Alphard rear suspension

[starider]

Hi, have just received an up grade to our Alphard. I was still not happy with the Camber angle so decided to fit heavy duty rear springs and relovent shock absorbers. I have a few jobs to do around the farm and hope to do the work next week. I will report on progress and results when finished.

[MonsterS]

Send us a link to these?  Might look good for us as the shocks need changing soon.

[starider]

Hi, ebay 382465396973. If you sign up and use Complete Savings you can get 10% off. Have a look at how Complete Savings work, they have many popular web sale businesses which give discounts to members. Make sure you read and understand how it works. Screwfix is just one of the many companies on their books.

[starider]

Hi, just a PS to add, we sometimes tow a box van and these springs and shocks will help with the required trailer nose weight. I would also consider these essential if towing a caravan.

[Rojie]

Hi Starider,

 

Should I be considering these as I have a 15mm thick Birch Ply rear conversion.

 

I took out my 2 rear seats, not light, and added about 100kg.

 

It is not the cost, fitting them would be the issue; although I do still have (limited) access to the shock towers inside the wheel arches.

[starider]

Hi Rojie, when I have fitted these parts I'll have a better idea of how much is involved. I fitted a set if rear HD springs [due to POT HOLE damage] to my ex Suzuki Vitara 4 x 4 and each side litterally took less than half an hour. Just a reminder to everyone, any suspension springs must be fitted as a pair i.e. one each side.

Edited December 17, 2021 by starider

[starider]

Hi, had a go at fitting the HD springs today. Everything went quite well until I tried to compress the old springs and remove them. Even though I had some spring compressers I couldn't compress them enough to free them from their seatings to wriggle them out. As the heavy duty springs have an extra coil, I certainly wouldn't be able to compress them enough either. I haven't the special equipment I believe is needed, so will have to get my/our garage to do the job. I'm not at this time going to fit the new shocks as I will have to remove the R & R bed to gain access to the top shock absorber fitting. I notice that the springs are available separately, so it can be a cheaper job. What I did notice is that the rear is approx. 1 1/2" lower than the front.

[Picasso]

Hi I'm after a set of heavy duty springs can you let me know where you got them from also why would you want to replace singly if heavy duty and you put one on and left the other 3 on you certainly know the difference in a bad way 

Edited December 24, 2021 by Picasso

[starider]

Hi, if you read my previous posts on this subject you will see why I have decided to replace both the rear springs. When towing a trailer or caravan there must be a degree of nose weight at the hitch[i.e. downward weight] to ensure the trailer hitch doesn't try to lift off the ball hitch and also to ensure a smooth tow.This added weight will push down the re

It is certainly not necessary to fit HD springs all round and I did not imply I was only fitting one to the rear, I have been in and around the motor trade for over 50 years and would never ever fit odd parts [such springs]to each side. The rule is "fit new parts to both sides when replacing suspension parts such as springs,shock absorbers"

I also have given an ebay item number which takes you to a set of rear HD springs and shock absorbers. The same supplier will also supply just the springs.

[New Girl]

Hi anyone out there. Have just purchased a four wheel drive 2008 Alphard.Previously owned a two wheel drive.I am finidng the ride very different it feels like I'm in a rocking chair or a fair ride, especially going over bumps. Have had tyres,supension checked all OK any suggestions as it really feels that if I braked hard the whole body would leave the wheels !!

Thanks

[starider]

Hi, I'm at a bit of a loss to make any suggestions, usually there is little or no difference between two and four wheel drive[except in fuel consumption]. The only suggestion may be that the rear springs need replacing with stronger heavy duty ones. We never know what or how our Alphards were used in the past, all I can confirm is that fitting HD rear springs to ours  greatly improved the ride.

[Gadabout]

Hi Starider, I am also considering heavy duty springs for our Alphard. I tried the Ebay item number you provided but it did not find anything. I appreciate this post is a bit old now, and wondered if you had any further information on the springs that I could use to locate them. There are also lots of posts on the forum about vehicle weights, payloads and stronger springs, and I wondered if anyone has successfully upgraded their springs to achieve a bigger payload.

[Picasso]

125417780024

[starider]

Hi,

I note Picasso has provided a number which I assume means he has obtained a set. If you read my post re.the fitment you will note I found it impossible compress both the old springs and certainly not the longer HD springs. My local garage did the job successfully with much heaving by several mechanics!!

I have just towed our caravan from St.Mawes in Cornwall,adding the nose weight of the caravan did not "push" down the rear of the Alphard in anyway,as far as we could see so the HD springs do a good job. We had a nice easy drive home, a slight drop in speed on the steeper parts of the A30 but a good tow at between 50 and 60 with no swing on the caravan.

I've towed many types of trailer with many different vehicles and the Alphard is one of the best, second only to my Morris 1800[Land crab] which I owned during the 1980s.

The most difficult to tow was a single axle, around 25/30ft long, which contained a Sailplane. I've been taken to task in the past about the length of this trailer, but my excuse, it was over 40years ago!! What I'm trying to say is the Alphard is a good steady towing vehicle.

If you can't find the springs I'll try to find the box the HDs came in and see if there is a label still on it.

[Picasso]

The hd springs are not longer they are same height same amount of coils just 20% stronger I guess they would be harder to compress my garage did these 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Picasso
Spelling

[Gadabout]

Many thanks Picasso and Starider for your responses. I found the springs on eBay. Million dollar question, do you know what extra payload these springs give you? I managed to find the net and gross vehicle weights (my terminology) for my vehicle. I have also weighed my vehicle post conversion, the end result being I don’t have much payload, so need to do something! I note there is a discussion about vehicle weights/payload on this forum, and problems people have had trying to find vehicle weights. Just in case you are interested I managed to find a web site which had all the original Alphard brochures which you can download, and the two I looked at contained the net and gross vehicle weights, the link is autocataloguearchive.com. I will also post this link in the discussion thread about weights.

[starider]

Sorry to contradict, but the springs although stronger were longer when put beside the ones removed, not by a great deal, but definitely longer enough to make fitting difficult. Interestingly when I purchased my kit there were a pair of new shock absorbers with the springs. That accounts for the ebay number I gave not working,as from the number given by Picasso is for the springs alone.

I didn't fit the shocks as the ones on the Alphard are still OK, plus I didn't fancy dismantling"stuff to get at the top of the towers.

[Gadabout]

Hi Starider and Picasso

Thanks for your responses. Can I just clarify you have both fitted the heavy duty springs with the part number Picasso provided. If so did the new springs affect the quality of the ride? The supplier of the springs provided the specs for the springs from the manufacturers, as followers: “360lbs per inch so each spring has 3000lbs, total weight on rear with two springs 6000lbs”. All this doesn’t mean a great deal to me other than a solution for more payload, and probably over the top for me, but haven’t been able to find another solution as yet. Put an email to SVTech but not had a response yet. I have been told by another that the heavy duty springs ‘totally reck the quality of the ride’ so interested what you think. Thanks again.

[starider]

Yes,Although the set I purchased contained shock absorbers,they were purchased from the same supplier. I checked back to when I ordered them in 2021.

You will note we both had them fitted by  local garage, as the rear flexible brake hoses had to be disconnected to allow the suspension to be"swung" down far enough to remove the old and install the new[plenty of muscle was needed].

[Gadabout]

Hi Starider, did the springs affect the ride quality in a negative way?

[starider]

The ride has been much improved,no sign of any negative difference.

[Gadabout]

Marvellous, i feel a purchase coming my way. Thanks again.

[starider]

You're welcome.