Caravan towing and stock suspension

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

Hi,

I will be getting a new 150 series soon and was wondering if there is any need to upgrade the stock suspension to tow a 2T caravan with a max ball weight of 200kg? Any major issues with suspension sag etc? Would a WDH suffice? I will eventually upgrade the stock suspension to a 2 inch lift but not for at least 12 months or so.

Thanks

[Guest Close Guest]

You can fit standard height coil assist airbags or rebalance your camper so that there isn't 200kg on the towball. A WDH will work fine on highways and graded dirt roads but not on bumpy tracks.

[gspy4u Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gspy4u]

back end will sag a reasonable amount, will be OK but i would go after market springs or at least airbags. I know people like using the WDH but have never on our Prado and it runs great

[Fred63 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fred63]

it will drop in the rear.
I tow a 1300Kg caravan and the rear really drops.

I estimate it is around the 10% towball weight so 130KG

I will be gong the airbag option when I upgrade the van.

[Goggo Member Find all posts View Profile Close Goggo]

I have fitted a TJM Gold 2 inch lift and I tow my 1400kg caravan a carry 2 engel fridges in the back of the car and I don't get any sag at all.

[ravenhard Member Find all posts View Profile Close ravenhard]

I tow a 1.2T camper trailer and with all the gear to go off camping including fridge, slide and other crap my rear sagged badly. Didn't want air bags and don't plan on a lift for a while.

I got myself a set of lovells HD standard height rear springs for $170. 3 hrs to install myself and a wheel alignment for $50. Now the prado sits level when loaded.

I think it maybe sits a little high in the rear unloaded so I get a bit of rake. Measures 785mm unloaded

[snapper49 Member Find all posts View Profile Close snapper49]

I have stock suspension fitted air bags and 220kg ball weight Havent noticed and sag at all

pS 70000k of van work

[Dabeanian Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dabeanian]

I have a 120 1kz 06 model, tow a Millard loaded up its about 2.2 / 2.3 with back of tug also fridge and bits and pieces front s are standard but have the airbags in the rear coils ,with out them no way would I tow just blow up when towing to 20 / 25 psi and let them down to 10 ish for normal driving it's a job you could do yourself but I got mine fitted.No sag at all.
Alan.

[Racketsports Member Find all posts View Profile Close Racketsports]

I tow a 2.4T van when fully loaded and was originally using a WDH which on a medium setting worked pretty well. I then had Heavy Duty Firestone airbags fitted and have found them to be brilliant. Air them up to 25-30 PSI and the rear sits dead flat and tows brilliantly. I don't have to use the WDH anymore but still add them for good measure. Very happy with this set-up on standard springs and only cost around $450 all up for the bags. I air them up using my on-board ARB air compressor and it's a great set-up as far as I am concerned.

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

I tow a 1.2T camper trailer and with all the gear to go off camping including fridge, slide and other crap my rear sagged badly. Didn't want air bags and don't plan on a lift for a while.

I got myself a set of lovells HD standard height rear springs for $170. 3 hrs to install myself and a wheel alignment for $50. Now the prado sits level when loaded.

I think it maybe sits a little high in the rear unloaded so I get a bit of rake. Measures 785mm unloaded

I use airbags and my rear measures 790+ unladen, but the airbags don't lift the car, only offset up to about 150kgs, beyond that it starts to sag 10-20mm as the weight doubles. But that is necessary for proper suspension control.

I tend to run my airbags 12-15psi full time, and up them to 28 with trailer.

Last trip to Fraser Island I left them at 30psi with two fridges in the boot and off road trailer, drove like it was empty and when unladen I left them at 30 psi and it didn't affect the ride at all with the tyres at 18.


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[Maurie Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Maurie]

Hi cuda !
Sorry I just noticed how old this post is. My apologies.

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

Delete...posted and then saw how old the origninal post was.