Has anyone with a D-Max dual cab or similar vehicle fitted Parabolic springs to the rear of their car?
Two friends suggested I should fit these to the back of our D-Max. One is a mechanic who has them on his ute.
I am less than impressed with the ride that the "SAFE" upgraded springs according to ISUZU offer, with & without the van on the back - especially on the many rough sections of Qld's highways. I had the "softer riding" 3 set springs on the car but they were deemed to be unsafe by the manufacturer for over 18 months. It didn't prevent them from selling these cars to unsuspecting customers from 2018 to early 2020!!
However yesterday I spoke to the Brisbane supplier (who supplies Terrain Tamer parabolics only - does not not fit them) who said that while the springs are rated at 300-500kg, without changing the front coils as well that the rear would be to rough as they would act like 500kg springs(??). His suggestion was to fit 200kg springs & add air bags!! My nominal load without the van on the back is about 90kg + what ever the canopy weighs + two passengers (approx 100kg each) + about 75kg of fuel. I would have thought that was more than sufficient to get the proposed springs working.
My other alternative is to go to ARB.
Dougwe said
04:20 PM Feb 6, 2021
Hi Warren, hope all is good up there in the tropics? I have read a couple of things that are a bit off putting with some locals.
Now, I think I might have mentioned to you when last up there that I have fitted an extra leaf to each side rear springs and did wonders. Job done by Pedders.
Keep Safe up there my friends.
travelyounger said
04:51 PM Feb 6, 2021
Warren-Pat_01 wrote:
Hello to the experts.
Has anyone with a D-Max dual cab or similar vehicle fitted Parabolic springs to the rear of their car?
Two friends suggested I should fit these to the back of our D-Max. One is a mechanic who has them on his ute.
I am less than impressed with the ride that the "SAFE" upgraded springs according to ISUZU offer, with & without the van on the back - especially on the many rough sections of Qld's highways. I had the "softer riding" 3 set springs on the car but they were deemed to be unsafe by the manufacturer for over 18 months. It didn't prevent them from selling these cars to unsuspecting customers from 2018 to early 2020!!
However yesterday I spoke to the Brisbane supplier (who supplies Terrain Tamer parabolics only - does not not fit them) who said that while the springs are rated at 300-500kg, without changing the front coils as well that the rear would be to rough as they would act like 500kg springs(??). His suggestion was to fit 200kg springs & add air bags!! My nominal load without the van on the back is about 90kg + what ever the canopy weighs + two passengers (approx 100kg each) + about 75kg of fuel. I would have thought that was more than sufficient to get the proposed springs working.
My other alternative is to go to ARB.
I would not recommend airbags if you want a cheap but good suspension without any engineering try Carrolls springs in Brisbane they no there stuff
Cheers
yobarr said
06:09 PM Feb 6, 2021
Like John,I recommend Carroll springs.Half the price of the big names,who seemingly rely on their name to rip-off those who are lost in the confusing weights wilderness.Airbags simply jack-up the back of the vehicle.Carrolls are absolute experts,and certainly will sort your problem at a very good price.Cheer
P.S While Carroll springs do not have an actual branch in Townsville,they do have a warehouse there,and I'm sure that they will have a recommended fitter to help you out.Good luck.Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Saturday 6th of February 2021 07:38:21 PM
Aus-Kiwi said
07:44 PM Feb 6, 2021
Yes you need variable rate springs . Firm up with extra load . A little lower due to weight ? But its the nature of the beast ! A little lower , not complete sag !! ABs can assist . But some add too much air to bags !
Radar said
08:01 AM Feb 7, 2021
Warren-Pat_01 wrote:
Hello to the experts.
Has anyone with a D-Max dual cab or similar vehicle fitted Parabolic springs to the rear of their car?
Two friends suggested I should fit these to the back of our D-Max. One is a mechanic who has them on his ute.
I am less than impressed with the ride that the "SAFE" upgraded springs according to ISUZU offer, with & without the van on the back - especially on the many rough sections of Qld's highways. I had the "softer riding" 3 set springs on the car but they were deemed to be unsafe by the manufacturer for over 18 months. It didn't prevent them from selling these cars to unsuspecting customers from 2018 to early 2020!!
However yesterday I spoke to the Brisbane supplier (who supplies Terrain Tamer parabolics only - does not not fit them) who said that while the springs are rated at 300-500kg, without changing the front coils as well that the rear would be to rough as they would act like 500kg springs(??). His suggestion was to fit 200kg springs & add air bags!! My nominal load without the van on the back is about 90kg + what ever the canopy weighs + two passengers (approx 100kg each) + about 75kg of fuel. I would have thought that was more than sufficient to get the proposed springs working.
My other alternative is to go to ARB.
Hi Warren-Pat_01.
In Brisbane I used Fulcrum Suspension, our car by itself was not to bad with just quality shockers but add the caravan another story.
A trip into Fulcrum and now have a vehicle suitable for most jobs, the car rides good, sit nice, carries the weight bute.
Yes I would you use them again and yes I did spend $2000 plus and I have a vehicle to do long distance very travel comfortably.
There is a Fulcrum Suspension dealer in Townsville. My neg with ARB was that they were about off road driving, the rest of my car has there accessories fitted.
-- Edited by Radar on Sunday 7th of February 2021 08:06:30 AM
The Travelling Dillberries said
12:51 PM Feb 7, 2021
Warren I replaced my sagging springs with Old Man Emu ELO72R leafs with Nitro sports shockies and their installation kit. The springs are 2 stage. These are their light weights doing up to 300kg. I don't have a bullbar or winch, have side steps and canopy and nudge bar.
The ride is still good for a 4x4,
The new springs gave a rear end lift of 65 mm. The van sits level without WDH. My van towball is usually around 250 kg and I carry a max of about 150kg in the tub. Only done about 5000km with them and very happy.
From what I read on the parabolics they provide a good ride unloaded but if you need to load up near maximum you'll need air bags.
Cheers
Chris.
Greg 1 said
05:45 PM Feb 7, 2021
I would not recommend putting air bags on a leaf sprung vehicle. The risk of chassis damage is increased exponentially. Coil sprung vehicles are fine due to the design allowing a point load over the coil spring but leaf sprung vehicles are designed for the load to be at each end of the spring not over the axle.
yobarr said
06:00 PM Feb 7, 2021
Greg 1 wrote:
I would not recommend putting air bags on a leaf sprung vehicle. The risk of chassis damage is increased exponentially. Coil sprung vehicles are fine due to the design allowing a point load over the coil spring but leaf sprung vehicles are designed for the load to be at each end of the spring not over the axle.
Absolutely correct,and not debatable.Cheers
Warren-Pat_01 said
07:26 PM Feb 7, 2021
Thanks, Chaps,
You've given me something to think (more) about! I don't want to spend a bucket load of money only to have little change in what I've got.
Doug,
I don't really want to add another leaf to stiffen up what I have. The ride is reasonable until one travels on the not so good (we're lucky in some areas to get "Rough surface" signs) sections of Qld highways. I feel the car has little articulation in the springs now.
When I first started looking, I visited some of the places available in Townsville - Opposite Lock showed me a set that I couldn't even lift - ok if I was driving a Leopard tank or similar!! I will have a look at Fulcrum although their springs seem to have only a single stage similar to the Isuzu springs. The Isuzu springs are not completely flat with nothing on the towbar (I can get a single page of A4 type paper between the individual leaves). Will also case out Carrolls too. There is Green's also but they are in Grafton - they prefer to work on the OEM springs, I believe.
From what I could see from the online videos, the Terrain Tamer parabolics were ideal but the 300-500Kg rating is putting me off. From what I gather they don't require additional airbags but they may require a change of brake lines. They weigh less than conventional spring packs. I recently saw one of Ron Moon's cars in a 4X4 Australia - a D-Max & the movement in those parabolic springs was amazing.
Chris,
I assume from what you say that you too have a D-Max. From memory (& the paper work is at home - in Toowoomba at the moment), your replacement springs are what ARB suggested to me last year. The lift that you got seems a bit high - was there any issues with the universal joints, brake lines? I have a steel bull bar on the front - whether I'll have to upgrade the front suspension, I don't know.
A friend in Townsville with an earlier model D-Max has just changed his tub for a tray & "flash" aluminium canopy. He took it to ARB - changed the rear suspension & front shocks (has torsion bars on the front). He seems happy with the change.
The Travelling Dillberries said
08:36 PM Feb 7, 2021
Warren yes I have a 2016 D-Max.
The stated lift was 30mm but my springs were just worse than flat so I would have been down at least 30mm to start with. I have not touched front end or anything else.
Hello to the experts.
Has anyone with a D-Max dual cab or similar vehicle fitted Parabolic springs to the rear of their car?
Two friends suggested I should fit these to the back of our D-Max. One is a mechanic who has them on his ute.
I am less than impressed with the ride that the "SAFE" upgraded springs according to ISUZU offer, with & without the van on the back - especially on the many rough sections of Qld's highways. I had the "softer riding" 3 set springs on the car but they were deemed to be unsafe by the manufacturer for over 18 months. It didn't prevent them from selling these cars to unsuspecting customers from 2018 to early 2020!!
However yesterday I spoke to the Brisbane supplier (who supplies Terrain Tamer parabolics only - does not not fit them) who said that while the springs are rated at 300-500kg, without changing the front coils as well that the rear would be to rough as they would act like 500kg springs(??). His suggestion was to fit 200kg springs & add air bags!! My nominal load without the van on the back is about 90kg + what ever the canopy weighs + two passengers (approx 100kg each) + about 75kg of fuel. I would have thought that was more than sufficient to get the proposed springs working.
My other alternative is to go to ARB.
Now, I think I might have mentioned to you when last up there that I have fitted an extra leaf to each side rear springs and did wonders. Job done by Pedders.
Keep Safe up there my friends.
I would not recommend airbags if you want a cheap but good suspension without any engineering try Carrolls springs in Brisbane they no there stuff
Cheers
Like John,I recommend Carroll springs.Half the price of the big names,who seemingly rely on their name to rip-off those who are lost in the confusing weights wilderness.Airbags simply jack-up the back of the vehicle.Carrolls are absolute experts,and certainly will sort your problem at a very good price.Cheer
P.S While Carroll springs do not have an actual branch in Townsville,they do have a warehouse there,and I'm sure that they will have a recommended fitter to help you out.Good luck.Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Saturday 6th of February 2021 07:38:21 PM
Hi Warren-Pat_01.
In Brisbane I used Fulcrum Suspension, our car by itself was not to bad with just quality shockers but add the caravan another story.
A trip into Fulcrum and now have a vehicle suitable for most jobs, the car rides good, sit nice, carries the weight bute.
Yes I would you use them again and yes I did spend $2000 plus and I have a vehicle to do long distance very travel comfortably.
There is a Fulcrum Suspension dealer in Townsville. My neg with ARB was that they were about off road driving, the rest of my car has there accessories fitted.
-- Edited by Radar on Sunday 7th of February 2021 08:06:30 AM
Warren I replaced my sagging springs with Old Man Emu ELO72R leafs with Nitro sports shockies and their installation kit. The springs are 2 stage. These are their light weights doing up to 300kg. I don't have a bullbar or winch, have side steps and canopy and nudge bar.
The ride is still good for a 4x4,
The new springs gave a rear end lift of 65 mm. The van sits level without WDH. My van towball is usually around 250 kg and I carry a max of about 150kg in the tub. Only done about 5000km with them and very happy.
From what I read on the parabolics they provide a good ride unloaded but if you need to load up near maximum you'll need air bags.
Cheers
Chris.
Absolutely correct,and not debatable.Cheers
You've given me something to think (more) about! I don't want to spend a bucket load of money only to have little change in what I've got.
Doug,
I don't really want to add another leaf to stiffen up what I have. The ride is reasonable until one travels on the not so good (we're lucky in some areas to get "Rough surface" signs) sections of Qld highways. I feel the car has little articulation in the springs now.
When I first started looking, I visited some of the places available in Townsville - Opposite Lock showed me a set that I couldn't even lift - ok if I was driving a Leopard tank or similar!! I will have a look at Fulcrum although their springs seem to have only a single stage similar to the Isuzu springs. The Isuzu springs are not completely flat with nothing on the towbar (I can get a single page of A4 type paper between the individual leaves). Will also case out Carrolls too. There is Green's also but they are in Grafton - they prefer to work on the OEM springs, I believe.
From what I could see from the online videos, the Terrain Tamer parabolics were ideal but the 300-500Kg rating is putting me off. From what I gather they don't require additional airbags but they may require a change of brake lines. They weigh less than conventional spring packs. I recently saw one of Ron Moon's cars in a 4X4 Australia - a D-Max & the movement in those parabolic springs was amazing.
Chris,
I assume from what you say that you too have a D-Max. From memory (& the paper work is at home - in Toowoomba at the moment), your replacement springs are what ARB suggested to me last year. The lift that you got seems a bit high - was there any issues with the universal joints, brake lines? I have a steel bull bar on the front - whether I'll have to upgrade the front suspension, I don't know.
A friend in Townsville with an earlier model D-Max has just changed his tub for a tray & "flash" aluminium canopy. He took it to ARB - changed the rear suspension & front shocks (has torsion bars on the front). He seems happy with the change.
Warren yes I have a 2016 D-Max.
The stated lift was 30mm but my springs were just worse than flat so I would have been down at least 30mm to start with. I have not touched front end or anything else.