SAX 3SDS Springs

[dizzaa]

I have read a lot of threads already and they all seem quite dated, so I wanted to ask everyone's thoughts on these springs. Especially chasing views from the guys that have had them under there trucks for a long time

Pros and Cons? There seems to be certain people that love them and certain people that hate them. Any help would be appreciated before I throw down my hard earned cash.

 

[RustyNav09]

Well I'm prob the only member here to have had them in the longest (5years). Now before I start I must tell you and I will constantly remind you that my set were and are manufactured here in AUS from AUS steel and Aus manufacturing. Not manufactured overseas and assembled overseas from Chinese steel etc.

So I have loved mine. The ability to swap between hd and comforrt had been a great feature. I am running the springs on hd setting full-time bow due to weight I have added. Still a firm spring and handling is very good. The new springs allow the ability for extra adjusting with 4 adjustments not 2 which mine have(old style)

Never had any issues even with warranty issues- only ever had a cross threaded shackle pin/bolt.

I would suggest getting the correct springs as they have a performance and hd 3sds springs. Mine were the performance kit. A lot of people got the hd ones and were very unimpressed with the ride harshness etc.

Oh I also have them matched to bilstien shocks not the shocks they recommend.

Rusty

 

[dizzaa]

Thanks for the reply. I noticed your name coming up as an advocate quite a bit in my reading. The ones i am looking at are rated up to 500kg not the real heavy ones. I have TD shocks in the rear but will be swapping to Bilsteins as have them up front and have not been happy with the Tough Dog gear.

Can I ask what sort of weight you carry in the rear on average?

 

[RustyNav09]

Wouldn't know a rough weight. Canopy, dual battery, rear bar, drawer. So there is a fair bit of weight. Mine are the performance springs.

 

[Farmer Joe]

I have read a lot of threads already and they all seem quite dated, so I wanted to ask everyone's thoughts on these springs. Especially chasing views from the guys that have had them under there trucks for a long time

Pros and Cons? There seems to be certain people that love them and certain people that hate them. Any help would be appreciated before I throw down my hard earned cash.

Mate don't waist your money on this crap. I have had a pair of these overseas made springs on my D22 for about four years and they ride extremely rough, they don't get any better. Sax are very difficult to deal with and get very aggressive on the phone. Plenty of people speak very highly of Zordo, who is a member on here, I suggest you contact him for some springs that will give you a good ride.

 

[dizzaa]

Thanks for your input FJ. I will keep researching and see how I go.

 

[Jased22]

I would never get these springs after reading so many bad reviews...

 

[nofx]

I've had mine for three years and find them great. They are only 45 min or so from me so I had them install it. I had one warranty claim where one of the shocks blew and dropped its oil and it was replaced no problem. My experience has been fine.

 

[Navmania]

Mine are now going on a few years old and still surprisingly haven't sagged and I tow every day. Their shocks didn't work with mine and it made the rear like it was locked solid. Now I am running rancho adjustables on setting two and the ride is good. If you don't intend on carrying weight all the time then they will be to harsh. Agree they are hard to deal with and have bad customer service. I am also not happy with the finish of my set as they have rusted pretty badly due to them not being a brand new set to start with. I think I got a set of prototype springs that had been sent back a few times and leafs removed then just painted black with a pressure pack. The third stage doesn't even come close to doing anything due to the leafs being removed, lucky I don't use the third stage anyway so I just removed it. I don't know if they have got on top of things with development but definitely enter at your own risk. My recommendation would be if you decide to use their springs only get the leafs and use your own shocks and torsion bars as they only supply ironman torsion bars at an inflated price and the shocks just didn't work for me, you need adjustables to tune to the weight you are carrying. Good luck

 

[RustyNav09]

So I posted a while ago saying I had these springs in for 5yrs .Well unfortunately time flys and I over thought myself. I've had them fitted for 3yrs and 4months .Convenient that it's out of warranty period because bothtop load springs snapped on my recent Simpson trip that I've only arrived home from today. I sent some pictures to sax via Facebook and had the owner call me. Long story short is that I had the wrong springs fitted and it's my fault. The springs did what they were designed to do and snapped when overloaded so your not left strandedin the middle of nowhere. Now I'm no spring designer or engineer but I would design something to break so you don't get stranded it just seems bizarre.

Firstly they tried to blame loose u bolts. Not possible. Checked by my mechanic as a pre trip check, then again at Ayers Rock mechanic due to leaking diff, then again at birdsville roadhouse after the leaves snapped mid desert a day apart. Then tried to blame overloading as I enquired about upgrading to hd springs before the trip as I mentioned heavy load in my enquiry. Not possible as I had more weight on my cape trip and random lads between then. Anyway after my wife being treated like she knew nothing on the phone(I was driving when they rang) they gave me a price for a HD set fitted which was heavily discounted but still more expensive then the price the rep have me when I enquired before the trip.

What I'm asking is are people happy with the hd springs and are they rough to ride on empty. By empty a mean setup for touring but empty draws and water tank etc. OR do I go to a dobinson or ome spring instead. I'm running bilstien shocks which had work there ass off to run soft springs withawoke Tue gear for touring and they are still fine

 

[Navmania]

So I posted a while ago saying I had these springs in for 5yrs .Well unfortunately time flys and I over thought myself. I've had them fitted for 3yrs and 4months .Convenient that it's out of warranty period because bothtop load springs snapped on my recent Simpson trip that I've only arrived home from today. I sent some pictures to sax via Facebook and had the owner call me. Long story short is that I had the wrong springs fitted and it's my fault. The springs did what they were designed to do and snapped when overloaded so your not left strandedin the middle of nowhere. Now I'm no spring designer or engineer but I would design something to break so you don't get stranded it just seems bizarre. Firstly they tried to blame loose u bolts. Not possible. Checked by my mechanic as a pre trip check, then again at Ayers Rock mechanic due to leaking diff, then again at birdsville roadhouse after the leaves snapped mid desert a day apart. Then tried to blame overloading as I enquired about upgrading to hd springs before the trip as I mentioned heavy load in my enquiry. Not possible as I had more weight on my cape trip and random lads between then. Anyway after my wife being treated like she knew nothing on the phone(I was driving when they rang) they gave me a price for a HD set fitted which was heavily discounted but still more expensive then the price the rep have me when I enquired before the trip. What I'm asking is are people happy with the hd springs and are they rough to ride on empty. By empty a mean setup for touring but empty draws and water tank etc. OR do I go to a dobinson or ome spring instead. I'm running bilstien shocks which had work there ass off to run soft springs withawoke Tue gear for touring and they are still fine

Hi Rusty.
Sorry to hear your troubles. Strange that they snapped after all this time, it would have to be due to fatigue not overloading. They are full of S#!t anyway as you would need to be grossly overloaded for this to happen as the spring should be designed to handle the max carrying weight of the car anyway. Then they sell them as upgraded on top of that. Mine are the 3 stage version but to this day can't see how the 3rd stage even works. And unless you are carrying some weight they are harsh. I have draws and a fridge in all the time and they ride nice, but it is a bit of weight. I also tow a trailer all the time for work and even when it's off it still rides very similar to when on. I wonder if mine will snap as if I'm not towing my work trailer I am towing my camper which is heavier again.
I would be very sketchy of the after sales service or lack of. They don't care about their customers at all. The set I received were a second hand set (sold as new) as they were painted black over the red and the old stickers had been painted over. They have now started to rust as the paint quality was so bad. And when I contacted them with my concerns I got told pretty much tuff luck.
That's the problem. It's a good product and would be hard to find something that rides as nice and can carry the loads I carry, but they just suck as a company and don't care one bit about bad publicity.
If I had to get another set I probably wouldn't.
Why don't you take your set to a spring place and get a set made to the same specs using better steel. Would probably be cheaper also. And if they try and go you for copyright then tell them to get stuffed as you are only fixing something you purchased in the first place.
Keen to know how you get on mate.
Cheers.

 

[RustyNav09]

Navmania

i have the 3SDS springs aswell. if you want a picture of the broken leaves then just pm me your mobile number and ill be more then happy to share with you. I totally agree with you on the product but porr customer service. they dont care cause they have all the overseas contracts for military and stuff. Id be super interested to find out why John Molnar left as he was the rep. Its now some other guy who seems alright to deal with but the owner lady was a bit different when talking with my wife.

They both snapped right at the u bolt about 5mm short of it. So the Ubolt clamps the bump stop bracket down and its holding the left over top spring then the rest of the spring pack in. I am hesitant on getting a second set due to the customer service and if i ge tthe wrong springs they will just want more money to change it. I was thinking the HD 3SDS set due to drawers, water tank, steel rear bar, canopy, roof rack, basket all hanging over the back. Plus the odd camping loads with fridge etc all packed in. Or do i go back to a performance pack which they rate from 200-800kg on there website but only rate from 200-600kg when they tell you over the phone. The HD 3SDS are rated at 500-GVMkg loads

Russ