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  • Air Bags and Articulation

    Hi

    There is much on the virtues of air bags in rear suspension etc...can anyone offer real life experience using air bags and how this impacts or not on wheel articulation at the rear end. This may be with or without towing something and with air in the bags of course, under medium to heavy load.

    In my case I do not tow, but I may get air bags on my rig which has rear heavy duty (up to 300kgs) RidePro springs and OME nitro gas shocks. Fully loaded I have 750mm at the rear end measured between the bottom of the wheel arch to the bottom of the wheel rim - so its not level but sagging a bit and that's without passengers, and the springs are a week old. The shocks are 20,000kms old. My front end sits on OME HD struts/springs with no weight at 785mm/790mm.

    I am hoping to get it close to level (around 790-800mm) when fully loaded and keep good articulation for those difficult tracks. So do air bags under these conditions help or hinder this?

    Cheers

    VXG
    1999 VX Grande, OME 2inch lift with RidePro rear HD springs, Mickey Thompson ATZ (4 rib), GME 3200 UHF, Ausguard Barrier, built not bought shelving, IceMate esky on ORS fridge slide, Bushranger Max Air II, 4wd club member.

  • #2
    Re: Air Bags and Articulation

    Hi I used to have a "90" with air bags in the rear, I had 15-20psi in them when loaded and or towing, they were very good at holding the back up, (holding up) they will not lift the car ,not the 40mm you are expecting anyway. I used to let most of the air out when on difficult tracks to keep the wheel travel ,not that it was to bad with air in them ,you do loose a little upwards travel, Why would you be on a difficult track loaded and towing a trailer ? There may be something wrong with your rear springs if its sagging unloaded. I now have a "120" with air bags and do the same , let some air out on hard tracks but otherwise they are very good.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Air Bags and Articulation

      Hi Raydes,

      Thanks for that. I don't tow anything, as I wrote, but I do go away with 3 or 4 of us in our family, driving into national parks where at times there are moderate to difficult tracks to tackle or tall and steep spoon drains where clearance is handy. I have the standard equipment on board for camping and then need to make sure my truck can handle those moments when a bit of clearance and security under foot is handy.

      The previous OME medium springs had the truck at roughly level unloaded, but I always have a basic shelving system with fridge slide and a cargo barrier in the back. The OME mediums are not designed for loads I have been told and on the specs they say they are for zero kilos of constant weight. So of course load it up, and down they go. The replacement HD springs I have now go down when I have all of my gear as I would for camping. They are rated for up to 300kg constant weight, so maybe I just have more than that.

      Air bags may help to level of truck of, but can I still get a good stretch/compression from the rear springs when navigating tracks requiring articulation/travel, with say 20 or 30psi psi of air. I doubt it in theory, but I don't have them and theory and practice are not the same. Maybe I just need the next spring up, extra HD for over 300kg, but I still may not get the leveling under load I aim for?....perhaps I need deep pockets to keep my mechanic in business trying out each spring :roll: They won't guarantee anything until I try it...all the mechanics are the same.

      Interesting to hear that in your experience there isn't the 40mm lift I'm after....thanks.

      VXG
      1999 VX Grande, OME 2inch lift with RidePro rear HD springs, Mickey Thompson ATZ (4 rib), GME 3200 UHF, Ausguard Barrier, built not bought shelving, IceMate esky on ORS fridge slide, Bushranger Max Air II, 4wd club member.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Air Bags and Articulation

        I think I had about 10 PSI in the poly airbags when I took these pics if that is of any help. There is no extra weight in the car.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Air Bags and Articulation

          Looks good Dhula ,pics of my old 90 with air bags at 8 psi ,[attachment=1:24n3i7xp]prado mud 1.jpg[/attachment:24n3i7xp][attachment=0:24n3i7xp]prado mud 2.jpg[/attachment:24n3i7xp]

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Air Bags and Articulation

            Great shots gentlemen.....thanks.
            Spoke with the Poly Air contact today and he says they will sell a T piece part if you want better articulation. Instead of one valve and hose per bag, there is one valve per pair with the hoses connected to the T piece so when one bag compresses, it will send the air to the opposite uncompressed bag and not resist the compression.
            But you lose roll support in normal load carrying situations as when the vehicle moves left and right the bags shift air left and right, so good springs to start with are still important.
            For me, off-road roll support is not the issue just a helping hand with the weight and leveling the back of it. If I was towing I most likely wouldn't use the T valve as you do want roll support.
            After about 1000kms in the new RidePro heavy duty springs they are at 780mm from bottom of arch to bottom of rim with only a cargo barrier, fridge slide and 5 sheets of ply that make up my shelving, plus two tanks of juice. Options are still a 20 or 30mm spacer, air bags or the next spring up (over 300kg rated with 40mm height).....and waiting on the mechanic to get back to me after I told him I wasn't that happy with that rated spring.
            Cheers
            VXG
            1999 VX Grande, OME 2inch lift with RidePro rear HD springs, Mickey Thompson ATZ (4 rib), GME 3200 UHF, Ausguard Barrier, built not bought shelving, IceMate esky on ORS fridge slide, Bushranger Max Air II, 4wd club member.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Air Bags and Articulation

              Hello all .I run poly air bags and have no trouble what so ever.Having separate air valves is perfect for control and has not effected the articulation of the vehicle at all, even on grade 4/5 trips.The best thing about the air bags is it helps towing and keeping a level ride.The vehicle has had a 2inch lift with cooper st 's all round.The car handles perfect after the suspension change both on and off road. even loaded up when the full rack is on and the camper van.Front springs handle the load as well supporting front bar ,winch ,spotties arial.
              Attached Files
              2002 GXL 2" lift ,Air Bags,Cooper st,UHF,Snorkel,Full rack,ARB bullbar,Narva Spotties,Warn Winch,DVD,Waeco Fridge,K&N filter,pre filter

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Air Bags and Articulation

                Get the air bags
                they make a huge diference when fully loaded
                and have a look below, they dont affect articulation at all



                Glenn
                2012 GX TD 150 with long mudflaps - [url]http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?23370-Yota-s-150[/url]
                1996 GXL TD 95 with no mudflaps (sold) - [url]http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?12402-My-Truck-quot-Build-Up-quot[/url]

                Comment

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