Looking for a spring helper or other shock helper to aid in towing on a 2019 Discovery. Have a boat that is about 5000 lbs and causing the back to sag just a little. Not major but enough I would like to get it supported more to aid in the ride while pulling the boat.

thx.

 

Hello, I assume your discovery doesn't have air suspension? Air suspension would self level. I tow with 700lb tongue weight and the Discovery keeps the rear suspension right where it should be. If you have conventional springs a weight distribution hitch would probably help, but I don't know if those are typically used on boat trailers. I'm not trying to spark a weight distribution debate here. I understand LR doesn't recommend but I've been using them for years with no issues.

I've previously used Air Lift helper bags on my '93 land cruiser with success. There might be a size that works for the Discovery application.
https://www.airliftcompany.com/produ...air-lift-1000/

 

will take a look at the helpers. Unfortunately I don’t think mine has the air suspension. No controls in the back to adjust them. I would expect controls if they were air shocks.

 

If it doesn't have the suspension height buttons it doesn't.

 

no buttons. Bought it used. Guessing this model doesn’t have the feature.

 

Anyone tried coil helpers or something like that to help reduce sag? Again this is a non air shock discovery. Unfortunately they don’t even have spring or shock options out yet for the year and non air models.

 

you could use a weight distribution hitch to try to distribute the weight I used that on my older 4runner with coils sags very slightly still but balances better.

 

I tried that with my 2018 TD6 towing an Airsteam around the western US for a few thousand miles: it certainly stiffens up the rig and it feels much safer at freeway/motorway speeds - we could cruise around 10mph faster with some signficant weight transfered off the back axle. However, it *really* ate front tyres rapidly.

In other news, I bought a 2000 F-350 (totally pimped-out) to use as tow vehicle instead of the LR - we had too many complaints from the LR (limp mode shutdowns ...) and there's enough weight on the F-350 to tame the trailer and make sure the truck is in charge, not the trailer. Besides, the cost of the F-350 will be less than a new TD6 engine when that blows up ...

 

What is a limp mode shutdown? I've towed a travel thousands of miles with my '17 diesel and haven't experienced.

What type of airstream?

 

One shutdown we traced to slightly dragging brakes on a long uphill grade into Death Valley (recalibrating the brake controller sorted that one … had to do a 15-point turn on a windy 2-lane road to get back downhill). Another shutdown trying to go too fast (65mph) west up Donner Pass with a fully-laden 25ft Airstream (FC25) - should be within weight limits for the TD6 although maybe overage on the tongue weight. No explanation for that one but it did the rest of the 3000-mile trip without complaint.

These shutdowns really not welcome when towing in the desert, out of cell range, even if they are programmed for a valid reason in protecting the mechanical components from possible damage … we’ll have to see if ancient Detroit iron can outwit modern Euro-Asian smarts in the long run.