Parabolic springs

[Off Road Toad]

Are Parabolic springs really that much better than the standard LR springs? If so which make would you recommend for an 88" diesel S3

Cheers, Steve

[FridgeFreezer]

They're not as good as some of the hype, it'll never be coiler-smooth, and there does seem to be a massive variation in quality/price across the board. Some say they're no better than just putting some new and well-oiled standard springs on, although I suspect that's not the full story as paras don't seize up like multi-leafs. Also LR fronts are short & curvy which doesn't help with bounciness.

There's various modifications you can do - any combo of longer &/or flatter &/or fewer leafs will improve matters (EG ford transit single leafs supposedly works well), I've not looked very deeply into this yet as I'm hoping to sort my suspension without modifying the layout.

Decent quality paras and decent shocks to go with will make a big difference to a Series. I still haven't worked out the best shock for the job, it's a bit counter-intuitive but I suspect stiffer shocks / more damping are actually required to compensate for the lack of inter-leaf friction damping and keep the wheels on the road. Unfortunately, my truck is not a great benchmark for standard as I'm on the wrong axles, big tyres, and driving corrugated roads at speed which kills ProComps within 10 minutes even on an SJ.

[henk]

Difficult to say as you change from around 25 year old springs to new springs.

I fitted parabolics from TI console type some years back and very pleased with them but I guess if you take new standard leaf springs, this will also make a major difference.

[Retroanaconda]

Give me a week and I'll tell you how the new Rocky Mountains ride on my Petrol 88"

[greenstream]

Hi Steve

I would go for Heystee, former Ticonsole.

They have the best reputation here in DK. Being a Para. it needs stiffer shocks but the kids that Paul (Heystee) sells comes complete with shocks for your car.

It might take a while to get them, the last set i ordered took about 6 months to arrive !

This is because doing it on a preordrebasis, then Paul is able to cut the price and I believ that he have only got a small stock.

And he sets the standards high !

Good luck.

Morten

[Jon White]

I've got Allmakes ones on mine which I am quite happy with.

They are better than standard ones in that they give much better axle articulation. However as JU says - it'll never be coiler smooth ride. In addition when encountering steep climbs especially, I find you get increased spring wrap and hence axle tramp than you do with stock springs.

Bear in mind you need to shange the shocks aswell as the springs, and you may well find your front prop winds up a bit too short after fitting.

Jon

[nicks90]

i'd really love to see one of the glossy mags do a proper comparison of a couple of parabolic springs and NEW standard (genuine!) springs for a series.

I would put a couple of quid on the standard landrover springs being nearly as good as paras.

I would put a few more quid on standard landrover springs being better than paras if they were stripped down and rebuilt with teflon sheets inserted between the leafs.

[Rich_P]

I think you also stand to lose the load capacity of the Land Rover with parabolic springs.

[FridgeFreezer]

I think you also stand to lose the load capacity of the Land Rover with parabolic springs.

I think you think wrong

[Off Road Toad]

Being an 88" i can only fit a pair of boots in it anyhow

[task]

I'm running on Parabolics on my 88, seems to be fairly good but very bouncy (procomp dampers) but I have lost a fair bit of weight on my truck. I hate to think how harsh it would be on the old multi-leaf springs!

[Rich_P]

I think you think wrong

But do I think wrong?

[MECCANO]

But do I think wrong?

Well i think you do

[FridgeFreezer]

Having driven mine very much fully laden and then some, I don't think paras have lower load rating than multi-leafs, assuming you buy paras of the correct load rating of course

[Retroanaconda]

Well one thing I can say is that they give a stupid high lift. Or they have for me

[mickeyw]

I had TI Console ones on my 88", 2-leaf front and 2-leaf rear. The ride was just a spine jarring as it was with the std (knackered) springs, it just sat higher. They were fitted with Pro-Comp ES3000 IIRC.

I think the setup was just too hefty for a 88" V8 soft top configuration. 4 people in the back made it far more comfortable

[oddballrovers]

Hi Steve

I think there is two aspect when talking about springs, flex and comfy, me experiences is that you can get both with both types, BUT and it is a big one I do not know of any one that today makes OE or eq to that springs in the same quality as the old OE springs from LR.

But if you can get OE 7 leaf LWT front springs and refurb with grease and so and a set of OE 109 STW rears and then fit HD 88" dampers you have from OE std parts a good compromise, but do not buy any of the carp that is being made today, thats my experience.

Para wise, I do run TIC's ( 2 lef front and 3 rear) on The Kitten with some extra long shocks and we have same flex as a 2" lifted 90" but it is a little stiffer than the above setup ( the kitten weighs 1550kg ready to run less the two monkeys ), we have a anti wrap bar on the front and are going to have one at the rear in the future also, but the the Kitten is solely used for competition.

Thats my adwise based on 30 years with series vehicles.

Regards

Ole

[Soren Frimodt]

Those are my experiences aswell. Although there is another great advantage to para's offroad-wise, they're much thinner, especially in the back. This results in a lot more ground clearence. BUT for your built Steve I would fint some old OE springs, take them apart and run each layer through a roller-press until you get the height that you want. Needless to say they have to look fairly good and not be too rusty. I did this once and it worked a treat. And of course lubrication is required to maintain the smoothness.

[Stubble]

I am in the middle of swapping mine, and am using the UK made ones from GME.(I have it in writing that they are UK made) via Paddock"s.

As a penniless Wrinkly I need "cheap" to be a priority. I have completed the backs and am amazed at the difference that it has made already. The old originals were well oiled during my ownership, but I do not know how they were treated in the past. The paras handle a fairly heavy trailer OK, but it is early days.

I will do the front as soon as the old bones have recovered from all the grovelling doing the rears, as they will perform better on the truck than in the shed.(Springs-not bones)

I will change the shock absorbers soon, as the better spring flexibility has shown they need changing.

I wonder if the people who are having issues with the height are setting it correctly as described in the WS manual and slackening shackle and chassis Metalastic bushes and setting axle to chassis height and re-tightening?

There is, as always, a lot of nonsense written on almost any subject on the Internet, and a case in point is shock absorber travel. Some advocate removal of the check straps which will wreck shock absorbers when they bottom out, others say use longer travel but I believe this means that the starting points will be wider apart and therefore the ride height wrong. Unless the mounting points are changed to accommodate the extra length I can't see how it works.I would be interested in an explanation.

I look forward to getting the job finished and will report again.

[nicks90]

And of course lubrication is required to maintain the smoothness.

but thats the problem, soon as you start adding grease and oils to them you attract mud and grit in between the leafs and it all goes horribly wrong.

You can get very very hardwaring thin strips of ptfe to insert between them, this is dry and does not attract or let grit stick to them and hence requires alot less maintanence. Plus its much 'slippier' than grease.

see here:- http://www.directplasticsonline.co.uk/PTFESheet/

or possibly UHMWPE sheet if you think it needs better abrasion resistance.

you could probably do all four corners for £20 worth of 1mm thick ptfe.

[FridgeFreezer]

...or you could just buy some decent paras and call it done

[Off Road Toad]

Thanks to all for input. i didn't realise this was such a passionate subject!.

I am definately going Parabolic - i just haven't decided which make yet.

LR springs (genuine) aren't really available anywhere and i'm definately not putting aftermarket standard leaves on - they're horrible - i have them already.

I'm not really bothered if it lifts the car a bit, i just want a ride that doesn't break my spine! I won't be fitting pro-comp dampers EVER.

I'm also not bothered about keeping the car original either, i'm not a rivet counter!

Steve

[FridgeFreezer]

If it helps, my springs are TIC and have been on the truck for probably 8 years now, taken loads of abuse (including Russia & back 3 times) and are still in good order - which is more than can be said for the (2nd set of) ProComps

[Soren Frimodt]

! I won't be fitting pro-comp dampers EVER.

Wise decision, me neither! Or should I say never again, been there and found them absolutely worthless.

Re: Nicks90, You are so right about the mud and grit in the grease. But what I don't like about teflon strips or similar is that it only makes the springs even thicker.. Otherwise a very good idea.

[mickeyw]

I won't be fitting pro-comp dampers EVER.

Wise decision, me neither! Or should I say never again, been there and found them absolutely worthless.

Agreed! I had a set on the back of the Ninety. Total waste of £! Lasted a year -ish of mostly gentle on-road use