Thread: Reverting to Standard Suspension

DaveA , beg to differ on the gentleman who advises that the ride is slightly better from coils over airbags , anyhow , if you decide to go to coil rear, you will also require spring carriers , and the rubber seats , also access to nanocom or similar to reset parameters ...... or simply carry a spare airbag on long trips , (easy replacement). To do the fronts you will need to drop front crossmember,possibly sway bar mounts depending on lift , also make sure your brake lines / abs wires have no strain on them (should be no strain even at full extension). Job is easier with a hoist , don't know of anyone in Darwin , maybe someone else could recommend , but whichever way you go ...... enjoy , you sound like you got got a good deal.

If one were to remove the airbags, does that mean you can do away with the SLABS and the compressor, or would that mean you also lose ABS?

I must admit, I'm a bit terrified at the thought of all those electronics going wrong...... that looks EXPENSIVE!

Yes , you can do away with the compressor and no you wouldn't lose abs , if converting to coils , just need to reset the slabs so the light on the dash doesn't come on, the SLS is really quite a good system, usually only requiring airbag replacement every 6-10 years , compressors are usually pretty robust ,

Dave,

Before you go down the path of changing your suspension or getting rid of the airbags, I would be trying to work out exactly what you have first.

It is pretty easy to pull a shock absorber out to see if you can identify what brand or model they are.

Your coils being yellow could be from many different suppliers, but knowing the wire diameter and number of coils could give the clues needed. Even just measuring the deflection when you sit on the bullbar and compare to a standard D2 will tell you how much stiffer the front springs are.

Likewise do you know if bushes have been replaced with polyurethane as these can make the ride harsher. The stock rubber bushes last ages and give a better ride.

Are the rear airbags original or has an aftermarket brand been fitted.

What tyre pressure are you running. I find running about 2-3psi lower than recommended gives a slightly better ride and does not feedback the bumps as much. The tyres are also shock absorbers.

And final comment, yes the D2 has a firmer ride to the old classic rangie, it is also heavier and has a higher centre of gravity but it should handle better (warning: subjective comment).

I still have all original suspension only having ever replaced the shockies once and still find the ride good (no airbags but have ACE) at 478k. Compared to an airbag D3 mine is noticeably firmer and you feel bumps that the D3 just glides over.

Most speak highly about the standard airbags, and people who have removed have been known to regret and even reinstate.

Happy problem solving.

David

Excellent advice thanks everybody!

I went in and spoke to a local suspension shop on Wednesday, and he's worked on quite a few D2's and has come across the "harshness problem" before.

Without looking at the car, he suspects it's probably the dampers that are a large part of the issue - especially as it seems to be equally harsh front and rear.

I had a quick squiz underneath during the week, and I think the shocks are possibly "Nitrochargers"? I'll have another look today (with my glasses on!) and see if I can confirm that. There also looks to be some writing on the coils which I'll try & decipher.

His business is also part of the local Opposite Lock franchise (they've actually bought out the previous local franchisee and are building a lovely new premises where they'll combine both businesses).

The point here is that I had OL's Tough Dog dampers and OL springs on a 2007 Patrol and they were superb. In that instance, it was a work truck and I was doing about 60,000km's per year with the vehicle grossing nearly 4.5 tonnes with all my work gear aboard. The standard suspension lasted halfway through my first trip (to Nhulunbuy in Arnhem Land) and collapsed onto the bump stops. Yes, it was overloaded and after putting her over a weigh bridge, I realised why the fuel economy sucked and the poor little 3-litre turbo was struggling!

I did over 200,000 km's with that vehicle, all over the NT, and a lot of it was on very gnarly dirt roads. The dampers never let me down, never faded and were very comfortable. The custom springs (three sets before they got the right rate, although ARB simply told me I'd bought the wrong vehicle when I approached them!) were excellent and very comfortable, whilst carrying the weight easily and controllably.

So, the present plan is to fit some Tough Dogs initially and see what that does. At worst, it should remove the dampers from the equation as a source of the harsh ride.

Question. If you raise the front, via taller springs, does the rear airbag setup automatically adjust or do you have to modify something to get a level ride height all round?

I actually tend to run my tyre pressures higher up here in the North, mainly because of the heat. I've found an extra 3-4 psi over normal makes the tyres definitely run cooler and they seem to wear more evenly, although that last observation is subjective. On the down side, they transmit more of the road surface through.

I think the bushes and airbags are standard, but again, I'll have a look today and see if I can ascertain exactly what they are.

Handling-wise, the D2 is, to my mind, pretty darn impressive. For a big heavy vehicle, it can be punted through corners with excellent grip and surprisingly little body roll. The ACE models must be awesome in that department! It never feels as big as it actually is, and it's actually a lot of fun to push through the twisties..... it's just that you feel every tiny bump!