Saggy rear suspension when loaded - Should I worry?

[TheJoker]

Guys,

I've now done a maiden voyage with the Espace and the bikes loaded up in the back. Looking at the car, it's a bit saggy at the back, but it drives well.

Should I be worried about the lowered rear suspension? Is there any way I can fix it apart from stiffer springs? (I remember being able to buy "air-bags" that you put in your coil springs and you could fill the bags with air to help the suspension)

I'm attaching a picture for you to see the "saggyness" 

[Will Falconer]

I find the Grand Espace handling amazingly unaffected by loads in the back.

I used to have a GMC El Camino pickup with adjustable airbags. Being American it really needed it to retain any handling with a live rear axle.

I'd be more concerned about what that top box is doing for your fuel consumption. The Espace roof bars are there to look cool, not carry things I sometimes carry bikes on my roof and it knocks about 6mpg off on the motorway.

[TheJoker]

I find the Grand Espace handling amazingly unaffected by loads in the back.

I used to have a GMC El Camino pickup with adjustable airbags. Being American it really needed it to retain any handling with a live rear axle.

I'd be more concerned about what that top box is doing for your fuel consumption. The Espace roof bars are there to look cool, not carry things I sometimes carry bikes on my roof and it knocks about 6mpg off on the motorway.

I can believe that the El Camino didn't do well in the twisty section of the "track"...

Sadly the roof box is a bit of a must have... After loading the bikes up, there's not much space in the car anymore.

See attached pictures - space in the car, and what gear we need to bring. In addition to that we need our normal "travel gear" - clean clothes, toiletries, gadgets, loading ramp, etc, and we also need to transport 2 exhausts per bike (one standard and one louder) in case we're not allowed to use the louder can. It all mounts up quite a bit.

... but I guess you're right - it'll add to the MPGs... I usually get 32 MPG doing my normal teeth-grinding-white-knuckled-commute, so a steady motorway pace shouldn't be too much worse than that, even with the roof box and the load... but we'll see...

Thanks!

[Lennart Sorth]

I usually get 32 MPG doing my normal teeth-grinding-white-knuckled-commute

Is that with the engine turned on ? 

I thought the V6 grand would only do this at the very best - not during a teeth-grinding-white-knuckled-commute. How do you measure it ?


PS: or maybe "teeth-grinding-white-knuckled" means you are pushing the car ? :-)

/Lennart

[Anders Dinsen]

I usually get 32 MPG doing my normal teeth-grinding-white-knuckled-commute

Is that with the engine turned on ? 

I thought the V6 grand would only do this at the very best - not during a teeth-grinding-white-knuckled-commute. How do you measure it ?

I'm sure it CANNOT do that.... but TheJoker's tagline lists 2.2 dCi Sounds more likely.

[TheJoker]

That's correct, Gents - It's an oil burner!  32MPG diesel... and I don't calculate it - My engineer girlfriend does...   

[Will Falconer]

I can believe that the El Camino didn't do well in the twisty section of the "track"...

It was easier to hang the tail out in the El Camino than the Espace, but I think the Espace probably can carry more weight...

[TheJoker]

As all three experts have seen and replied to this thread - I'm assuming that a bit of a saggy bottom is nothing to worry about... nor should I worry about the car's compressed rear suspension...     

[Lennart Sorth]

That's correct, Gents - It's an oil burner!  32MPG diesel.

Sorry, I had forgotten you have the dci (and as Anders pointed out, I am getting blind too :-) )  - everything falls into place now :-)

ties in with what we do in ours (which mainly does only 2 miles twice a day, so it takes a while before it needs filling)

/Lennart