Looking for heavy duty standard height rear springs

[OldManBeard]

Once I finish the mods and load up the canopy for touring I'll be taking it down to the weighbridge. Once I know how much heavier the tail end is, plus an allowance for the trailer ball weight, I'll be looking for heavier duty rear springs to suit. I know it takes mere seconds to find lots of companies selling heavy-duty rear springs but there's a problem. Every one I've found also adds lift, which I don't want. I want either standard height or a maximum of one inch of lift.

Does anyone here know of a company that supplies such springs? I'm most likely going to need somewhere around an additional 350kg capacity in the suspension.

 

[Old.Tony]

There's a problem with the D40's design that will cause you issues with your wish list.

The standard factory springs are not only softer than marshmallow, they're deliberately flat. ANY spring you replace it with that has a curve is going to give you lift. It is unavoidable. It is your destiny ... oh ****, sorry, watching Star Wars again ...

They make 'em flat because a flat spring has loads of give in both directions. This contributes to the illusion that you're buying a comfortable car that compares favourably against sedans. Curved springs don't give as much or as freely.

 

[OldManBeard]

Bugger! Makes sense now that I read what you wrote. That gives me at least two new problems.

1. I'll need to make spacers for the airbag because they're designed for standard height only and simply don't have the expansion range to deal with lift safely
2. My wife will complain about the climb into the cabin because I'll also need to lift the front to suit

It looks like I'll just have to aim for the minimum lift I can find at the required load rating.

 

[maddon]

my d22 had an extra six leaves [ 3 a side ] put in with the reset on the back and it went up 90 mm before being loaded and it wouldnt fit in the carport until i lowered the tray 40mm , and yes my missus complains about getting in the front too although our 4x4 truck is even higher with three ladder steps leading up to the cab

 

[landmannnn]

The other option is leaf spring helper springs

 

[OldManBeard]

The other option is leaf spring helper springs

I had thought of that and would certainly consider them but I doubt I'll find any that provide enough additional load capacity. It's hard to be sure of what I'll need until I get the canopy back on, loaded up and back on the weighbridge. I'd need to see how such heavy helpers would attach too, as there's a possibility that alone could add excessive stress to the main leaves. I've seen leaf springs broken for that very reason in the past, especially back when tradies would add helpers to their Holden and Ford utes and station wagons and load them to buggery. The helpers were sold as "overload springs", so that's what they did. Modern utes, like the Navaras, have a much higher load capacity but, let's be honest, the leaf springs aren't really much better than what were fitted to those old cars.

 

[Tms40]

Mate a 2” lift on a Navara just makes it a normal ride height for most other 4x4’s. They sit bloody low from factory. Getting in and out isn’t to bad for my mrs.

 

[Billy54]

I just had two new Ironman leaf springs fitted yesterday replacing my King springs. After a few weeks of tracking down the clunk [thanks to all the info on this forum] Being a tradie and carrying a constant load [the truck weighs 2.5 t] I only got 10 years out of them. The spacers had just worn out, so new springs, u bolts, etc. fitted to existing air bags 3 hours labour and the ride home was great, no noise, smooth ride. My truck is lifted at the back but not at the front, the guys at ironman said that's ok [didn't try to sell me on new springs for the front]

 

[OldManBeard]

Mate a 2” lift on a Navara just makes it a normal ride height for most other 4x4’s. They sit bloody low from factory. Getting in and out isn’t to bad for my mrs.

I'm not arguing your point about the height but we're both built a little close to the ground. My wife is only 5 feet 1 inch (156 cm), with me only 5 inches taller, and we're both suffering from the various aches and pains the seem to go with old age. I could make sidesteps but that just adds new problems. Aluminium doesn't stand up to the inevitable knocks and steel adds more weight than I want. It's getting heavy enough just with the necessities.

I had quite enough complaints about the height when we were using Pajeros, all of which were lifted around 2 inches, and they are easier to get into, thanks to better-placed handles. If truth be told, We'd still much rather a Pajero but newer larger diesel models are well outside our budget. The older petrol ones, as we've always had in the past, aren't up to towing our camper comfortably.

 

[OldManBeard]

I just had two new Ironman leaf springs fitted yesterday replacing my King springs. After a few weeks of tracking down the clunk [thanks to all the info on this forum] Being a tradie and carrying a constant load [the truck weighs 2.5 t] I only got 10 years out of them. The spacers had just worn out, so new springs, u bolts, etc. fitted to existing air bags 3 hours labour and the ride home was great, no noise, smooth ride. My truck is lifted at the back but not at the front, the guys at ironman said that's ok [didn't try to sell me on new springs for the front]

I applaud you for having the sense to fit suspension to suit your needs. Just about every tradie ute I see, regardless of brand or model, is just about dragging its arse on the ground. I'm currently running 35mm spacers on top of the front struts to counter the weight of the bullbar, winch, etc. and 25mm spacers on the rear because of the added weight at that end. I do intend to replace both ends with appropriate suspension when I work out what I need. No point doing it until I know the final weights at each end.