happy and I'd certainly do it again. Another (amongst others) PP member to ask is Craigm. He does a lot more offroading and uses them to their maximum. I recall a few issues with them in the threads but I believe the vast majority were rectified by ABM and a few installations may have been below par??

I'd personally never put rear coils on my grande. I've lost the comfort settings but everything else is complete eg the self levelling rear suspension. Was never going to tow but thinking of getting a C.T, the grande rear will self level and I can drop the suspension in low car parks and when hitching a trailer as my Driveway is very awkward, ie the trailer would be level but the car would be higher and at @>45degrees.

I look at things in resale terms too, I've upgraded and another owner would maybe think the same but putting on coils, why buy a grande, I may as well purchase a GXL of which there are loads more. Get the grande suspension right and you've a great offroad vehicle....just my two cents...

I don't knock the Tough Dog gear, great for my needs, find the adjustability a bit gimmicky, just fancy a change next time..if there is one????

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Get the grande suspension right and you've a great offroad vehicle....just my two cents...

Agree. The Airbagman airbags are good and it's great to be able to load up and hook up a trailer and not worry about dragging your bum around or raising and lowering the rear at will.

[topic97 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close topic97]

So am I right in thinking that rear shocks are the same between grande & GLX etc?
So when I look at upgrading suspension it doesnt really matter what I carry in the rear when buying shocks - thats only really relative to if you have springs?

[Guest Close Guest]

The shocks, struts and front springs for a GLX can be used in a Grande.

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

Agree. The Airbagman airbags are good and it's great to be able to load up and hook up a trailer and not worry about dragging your bum around or raising and lowering the rear at will.

Cool. We are lifting the front 40mm kit first with Dobinsons gear (anticipate 80mm lift from current position) , and just a 20mm sensor tweak on the back first without changing shocks or bags. Then I can decide if I think I need a rear lift or not. If not I'll just replace rear shocks and probably get replacement Toyota bags. (This will give me the old spare bags/shocks to take to the Simpson for emergency purposes - and therefore removes my worries).

Does anyone know if the Toyota bags are identical or are there LHS/RHS ones? If they are the same, I'll just take one bag and one shock as a spare.

[Guest Close Guest]

No they are not identical. Usually the RHS fails first.

[topic97 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close topic97]

The shocks, struts and front springs for a GLX can be used in a Grande.

Cool, thanks mate.
So in regards to the rear load capacity, are there different airbags like there are different springs - like a more heavy duty one for if you have more weight in the rear or want to tow?

Reason I ask is that I recently replaced my rear bags, but I want to raise it soon & just use your spacer kit to fix the bag issue.
But I eventually want to put drawers, a fridge & second battery in the back - will the bags handle the extra weight ok?

[Guest Close Guest]

The rear factory airbags are rated to the GVM/rear axle of the Prado. The Airbagman airbags have thicker rubber. But in terms of different airbags to match the amount of weight carried, there is none.

[topic97 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close topic97]

The rear factory airbags are rated to the GVM/rear axle of the Prado. The Airbagman airbags have thicker rubber. But in terms of different airbags to match the amount of weight carried, there is none.

Ahh cool, that clears it up then! Thanks mate.
I rekon ill just use your spacers until one of the genuines fail - I think unless something untoward happens they should last as long as I have the car.

Now to try and figure out what suspension is the way to go......

and the other question - diff drop or not for a 2 inch lift? yay or nay?