Temporary rear-end leveling when heavily loaded? (1 Viewer)

[amaurer]

I've got a good road trip planned in a few months (10 days) and will be carrying a lot of gear in the back of the 40 - its level with nothing in it, but it'll squat for sure when I load it up.

I need a temporary solution, so I was considering throwing on some helper springs to level things out, however I do plan on doing some wheeling on the trip and I've heard helpers aren't great offroad. I don't really want to pull AALs in and out, but I'd be OK with a shackle swap.

What do you experts think?

 

[Fast Eddy]

Air shocks are about $65/pair; exactly what you need. If you keep them on all the time and plumb them with individual valves, you could probably foil cruiser-lean with them as well.

 

[DSRTRDR]

slightly longer shackles ?

 

[folsom50]

I've got a good road trip planned in a few months (10 days) and will be carrying a lot of gear in the back of the 40 - its level with nothing in it, but it'll squat for sure when I load it up.

I need a temporary solution, so I was considering throwing on some helper springs to level things out, however I do plan on doing some wheeling on the trip and I've heard helpers aren't great offroad. I don't really want to pull AALs in and out, but I'd be OK with a shackle swap.

What do you experts think?

I went through the same thing last Nov. on a 1400 mile round trip hunt. A 4x8 trailer with a four-wheeler and the back of the 40 crammed, sagged the crap out of my springs. Now my 40 has a slight nose high attitude, even though it's empty. Longer shackles my help you sit level, but it don't really address the problem of over loaded springs. You might end up with a unlevel cruiser when you put your original shackles back on.

I spent quite a bit of time looking into this after I got back, and the best or easiest thing I could come up with was Eddy's idea. Shocks are easy to put on or take off so a person could just run them when going on a loaded trip. If anybody else has a better idea then I'm all ears.

 

[Pin_Head]

Longer shackles might give you some driveline vibration without shimming the spring pads. The cheap and easy solution is air shocks, like Eddy mentioned.

BTW, there is nothing wrong with the tail sagging a bit. I hauled about 1000 pounds of brick and it was sagging, but I was surprised how nice it rode.

 

[Fast Eddy]

the best or easiest thing I could come up with was Eddy's idea.

The cheap and easy solution is air shocks, like Eddy mentioned.

He's some kinda freakin' genius.

If a heavily-loaded hunting trip can sag the springs permanently, I wonder if you could rejuevenate them by installing air shocks when unloaded, pump them all the way up and leave it out in the sun for a week? Or fix cruiser-lean by doing it on one side? Cheap experiment.

 

[amaurer]

well, I worry about killing my springs, especially if I flex em out a bit offroad while loaded down. air shocks would be peace of mind.

So Monroe tells the stock rear 40 shocks are 13.25" compressed, 21" extended (7.75" travel). They've only got two adjustable air shocks that have the same mounts:

MA812 12.750 compressed, 20.75 extended, 8" travel
MA820 14.375 compressed 23.00 extended 8.625" travel

Sooo, do I go with the 812s, and lose 1/4" of extension, or do I go with the 820s and lose 1.125" of compression??

 

[Fast Eddy]

the MA812s are the right ones. 2" extra extension could cause shackle inversion and you lose 1" compression (articulation).

 

[Downey]

I'll chime in for the old guys who "been there-done that". In the past air shocks have sometimes been leakers, probably ok for occasional use, but not probably ok as your stand-alone shock. Obtaining the correct lenght for your rig may also be a challenge. Worst problem is they do not have good off road valving, and severe off road use usually destroys them anyway.
Disclaimer: some may have found air shocks not troublesome at all. You could find yourself in this lucky and happy group.

 

[island45]

After getting 175,000 miles from monroe air shocks on my '71 toyota pickup, I bought another pair last fall for my fj 45. I haven't installed them yet. I think they are MA 794. They worked great for your intended purpose when I hauled way too big of loads in the mini-truck. So another thumbs up on air shocks.

 

[FineWynsFJ40]

If you want my hellwig helper springs, then you're welcome to them. I just pulled them off since I was adding a couple leaves to my rear end to level her out. They add 550 lbs of level load carrying capacity. Let me know if you're interested in them.

Brian

 

[ducktapeguy]

Question about the air shocks. Do the shock bolts need to be reinforced or are the stock mounts strong enough to handle the extra load?

 

[crushr]

I had air shocks many years ago. Great for adjusting ride height for varying loads. Ride like crap.

 

[folsom50]

I went out and measured yesterday, and my cruiser sits 1.5" low in the rear. It was alot worse than that but it's come back up quite a bit over the last 6 weeks. I also measured my rear shocks, and standing empty they're 20.5" long between bolt centers. So I'm afraid that it's going to take a bunch of searching to find air-shocks that are long enough.

 

[Coolerman]

I run Gabriel Hi-Jackers on my Xterra. This is the second set because of what follows.

If you don't keep a minimum pressure in them, you will destroy them. Make sure your installation is leak free and check the pressure often. I didn't, and both shocks were destroyed.

With minimum pressure in, they still ride stiff.

I would buy a set and put them on only when you need them if you rarely tow or load heavy.

Otherwise the overload springs FineWynsFJ40 offers would be a good idea.

 

[amaurer]

I went out and measured yesterday, and my cruiser sits 1.5" low in the rear. It was alot worse than that but it's come back up quite a bit over the last 6 weeks. I also measured my rear shocks, and standing empty they're 20.5" long between bolt centers. So I'm afraid that it's going to take a bunch of searching to find air-shocks that are long enough.

What? I posted this earlier:

Stock: 13.25" compressed, 21" extended (7.75" travel)

MA812: 12.750 compressed, 20.75 extended (8" travel)
MA820 14.375 compressed 23.00 extended (8.625" travel)

 

[pb4ugo]

I'd look at trying to figure out a way to adapt airbags to it. I think you can get or make a kit for your application. I think Firestone & other mfgrs make a few different styles for load leveling. I'd try to install them so when you are not using them your suspension will act normally.

I had airshocks along time ago, as stated previously, they do ride ruff and limit travel.

 

[fireflyr]

You can ask this guy what he did for his rear end leveling problem:

Sorry moderator, I couldn't resist.

 

[folsom50]

What? I posted this earlier:

Stock: 13.25" compressed, 21" extended (7.75" travel)

MA812: 12.750 compressed, 20.75 extended (8" travel)
MA820 14.375 compressed 23.00 extended (8.625" travel)

Yeah, I saw that. I'm 20.5" and sagged 1.5"= 22" Think about it, that's not my extended length. I need around 26".

 

[Fast Eddy]

I'd look at trying to figure out a way to adapt airbags to it. I think you can get or make a kit for your application. I think Firestone & other mfgrs make a few different styles for load leveling. I'd try to install them so when you are not using them your suspension will act normally.

I thought about that, but you'd have to fab some buckets and probably weld them onto the frame.

What's wrong with running air shocks when you need them and taking them off when you don't? It's four nuts...