Air bag suspension

[Irish tom]

I am replacing shockers front and back, having my leafs re tempered and I am considering fitting airbags to my 101fc. Has anyone fitted airbags to a 101fc before or any other similar vehicle????? If so have you any advise on what works and what doesn't?...

[Homestar]

Just wondering why do you want to fit the airbags? The springs are too stiff to start with most of the time unless you have at least 500Kg in the back. They were originally designed to have 1.5 tonne in the back, but that was later made 1 tonne, which the standard springs will handle without issue. New shocks and bushes if needed is all you should need to get the ride back to normal (which is nothing special, but I doubt that's fixable. :)

[alan48]

Hi,
when we had the red camper 101 we fitted Firestone air bags --the black bellows ones --to the rear to help with the weight and to even up each side a bit. They were run at low pressure but we felt we needed to do that or replace the rear springs. The air bags were a kit from the Air Bag Man for an F100 I think and we custom made the brackets to fit them. Sorry but no photos as car sold a few years ago.

[Sitec]

What spec is your truck? Ambo or GS..? With my GS, just hanging two spares on the rear has made it very flexible. The weight of a large diesel up front has helped too.. If you are running a standard GS Petrol, perhaps just one leaf and a spacer to replace the removed leaf...?

[Irish tom]

It is an ambi with 300tdi, it has a 600mm extension in length (which weighs the same as old back doors) I also have two spares hung off the back of extension. Obviously altered weight distribution. Im going to refit leafs when they come back next week and fit new shockers fill it up with all my gear and see how see rides. However I am increasing my tank to 155l and being able to even up the 101s level might be handy!?

[Homestar]

Ah, ok, now I see why you want to do it. :)

Alan's advice seems to be right on the money then.

[Crisco]

Tom, how did it go with retempered leaves?
I've been investigating suspension options as I want to use the truck unloaded most of the time but also planning some bigger trips with a full load.
Although it has some extra weight in it, the ride is still a bit stiff.
This guy HST Parabolic Suspension Systems (http://www.parabolicsuspension.com/landrover/lr101.htm) does a lower rated spring set up which I was thinking of backed up with some airbags or Fox airshocks (http://www.ridefox.com/product.php'm=offroad&t=shocks&p=3360) for increased load.
I run these Fox shocks/springs on the Rorty racing buggies (http://rorty.net) but the lighter 2.0 version.
Either option needs a little fab work but I don't need additional shocks with the Fox option (one of my originals is leaking).

A local (Australia) spring supplier would be good or maybe a refirb like yours.
Cheers

[101 Ron]

Hystee do not sell the after market springs anymore and the last I heard was not likely to make more to suit the 101.
Local spring makers don't want to know about twin leaf parabolics.
Not many options spring wise unless you go to a multi leaf set up.
Ron

[Crisco]

That's a shame. Has anyone spoken to these guys Northern Springworks PTY LTD Website (http://northernspringworks.com.au/Parabolic_Suspension.php)

[Crisco]

Hystee are out of stock of 101 springs but can do another run. They need 25 orders though so seems unlikely.

[101 Ron]

Yes had my name on that 25 vehicle spring run for 2 years.
Most likely not going to happen.
Ford Transit van rear springs come very close to fitting.
Been there done all this before.

[Crisco]

Is there a thread?

[nishma]

If you want new springs phone Ray at dobbinsons suspension.(07) 4927 7444 . I used to deal a lot with them and thay should be able to make exactly what you need.
I used to get truck springs made there a fair bit and prob fitted well over 100 lift kits of theirs to various vehicles and service is second to none.

[101 Ron]

No one in Australia wants to touch parabolics , nor do they have the equipment to make them.
Yes there are people who could make normal leaf springs in Aust.

[DasLandRoverMan]

The problem with multi leaf springs on a 101 is that to make a set that fitted without a lift they'd need to be no more than 4 leaves and even then they'd end up pretty flat owning to the spring over axle setup.
Perhaps doable, but when I last made enquiries with a company over here they didn't bother getting back to me.

The Santana S2000 -which was very loosely based on the 101- had multi leaf springs under the axle, but everything else was majorly different to suit them.