Most passenger cars are built for regular use, weight recommendations are calculated based on a lighter load.  In the real world it doesn’t take much to reach these levels.

Car manufacturers do not count on you to regularly load your car to its’ maximum payload, be it with passengers, luggage or bike and rack. Trailers and caravans can also cause problems.

MAD helper springs are the solution.

A helper spring, also known as auxiliary springs or spring assistors, is an extra pair of springs fitted next to or inside the original springs on the vehicle. They help the original spring bear the total weight and improve your vehicles driving comfort, steering, traction, and safety.  When unladen or solo, you would not normally feel any difference in driving, but as weight is added or a caravan attached the rear begins to sag the helper springs become stiffer so keep the rear from sagging anymore.

Sometimes, due to the design of the rear suspension, a replacement spring is the best solution.  This works in the same way as the OE spring and helper spring combined; soft in the first part of travel then stiffening up as more weight is added.

Air helper spring kits, also known as semi-air conversions, air assisters and air bags.

There are two basic types of air bags. RED that sit inside the OE coil spring and BLACK that sit between the axle and chassis rail. Red air bags are usually fitted to cars or vans and pickups on coil springs and can come with an on-board compressor mounted in the boot area, you can use your own or make use of one at a fuel station.  Black bags are fitted to vans and pickups with leaf springs and can be supplied as:

Air Master Basic – bags, airlines and Schrader valve.

Air Mast Comfort – which also includes a compressor and pressure gauges.

Air Master Automatic – which also has self-levelling.