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 Off road suspension 
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Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:46 pm
Posts: 51
Post Off road suspension
Im looking at traveling around Australia and trying to work out the best van that suits me for the journey. I will be spending a lot of time in national parks and would like to travel the gibb river road. My question is do i need to get an off road suspension fitted or will the standard suspensions fitted do the job driving to the conditions of the road
Cheers
Baker


Sat Jan 16, 2010 8:50 am
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Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:38 pm
Posts: 1870
Location: Chain Valley Bay, near Newcastle
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If you want to travel gravel roads with creek crossings and similar places consider a single axle van. They will go where the others don't. If your van is larger and requires dual axles, then choose a load bearing suspension. A good one is Simplicity suspension. Most of the independent suspensions are not load bearing. Simplicity is used on black road vans as well.

Some people talk about "off road suspension" but really there is only good and bad suspension.

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PeterD
Retired radio & electronics technician -
Nissan Navara D40 diesel auto (pensioners pack) towing a Spaceland pop-top


Sat Jan 16, 2010 5:37 pm
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Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 4:25 pm
Posts: 193
Location: Near Byron Bay
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for an accurate suggestion we need a little info first.

Van and tug would be a help as a starting point.

You should be aware that some vans might not be suitable no matter how good the suspension upgrade is.

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"Stupidity is the only universal capital crime; the sentence is death. There is no appeal, and execution is carried out automatically and without pity" [SIZE="1"]R. Heinlein: Time Enough For Love[/SIZE]


Sat Jan 16, 2010 5:59 pm
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Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2009 4:00 pm
Posts: 185
Location: Off the road rather than on the road
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For extended travel on bad corrugations you will need a van with good chassis, suspension and overall engineering. Have a tough bottom side is no good if they rest of it falls to bits.

We live full time on the road and are rarely on main highways always prefer to hit the back roads, the bush and remote coastal regions. We pull a 19' dual axle Bushtracker with 4.5 tonne rated Simplicity suspension. Other than a couple of fridge thermostats breaking down we have not had a problen in 4.6 years.

Buy the best you can afford and look carefully at how it is put together. Pull out drawers and see how they are put together - stick your head into the out of the way cupboards and then get right underneath and look at the engineering.

There is a lot of crap on the road - choose carefully.

John


Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:52 pm
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Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:31 am
Posts: 1410
Post 
Seen as this question has been posted in the TJM section, I'm going to assume the question relates to the vehicle rather than the van.

Upgrade your springs if either:

1) You're loading up to the point that you're loosing ground clearance (and the capacity for enough upwards travel to avoid hitting the bumpstops and upsetting the ride). Just because your vehicle has space doesn't mean it has the capacity to carry gear, check the GVM and if in doubt take it over a weigh bridge loaded up, remembering that accessories such as bullbars, roofracks and long range tanks all count.

2) Also contemplate upgrading your springs if the terrain you're intending to tackle needs some more clearance between the chassis/body and the ground. Lifted springs don't do anything to increase clearance between the axle and the ground in a live axle vehicle, and this is typically the lowest point.

Now shock absorbers are a different story, the ones fitted as standard to just about every 4wd in the market don't tend to like the corrugated conditions on dirt roads, get hot, and don't work as effectively as they should. Old Man Emu get my vote for replacement shocks, however they are an ARB not a TJM product.

Just a quick note on adding heavier springs to compensate for weight in the vehicle... If you're setting up for a long trip (a 1 year lap for example) get some springs that will suit the load you intend to carry. If you're setting up for shorter trips away, perhaps a week at a time, and using the vehicle unloaded inbetween, consider some airbags where you can vary the air pressure to vary the spring rate to suit your load. Sometimes it's worth considering new springs and airbags, other time the stock springs are fine with a bit of help.

Sean


Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:48 pm
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Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:38 pm
Posts: 1870
Location: Chain Valley Bay, near Newcastle
Post 
Sean wrote:
Seen as this question has been posted in the TJM section, I'm going to assume the question relates to the vehicle rather than the van.

Sean

This was not posted in this forum. Tonight is the first time I have had a look at the "Experts Forum." I note there is a reply from me above. The threads under TJM have been transferred here from elsewhere. I am a little miffed as to why they were relocated as I would not have thought that some of them would involve products that TJM handle.

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PeterD
Retired radio & electronics technician -
Nissan Navara D40 diesel auto (pensioners pack) towing a Spaceland pop-top


Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:32 pm
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Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 1:09 pm
Posts: 2750
Location: Newcastle
Post 
Hi Baker,
John has pointed out other things to consider as well as suspension.
I believe that the best suspension for rough work needs to be soft and controlled and also independent.
I don’t think anyone will disagree that air bag suspension is the best but it comes at a high cost so coils, simplicity and rubber suspension are very popular for rough work and I believe all will absorb the rough stuff well to help save the rest of the van.
Another area that is not considered until you are out there on some of those dusty roads is dust control so check how well the van is sealed around the fridge, mud guards, windows and vents, also consider not buying a van with a rear window as that can be a problem with dust.
Other things to look at is how well heavy items in the van are secured like stove fridge, table, microwave, top cupboards etc.

JR


Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:21 am
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Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 8:34 am
Posts: 32
Post Off Road Suspensions
I have use Simpicity Suspension...I find that is the best all terain suspension....the Australian Army use it as there specified off road suspension after years of testing.
Tony


Fri Jul 23, 2010 2:53 pm
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Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:23 pm
Posts: 2358
Location: Mornington Peninsula - Vic
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I'm sticking my neck out here Tony, but I doubt that the Army would used the Tandem unit.
The single axle units are configured differently and handle the rough stuff really well.
But as said, I have my doubts that the Defence Force engineers would approve the use of a leading arm suspension as used with the Simplicity tandem suspension.
I stand to be corrected on this issue.
Cheers, ozjohn.


Fri Jul 23, 2010 4:09 pm
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Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2008 11:08 am
Posts: 297
Location: Gold Coast Qld
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There was a recent statement from a couple of major caravan manufactures re: back log of caravans being built with Simplicity Suspensions, owing to Simplicity Suspensions contract to Trailer Manufacturer supplying trailers to Australian Defence Force,a delay in certain caravans requiring the above suspensions will be extended owing to hold up on parts.

Cheers


Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:56 pm
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