any experience with atw parabolic springs on Fuso FG?
- Thread starter FusoFG
- Start date
Parabolic springs Fuso FGW84
Tom, I have installed their springs and shocks on my dual cab Canter. Has been a marked change in the ride with much more articulation front and rear. I initially had installed airbags to the original front springs that did improve the ride slightly but the parabolics made all the difference.
Cheers Bushy62
Tom, I have installed their springs and shocks on my dual cab Canter. Has been a marked change in the ride with much more articulation front and rear. I initially had installed airbags to the original front springs that did improve the ride slightly but the parabolics made all the difference.
Cheers Bushy62
SkiFreak
Crazy Person
If they did it would be specified, and it isn't.
A parabolic spring pack works differently than a standard leaf spring pack and that is what improves the ride quality.
Mind you... coils are even better.
Parabolic springs Fuso FGW84
No change to GVM, the springs are designed for what you use the truck for, I loaded it with what I normally take and tow and then weighed front and rear weight. They use this info to set the spring packs up for you. So far they have stood up well to the load and the weight of the van. Even empty the ride is much better. I also have Super singles, suspension seats for driver and passenger and a host of other improvements.
No change to GVM, the springs are designed for what you use the truck for, I loaded it with what I normally take and tow and then weighed front and rear weight. They use this info to set the spring packs up for you. So far they have stood up well to the load and the weight of the van. Even empty the ride is much better. I also have Super singles, suspension seats for driver and passenger and a host of other improvements.
blackduck
Explorer
Mind you... coils are even better.
Bloody show off Owen :wings:
you didn't mention how much pressure on the visa card the coil experience produces
Is it required to have SRW's to make the change to a parabolic spring pack?
SkiFreak
Crazy Person
Speaking of single rear wheels...
The case for SRWs is always one that people have views about. Singles obviously have some definite advantages over duals, but fitting singles normally comes at a fairly significant cost.
On this forum there are numerous people that have one setup or the other, so getting real world views of each setup is definitely possible here.
The case for SRWs is always one that people have views about. Singles obviously have some definite advantages over duals, but fitting singles normally comes at a fairly significant cost.
On this forum there are numerous people that have one setup or the other, so getting real world views of each setup is definitely possible here.
Thanks for the feedback.
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I'm generally happy with the ride quality of my stock 2004 FG on secondary roads (2 lane blacktop) that we travel on as well as forest roads, fire roads and wash board (if I air down). I have suspension seats and and the articulation is good enough to keep the wheels on the ground everywhere we go.
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But I am unable to tolerate driving on concrete expressways which make up most US urban expressways.
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$7000 dollars is a lot of money to spend on springs without knowing that they will help reduce the bone jarring shudder caused by driving over the expansion joints in a concrete expressway.
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When you say marked improvement, have you driven on a concrete road with expansion joints and seen a marked improvement?
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Thanks again for your help,
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Tom
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
I'd seriously consider the parabolics if it weren't for the price - that is a big chunk of change.
westyss
Explorer
I had my suspension re worked for under $2000 and has made a world of difference but the shudder you are concerned about sounds more like an overall weight of the rim, tire reverberation thing that I do still experience when crossing edges on pavement or small unlevel terrain bumps. Seems like a light weight rim and tire would change that or coils?
Have you tried letting some air out of your tires? That was a trial and error for me to find a tire pressure that provided the best ride for the tire load rating. Try letting air out and test drive it over the expansion joints and see what is the best feel for you. I run 65psi in the rear and 48psi up front on highway. Different shocks that actually work improves the ride also, my suspension guy installed BFG shocks but they tend to fade with use so the ATW shocks might be a good choice, I am looking at those or something similar if my shocks fade too much.
If the bone jarring shudder is from what I experienced prior to my suspension mod of simply a lack of vertical movement to absorb the shock which is a more common problem with these trucks, then any change to the stock suspension will be a vast improvement. The parabolics were not available when I did mine.
Have you tried letting some air out of your tires? That was a trial and error for me to find a tire pressure that provided the best ride for the tire load rating. Try letting air out and test drive it over the expansion joints and see what is the best feel for you. I run 65psi in the rear and 48psi up front on highway. Different shocks that actually work improves the ride also, my suspension guy installed BFG shocks but they tend to fade with use so the ATW shocks might be a good choice, I am looking at those or something similar if my shocks fade too much.
If the bone jarring shudder is from what I experienced prior to my suspension mod of simply a lack of vertical movement to absorb the shock which is a more common problem with these trucks, then any change to the stock suspension will be a vast improvement. The parabolics were not available when I did mine.
I have a set of ATW parabolic springs going thru customs right now.
I will install them and post the install process as well as my impressions about the change in the ride.
It was a hard decision at that price, but with better wheel/spring articulation there is less stress on the truck frame.
If it rides down the highway better and gives me a little more peace of mind offroad it's worth it to me.
I will install them and post the install process as well as my impressions about the change in the ride.
It was a hard decision at that price, but with better wheel/spring articulation there is less stress on the truck frame.
If it rides down the highway better and gives me a little more peace of mind offroad it's worth it to me.
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
Thanks, I'll look forward to reading about how the install goes!
JRhetts
Adventurer
Ives
Just wondering what axle weights you are carrying at those pressures. I am sure that at my axle weights I would destroy tires in pretty short order due to sidewall flex and heat buildup. Not so for you?
Just out of curiosity, do you check the temps of your tires during a highway drive [> 55 mph]? I use both my hand as well as an IR thermometer. In fact, I use the latter to compare temps across the face of the tread [3 readings: inner edge, center, outer edge]. If the center is significantly hotter, I am overinflated; if significantly lower, I am under inflated. ["Significant" is something on the order of ±5°F, established intuitively, not determined empirically]. I have improved my wear and reduced pulling to one side or the other this way, possibly because this approach takes into account heat of the day/road surface and altitude. Doing the IR measurements is much quicker and easier than taking valve-stem pressures, so I find I do it more frequently.
John
PKDreamers
Adventurer
Hi we got a set fitted to our 2003 FG649 dual cab about 2 weeks ago and have only done approximately 175kms on highways , the ride has greatly improved the jarring has seamed to be gone.
But the real test will be next week when we head off to Cape York for 4 weeks.
Our travel weight is approx 4400kg and will be towing a trailer(approx 550kg) with food,fuel,tyres,spares,swags etc for the motor bike guys we are going with.
We also have ATW srw set up too.
But the real test will be next week when we head off to Cape York for 4 weeks.
Our travel weight is approx 4400kg and will be towing a trailer(approx 550kg) with food,fuel,tyres,spares,swags etc for the motor bike guys we are going with.
We also have ATW srw set up too.