I have a 2016 L3H2 self converted campervan on a regular (non-Maxi) chassis. It weighs around 3000kg fully loaded. As it is to be expected, the back is sitting a little low. It is perfectly drivable, it has passed all MOT's with no advisories, so there is no immediate issue. However, in the long term, I would like to upgrade the suspension to sit a bit higher. I know there is the option of air suspension, and I prefer not to go down that route as I don't want to add more components and things to maintain and repair down the line. I've met once a guy with a converted Relay lutton van who added another leaf to the springs himself. I also saw once at a garage this being done on Sprinters, but I didn't watch the whole process to see what is involved. Has anyone here done this on their van? I was thinking of buying another set of used Ducato/Relay/Boxer leaf springs, cutting off the ends and installing them under the existing springs, using deeper U bolts. Does anyone have experience of doing this?
Technical DIY double up rear leaf springs?
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Technical DIY double up rear leaf springs?
There are leaf spring companies that can make or modify yours to suit, I had an 05 Doblo seven seater that I fitted a tow bar to and wanted to beef up the rear end.
I can't remember the name of the company (something like "London Springs") it was several years ago. They came with longer U bolts etc. and were a complete set of new springs and bushes.
Just did a search Midland Road Springs comes up and many others.
A good company can make them progressive, so as you add weight more of the spring leaves come into action to take the load, this prevents a harsh ride when only partially loaded.
You may want to replace your bump stops also as if it has been using them a lot they will be well mashed.
Thank you for getting back to me. Yes - good point about the suspension assisters - they are pretty much destroyed - I will have to replace them at the same time. I know there are ready made upgraded springs available - and it is a good option. It's just that I can get hold of a very cheap pair of used springs in good condition - hence why I was wondering if adding an extra leaf is an option. Looking on Youtube, I can't find anything specific to Ducato, but there are videos of people adding extra leafs to other vehicles - so it seems doable. I was only wondering if someone here has done it to a Ducato or similar van.
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Full air suspension is expensive and adds a level of complexity. Semi air suspension is cheaper and simpler. It effectively adds an auxiliary spring in the form of an air filled chamber, and replaces the "bump stop" (a crude rubber auxiliary spring). If you go for the simplest option, you just pump them up with an air line or even a bicycle pump to the desired ride height and leave them alone. Probably less added weight than an extra leaf.
Full air suspension is expensive and adds a level of complexity. Semi air suspension is cheaper and simpler. It effectively adds an auxiliary spring in the form of an air filled chamber, and replaces the "bump stop" (a crude rubber auxiliary spring). If you go for the simplest option, you just pump them up with an air line or even a bicycle pump to the desired ride height and leave them alone. Probably less added weight than an extra leaf.
It's good that semi air suspension is cheaper and simpler, but is it as simple and reliable as a big chunk of metal with two bolts at the ends? How long do the rubber airbags last? The valves, the air lines, the compressor (if one is fitted)? Not as long as a leaf spring. Any extra fitted components will require maintenance - and personally I'd rather have an extra leaf if possible.
The main maintenance for multi leaf rear springs I would strongly advise is with the body jacked up slightly spray gear oil in between the leaves as if left dry the friction means they operate as a single unit giving a very stiff ride and eventually failure, as an apprentice we always used to do that.
It greatly improves the ride, especially over speed bumps.
camionpilot
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Fiat /Seval do market "Heavy " versions of all there vans which brings the capacity up to 4 tons , these are mostly built as an L4 van [ i had one ] but can be built as very short wheelbase vehicle for specialist applications , to denote this vans they have a discrete red badge on the nearside grille .
Mine was downrated otherwise it had to be driven with a taco and was classed as an hgv ..!!
Mine was downrated otherwise it had to be driven with a taco and was classed as an hgv ..!!
Try Midland Springs, they do standard and uprated springs for just about anything on wheels
Thank you for that - that is a good tip. I wonder if it is worth adding some sort of grease between the leaves when assembling them? Maybe copper grease?
Yes - I am aware both of the Heavy/Maxi vans, and the uprated springs sold on Ebay. They are good options - but they are close to £500 per pair new, or a bit less for used ones. I can get a pair of regular, barely used leaf springs for much, much less. Hence why I was exploring alternatives. But thank you for the suggestions - they are both valid.
I have seen Maxi versions all the way down to L2H2. I didn't know about the red badge on the grille - I will have to keep an eye out for that - that's an interesting tidbit.
I used heavy gear oil sprayed from a "shulz" underseal gun as it blasts it into the gaps between the leaves when servicing so no dismantling required.
Not sure about copperslip .
Have a look at this site. https://mad-suspension.co.uk/know-y...49623&modelId=49624&typeId=52414&yearId=53784
Put in your own correct details, don't rely on the page I've grabbed. The whole site is interesting, but somewhat scatty to navigate. I've got some helper springs for the Fabia, but they can wait until the spring for fitment, when it is warmer grovelling under cars.
All supplied to order, so takes a week or so.
Put in your own correct details, don't rely on the page I've grabbed. The whole site is interesting, but somewhat scatty to navigate. I've got some helper springs for the Fabia, but they can wait until the spring for fitment, when it is warmer grovelling under cars.
All supplied to order, so takes a week or so.
Thank you - that's interesting - I don't think I have seen those helper spring kits before.
You can get spray and sprayable coppaslyp now
Copaslip is not a lubricant, it is an anti-seize compound. Not good for lubrication uses. Between spring leaves needs to be grease, or heavy oil. Grease is better, as it stays there, but heavy oil is easier to apply.
Yup I know, but have actually found it to be pretty good on leaf springs…other products are available
…usually wehn rebuilding them rather than new. The new ones I got for the Cherokee, from midland springs, were already to fit with a copious amount of some green grease that was awfully like my red rubber greasei don't want to be pedantic but Fiat call them 'spring assisters', not bump stops.
Calling them 'bump stops' has led to Ducatos wrongly failing the MOT because the tester wrongly thought the springs were weak - just because they were sitting on the spring assisters. The MOT testers manual has since been edited to inform them of this.
In a loaded condition on a flat road the van will be sitting on the spring assisters
But the springs allow the extra travel necessary when you get the twisting motion going over an uneven road - or round a corner going uphill on a hairpin bend - the spring travel necessary is amplified by the length and width of the van - far more than the average car.
We never see this when we look at them on a flat surface.
That aside - have you weighed the rear axle?
I have the L4 version - same wheelbase as yours but with with an extra 37cm overhang behind the rear axle and even that has more weight on the front.
So I suspect your rear axle will be well under its designed weight and really should not need harder springs.
You might regret it if it makes the ride harsh.
But new spring assisters might not be a waste
Calling them 'bump stops' has led to Ducatos wrongly failing the MOT because the tester wrongly thought the springs were weak - just because they were sitting on the spring assisters. The MOT testers manual has since been edited to inform them of this.
In a loaded condition on a flat road the van will be sitting on the spring assisters
But the springs allow the extra travel necessary when you get the twisting motion going over an uneven road - or round a corner going uphill on a hairpin bend - the spring travel necessary is amplified by the length and width of the van - far more than the average car.
We never see this when we look at them on a flat surface.
That aside - have you weighed the rear axle?
I have the L4 version - same wheelbase as yours but with with an extra 37cm overhang behind the rear axle and even that has more weight on the front.
So I suspect your rear axle will be well under its designed weight and really should not need harder springs.
You might regret it if it makes the ride harsh.
But new spring assisters might not be a waste
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Yes - very true about the spring assisters not being bump stops. I haven't weighed the rear axle specifically, just the whole van. I don't think I am over the designed limit, but I also realised that the light/regular vans weren't designed to be driven around loaded at 3000kg permanently - as a converted van is. Hence why I think it could do with somewhat stronger rear springs. After all, the Heavy/Maxi vans in UK have the same weight as the regular chassis, and yet they come with the stronger springs - so I suppose it can't hurt my constantly loaded van.
Also, I have another L2H2 ex Openreach, and I noticed that it came with double leaf springs already fitted. I've driven it empty, and I found the ride fine - so I think the upgrade to double leaf will work out ok on my L3H2.
The Heavy/Maxi chassis is designed to run at 4.25 tonnes (2100kg front 2400kg rear) although usually plated at 3.5 tonnes for licensing purposes.
but its only a paper exercise to have them plated for more.
Ride is OK in the front, but must be hard right at the back because I have heavy boxes behind the wheelarches with with 2cm high battens screwed to the floor at the side of them to stop them sliding sideways - I sometimes find them sitting on the battens because they must have jumped up in the air and landed on them - despite the box having a strap round it. Seems to be when I go over speed humps - and I only do that at well below the speed limit.
