Air bags

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

Planning on keeping standard suspension for a while, but finding the back sags while towing, any one had experience with air bags?

[Kev7762 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kev7762]

Planning on keeping standard suspension for a while, but finding the back sags while towing, any one had experience with air bags?

Pretty sure if you use the search function you will find existing threads on this.
I have them and would recommend for any situation where you do not have a constant load eg towing, otherwise upgrade to heavier springs

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

Planning on keeping standard suspension for a while, but finding the back sags while towing, any one had experience with air bags?

A saggy arse is not good when towing. The rear of your vehicle drops, which raises the front, and gives you less traction, steering and braking on the front wheels. Can be dangerous on a wet road.

I have medium duty rear suspension (heavy duty at front) TJM springs and coils, and Poly Air bags on the rear. If you are not upgrading the suspension just yet, at least consider air bags for the rear. You need a level ride for towing, gives you better stability.

[Crisp Image Member Find all posts View Profile Close Crisp Image]

I put standard duty standard height lovells springs in the rear of my prado. It lifted the rear by 30mm but when the camper is on sits level.
No difference in ride that I notice but makes a huge difference when towing. 25% heavier than toyota springs. Only cost $200. Airbags will cost you more.
Regards
Crisp Image

[prohog Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close prohog]

I've got 150 GXL with Firestone coilrites installed from ARB, previously had the polyairs in my R51 pathfinder. Both work equally well and i tow a 1.5t camper trailier with standard 150 suspension and at 30psi prevent any sag and travel very well... Recently tested this during a trip to Fraser Island..

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

Air Bags

I put standard duty standard height lovells springs in the rear of my prado. It lifted the rear by 30mm but when the camper is on sits level.
No difference in ride that I notice but makes a huge difference when towing. 25% heavier than toyota springs. Only cost $200. Airbags will cost you more.
Regards
Crisp Image

Thanks Crisp Image,
After reading the love/hate relationships with air bags from other forums this sounds the most logical? Where did you purchase the springs?

[Wazza2 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Wazza2]

I havent read much on other sites re the love/hate bit brenton so nit sure what you mean there.

My airbags leaked due to poor installation initially. Got that fixed. Now I love the fact i can adjust ride height based on load.

Don't know why i didn't fit airbags in the 120 i drove on stock suspension for 8 years. If it's variable loads you need to cater for then airbags seem a good solution to me.

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

Thanks Crisp Image,
After reading the love/hate relationships with air bags from other forums this sounds the most logical? Where did you purchase the springs?

On ExploreOZ seems that Tritons break chassis, lots of other problems with chassis, then lots of replies with no problems after years of use. Seems too much pressure, not allowing the suspension to work, is the culpruit?

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

On ExploreOZ seems that Tritons break chassis, lots of other problems with chassis, then lots of replies with no problems after years of use. Seems too much pressure, not allowing the suspension to work, is the culpruit?

Tritons have a leaf spring on the rear where as the Prado has a coil spring. Different airbags too. The Prado airbag is inserted inside the coil whilst the Triton one is fixed to the chassis and diff or area of leaf spring that attaches to the diff. With leaf springs and airbags fitted in tandem you are changing the way the leaf spring works and are putting stess on the chassis between the two points the leaf springs attachement to the chassis. This is where the problems occur by changing the dynamics of the suspension.

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

I have medium duty rear suspension (heavy duty at front) TJM springs and coils, and Poly Air bags on the rear.

I have the same setup in my 150 Prado (VX diesel Auto), different brands though, and it is absolutely fantastic. Heavy Duty in the front, and medium duty in the rear with airbags allows you to run minimum pressure when the car is empty around town for a pillow soft comfortable ride, and then crank it up to cope well with a full load. I regularly tow a car trailer with a VZ 1 Tonner Drift/Drag car which is maxing out the 2500Kg tow limit, and I have a Browns Davis Long Range Tank hanging behind the back wheels and this setup copes with it beautifully. You can certainly notice the difference if you forget to drop the pressures after unloading everything... stiff/hard as! The ability to massively change the dynamic of you car to suit a multitude of scenarios with just a puff from the compressor... hard to go wrong and definately worth the coin!

[Nige01 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Nige01]

OT: Got a photo of the BD tank?

[Crisp Image Member Find all posts View Profile Close Crisp Image]

Thanks Crisp Image,
After reading the love/hate relationships with air bags from other forums this sounds the most logical? Where did you purchase the springs?

I got them from the local spring works. Suspension is all he does. Even makes custom springs.
Morwell Spring Works is the business
Regards
Crisp Image