Rear shocks - D4 - 3 tonne van

**LuckyLes** · 12th February 2018, 02:01 PM

Hi,
I pull a 2.8ton van with my D4. It has near enough to 10% ball weight. Last time I weighed it it was 280kg on the ball. What pressure are you running in your tyres? This can have a major effect on how the van tows.
Mine tows really well.
LuckyLes

**disco4now** · 12th February 2018, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by JamesAdelaide

Have just bought a second hand bushtracker van, 3 tonne loaded with water, but none of our gear (being confirmed this week on weigh bridge).
...
Bushtracker are big on heavy nose weight, they are very against rear spare wheels, jerrys...

It was towing a bit too nose down, we’ve adjust hitch on van to level it up, yet to test.
So far have towed it from dubbo back home to Adelaide.
...
With the van however, the rear shocks just don't seem to be dampening well at all.
Hit a bit of undulation and there is a lot of ‘bounce’ in the arse.
On the smoother stuff it tows like a dream.

We have a 21' Bushtracker and have towed it about 50-60K now with D4 2010 3.0 and standard hitch just flipped over.We would be 3.5 tonne. The bounce or hobby horse affect you will get from time to time on undulating roads. The secondary roads in QLD is where you can really find it.
The Bushtracker factory normally will set you up with a slight nose down tow as they reckon in their experience this is how they tow best. The simplicity suspension is happy with nose down as van just pivots forward so no extra weight on the front van tires, so I would not worry about nose down, just keep it.

I connect my safety chains to the recovery point between the trailer sockets as way back some suggested the connecting points underneath on the actual hitch might not be strong enough.

We are on original shocks after 175K and 8 years and I don't notice any difference from when I started.

Regards
Gerry

**101RRS** · 12th February 2018, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

I assume your D4 has air suspension. Have you got the air suspension adjusted so your D4 is level and not down at the back?

All D4 have air suspension - how do you adjust it? Never heard of that before? I understood that the air suspension is self adjusting unless you have a leak or a sensor issue.

Garry

**LRD414** · 12th February 2018, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by garrycol

All D4 have air suspension - how do you adjust it? Never heard of that before? I understood that the air suspension is self adjusting unless you have a leak or a sensor issue.

You're right Garry. I'm guessing Mick is thinking of coil suspension with air bag assist like is available for his Defender.

Scott

**LuckyLes** · 12th February 2018, 05:01 PM

Hi,
Is the car recognising the caravan is hooked up. Is the trailer light showing when you use the indicators. If the van has all LED lights the car may not recognise that the van is there.
Les

**Owen** · 12th February 2018, 05:03 PM

Im following this. My 2011 D4 gets the fades up on long stretches of corrugations and on my recent trip to cape your, the pitching was very annoying. Even a second shock to assist would be of interest !

Tombie · 12th February 2018, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by LuckyLes

Hi,
Is the car recognising the caravan is hooked up. Is the trailer light showing when you use the indicators. If the van has all LED lights the car may not recognise that the van is there.
Les

Has no impact on this...

**Milton477** · 12th February 2018, 05:11 PM

It's completely normal to have some pitching when you have a quarter ton jumping up & down on the tow bar.

DiscoMick · 12th February 2018, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by garrycol

All D4 have air suspension - how do you adjust it? Never heard of that before? I understood that the air suspension is self adjusting unless you have a leak or a sensor issue.

Garry

Yes, OK, I didn't explain that well. I was meaning is the vehicle level with the caravan attached?

**JamesAdelaide** · 13th February 2018, 12:45 PM

Sorry for slow replies, my thread subscriptions seem to drop off after a few days.

Originally Posted by TrustyRusty

Ive got a D4 TD6 2015 with 50,000kms and towed a 2.8t caravan (with water tank filled only). The tow ball on my D4 is also a bit low causing the nose of the van to slightly dip but still no issues like you describe from the rear shocks. Regards

Do you know what weight yours is on the towball?

Originally Posted by garrycol

Pitching is not uncommon - there is a long long thread on this about 6 months ago. Garry

Originally Posted by Tombie

There will be some pitching, aftermarket shocks aren’t successful at dealing with this either - most are worse! The sensation is something that can be balanced by loading

Originally Posted by Chops

With mine there seems to be minimal pitching at any speed when fully loaded at just over 3.2t.
There will always be a little pitching if the roads a bit vague. I’ve had more weight than that on the back with a loaded car trailer, and it still behaved very well,,, even with no trailer brakes and a rather quick stop.
Two other things I’d be checking, is make sure your vans sitting level to start with, and if it’s an “off road” van, maybe have the suspension on that checked. If it’s on leaf springs, I’d think it wouldn’t be as critical. The last is how your brake controllers etc are set up,, making sure they’re compatible,,, not sure if that’s something to look out for, but I’d be checking to make sure.
With full air suspension, make sure you don’t use those hitch leveling units.

I would not describe it as pitching, I assuem you mean a rocking action between front and rear. I had to google it - had not heard that term

If so, my issue is nothing like that, a bit of pitching would be fine by me.

The issue is really clearly 'bounce' or 'reverb' from the rear suspension, i.e. just like the dampening effect is simply not working I.e. stuffed shocks.

Originally Posted by Chops

With mine there seems to be minimal pitching at any speed when fully loaded at just over 3.2t.
There will always be a little pitching if the roads a bit vague. I’ve had more weight than that on the back with a loaded car trailer, and it still behaved very well,,, even with no trailer brakes and a rather quick stop.
Two other things I’d be checking, is make sure your vans sitting level to start with, and if it’s an “off road” van, maybe have the suspension on that checked. If it’s on leaf springs, I’d think it wouldn’t be as critical. The last is how your brake controllers etc are set up,, making sure they’re compatible,,, not sure if that’s something to look out for, but I’d be checking to make sure.
With full air suspension, make sure you don’t use those hitch leveling units.

Brand new professionally installed red arc to pro elite, running on about 3.5 - 4.
Backing this right off made no difference.

It was sitting nose down, so have that corrected now and will be taking for a spin tomorrow, fingers crossed!
Plan on taking it past a weight bridge, then rover spares and and also a very good towbar guy for his opinion.

Originally Posted by LuckyLes

Hi,
I pull a 2.8ton van with my D4. It has near enough to 10% ball weight. Last time I weighed it it was 280kg on the ball. What pressure are you running in your tyres? This can have a major effect on how the van tows.
Mine tows really well.
LuckyLes

I started off with 42psi cold rear and 48 front, thats been my usual heavy load touring pressures.
Dropped it down to 36 cold front and 36 cold back
I have a TPMS so watched it closely, rears crept up to 38/39.
Mine are the 118 higher 118 load KO2's.
Any lower they'd be bagged out too much for my liking on long black top runs.
I do have the factory 19's, could try them, but I'd need darn near 50 psi to keep them from bagging out too far...

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