Coilrite airbags and towing

**rapserv** · 21st January 2015, 09:32 AM

Noticed in the last few months that with my 21ft caravan sitting on the back of my 01 disco td5 that the back was sitting a little low for my liking.
Checked my towball weight and found it was pretty much on 200kg which seems around the right figure for the van and thinking I might have had an issue with the heavy duty springs, I put a close to new HD set in the rear (thanks tombie ☺) only to find that this made no difference. Subsequently, I fitted a set of coilrite helper bags to the rear, and with about 15psi in them this certainly did the job of leveling the whole setup.
I found on a couple of occasions when I first towed the van again from wangaratta to melbourne down the hume the I started to get a level of instability that I had not had prior to the airbag install ie. Some hair-raising fish-tailing (not a nice feeling!! )that I was able to correct with a bit of boot and easy application of van electric brakes. Before anyone suggests, the loading of the van is good and is the same as I have had it for the last 4 years travelling around oz.
As in the past I have always used load levellers when towing, the fact that I have now installed airbags as well as springs, should I still be using the load levelers? Just wondering because I know that the levelers should not be used with the LR airbag system. I would have thought that because I still have springs all round (2" lift) that a helper bag would not change my use of load levelers.
Suggestions would be most welcome ☺

**Redback** · 21st January 2015, 10:47 AM

Now that you have new rear springs and airbags, you may need to freshen up the front and rear shocks, maybe even look at replacing the front springs also if new shocks don't completely fix it, shocks do help with stability and yes I'd take the load levellers off and do a test run to see if it helps.

Baz.

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 21st January 2015, 04:25 PM

change the shocks

**rapserv** · 21st January 2015, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Redback

Now that you have new rear springs and airbags, you may need to freshen up the front and rear shocks, maybe even look at replacing the front springs also if new shocks don't completely fix it, shocks do help with stability and yes I'd take the load levellers off and do a test run to see if it helps.

Baz.

Thanks for the suggestions redback ... I forgot to mention that I also took the opportunity to replace all shocks as well, with ome nitro sports

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**rapserv** · 21st January 2015, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

change the shocks

Thanks pedro,
As I just said to redback, I forgot to mention that I also replaced all the shocks with ome nitro sports

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**Redback** · 22nd January 2015, 06:49 AM

Steering stabiliser/damper may help also, try more air in the bags also.

The thing is, when you start to replace items, it usually brings out problems with other items connected to these new parts, things like steering dampers, trailing arm bushes and other related items, tyre pressures and so on.

Baz.
.

**ozscott** · 27th January 2015, 04:20 AM

Mate i have a very similar load and have towed up to 3700 kg. I found that wandering and unsettling towing problems arose when the front end suspension got sad with age. I did steering arms and trailing arm bushes etc but without doubt the single biggest problem came from the failure and collapse of the steering knuckle ball joints...ie upper and lower ball joints and replacing those meant it was like driving the vehicle when it was new. I think any disco over 200k is likely to have stuffed ball joints. Not a biggy when not towing, just a bit twitchy at times on the highway but add a big load with plenty of ball weight and problems are magnified.

Cheers

**rapserv** · 29th January 2015, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by Redback

Steering stabiliser/damper may help also, try more air in the bags also.

The thing is, when you start to replace items, it usually brings out problems with other items connected to these new parts, things like steering dampers, trailing arm bushes and other related items, tyre pressures and so on.

Baz.
.

Thats right... Same as when replacing blown lights..not long before the others start to fail.
I will try extra air pressure and see what that does... normally 15psi .. I'll lift it to 20psi and see if this makes much difference

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**rapserv** · 29th January 2015, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by ozscott

Mate i have a very similar load and have towed up to 3700 kg. I found that wandering and unsettling towing problems arose when the front end suspension got sad with age. I did steering arms and trailing arm bushes etc but without doubt the single biggest problem came from the failure and collapse of the steering knuckle ball joints...ie upper and lower ball joints and replacing those meant it was like driving the vehicle when it was new. I think any disco over 200k is likely to have stuffed ball joints. Not a biggy when not towing, just a bit twitchy at times on the highway but add a big load with plenty of ball weight and problems are magnified.

Cheers

Thanks for your suggestions..
Got around 230k on the clock now and with some off the rough roads (corrugations) weve been on in the last couple of years there may well be an issue with the steering knuckle ball joints. I have just placed an order for a new set as i'm sure it wont do any harm to replace them. Would'nt mind doing the bushes all round.. but this starts to become an expensive exercise. 😨

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**ozscott** · 31st January 2015, 04:36 AM

Good stuff mate. 2 of Mine had welded themselves in and were utterly stuffed at 250000k

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