To bag or not to

[collinandkerry]

Hi guys.
Looking to either bag the rear or do a spring up grade. Mainly want it for when towing our van.
Any ideas in whats best.
Have read some bad things on bags but have also been told to use them for what they are for and not to over load them. Should be ok

 

[doc]

Springs. It's the only way to go. You can setup your vehicle correctly for its intended usage, or you can band-aid it.

 

[pace]

check out this thread, thought i saw it somewhere. might confirm your decision. personally with leaf spring, i'd go the up rated springs inlieu of the bags. my pathy has bags in the back and it is absolutely great for loading up the rear to stop sag, but pathy rear end different to navara. pace.

http://www.navara.asia/showthread.php?t=23308

 

[happy john]

Whats your ball weight? springs are the way to go mine is about 100kgs and the comfort efs works well go too stiff and it will be a pig without the van in tow but in saying that my mates d40 k/c has a set of bags he often has 1 tonne on board and never had a problem apart from the compressor falling off on the canning.

 

[collinandkerry]

hi we have approx. 170 kg ball and carry our fridge and kids bikes in the back and a pram

 

[happy john]

Ok that's a fair weight i can see your concerns i would still go for springs as the kids get bigger and you get more adventurous the more you take and up goes the kg's i don't trust bags but as a said earlier nobody i know has had a problem.
John

 

[Old.Tony]

We had the same choice and went for dual-rate springs (Old Man Emu Dakar from ARB).

The Pathfinder can do airbags without concern because it comes with coils - the bags go inside the coil, so the contact point of the vehicle weight and the suspension compression passes through the designed load point.

In the Navara, the designed load points are front and rear of the axle (obviously, where the leaf springs bolt on to). Placing a load where it isn't designed to take a load only places the chassis at risk. You don't need to overload the vehicle, either - just have a bit of weight in it and hit a causeway.

 

[mike1303]

if you bag the rear of a nabara then load it up youll bent the chassis. plain and simple!

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=navara+bent+chassis&newwindow=1&safe=off&rlz=1C1AVNC_enAU559AU559&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ZM7LUvzqLYOVkwXbm4EY&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1680&bih=934#es_sm=122&espv=210&newwindow=1&q=navara+bent+chassis+air+bags&safe=off&tbm=isch

Most of these are due to air bags

 

[happy john]

Mikes spot on i don't trust them

 

[Matstx]

Do both. My mate has OME leaves in his lux and put in bags aswell. He tows a work trailer every day so uses the bags for that. When he goes offroad he lets down the bags to get more flex outta the springs. Never had an issue with it.

 

[nathand22]

Springs. It's the only way to go. You can setup your vehicle correctly for its intended usage, or you can band-aid it.

As much as i hate to admit it i agree 100% with Doc, now let me go and scrub my eyes out