Nissan-Navara.net banner
1 - 20 of 28 Posts

Lambo

· Registered
Joined
·
75 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
I've now done nearly 3000 miles in my truck of which about 2000 have been towing a twin axle car trailer with a Caterham on it. The nose weight is about 100kg and the trailer and car weight would be about 1200kg.

I would usually have about 300kg of tools and equipment in the back.

When I first connected up the trailer the back end sagged a bit but more recently it seems to sit even lower. Without the trailer on but with 300kg in the back is sitting lower with the nose in the air. Not a lot but noticeable. My D22 didn't sit lower on the back at all with the same load.

I also think it is less stable on the rear when towing compared to my old D22 with more lateral movement.

Anyone else had the same experience?
 
I've now done nearly 3000 miles in my truck of which about 2000 have been towing a twin axle car trailer with a Caterham on it. The nose weight is about 100kg and the trailer and car weight would be about 1200kg.



I would usually have about 300kg of tools and equipment in the back.



When I first connected up the trailer the back end sagged a bit but more recently it seems to sit even lower. Without the trailer on but with 300kg in the back is sitting lower with the nose in the air. Not a lot but noticeable. My D22 didn't sit lower on the back at all with the same load.



I also think it is less stable on the rear when towing compared to my old D22 with more lateral movement.



Anyone else had the same experience?


I assume you have an NP300 with coil springs?

Even from new a load in the order of 450kg will completely exhaust the rear spring travel (although Nissan claim the bump stops are designed and intended to operate as a tuned part of the suspension system).

Suspension does settle and coil springs do allow more lateral movement than leaves. The five link setup shouldn't really allow you to notice that though, unless you're setting lap times at the Ring or driving back to back with a D22 ;)

What you're experiencing sounds like normal NP300 behaviour. You can ignore it, upgrade the springs, insert spring airbags, or a combination of those last two (which is what I have ended up deciding on).
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
I assume you have an NP300 with coil springs?

Even from new a load in the order of 450kg will completely exhaust the rear spring travel (although Nissan claim the bump stops are designed and intended to operate as a tuned part of the suspension system).

Suspension does settle and coil springs do allow more lateral movement than leaves. The five link setup shouldn't really allow you to notice that though, unless you're setting lap times at the Ring or driving back to back with a D22 ;)

What you're experiencing sounds like normal NP300 behaviour. You can ignore it, upgrade the springs, insert spring airbags, or a combination of those last two (which is what I have ended up deciding on).
Thank you for the reply. Mine is a leased vehicle so I don't want to mess around with it too much although changing springs isn't a difficult job. What is it like to drive when it's unladen with the stiffer spring?
 
Thank you for the reply. Mine is a leased vehicle so I don't want to mess around with it too much although changing springs isn't a difficult job. What is it like to drive when it's unladen with the stiffer spring?


I don't think I can give a fair answer to that question sorry.

I upgraded the springs to ones intended to carry a 300kg constant load from Old Man Emu, but only after I had fitted a number of heavy accessories to the car such as a canopy over the tub, roof rack, bull bar, tow bar, and tub-mounted battery. The before-and-after ride height measurements show all I really did was restore the original ride height.

Frankly I can't tell much difference over the standard setup before I added the weight, but there is noticeably less sensation of bouncing than when I had the extra weight on the original springs and I no longer bottom out the rear in moderate off-road driving.

I haven't had the airbags done yet (next week) but the kind that fit inside the spring, rather than replace it, can be had in "no drill" kits that are meant to be quick and easy to install and remove. You need to maintain a couple of PSI in them when unladen so they don't get pinched by the spring but otherwise they are undetectable from the original suspension feel when not inflated.
 
look good but not cheap!


This is exactly what I am doing. Fitting booked for next Monday. I'll let you know how it goes. Price here was $295AUD for parts and two hours of labour.

The airbag is sold by a distributor called Polyair but it looks identical to that one and I think is made by Firestone. Polyair make the collars and cuffs, so to speak, that fit it inside the coil.

It claims to level out the suspension up to a maximum load of 450kg, beyond which you will see sag.
 
I'm suffering badly from suspension sag, it was noticeable when approaching the vehicle when parked. I've added a rear 2 drawer metal unit with tools and gardening equipment in the rear. Been looking at the MAD suspension systems and can't decide between new springs, springs that go inside current ones or airbags. Anyone have any experience?
My current tyre to wheel arch measurements are
Front 7 inches
Rear 4 inches

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk
 
Is it the case that the most recent NP300's have uprated the rear springs and/or dampers?
This won't help owners of earlier ones, but your observations seem fair enough, and match changes that Nissan have made.

I don't have direct NP300 experience, but I do have airbags on a D40, and the big difference between airbags and stiffer springs is that airbags can be adjusted depending on load, but springs (usually) cannot adjust, meaning that with airbags you can deal with heavy loads, but when not loaded, still get a good ride.....
 
There are various solutions for not a lot of money which use rubber blocks or rubber things which follow the spring contours. Not as good as an airbag, but particularly for a lease vehicle make a good alternative.

Example [ame]https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grayston-GE14-26-Spring-Assister/dp/B004NCCZUE[/ame]
 
There are various solutions for not a lot of money which use rubber blocks or rubber things which follow the spring contours. Not as good as an airbag, but particularly for a lease vehicle make a good alternative.

Example https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grayston-GE14-26-Spring-Assister/dp/B004NCCZUE
I've just fitted the Helper Springs today. My vehicle was awkward looking after fitting a 2 drawer system and cab on the back. Once loaded it had terrible rear sag. I worked out I must only have around 300kgs extra on the rear. Front suspension gap was 7 inches on the front (top of tyre to wheel arch) and just over 3.5 inches on the rear.
After fitting the front is now at 6 inches and so is the rear. Well delighted.

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk
 
I've just fitted the Helper Springs today. My vehicle was awkward looking after fitting a 2 drawer system and cab on the back. Once loaded it had terrible rear sag. I worked out I must only have around 300kgs extra on the rear. Front suspension gap was 7 inches on the front (top of tyre to wheel arch) and just over 3.5 inches on the rear.
After fitting the front is now at 6 inches and so is the rear. Well delighted.

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk
Thanks for this. I would appreciate hearing how you get on with them, they sound good! I'm suffering from same problem, my truck has the Nissan canopy (guess it must weigh 60Kg+) and 150-200Kg of recovery chains, tools etc and the rear end is sagging badly, I'd say same as yours. It is not affecting the ride and handling as far as I can tell but it looks awful with the bonnet pointing skywards and makes it more difficult to see over the bonnet which already blocks quite a bit of the view due to the raised edges.

I was considering an ironman lift kit, there is a supplier in the UK (west coast 4x4 in southport) and they have pics on their facebook page of an NP300 lifted which sits much better. To be honest I have no need to lift the front though as it is fine. I just need the rear end lifting up so it looks better and can carry a bit more weight without sagging so much.
 
Thanks for this. I would appreciate hearing how you get on with them, they sound good! I'm suffering from same problem, my truck has the Nissan canopy (guess it must weigh 60Kg+) and 150-200Kg of recovery chains, tools etc and the rear end is sagging badly, I'd say same as yours. It is not affecting the ride and handling as far as I can tell but it looks awful with the bonnet pointing skywards and makes it more difficult to see over the bonnet which already blocks quite a bit of the view due to the raised edges.

I was considering an ironman lift kit, there is a supplier in the UK (west coast 4x4 in southport) and they have pics on their facebook page of an NP300 lifted which sits much better. To be honest I have no need to lift the front though as it is fine. I just need the rear end lifting up so it looks better and can carry a bit more weight without sagging so much.
I fitted the Mad Progressive Springs.
http://mad-suspension.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=2

Part number for the Navara is HV-314325 and cost ÂŁ177
Image


Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk
 
I've got a D22 and the original 4 leaf springs are quite weak. OK their old, but adding around 300kg will take them down enough that the front of the truck is higher.

I'm planning on exchanging them for a 5 leaf pack that is raised 5cm. Another way to go would be to install an addtitonal air suspension pack with a compressor.

[Edit: just noted that you probably have coils. The air suspension is also working on coiled versions, as far as I know, since they use the frame and the axle as support.]

Cheers,
Mark
 
Just wondering, is the NP300 available in Europe with leaf springs? Nobody on here seems to have mentioned they have the leaf version.
2 version's in Greece available, had a ride with an np300( leaf springs). Totaly difrent behaviour.it's a workhorse but smoother than the D40 at the rear.had 2 leaf's more than a D40 but they are longer and maybe softer
 
I've got a D22 and the original 4 leaf springs are quite weak. OK their old, but adding around 300kg will take them down enough that the front of the truck is higher.

I'm planning on exchanging them for a 5 leaf pack that is raised 5cm. Another way to go would be to install an addtitonal air suspension pack with a compressor.

[Edit: just noted that you probably have coils. The air suspension is also working on coiled versions, as far as I know, since they use the frame and the axle as support.]

Cheers,
Mark
I put at my genuie pack 1 leaf more(genuie) and it's a piece of art.i have more comfort at the rear and 5-6cm lift( combined with monroe adventure). None problem with loads but it's not stiff as another aftermarket( i worked with oldman heavy duty leafs and also others but i had serius problems when i had no load and also the bushes gone away every 2 months) packages.it's smother but also stable.and is a cheap job.you need only the central bolt holding the leafs 1 cm longer.and your hand's( worth billions!!!!)
 
1 - 20 of 28 Posts