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Improving Defender ride quality


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5 hours ago, Lightning said:

Well, Land Rover recommend 33psi/49psi F/R for a standard 110 SW under normal conditions.

When loaded towards the limits LR recommend 33psi/65psi  F/R

Not correct.  28/48 - All load conditions.  Once again, this is based on worse case and if you care and want things done right, you measure yourself.  Seeing as YOU started a thread about modifying suspension to be the best, then you would think you would not be closed minded about setting tyre pressures correctly.

The attached is from the TD5 Owner's Handbook.

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As an example, my 110 which has a complete custom cargo area and a factory Isuzu diesel.

With passengers and not loaded beyond stuff that is always in it is 36/42.  Loaded for an expedition and full fuel (210 liters), it is 35/55.

Keep in mind it is not just the weight, but the specific tyres you are using as well.

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This has veered waaaay off-topic...

I'm more interested in how people calculate the required spring and shock rates for a given vehicle/setup, Trev's spring calculator is a good start but makes the assumption you want twist-off articulation, and as for shock rates that's a dark art all of its own.

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I have always found harder tyres better for braking, but all this stuff about changing the suspension ? Can you honestly, and I mean HONESTLY say that all these companies who sell this stuff have put more resources into R & D than Land Rover (and other manufacturers) have ? And clearly know better like the guy on Youtube ? Don't think so

Unless you are modding for extreme off road or any other particular purpose, IMO its all the Kings new clothes. 

 

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7 hours ago, Red90 said:

Not correct.  28/48 - All load conditions.  Once again, this is based on worse case and if you care and want things done right, you measure yourself.  Seeing as YOU started a thread about modifying suspension to be the best, then you would think you would not be closed minded about setting tyre pressures correctly.

The attached is from the TD5 Owner's Handbook.

Capture.JPG

Not correct in your handbook maybe, but correct in mine!

 

image.jpg

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On 10/23/2018 at 1:19 PM, Lightning said:

LR recommendation is 48psi for the rear tyres on a 110 TD5 SW

The idea is to get the suspension dampers doing the work and not the tyres, as that will result in a bouncy ride.

Land Rover tyre pressures are mostly carp in my opinion. I've never run any vehicle of mine with over 40psi in the tyres, and my 110 at the moment is running about 25 front 30 rear, admittedly in oversize 33x12.50R15. and at lower than UK road speeds.

Hard tyre pressures give a dreadful ride for the same reason low profile tyres do; the tyres have a critical role in ironing out the minor jiggles in the road, and if you remove the 'give' in the sidewall then you pay the price.

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RE springs - several years ago I replaced my 110 HT springs with a wall-known vendors pattern parts. Drove down hill from my house and turned the corner and nearly rolled over. Back home and checked them - all was ok. Tried again - lethal. Took it to the local LR independent garage for advice and an in informed opinion and the owner (who does all the local estate LR's & huge experience) took it 400m along the road and turned two corners and came back ashen-faced and refused to let me drive it home saying it was lethal. 

I contacted vendor, they sent me a complete new set, tried them in, same issue. We tried three sets which all exhibited the same problem before I gave up. The vendor was very helpful paying to pick up and re-deliver sets at no cost to me but said "no-one else has complained". Part numbers were correct, my 110 is normal, not SV, at that time was running basically empty but the ride was scary and positively dangerous. 

I then fitted LR original parts springs and Armstrong shocks and ride is excellent and predictable. I think some parts are best replaced using a degree of circumspection.

YMMV but that was a cautionary experience for me.

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All l can say is, that on my standard 110 SW TD5, l have fitted LR OE TDCi springs, LR OE anti roll bars, adjustable dampers and Discovery 2 front spring isolators.

Tyre pressures are 33/44 F/R

The ride is definitely a fair bit better over rough roads and unmade roads, with no detriment to handling/road holding.

This applies only to a standard 110 TD5 SW lightly loaded.

I’ve driven 1,000 miles in the vehicle this month and can say by experience that it’s a better ride quality than during the 50,000 miles l have previously  driven it before changing the above parts.

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On 10/26/2018 at 8:44 AM, smallfry said:

I have always found harder tyres better for braking, but all this stuff about changing the suspension ? Can you honestly, and I mean HONESTLY say that all these companies who sell this stuff have put more resources into R & D than Land Rover (and other manufacturers) have ? And clearly know better like the guy on Youtube ? Don't think so

Unless you are modding for extreme off road or any other particular purpose, IMO its all the Kings new clothes. 

 

Well, a manufacturer wants things to be good and Land Rover standard suspension is that.  However, they also have to turn a profit (fat chance with the last Defenders but definitely on the cards originally).  Part of that is balancing cost and performance.  Some after-market suspension components, particularly shock absorbers in this thread, can be considerably more complicated (i.e. expensive) than standard and CAN be an improvement, on and/or off the road.  My previous Stage One V8 had adjustable Munroes (not necessarily considered brilliant as a brand) which were wonderful when I put the 3.9 and higher gearing in and found myself cornering at decent speeds.  My Mercedes has Bilsteins on the front which definitely tame the handling.  On the other hand, I think my 110's shocks are standard and I have no complaint.  That doesn't mean I couldn't spend silly money and feel an improvement.

Even aftermarket springs have their place.  When I drove a heavily laden Range Rover across and around Australia, I shelled out for heavier duty rear springs.  Rover had never intended their car to work that hard, so it was appropriate to do that and it made a huge difference to handling.  Trip over and all the gear removed and it felt like a truck!  Getting the right springs for your load and good quality shocks will always be best.  In most scenarios, Land Rover have it right but they lean less to travelling extra-light on motorways than heavily laden in rougher conditions.

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Also there’s got to be a compromise somewhere.

Do you want your Defender to ride well on dirt roads and tracks or would you rather it held it together on faster road driving without bouncing off line if (say) you hit a bump while cornering?

With adjustable dampers l can account for both, although unless you spend £1,000 you have to get under the vehicle to turn the adjusters on the dampers.

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4 hours ago, Lightning said:

Do you want your Defender to ride well on dirt roads and tracks or would you rather it held it together on faster road driving without bouncing off line if (say) you hit a bump while cornering?

It's not hard to do both.  Riding well on dirt roads and tracks means NOT bouncing off line when you hit a bump!

On the other hand, a lifted, softly sprung vehicle will feel very vague and mushy at high speed on any surface, unless it's been designed very carefully.

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Well the problem is that to be compliant on rough terrain needs the suspension to be the same, compliant and not too stiff.

Where faster road use needs a firmer setup.  If l adjust my dampers to the firm setting it’s a fair bit better but then it’s harsh on unmade roads or farm tracks taken at slow speed.

l have just left them on the soft setting and l drive slower on the road.

Edited by Lightning
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