Rear suspension advice - constant heavy load on 130

[towe0609]

This is Jaffa

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=36651&d=1307766409

The Carry Me Camper (350kg empty) is permanently mounted to an alloy tray made for the NSW RFS which holds 320ltr of water (320kg). Its then fitted with a 40ltr engel, plywood kitchen and we carry all the usual camping gear.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=36655&d=1307766579

A few years back I removed the rear helper springs and fitted second hand firestone coilrite airbags.

I also had fitted new shocks KONI RAID 90-5374SP1 (front) and 90-5375SP1 (rear).

The airbags now balloon our from between the coils - probably through me putting too much pressure in them - are permanently stretched and need to be replaced. One had a slow leak and so was constantly being filled with load already on the 130 which didn't help.

I have replacement bags (Firestone Coil-rite 6010) here at the ready, but also think I need heavier springs in the rear.

I'm happy with the front, even with a bullbar and spare now mounted on the bonnet.

The King Spring catalogue suggests KLRR-05EHD (Ie. Extra Heavy Duty) for a 130 with a constant load exceeding 500kgs but is shown as a spring for 'lifted' vehicles. As far as I'm aware, mine is standard height.

What do you think about this selection of spring given my circumstances?

Will they be suitable given my shock absorbers? Don't really want to be changing those given the outlay already made.

Any vendors here in the business of selling King springs?

[Landybitz]

I recently fitted a Land Rover Special Vehicles Quadtech body, must be 400kg +++, fitted Terrafirma heavy duty commercial spec shocks, plus standard height hd springs, rides fine, but I want a little more tilt forward from the rear so will be fitting 2inch heavy duty springs.

Cant comment on the King Springs, but we do sell a lot of the TF ones.

[bully130]

I have about the same weight on my 130 with a 2.1 mt tray and I got rid of the springs and went for full air bag system from firestone with an in cab inflation system been using this for about 6 years now and had no problems with it . Each bag is rated at 1500 kg
cheers
Ian

[Ranga]

I had one of my inner spring bags have a 'hernia'. I ended up getting some fabric mesh type sleeves from Airbagman in QLD, which took the max PSI rating from 30 to 60. I reckon the bags couldn't deform again after that.

Mind you, adding the sleeves on used bags was a PITA, so if you're going to use them do it before you put the new bags in.

[Ranga]

I have about the same weight on my 130 with a 2.1 mt tray and I got rid of the springs and went for full air bag system from firestone with an in cab inflation system been using this for about 6 years now and had no problems with it . Each bag is rated at 1500 kg
cheers
Ian

As did I. Makes it so much more convenient getting the Trayon Camper on and off, and levelling out a breeze when camping. Not to mention, adjusting for the vastly differing loads I carry (all or nothing).

[towe0609]

I have about the same weight on my 130 with a 2.1 mt tray and I got rid of the springs and went for full air bag system from firestone with an in cab inflation system been using this for about 6 years now and had no problems with it . Each bag is rated at 1500 kg
cheers
Ian

Thanks, I'm sure that would be real nice, but I'm not looking to spend the kind of $ involved in going to full air bags at the moment.

[towe0609]

I had one of my inner spring bags have a 'hernia'. I ended up getting some fabric mesh type sleeves from Airbagman in QLD, which took the max PSI rating from 30 to 60. I reckon the bags couldn't deform again after that.

Mind you, adding the sleeves on used bags was a PITA, so if you're going to use them do it before you put the new bags in.

Cheers Ranga - good advice as always. I've made an enquiry with airbagman re the sleeves.

[towe0609]

I recently fitted a Land Rover Special Vehicles Quadtech body, must be 400kg +++, fitted Terrafirma heavy duty commercial spec shocks, plus standard height hd springs, rides fine, but I want a little more tilt forward from the rear so will be fitting 2inch heavy duty springs.

Cant comment on the King Springs, but we do sell a lot of the TF ones.

Thanks Landybits. Looks like part no TF011.

Can anyone comment on the difference between the Terrafirma TF011 and the Kings KLRR-05EHD.

They seems to be equivalent products - should I just buy on price?

[Ranga]

Thanks, I'm sure that would be real nice, but I'm not looking to spend the kind of $ involved in going to full air bags at the moment.

I got 3 bags (1 for a spare) and fittings from truckspring.com for US$643 including shipping. If you can weld, and have some 6mm plate lying around, you can fabricate your mounting plates.

All up, you could probably have full bags in for under $500.

[Ranga]

Cheers Ranga - good advice as always. I've made an enquiry with airbagman re the sleeves.

Hey, I just remembered I think I still got my old sleeves here if you want them. They obviously don't look new, but would imagine they function just the same.

Part of the reason for me going with full bags was the inner bags were leaking. Tried for hours to fix them, but I think the collets are the problem, so in my mind impossible to fix.

The whole shebang, including springs, are still sitting in the shed!

[towe0609]

Unfortunately fabricating that sort of thing is beyond me - so I'll just stick with coils and helper bags for now - especially since I've already got them.

Send me a PM with price for the sleeves Ranga - I'd be grateful for a photo too. I have no sense of what these sleeves are like and whether they are an item that wears.

I have one bag that hold air no worries, and another with a slow leak which I've never isolated. I suspect it is the airline connection to the bag.

[Ranga]

I'll try and get a photo tomorrow, but you can have them for free.

[towe0609]

I'll try and get a photo tomorrow, but you can have them for free.

Thanks so much, but I wont accept them for nothing. We'll sort something out once I know the cost for new ones.