What would be the suggested way to tighten up my rear suspension on a 93 Aersostar? I pull a small popup camper and load the rear of the van down pretty good with camping supplies, a couple bikes, etc. It really sags , which also causes it to sway, etc. I would like to stiffen it so the sag is reduced or eliminated. Any suggestions??

By the way I bought this van from my Dad for daily transportation 2 1/2 years ago with 38000 miles and it still only has 62000 miles on it now. Not bad for an 11 year old vehicle....

 

I was wondering the same, but more for the reason that the butt of the van likes to swing around. I saw some shock-springs @ pep-boys when I went to find a new battery terminal (they are simply helper coils that go around your shocks), and was wondering if something like this would work, since our rear shocks aren't mounted in the springs. Anyone try this?

 

I have tried various methods of improving the rear suspension for towing, ranging from heavy duty shocks, air lift shocks and currently air bag suspension lift. I briefly pulled a two horse, dual axle trailer, a camper, a boat and have taken several cross country vacations not towing, but fully loaded.

There is a suspension comfort trade off between the times you need extra capacity and using the van as a daily driver. Using cargo coils gives a full time boost but the ride is harsh unless you drive it loaded to compensate.

Heavy duty shocks marginally improved the ride but did nothing to improve the towing characteristics.

Air boosted shocks (Gabriel Hi-Jackers) were easy to install and worked remarkably well for towing. They could be inflated and deflated via a tire valve type fitting. I was ready for the inner bladder to burst after the first 6 months of use but they held up for the entire 3 years they were on the van. Deflated, they gave a satisfactory ride similar to the heavy duty shock. The plumbing connections on these never presented any problems in terms of leakage.

The Air-Lift bags currently in use can provide a wider range of boost to the rear springs. The heavy bag resides within the spring coil and can be variably inflated to match the demand - all the way to being nearly a solid ride. Deflated, and used with a normal shock, you have the original handling and ride characteristics. These are slightly more difficult to install and are the most expensive. My current gripe about this system is the tubing and connections provided are not as good as the Gabriel system and are prone to leaks - despite all my efforts. In all fairness, others on this board have used the Air-Lift bag system without experiencing leakage. Perhaps the system has been improved over the one I am using.

I enoyed the air-shock and air-bag systems the most when taking trips when the van was fully loaded with passengers and luggage. Just bump a few pounds of pressure into the system and what a difference in handling and driving.

 

Aerocolorado, where did you mount the air valves for the airlifts?

 

I screwed a small corner brace to the bottom left corner of the bumper, underneath it. I drilled out the other hole large enough to accept the valve for the air line. Clean install and out of the way, but easy to go to.