Rear suspension springs

[Alphie]

Hi. The ride height / ground clearance of my conversion (with no extra load added) has always been quite poor, causing regular grounding in camping fields. I have noticed (at the club meet) that it sits a good inch or two lower than most other vans. My question is, has anyone sought to improve a situation like this with new or uprated rear springs? Thanks Chris.

[Picasso]

Hello Chris do you know if your van has been lowered such as has it got coil overs 

[Alphie]

2 hours ago, Picasso said:

Hello Chris do you know if your van has been lowered such as has it got coil overs 

It seems to have original looking plain (single) coil springs (i don't know what 'coil overs' are however) and I know it hasn't been lowered since import and conversion (4 years ago). I've always just accepted that its down to the extra weight of conversion but now I've seen other camper versions I can see there is a difference. thanks for your reply Lee.

[Picasso]

Well the option is to go for heavy duty springs these are standard height to the originals but give a harder ride so for you these should alter hight and carry the extra weight better 

[Mick Mc]

hi there how did you get on with getting new springs I want to uprate the ones on my vellfire camper if I can find the size and dimensions of them I might be able to use helper springs (springs that go inside the original ) to make them stiffer but at the moment the company doesn’t do them but they might have them just made for a different model of car 

[Alphie]

Well I still haven't got around to changing them but have decided on these https://www.autojapspares.co.uk/toyota-alphard-heavy-duty-20-rear-coil-springs--rear-gas-shock-absorbers-35792-p.asp from Auto Jap Spares for when I do. They are heavy duty & so should recover the ride height I seem to have lost due to the extra weight of the campervan conversion.

[Mick Mc]

thanks Alfie I’m doing this my self next month and when I get the old springs out I will know the size to fit helper springs or air bags to get extra gross weight should I need as I’m not sure a 20-25 percent increase will be enough as I’m close to the gross now with out passengers and there luggage  I’ll get back to you with a update in a month or so 

[smurf]

23 hours ago, Alphie said:

Well I still haven't got around to changing them but have decided on these https://www.autojapspares.co.uk/toyota-alphard-heavy-duty-20-rear-coil-springs--rear-gas-shock-absorbers-35792-p.asp from Auto Jap Spares for when I do. They are heavy duty & so should recover the ride height I seem to have lost due to the extra weight of the campervan conversion.

I wouldn't bother with buying and changing the shock absorbers unless you feel the need to as they have no affect on the ride height. You could remove them totally and the car will sit at the same height.

[Alphie]

Good luck Mick, wish I had the compressors/facilities to do it my self. Point taken Richard, I just think, they do wear out, part of the MOT, no idea when they were last changed & its a good opportunity with the springs out. Downside is the extra cost of course.

[smurf]

The springs and shock absorbers aren't arranged in a strut, they are separately mounted and changing one doesn't involve the other, but obviously it will do no harm to change them.

[Chris S]

After a bit of advice on springs too. replaced the rear springs with heavy duty ones to help with sag in a camper conversion and after fitting the van now sits even lower at the rear when unloaded. I’m wondering if the springs I have ordered are not quite right.  

It’s a 2006 e four hybrid

Anyone else had this issue?

 

Thanks a lot

[Mick Mc]

O Chris that doesn’t sound good they haven’t sent you lowering springs have they?

mines booked in for the 4th of June to have the 25% stronger ones from auto jap spares fitted I’ll let you know if I have the same issue 

where did you get yours from ? 
also do you have old springs still ? if so you could get the measurements from them and possibly the fit helper springs but I’m not sure if that would help if you have fitted the lowering springs as they are designed to assist the springs with the heavy weight to stop it lowering the ride hide not increase existing ride height the ride height