Rear suspension problem on TD5 when towing

[Whizz65]

Hello, New on here having just bought 03 plate TD5 (commercial) and in the process of making it a 5 seater. (got the seats and seat belts in)

Use to have a 54 plate RR vogue (before the divorce!)

The rear suspension on my TD5 has been replaced with coil springs.

Now the problem, I tow a large twin wheel caravan (I hate slow caravans)
and use to tramp along at the "legal" speed limit quite happily with out
a problem, bit on nose weight and the caravan, and it never twitched.

Towing at the weekend with the TD5 and it felt very unstable and
twitchy, I've got 18 inch hurricane wheels with scorpions on, however I
have got an adjustable height tow bar on at the moment which I plan to take off.
The caravan has the usual stabilizer hitch, but the problem is with the
land rover set up not the caravan as I have towed this caravan many
miles without a problem with the RR.

Any ideas?

Should I fit the air suspension back on?

Many thanks

[g7jtk]

The air suspension does allow you to carry more weight (maybe not a lot).
I am a fan of the air suspension.

[samurikid]

I have towed about a tonne and a half of race car and trailer all over the place at the legal speed and the I am about to miss the ferry speed with no wobble at all , with air springs. What weight did you have on the nose ? What sort of tyre pressures are you running on the Back, and on the "van" ? IIRC the handbook recommended "up to" 46 psi. Having totalled a lighter car trying to tow the same weight - tyre pressures seem important now! Oh - and I had the same wheel and tyre kit as you. Maybe the spring rates arent right for towing? I had the choice of changing from air to metal when I split them after four years abuse - I stuck with them. Others may have other views, but they work for me.

[P100]

Most likely cause is the rear shocks.....when people change to coil springs it is not normally due to them wanting to, they do it because they cannot afford to repair the air suspension system properly.

So..they just replace the air springs with coils and think thats it !! Sadly they will suffer from bottoming out on the new coils, and then blame the car !.

I have found that the fitting of some good quality gas shocks (such as Bilsteins) will restore the stability and the towing ability will be much improved.

Roy