RV FEATURE
However , this is not the case when the suspension compresses . The independent suspension in this situation allows the body to come closer to the ground , losing its advantage .
While a live-axle vehicle may too ( in rare cases ) have underbody components that come close to the ground under suspension compression , generally speaking a live-axle vehicle ’ s ground clearance is much more consistent . The live axle ’ s relationship to the ground is consistent no matter how much the suspension deflects ( excepting a small amount of tyre compression ).
As for suspension lifts , a coil spring A-arm suspension can be raised by adding longer springs , but it has its limitations . If you raise an independent suspension too much , it will have a negative impact on suspension geometry ( and is also probably illegal ). Government regulation is the driver for any suspension lift .
However , there is a thriving industry in making and certifying suspension lifts – just know that you will only gain perhaps 40mm of static ground clearance ( generally speaking ) with a lift .
21MY Isuzu D-MAX Front Suspension
21MY Isuzu D-MAX Rear Suspension
Dampers , or shock absorbers as they are better known , are necessary for any vehicle suspensions ; otherwise , the spring movement will not be adequately controlled . When your dampers are starting to fail or are not well tuned for the application , they will feel ‘ bouncy ’. Replacing dampers is a good idea if the vehicle does not settle after bumps .
INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION : PROS AND CONS
Independent suspension is often more expensive to make and to maintain than rigid axle leaf spring designs , and while a welldesigned setup should have no problems , the dilemma is that in really bad offroad conditions , they are also more prone to damage , such as spring breakage . You cannot do a temporary weld repair to a coil spring like you can a leaf spring , and while you can limp into the next town with a broken leaf spring , a broken coil usually means you ’ re going nowhere .
But provided you have a heavyduty coil-spring suspension and are careful , the independent design is still a better choice for heavyduty offroad / rough-road towing .
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