Air suspension fiat ducato

[seanwinder22]

Hi everyone
I have just had rear air suspension on my fiat ducato 3.0 bessacar e660
Love it works great … but the guy that fitted it did say before he left I would change the shock absorbers get a upgrade for ones that extend a little more
So does anyone have any information on rear absorbers I can buy to swap out these standard black ones on the ducato maxi chassis ? apparently it’s all to do with getting the air bags higher
At the moment they go to the limit of the standard absorbers
Thanks

 

[seanwinder22]

It’s a 59 plate fiat ducato 40 maxi 160 maxijet 3.0 bessacar e660

 

[Phill D]

Is this air assist or full air rear suspension?

 

[seanwinder22]

it’s rear air suspension with the bags and compressor
No not full air as the front is not done

 

[Phill D]

I have air assist on the rear but not maxi chassis. Not heard of a need to change to longer stroke shocks.
I have my pressures normally around 28 psi and have a great ride.
One thing to be aware of is if you jack the body with more than 5 psi in the bags you are likely to overstretch them as they are attached to both axle and chassis and the weight of the axle will extend them until the shocks or leaf springs reach max stroke.

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[Two on Tour]

We have rear air assist and changing the rear shocks is news to me.

So who fitted your rear air assist, were they motorhome specialists?

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

I have air assist on the rear but not maxi chassis. Not heard of a need to change to longer stroke shocks.
I have my pressures normally around 28 psi and have a great ride.
One thing to be aware of is if you jack the body with more than 5 psi in the bags you are likely to overstretch them as they are attached to both axle and chassis and the weight of the axle will extend them until the shocks or leaf springs reach max stroke.

I hadn't given that a lot of thought, I have assist bags, so leaf springs and shocks still on the van. I had a look on line and found the advice below. Is it advisable to let some air out?

Mike

 

[Phill D]

I hadn't given that a lot of thought, I have assist bags, so leaf springs and shocks still on the van. I had a look on line and found the advice below. Is it advisable to let some air out?View attachment 652425
Mike

If you jack under the axle it’s the same as have the weight on the road so no issue, if I jack the chassis I let air out on that side to around 5 psi.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Or two jacks One lift the chassis, and a second one lifting the axle to maintain the right stretch on the air bag
Mike

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

If you jack under the axle it’s the same as have the weight on the road so no issue, if I jack the chassis I let air out on that side to around 5 psi.

I prefer your solution

Mike.

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[Oisin]

Good morning

So after reading above posts,
what are you meant do if vehicle is up on its Hydraulic levelling legs for your stay? as this is no different than jacking up vehicle..

thanks

 

[Phill D]

Good morning

So after reading above posts,
what are you meant do if vehicle is up on its Hydraulic levelling legs for your stay? as this is no different than jacking up vehicle..

thanks

According to the information given to me when I fitted rear air assist anytime the weight of the rear of the vehicle is lifted off the wheel it is recommended to reduce the bag pressure to below 5 psi to avoid damage to the bag.
I have no evidence of any damage that has been caused to others who have not done this .
But it seems logical as the bag is attached to the chassis and axle and a higher air pressure reduces the available stretch of the bag.

 

[VXman]

Hi everyone
I have just had rear air suspension on my fiat ducato 3.0 bessacar e660
Love it works great … but the guy that fitted it did say before he left I would change the shock absorbers get a upgrade for ones that extend a little more
So does anyone have any information on rear absorbers I can buy to swap out these standard black ones on the ducato maxi chassis ? apparently it’s all to do with getting the air bags higher
At the moment they go to the limit of the standard absorbers
Thanks

I would suggest that you shouldn't be pumping up the airbags to a pressure where they lift the van beyond the normal ride height. The airbags are there to support increased weight and maintain normal ride height.

 

[seanwinder22]

We have rear air assist and changing the rear shocks is news to me.

So who fitted your rear air assist, were they motorhome specialists?

Yes from the motorhome show

 

[seanwinder22]

I would suggest that you shouldn't be pumping up the airbags to a pressure where they lift the van beyond the normal ride height. The airbags are there to support increased weight and maintain normal ride height.

Yes this was explained he said the was they go to is 4 bar but it’s recommended 2.5bar best for a drive
If uses to level out on sites he said the max it will go is 4 bar however these are not the standard bags they offered 2 types of bags standard and these I have which plenty of room is left in the bag to go over 4 bar but my shocks won’t allow that … to get around it he said get rid of the standard shocks and buy some that extend a few more inches
He didn’t know on the ducato but on the hymer he does more work on which they replace the shocks
All for park up helping with levelling out if needed
Not for driving purposes

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[trevor 87]

Yes this was explained he said the was they go to is 4 bar but it’s recommended 2.5bar best for a drive
If uses to level out on sites he said the max it will go is 4 bar however these are not the standard bags they offered 2 types of bags standard and these I have which plenty of room is left in the bag to go over 4 bar but my shocks won’t allow that … to get around it he said get rid of the standard shocks and buy some that extend a few more inches
He didn’t know on the ducato but on the hymer he does more work on which they replace the shocks
All for park up helping with levelling out if needed
Not for driving purposes

In order to use the airbags as a levelling devices ( parked up ) the air bags would both have to be independent of each other i.e. One compressor/ two pressure gauges and two controls one for each airbag to input or dump the air in each one separately hope that's helpful

 

[Phill D]

In order to use the airbags as a levelling devices ( parked up ) the air bags would both have to be independent of each other i.e. One compressor/ two pressure gauges and two controls one for each airbag to input or dump the air in each one separately hope that's helpful

I agree and Not only for level control but It’s best to always have independent lines to each air bag, if you don’t then there is a risk of air from one side being pushed to the other on cornering or uneven loads and as far as I can see defeats the objective of the air bag.

 

[VXman]

Mine is purely for weight increase. No onboard compressor. I just set it to 3 and leave it. Ramps are easy peasy for most levelling situations and only take a minute to sort. Probably quicker than air bags

 

[Speve]

We have Goldschmitt full air and they are designed for levelling as wellthey level accross axle and front to back on either side

 

[Phill D]

We have Goldschmitt full air and they are designed for levelling as wellthey level accross axle and front to back on either side

That as you know is a completely different situation to air assist bags.

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[Speve]

Oh yes

 

[TerryDunlea]

Hi , talk to Carl Leake at GlideRite, Birkenhead He will give You ‘The Real Picture ‘

 

[NigelNovice]

On my system (already fitted) Fiat based, I have a small control panel on the dash with 2 gauges ,2 pressure relief buttons/valves and 1 push button that fires the compressor up plus a label stating 6 bar max.
It is only by being on here that I found out its true purpose, I initially thought it was for levelling, I now find the 3.5 bar gives a nice ride but I also found on all the sites I have been on so far that it's the nose that is low so I dump pressure off completely so I don't have to climb the ramps so high.

 

[KnolePark]

We have the Dunlop air bag system installed at the rears and do use it for minor levelling when we park up. For example the photo below shows it at 4.5 bar as we are camping at the moment. We have only rarely used 7bar which is the declared maximum but having read comments above I wonder if this is not recommended. I tend to set it at 2bar for travelling.

 

[NigelNovice]

We have the Dunlop air bag system installed at the rears and do use it for minor levelling when we park up. For example the photo below shows it at 4.5 bar as we are camping at the moment. We have only rarely used 7bar which is the declared maximum but having read comments above I wonder if this is not recommended. I tend to set it at 2bar for travelling.

View attachment 653263

That looks like mine but without the Dunlop logos and my sticker is more basic