d40 cracked and bent chasis

Nissan Navara Forum

Help Support Nissan Navara Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Beergutz

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
198
Reaction score
2
Location
Lake Macquarie, NSW
Does anyone know if the use of airbags and overloading, which has been reported to cause bent and cracked chasis on the D40's is common to both Thai and Spanish built Navara's. Was browsing through and noticed someone mention the chasis on the Thai built were much more inferior to the Spanish built.???? Very interested to see what responses there are!
 
I'd love to know the answer to this too. I will have to do something to the rear suspension and if airbags are going to help, I want to know if there's a risk I'll destroy the chassis by using them.

Won't need them for the Merriwa run this Saturday, or the upcoming Yengo run, but we'll be taking the van up to Armidale soon and wouldn't mind a better ride.
 
I have seen the difference in the chassis between the thai and spanish built D40's and the spanish built ones shit all over the thai built ones.Thai ones have half the strength litterally and the chassis is half the size.
 
Like anything else, if you misuse them, they can cause damage.

The information I have seen is that people who overload the vehicle, and then tow a van or large trailer with a high download, then pump up the bags even though its overloaded heavily are going to end up damaging something.

No suprises really...
 
Like anything else, if you misuse them, they can cause damage.

The information I have seen is that people who overload the vehicle, and then tow a van or large trailer with a high download, then pump up the bags even though its overloaded heavily are going to end up damaging something.

No suprises really...

The owner of this Triton swears that the airbags are not the cause of his bent chassis. That said, it was heavily loaded (but under the GVM) and towing a camper trailer into the Northern Simo Desert.
Australian 4WD Action | Forum - View topic - MN TRITON Chassis bent GGGRRRRRRR
 
trouble is air bags can shift the weight off the load points and put load onto parts of the chassis that are not designed to handle the load. you might get away with it on a heavy chassis like a patrol/landcruiser but the smaller utes have lightweight chassis.

that triton looks exactly like the airbags where pumped up way to high.
what you also have to remember is that while its load may not exceed GVM, where that load is placed makes a big difference. double cabs are really bad for it because peole forget they are loading everything back behind the rear wheels.
ie having those 2 spare tires on the back of the tub probably used up most of his load carrying capacity.
 
The lever at work. What's the bet the max load is a "placed on the rear axle" and not "stuffed in the back somewhere and bounced all over the Simpson Desert".

Someone noted that Mazdas do it too. I'm not trying to bag Mazdas, but raise the point that it's something that happens right across the industry - so this isn't just a "thing you stupid D40 drivers have to put up with" (remember, I'm one of them).

I wonder if anyone's taken the air bag suppliers/manufacturers to task over it. They've engineered a means of overstressing the chassis. Is it possible to have engineered it better, or insisted on certain strengthening measures or so, in order to prevent this?

It's gotta be damned inconvenient - that guy's Triton looked like it was miles from anywhere with its back broken. It didn't look like a big camper on the back either. I'd hate to think someone could be in the middle of the CSR and have that happen. The tow fees would be as much as the cost of the car.

Should the responsibility fall on the supplier/manufacturer of an item that CAN cause greater stress, even if used properly, or should it fall on the buyer - which really boils down to caveat emptor and in this day and age that's pretty sucky!
 
I'm already looking at the Ironman Load Plus Helper Springs. $125 retail, Taree Auto One has them on special for $99. I can't get onto the web site for Auto One in Newcastle, the site goes all stupid for me, so they obviously only want to sell to the Internet Explorer crowd and not the general motoring public.
 
Should the responsibility fall on the supplier/manufacturer of an item that CAN cause greater stress, even if used properly, or should it fall on the buyer - which really boils down to caveat emptor and in this day and age that's pretty sucky!

No. Snake Racing sell extended shackles, remember. Airbags are no big deal with many vehicle chassis, so what's to stop the consumer buying a 70-series kit and putting it on a Triton?
 
Isn't there something about suitability to purpose there? Extended shackles should not be available commercially anyway. Why hasn't that been stopped? It really is "buyer beware", I guess.
 
Isn't there something about suitability to purpose there? Extended shackles should not be available commercially anyway. Why hasn't that been stopped? It really is "buyer beware", I guess.

Suitability to purpose and duty of care are easily circumvented with a tiny clause "off road use only". Buyer beware indeed.
 
I know this is an old thread, but was wondering if anyone knows anything about the chasis strengthening plates that are available from eastern states. I'm thinking for $120 plus paying an engineer to weld them on, may be well worth it. Has anyone done this?
 
I'm not far away from Superior Engineering so I got them to do the job for me. Plates $120 plus 3 hours labour from their welder $300, plus $165 for compliance plate. Total $585 but I figure it was some peace of mind insurance. Max loaded trip outback with camper trailer so far and all good. I'm glad I did it.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top