Rear Bags?? HELP

[bassflicker]

Hey has anyone installed rear helper bags to their 110 defender or county? I have already put HD lovells and Bilsteins in my truck and I'm starting to see a disparity between front and back since I have built a bed, stove, gas bottle, recovery gear and extra fuel/ water. It's nothing crazy but noticeable to the eye. I measured about a 20mm drop to the rear.

Im trying to get as much weight over the front as possible but I just don't think I can level it out.

The firestone bags measuring 330mm seem perfect and are a ridiculously easy to fit up, I'm just not sure that I like the idea of bags in the coils when they are articulating? or are they fine for road touring and you air them down off road?

Im running out of time before our trip! I need to know if 20mm is an acceptable sag in the rear springs or should it definitely be leved out for a round Australia trip?

[Utemad]

Given the weight in the back is permanently there I would replace the springs with heavier duty ones. The bags are good for temporarily increased loads (I have them in a Disco1 for towing the camper) but I wouldn't want to rely on them for a 1 year tour permanently inflated. They might last and they might not. Do you really want to have one fail and hold your trip up?

[HangOver]

new HD springs probably work out about the same price, give or take.

Saying that I have air-bags in the back of my old RR :D
Aired up for HWY then aired down a bit as not to restrict the articulation off-road. For me best of both worlds.

I read somewhere once ??? maybe im just making this up?lol
if you have more than 20mm drop over an extended period is really is not good and needs to be re-thought. Seems sensible to me but spot on 20mm ? Dunno mate I think i would go the new springs of you intend on remote travel.

Those airbags are pretty hardy though had mine a few years probably.

[bassflicker]

Dang! WAS NOT WANTING TO GO HEAVIER SPRINGS IN THE BACK. To much work. I already fitted the heavy duty lovells springs front and rear. Sheesh, this will be the third set of springs and I haven't taken off yet!!

i'll have to call some suspension guys and see whats the heaviest I can possibly get my hands on!

[HangOver]

you know you can get those dual spring setup thingys?
I saw it on a AULRO members defender had the main spring for standard ride height when unlayden then when the load get real heavy there is a nother sping inside the main spring that takes the excess weight.
hmm not sure its that clear :D

basically a smaller helper spring inside the main coil spring.

[roverrescue]

The benefit of air (Firestone or Polyair) is even with a constant load the rear will ride better, especially over undulating second grade dirt roads (read 75% of dirt in Oz).

If it were me Id put the helpers in in a heartbeat! Seems a perfect application!


Steve

[roverrescue]

"basically a smaller helper spring inside the main coil spring. "

Thats the standard 130 setup, which I removed and now run polyairs inside the main.
The polyairs support a full load better (less sag) than the helper springs and both loaded & unloaded ride a kazillion times better than the helper springs.

IMHO chuck in some polys!

Steve

[Bundalene]

We have used air bags on our Defenders for years and have never had a problem and we do travel on lots of rough & corrugated roads. We have done in excess of 150,000kms on a single set of Polyairs.


If you use Polyairs, the trick is to keep them between 5 and 20 psi, no more, no less and make sure they don't chafe at the bottom.


Erich

[isuzurover]

Extra fuel and water is a temporary load - I would fit the airbags.

A friend who did the canning with us had soft (county) coils and airbags, and everything held up fine.

His was markedly less comfortable than my 110 with air springs though :p

[Wal Rat]

Ive got an almost new set h/d springs and poly bags coming off a defender in kingswood next Tuesday if your interested
Wal

[bassflicker]

Ive got an almost new set h/d springs and poly bags coming off a defender in kingswood next Tuesday if your interested
Wal

Wal! your my man! PM sent.

[bassflicker]

Thankyou guys for all your wonderful replys. I'm glad we have some for and against. I really think that I was after a reliability rating and you blokes have made me feel much better that I wouldn't be fitting some flimsy balloons to my truck.

Lets bag her up! wait till my brother who uses air bags to lower his ute hears about this!