Air suspension

[Andy]

Hi everyone!
I hope you are all well. I wanted to ask for some help. I tow my trailer with my g wagon and for the first time I noticed that the trailer and car were not level, there was a bit of sagging on the hitch. I have researched air suspension but I am not all too confident in doing this. Has anyone had this problem and how did you solve it? Is it safe to do? Where in Cape Town could I go to get this done properly? Are there any other alternatives to solve the issue? Any advice would be welcome.

 

[Gerardd]

Hi Andy, Gremetech offer an air suspension solution using polymeric bladder witching the coil spring structure.
however sagging on the drivers side in g wagon is common and can also be remedied by using coil spring spacers. A local club member in Cape Town, Doug Nel has these available to level any sagging. Please feel free to contact Doug, I’ll send details by DM

 

[Bloudraad]

I got a quote from these guys and was very impressed by them. R5500 or so for the rear. I towed a mobilodge through Kgalagadi and definitely had a problem with the towbar dragging on the middelman.

 

[Heinie]

Hi there Bloudraad

Please could you post your experience towing the Mobi Lodge and some pics of the combination.
You might have to do a separate post.

Much appreciated

 

[Bloudraad]

So, towing on normal gravel roads and highway was absolutely fine. In fact, I would not use airbags if that was the only towing I did. However, during the Kgalagadi Mabua trip the road is very rough with many deep holes in the soft sand where you always bounce through the sand. You have to have a bit of momentum and that was terrible. The total weight of the caravan fully loaded plus the 8 jerry cans in the back of the vehicle with fridges and more contributed to a very uncomfortable ride. I guest the caravan weighed about 1.5 tons. Even though the tow ball weight was only 80kg, the caravan would rock back and forth causing additional strain. As you can see on the photo's the vehicle is loaded, but not sagging too much.

So, overall I was very happy in most situations but I will not do the Mabua trail without upgraded suspension.

 

[Riaan Harman]

Nice photo.

I think that caravan is heavy any vehicle will bounce through, the air helpers should make a difference.

 

[Andy]

Thanks for all the help and info. I ended up moving things around on the trailer so I had less weight on the hitch. I am going to ask Doug to install some spacers for me as well. Last thing I am doing in the new year is adjust the koni suspension to be a bit stiffer.

 

[Bloudraad]

Thanks for all the help and info. I ended up moving things around on the trailer so I had less weight on the hitch. I am going to ask Doug to install some spacers for me as well. Last thing I am doing in the new year is adjust the koni suspension to be a bit stiffer.

That sound like a good plan. Please let us know how it feels after the changes.

 

[Andy]

Will do. This is how it currently looks. Once changes are done I will send an update.