Independent suspension

[Pedro_The_Swift]

not of this world...
omg... my off road race car had arms shorter than this... :Thump:

https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/client/q_lossy,ret_img,w_1024,h_678/https://fpchassis.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/13-1024x678.jpg

[Slunnie]

Trophy Trucks towing Caravans..... I like it! :burnrubber:

[Tombie]

Must be an engineering exercise- as unless like Slunnie said, it’s being towed by a Pre-Runner, there’s no way that level of suspension is needed on a van!

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Off the shelf from Cruisemaster Tombie,

Cruisemaster Independent Suspension System (https://cruisemaster.com.au/suspensions/independent/)

[Tombie]

Off the shelf from Cruisemaster Tombie,

Cruisemaster Independent Suspension System (https://cruisemaster.com.au/suspensions/independent/)

Yeah. I understood that. Just seems to be “for the sake of engineering it”.

Nothing is going to really/sensibly tow something offroad that warrants that level of suspension.

[Milton477]

I have the earlier version on my van, 100k km & 5 years later, I'm sold. Never broken an egg in the van, microwave still works & the levelling opportunities are brilliant.

You also don't need air suspension on a 4X4 but if you have had it, would you go back?

[Tombie]

Not the air, the comment pertains to the massively over engineered length of the arms etc.

Definitely not a borderline solution.

(I’ve never broken eggs in our van either - and there’s no bags, coils or leafs to be found - or shocks!)

[Pedro_The_Swift]

------- & the levelling opportunities are brilliant.

How does this work in practise?

on board air? all the bag lines to one manifold?

just think'in ahead.. [wink11]

[W&KO]

How does this work in practise?

on board air? all the bag lines to one manifold?

just think'in ahead.. [wink11]

There are a few ways to level once pulled up.

- paddle switches
- remote control
- horizon leveling is pretty cool, Have a look at bagged builds by the air bag man lads......the same box also manages auto height adjustment gong 3? Pre set heights for traveling.

Edit.....Just thinking for horizon level you will need four air on solenoids, wonder how that works with load share.

[Milton477]

How does this work in practise?

on board air? all the bag lines to one manifold?

just think'in ahead.. [wink11]

Separate paddle switches for each bag. Twin display air pressure gauge. Mine's a single axle. On Board Air Compressor, 110 lbs to 150 lbs pressure switch & a 5l tank from the cheap online 4x4 shop.
About a fist distance from the top of the tyre to the wheel arch & I'm good to go. No sensors needed. Pressure differs with the load.
With one bag flat & the other inflated to 120 psi, there is a difference of 150 mm across the van so the same as carrying a 150 mm high levelling ramp.
With the D4 connected, we get some front to back air adjustment too.

I hear & read the arguments all of the time: You only need cart springs, solid underslung axles, Holden or Ford bearings & no shocks, maybe even rubber suspension.
Go for it, but you can't level the van anytime you like & until one has experienced the benefits of this single feature, you cannot comment.

[Homestar]

My Inlaws towed a 14’ van with leaves in it made in 1973 around Australia 4 times living in it with 2 kids full time for 6 years - they never broke anything either and the roads were far worse back then - I’ve seen photos and super 8 footage of the tracks they used to go down - I wouldn’t attempt them with my van. A shovel, block and length of rope was all they had for recovery - Youth, innocence and maybe a dose of stupidity got them through but the van is still going although at a new home now - they only sold it on a few years ago.

I think this sort of overkilled suspension shown here - I’m sure it works very well - needs to cater for modern vans which inexplicably weigh so much now they need suspension to hold them up.

In-laws van weighed 1,300kg fully loaded - you can’t even get a camper trailer that weighs that now.

My 69 Viscount 19’ weighs 1,600kg (that’s with toilet, shower, 200Ah of batteries, 450 watts is solar, diesel heater, 100 litre water tank, inverter, microwave, pump, tv, etc) and has also been towed 1000’s of Km over the last 5 decades - not that I’d want to tow that down hundreds of KM of dirt roads, but plenty did back in the day.

Will be interesting to see if these modern vans are still going in 50 years... [emoji56]

Still have no idea why modern vans weigh so much...

[Baytown]

Certainly not for the inexperienced and you’ve got to receive the track first, but the ZoneRV Off Road and Discovery were made for these conditions.

This is about the limitations that I’d expose the van to, but the Cruisemaster ATX airbag long travel suspension, the ability to adjust camber remotely on the van to give over 300mm clearance on the side required and the brake over ride system made it a safe and reasonable track to head down in the right condition!


Must be an engineering exercise- as unless like Slunnie said, it’s being towed by a Pre-Runner, there’s no way that level of suspension is needed on a van!

171366171367171368

[PhilipA]

The Dyson of van suspensions.
Everyone wants one to be able to brag about owning one.

Regards PhilipA