Air suspension

[stevedon]

Having read all the threads here is my input,the bags took 10 mins to install.Jack up vehicle under the axle and place a axle stand under the tie rod bracket (chassis mount)and remove the wheel,undoo the lower shock mount and also remove the bolt holding the anti roll bar linkage to the chassis.lower the axle ,the spring will then pull out ,insert air bag and refit in reverse order.This was dead easy no messing about twisting the bag etc job done in 30 mins top.Hope this is of help to someone.
the bags make a masive difference and i run mine at 20 psi without the boat attatched ,not tried it with it yet.
i got the bags and compressor etc from summit racing in the states for $190 US

[dandywarhol]

Good one Steve - what bags did you use? Part numbers?

[stevedon]

i used the 80777 air lift kit

[freda-clive]

HI ALL I HAVE JUST FITTED AN AIRLIFT 1000 KIT FROM Air-Lift.co.uk . It has transformed the handling when carrying the five of us and lots of camping gear plus a large box on a bak-rak which fixes onto the towball. We have just returned from a 2000 mile holiday around europe. The kit was easy to fit and cost £150 inc postage. They took the measurements that I gave them for my Freda 2 wheel drive and sent required size bags and tubing. I ran them at 40 psi during the trip and the handling was nice and firm cruising at around 80mph felt relaxed whereas last year without the air suspension it felt quite unstable at that speed particularily on bumpy corners. It used to bottom out quite easily on the sleeping policeman in my street with 3 or 4 of us in, even with new shock absorbers but no longer does this even with alot of weight. I would definitely recommend this. They have a website and their email address is [email protected] .

On a different note we had a radiator leak which was picked up by the engine saver low water level alarm that I had fitted, Thank goodness I did as I have no doubt that the cylinder head would have been ruined if it had run dry as I had a similar problem with an old vw diesel camper. The radiator leaked from the top where the plastic joins the core which seems to be a common area. It was quite a worry as it was leaking out quite fast in deepest Germany. I got through 3 pots of radweld or equivalent, this seemed to hold it for a while but I had to resort to more desperate measures as it got worse. I found some putty in a supermarket (I have seen it in local diy stores) which said that it was suitable for repairing various materials and worked up to 160 degrees so tried a good smothering of this all around the leaking area (after drying it all off) and it lasted for the rest of the journey home without any more fluid loss. Will have to fork out for a new radiator now but at least the engine remains fine.

[missfixit70]

i used the 80777 air lift kit

Just ordered the same from these guys http://www.mattsavage.com/acatalog/Coil_Springs.html £90 ish inc postage I think it was Apole that mentioned them a while back.

[freda-clive]

Looks the same as mine, I could have saved £50 never mind its a great mod and cheap if you look at alternatives such as stiffer springs and it is adjustable.

[steviebongo]

how do they work? do u have to fit a compressor on board to inflate them?

[missfixit70]

You can do, or just pump them up with an external compressor or footpump. Click on my link, I think it explains what they're about on his site.

[Ron Miel]

OK, they improve handling at the limit, with heavy loading. What's the impact, if any, on general ride comfort?

[missfixit70]

I'm hoping it'll stop it wallowing so much & bottoming out when I've got the back box on or heavily loaded.

[Ron Miel]

OK, they improve handling at the limit, with heavy loading. What's the impact, if any, on general ride comfort?

Supplementary question: Any concession by police and/or insurance companies for running with excess loads - better controlled by "air lifters" but still excess to vehicle design limits? Question not necessarily just about Bongos because, as far as I can tell, they're not EU weight-plated anyway - or are unconverted ones plated/V5 limited? Anybody ever had a gross weight run in wth a Bongo and the police, or an insurance company? What gross weights are peeps successfully running Bongos at with air lift suspension fitted.

[dandywarhol]

I've had my 80777 in for 2 big Euro trips now - the first one with a scooter in the back of the Bongo and this year towing two 210 kg motorbikes on a trailer.

The purpose built trailer had the wheels quite far back for stability but it had a lot of nose weight (I could barely lift it onto the towball). The van was also pretty full of camping stuff. Apart from kissing the bumpstops twice on an undulatory surface on an auroroute bridge section, the bags were perfect at 20 psi. giving less roll and making the van level for good feel through the steering. When the load is off the back I find 16/18 psi to be enough. That way the bags are just supporting some vehicle weight but by far the majority of the weight is still carried by the metal coil springs - that is until you hit bumps or undulatory surfaces which would normally have the van crashing on its bumpstops.

A definite investment and improvement on the standard setup, and whats more the standard dampers are up to the job.

[Ron Miel]

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A definite investment and improvement on the standard setup, and whats more the standard dampers are up to the job.

Am sure it is dandy but have you put it on a weighbridge in fully loaded condition?

[stevedon]

i think the point is being lost,i didnt and im sure most people dont fit them to carry heavier loads,I did mine to stop the dam thing bottoming out when going over a bump with more than a hampster in the back.As to the load capacity 8 persons? at 100 kg each?

[Ron Miel]

i think the point is being lost,i didnt and im sure most people dont fit them to carry heavier loads,I did mine to stop the dam thing bottoming out when going over a bump with more than a hampster in the back.As to the load capacity 8 persons? at 100 kg each?

Hi stevedon. Understood why you have them fitted, although I can't get mine to bottom out with gross weights up to two and a quarter tonne, and didn't even do so on very badly maintained roads in southern Ireland this year. There's at least two posts on here which suggest that some people do buy them in order to carry heavier loads, so my questions about insurance and police attitudes are I think important ones for peeps to consider.
Cheers
David