My OR needs help. I do a lot of camping and it seems now that the rear end has "the sags". Carrying capacity for this truck is 1/2 ton - I need 300lbs more. So, what do I do? I also am sure that the OEM Bilsteins need to be replaced. There has got to be others out there in the same boat as me, and have found solutions. How about RAS? Or Air-lift bags? I dont want a lift kit - I run the stock tires.

Ideas?

Clint

Most people who have true sagging need either an AAL, or, bags, to shore things back up....if its just bottoming, then the Timbren bumpstops fix everything.

You can't really increase the load capacity of the TRUCK...as its not just the suspensin that's involved...there's also the FRAME, and the stuff bolted or welded to it, the body and its mounts, and other weak links in the chain.

IE: Overloading the OTHER components, just because you made the rear leafs stiffer, won't prevent stressing them.



If you upgrade, the the Bil shocks for the 3" SL kit, they will fir a stock height rig, and are valved to control more weight, etc, plus are more able to let the tires reach the ground.

Thanks for the reply. The reason I think rear is sagging is if I go over a good sized speed bump, I can smell rubber burning ( the tires hit the wheel wells?) Also happens if I hit a decent sized bump. Also, the OR rear end "appears" to be lower than the front. NOt like it was when purchased new. It will bottom out when I carry a few people and go over dips in the road.

AAL is not available in my area ( I have looked around). I will probably go with airbags and new shocks.

If I was rich, I would get a new 4Runner - 1600lbs carry capacity.

Or a small trailer to carry all my wife's cloths needed for camping

LOL

OK, the air bags work fine...and get the Bilsteins meant for the 2.5-3" Lift Kits.

For reference purposes....your REAR is SUPPOSED to be about 1.5" HIGHER than your front...so, if its level, or lower, etc...you ARE sagged badly.

Clinton...
First and foremost, if you're smelling rubber, then I'd have to ask how much you're carrying on a day in, day out basis as that's not something that you should smell if you're only hitting an occassional bump that is causing your wheel to stuff (aka, hit the wheel well).

Do you have oversized tires? If so, check to see if they are hitting the fenders. If they are and you're already getting some sag (not an impossible thing on a 4 year old truck that might have seen some use), then yes, it's possible that you'll have rubbing that would happen often enough to get the smell of burning rubber. But, if not, then it might be a good investment of time to have someone follow you around a bumpy road to see if there is an issue with your tires rubbing or if they are off center and wearing improperly.

Now, if it is just a sagging rear, rather than investing in airbags, order a set of alcan springs. They may be a bit more than an airbag setup (maybe not, if you get the dedicated pump and controls), but it'd be a good, heavy duty set of springs that will carry as much load as you tell them you want to carry.

If not, go online and get add-a-leafs from someone like 4x4parts.com and bolt on some lift (cheaper option).

You don't need airbags and, frankly, unless you plan to only have your X as a daily driver that you haul stuff in, they'd be a big investment for not as great a return. A simple set of replacement leaf springs (that you could easily install yourself in a couple of hours) will do more for you in the long run and will keep you from having things become far more complex than you may need them to be.

I went the AAL route. Unfortunately the U jounts on the 2nd gen X do not always take well to the rear end being higher. Mine was one of them. I get a vibration between 30 and 35 mph. The dealer installed some kind of spacers at no charge to eliminate the problem, but it only decreased the vibration. I noticed that on one of the threads before the great crash there was a source for changing over the drive line to standard U joints which was supposed to eliminate this problem. Unfortunately everything went away before I could find out the source.

All,

My Xterra 08 OR automatic 37,000 miles is also experiencing some rear end sag, I don't think mine is that bad yet, barely noticeable when looking at the X on a flat surface... but when I drive at night I get high beam flashed by other drivers way more than I should (I am not driving with the high beams on. I figure this is because the rear end has sagged a bit and the headlights are now aimed high. I don’t carry a lot of weight or tow a trailer; I figure my issues are simply due to either a weak spring or just natural settling.

After reading this thread I have decided to go with the add a leaf option. I am slightly mechanically inclined but this will be the first time I've tackled something like adding leaf springs; any pointers or advice from the experts / veterans / or those have been down this road before would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks guys.

Tavis