Uprated Suspension Ideas

apole · Post by **apole** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:26 pm

Hi there,

My rear suspension is bottoming out very easily, that's before there is any luggage on board.

I've done some research and found the air assisted suspension bags and the rubber donuts.

Does anyone know of any other options, such as a more heavy duty springs or shocks?

Thanks

Andy

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:32 pm

Dunno if the spring assisters will help?

I recall a thread on this very subject a couple of years back,prior to me having lowered springs fitted, i never had an issue with bottoming out my bongo... I came away with the impression (after it was last discussed) that later model bongo's seem to be more prone to bottoming out for some unknown reason?

My bongo is a 95 model, 96-97 models seemed more prone to bottoming out than earlier models,dunno if the spring rate/rebound was ammended to smooth out the ride or something?

DemonAV · Post by **DemonAV** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:48 pm

We found the solution to this problem. Should inside the original set of rear springs springs from a small car (like Toyota Starlet, Honda Logo...). The problem goes.
http://mikrob.ru/viewtopic.php?t=9971 or http://translate.google.com/translate?u ... u&ie=UTF-8 on English

The Great Pretender · Post by **The Great Pretender** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:29 pm

Remember that uprating the rear with an extra spring will cause the Bongo to oversteer.

apole · Post by **apole** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:34 pm

Thanks for the replies. Like the idea of 2nd springs.

Mine's a 99 and it is really soft at the back, the smallest of speed humps taken slowly and it bottoms out. I need to do something as I'm planning on taking it out as much as I can camping when the weather improves.

Don't want to lower it, the petrol is low enough to the ground as it is.

I guess I'll try the spring assistors as a starting point, they are the easiest to fit and the cheapest and see how it goes from there.

Thanks again.

Andy

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:24 pm

Thank you for the insight into the spring dillema demon av...An interesting concept. Judging from the pictures in the thread you supplied,i take it that russian bongo's have a very hard life?

I don't think i've seen a bongo that looked so filthy! (shudder

)

Why are the tyre profiles so very high? Those tyres on the later shaped freetop were BIG!

Why would the extra springs at the rear cause oversteer TGP?

missfixit70 · Post by **missfixit70** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:06 am

bigdaddycain wrote:I don't think i've seen a bongo that looked so filthy! (shudder )

I'd go & have a lie down Ste, I bet that was a bit too painful & emotional for you to see

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:09 am

missfixit70 wrote:
bigdaddycain wrote:I don't think i've seen a bongo that looked so filthy! (shudder )
I'd go & have a lie down Ste, I bet that was a bit too painful & emotional for you to see

Yawn...Strrretch....What was that luv? I've just had a lie down....

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:46 am

As usual, I'm in awe of what DemonAV and his Russian friends get up to. That has to be the best solution. Where would you buy the springs and do they fit straight in without any problem DemonAV?

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:16 am

I think his man said it took 3 hours to do the conversion mike...Can't be too much involved...I have reservations on the relevent rebound rates of the different springs when under compression,then sudden releif..... I realize that the damper (not shock absorber) takes up some of the rebound,levelling things out, but i can't help but question the two springs working against each other in certain circumstances.

DemonAV · Post by **DemonAV** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:55 am

In Russia, a lot of very bad and dirty roads. The higher wheel, the better for the car. This owner has established itself so much wheel. But failing to wash it for the photo.
We have a small car called Oka http://www.seaz.ru/products/models/ . Almost as a Mini, only more frightening. We use spring from it. The second spring works only under load, increasing rigidity. Many Russian owners have made such a change, and experience has shown that the deterioration not.

Please explain "oversteer TGP". I don't understand.

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:09 am

Fitting 2 springs will give the dampers a hard time IMO. ( mind you, all the water lying in the puddles will help cool them

)
Especially on the rebound when both springs will be trying to fire the body back up..............

apole · Post by **apole** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:10 pm

Are the spring assistors from Towsure hard to fit does anyone know?

Andy

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:27 pm

dandywarhol wrote:Fitting 2 springs will give the dampers a hard time IMO. ( mind you, all the water lying in the puddles will help cool them )
Especially on the rebound when both springs will be trying to fire the body back up..............

DemonAV - any evidence of dampers wearing out quickly with the 2 spring setup? How hard is the ride with 2 springs?

Dandy - what would you recommend as the ideal setup. Air inflated spring assisters?

MountainGoat · Post by **MountainGoat** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:55 pm

I have got the Firestone Coil Rite air spring assisters from Marcle Leisure fitted to my bongo. They really improve the ride. No idea if they are hard to fit as I got my local garage to do the job.

There is a fact sheet in the members section on how to fit them by Allan Naysmith who added a compressor and a dash mounted gauge to make adusting them easier (a fiddly job with a footpump). I will get around to adding this modification one day.

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/member ... isters.pdf