SPRING LOADED

Tough Dog air assist springs installation

- Andrew Middleton

Air helper springs are an often misused and misunderstood addition to a 4x4’s suspension system. Consisting of an extremely strong rubber air bag and bracketry, air helper springs are fitted to a standard vehicle’s rear leaf or coil springs to help the stock setup carry extra weight without upgrading the coils or leaf springs.

With that in mind, we took our longterm Isuzu D-Max to Opposite Lock in Wellington to have a set of Tough Dog air assist springs fitted.

When looking into installing a set of air assist springs, it’s important to realise that they are not designed to replace the need for an aftermarket suspension system if your vehicle is consistently heavily loaded. Air assist springs are primarily designed to keep a vehicle level while towing or carrying the occasional load, while also improving stability and reducing stress on your rear coil or leaf springs.