XJ for towing

[Disco Damo]

Hey guys, gals and those that cant make up their minds...

Im setting up the olds XJ to tow their new 17'6" pop top van and have found that the original springs dont like the weight of the van so need to get some reset, and add and over load spring or maybe a heavier pack.

I have looked into poly airs etc but the springs are pretty old and slightly sagging on a normal day so it wouldnt hurt to get them fixed up.

My question being.....who in Melbourne should I take them too and what other suggestions to you Jeepsperts have in way of setting up a good safe XJ tow rig?

So far the list of things done is:

-Electric brake unit fitted
-6mm hotwire run to the trailer plug
-Getting a new set of boots shortly (nothing too meaty as they dont really go off road)
-Getting all the brakes done

[Gojeep]

Don't reset USA made springs as will drop back down in no time. Better just to add a add-a-leaf like I am selling here.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....m=300309977896

I fitted another one of these to my dads XJ for his towing of a similar sized caravan.

[junglejuice]

For mine which I have setup for towing and touring is I have a full Old Man Emu suspension setup with an extra leaf from a local spring works which is a full length leaf and then I have a set of polyair airbags and it handles the load very well and still maintains a good ride when empty and still flexes well off road when I need it.
At 10psi it sits at around 2.5" lift and at 30psi is 3.5" lift

[Gojeep]

Originally Posted by junglejuice

For mine which I have setup for towing and touring is I have a full Old Man Emu suspension setup with an extra leaf from a local spring works which is a full length leaf and then I have a set of polyair airbags and it handles the load very well and still maintains a good ride when empty and still flexes well off road when I need it.
At 10psi it sits at around 2.5" lift and at 30psi is 3.5" lift

Need had to run mine at 30 psi. Much change in ride comfort between 10 and 30 without a load?

[junglejuice]

GoJeep, I find it actually rode better with extra air than it does with lower air pressures with the standard leaf pack with the extra leaf added and the standard sport shocks, even as high as 40psi empty rode better, smoother and of course higher.
Now I have the Old Man Emu setup I have fitted the afore mentioned extra leaf (from Mayne spring works in Brisbane) I find I need only 10psi now, which as you know is the minimum anyway, and the ride and lift for what we want is excellent, but since then I haven't run them at 30psi....
I will see how they go with the twin fridges, drawers, 30's, camper trailer on our trip up the cape in a few months....

[Gojeep]

Thought about pulling the extra main leaf in my standard pack to soften up the ride even more but am pretty happy with the current setup. Just worried the the stock leaf pack will induce axle tramp under load like towing in sand dunes. Used to have that problem before on standard leaves. Probably could just wind up my shocks to maximum to dampen it for those times I guess.

[junglejuice]

So are you running the standard pack still? The airbags should be able to assist the springs some as well but as I said above with my standard pack which I had reset with the extra leaf all done by Mayne springworks I found that higher air pressures in the bags smoothed the ride but that could be down to the characteristics of the standard blue "sports" shocks because in the front I have been running Old Man Emu 2" coils for a few years and since removing the blue shocks and fitting the Old Man Emu shocks the front is also now smoother as well not just the rear.....