Towing Suspension

Out Blue · Post by **Out Blue** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:47 am

Hi all

I have a 1999 model Prado that i'm looking at upgrading the suspension on and would like some advise on what brands to use//stay away from and where to get it.

The car is mainly used just to tow the boat which weighs in around the 1800kg mark, that's BMT!!!!

I am looking at raising it around the 30-40mm mark to keep the draw bar a little higher of the ground.

I am steering towards the rancho shocks (30mm lift) with king srpings, anybody had any experience with these?

Some other brands that i've been quoted on include Old Man Emu, Pedders, Aurora.

If anyone has got any advice i woould like to hear it so as to raise that saggy a** Prado of the ground and save a couple more jockey wheels.

I should also add that the Prado is predominately just for towing the boat!!!!

Thanks

Out Blue

landlocked · Post by **landlocked** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:54 pm

OB i got a set of poly air bags off ebay to fit on the arse of my GQ and they are the ducks guts. when i am empty i have 5lb in them and loaded you can go up to 35lb. holds her up just nice. cheers

2rods · Post by **2rods** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:10 pm

OB..I had OME fitted to the GU wagon a few years ago and have found them great. you can choose what spring rate you want and you will get around 50mm lift.

I put 200kg constant rate springs in the rear...just for towing... what that means is that I can put 200kg on the rear of the car (load space and tow ball) and the ride hight will remain the same... It also doesn't seem to affect the ride quality.

So with a set of out back draws, fridge,tools and a water tank and the boat hooked up it sits just right

We fitted a set of poly airbags to the oldmans GU wagon to get it's bum off the ground when he had the caravan on. Fitted cost was around $500 from ARB. Dad did 20 000kms with the van on the back and he now swears by the poly bags.... the added thing with the poly bags is that it didn't raise the vehicle hight....good for the oldies as they need a ladder to get into mine

2rods

landlocked · Post by **landlocked** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:21 pm

thats the thing with the polys they keep the bus at the normal height. cheers

Out Blue · Post by **Out Blue** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:11 pm

Thanks for that Landlocked and 2Rods as i've never really heard much about the polybags but i'm sure going to look into it now.

If using polybags can you get away with the current suspension fitted or do you think it's best to replace the shocks/springs at same time!!!

Anyway i'll give ARB a call tomorrow and get a price, might even look at fitting them myself. Can't be that hard can they, case of rum and coke should see them fitted!!!

Thanks

Out Blue

keith daley · Post by **keith daley** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 8:01 pm

you can also get just air bags these carry a lot more and are just smaller versions of truck air bags . i got mine from tjm thay were a great help. same deel as poly bags , but air is betwen 5 and 95 psi

Nail · Post by **Nail** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 8:37 pm

OB If all you want to achieve is to raise the height of your of you tow ball then perhaps a far cheaper option may be to simply turn your tongue up side down, will gain you altleast 40mm or get another tow hitch made up to sit higher again. Suspension sounds costly not that i've looked into it! (You probably already contemplated this idea)

Cheers
Nail

Chronic · Post by **Chronic** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:23 pm

A lift is required for frequent towing, or stiffer suspension, raising the towball works if you only tow weekends or short distance...Adjustable shocks are the way to go and airbags work great!

That rear-end sag can be dangerous...

landlocked · Post by **landlocked** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:23 am

OB if your suspension is really rooted it might pay to up grade but if its not to bad you will get away with poly airs. cheers

Out Blue · Post by **Out Blue** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:20 pm

Cheers for the info!!!

Just ordered a set of polyairs today from TJM, and at $355 fitted i think that's pretty reasonable.

The current suspension is not to bad, obviously without the boat laden, and hopefully the bags will just stop the sag. The good thing i guess is that the longest tow that i'll do is probably to Dundee from Darwin so lets hope i can just get away with the polybags.

I guess if worst comes to worst i'll have to upgrade the springs/shocks at a later date, but this seems like the way to go at the moment.

Thanks,

Out Blue

justin · Post by **justin** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:10 pm

Out blue you may want to also consider a set of caravan load levelers to keep the car and boat level. they work realy well and they are cheap if you can get them second hand.