Parabolic springs

[Duncan]

I run Rocky mountains on my lightweight, 3 leaves on rear, with longer shackles I find the back flexes an impressive amount and handles great on/off road but does eat the bushes in a few years.

The front barely flex at all and sit a bit lower than the rear which is understandable with a winch and bumper, So I'm looking to try different para's on the front!

NB: If you do have extended shackles then lower your bump stops appropriately as I didn't first time and killed a set

[ToyRoverlander]

The front barely flex at all and sit a bit lower than the rear which is understandable with a winch and bumper, So I'm looking to try different para's on the front!

You can always add a leaf. See if anyone has some old parabolic front springs lying around, grind of the eye/military wrap and clamp and put it underneath in the spring pack.

You have to grind off the clamp on your springpack too. You don't need it anyway, the main leaf is going nowhere, nor is the second leaf as it has a military wrap. Only the 3rd leaf MIGHT move a little bit. I've done this, but I've got rear springs up front and used the second leaf of an old front spring, so my 3rd leaf is shorter than the others.

[Jon White]

So what shocks are current favourites then? I've been running pro comps for years....

Jon

[mickeyw]

So what shocks are current favourites then? I've been running pro comps for years....

Jon

De Carbons for me. Have had a set on my Ninety for 6 or 7 years now, and plenty happy with them. Fitted a set to my RRC two years ago as well.

[Jon White]

So far as I'm aware Decarbons arent made to fit a series though?

Jon

[Soren Frimodt]

I've had DeCarbons on my series 2 aswell. They worked great and stood well up for the abuse. Paddocks sells them for series, or atleast they have done so, don't know if they still do it. Otherwise Monroe has shocks works well. I have that on my current series one

[MECCANO]

Steve, If properly matched for the vehicle, paras only give about 20mm lift anyway. Its only when you start sticking 20 leaf paras designed for the load of a fully kitted out csw 109" to a 88" soft top you end up with 3 inch lifts etc.

My lwt ( rag top) sits on 2 leaf front and rear chris perfect springs, which are a copy of the Ticonsole design. With out anything in the back it sits 20mm lift at front 40mm at back. As soon as you chuck in a spare wheel, a driver and a few tools it balances out to 20/20mm

Chris

[Snagger]

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

I agree. In fact, quality hd parabolics can probably handle more than original springs.

My 109 rides almost as well as my near-mint 1995 RRC, just tucking in more on cornering because it lacks a front anti roll bar. I have TI Console HD springs and ES9000s and a rear anti roll bar from a 100 ambulance and it,s very comfortable. Adding a third leaf to the front springs will improve it's cornering as well as support the winch, bull bar, sound proofing and front fuel tanks better.

[Duncan]

ToyRoverlander How does your front spring set-up perform? Id be interested just for getting the ride height level and it couldn't flex less so must be worth a try!

[ToyRoverlander]

ToyRoverlander How does your front spring set-up perform? Id be interested just for getting the ride height level and it couldn't flex less so must be worth a try!

In one word; excellent!

How do you want to get ride height level? Longer springs or going spring over? Going spring over will NOT get the ride height level without doing the back end as well.

Longer springs could make the difference, but you'll lose a lot of approach angle because the chassis has to be extended 6". There's no point fitting longer front springs without going spring over.

You can add a leaf to the front springs. Find someone with an old set of front parabolic springs. Grind off the clamps of your springs. Then pull that second set of springs apart, grind off the military wrap (or the bush eye) so you end up with a smooth leaf. And fit those underneath your springs. That will increase spring rate bij 50%, and as you still got the same weight on it, it will compress less and thus increase ride height. It will make it 50% firmer as well, just so you know.

Oh, don't worry about not having clamps. The first 2 leafs are not going anywhere anyway (mil.wrap after all, fits in between hanger and shackles) and that 3rd leaf won't really go anywhere, see it as a helper leaf.

If it lifts the nose too much, or it is too firm for your liking, shorten that leaf. Grab a high lift jack, lift up the whole nose of the vehicle, but keep the wheels touching the ground. You only want to take weight of the springs. Whack a chisel in between the 2nd and 3rd leaf to create some free space between them, grab the grinder and shorten it up. Do that on both sides of the spring obviously.

That's what I've done. My 2leaf rear springs (at the front) were too soft, they where flat. I added a 3rd leaf (of an old normal lenght parabolic front spring so it was allready shorter than the 2 other leafs) and that lifted the nose up too much. I shortened them up, still to high. I ended up cutting nearly 8" off, on both sides of the spring. So I've got a 20" helper 3rd leaf (normal lenght 36" ). And it's perfect now. The car sits level, the springs have a little curve in them again and it rides good.

[MrLeadfoot]

took mine (british springs) off after 10 months & went back to std, I could not stand the front end dive when cornering, sold them on ebay for more than they coast, but I kept the de-carbon shocks.

[Daan]

So what shocks are current favourites then? I've been running pro comps for years....

Jon

Mine have been on for 9 years and still going very well. What is the reason people dont like pro comps?

Daan

[mickeyw]

Mine have been on for 9 years and still going very well. What is the reason people dont like pro comps?

Daan

My Pro-comps on rear of the Ninety were next to useless after less than a year. Bouncing all over the place they were. Another mate had exactly the same problem. Since changing to de-Carbons the truck rides sooo much better.

[FridgeFreezer]

Mine have been on for 9 years and still going very well. What is the reason people dont like pro comps?

Mainly that they don't last on rough tracks, we had great fun watching James in the SJ trying to follow Mouse, after about 5 minutes driving the occupants of the SJ resemble ball bearings in a washing machine. The set that were originally on Petal lasted about the same.

For low-speed UK stuff they're cheap and cheerful for sure, and do the job as well as most people need.

[Daan]

Mine are still perfect, survived RFC, Ladoga, lots of uk events, road work. still the same set. Mint condition, apart from some surface rust. To give an indication of the abuse the car has had in russia, all the suspension bushes were shot and several holes in the panhard brackets and radius arm mounts were elongated beyond belief.

I am not sure whether they have been mismatched with the springs. my springs and dampers are pretty soft, but I intentially did it that way, because the radius arm setup front and rear ads quite a lot of roll stiffness, so you can run softer springs as a result. this works well with the procomps.

Daan

[mickeyw]

Mine are still perfect, survived RFC, Ladoga, lots of uk events, road work. still the same set. Mint condition, apart from some surface rust. To give an indication of the abuse the car has had in russia, all the suspension bushes were shot and several holes in the panhard brackets and radius arm mounts were elongated beyond belief.

I am not sure whether they have been mismatched with the springs. my springs and dampers are pretty soft, but I intentially did it that way, because the radius arm setup front and rear ads quite a lot of roll stiffness, so you can run softer springs as a result. this works well with the procomps.

Daan

That's astonishing! I was only using on UK roads, with some occasional off roading.

Maybe 9 years ago their quality was a lot better than in more recent times...

[nicks90]

i'd agree with that, my procomps are 9 years old and havent failed (yet).

istr that the issue with procomps came to light about 6 years ago when they started snapping the eyes off, maybe they changed the design or build methods at that time. But i can certainly say that they have worked fine for me. Although i am looking at replacing them now, as they are getting on a bit.

[Snagger]

My TI Console (Heystee) springs are about 15 years old and are as good as new. I had to fit Polybushes as one of the rear spring eyes had lost its grip on the standard metalastic bushes, and another rear spring eye cracked about ten years ago, needing replacement of that leaf, but both seem to be due to a fault with a batch of metalastic bushes that were fitted to the springs when new (slightly oversize). that fault was eventually noticed, but too late to stop damage to a few peoples' springs. However, with the replacement leaf and Polybushes, I'm very happy with the ride and articulation. It still sits level and the springs have even cambers when removed after all this time - they have at least another decade left in them.

the same can't be said for the Pro Comps, some of which leaked due to the pistons corroding and abrading the seals within a few years. The lesson is, don't fit the rubber boots.

[Duncan]

ToyRoverlander Thanks for explaining that I'm definately going to add an extra spring to the front set of paras!

Just to throw another conversation piece out there anyone recommend a good paint for the top of para's? sad seeing rust take hold after just a few years

[ToyRoverlander]

ToyRoverlander Thanks for explaining that I'm definately going to add an extra spring to the front set of paras!

Just to throw another conversation piece out there anyone recommend a good paint for the top of para's? sad seeing rust take hold after just a few years

No worries . It should make quite a difference. You can even start out with a full lenght leaf and see how it goes, if it's too stiff just start grinding it down .

Wouldn't any cheap rattlecan paint do? Or rustoleum or something? The paint on my springs has started cracking all over and they started to get a bit rusty too. Must do something about that before winter hits I guess...

[Gem]

I have Paras fitted to mine, can't be sure of the make tho? wondering maybe m.o.d fitted? as it's ex-military, but 1967? It also has American (I think) shocks, 'Explorer' which are white.. been meaning to ask, if anyone heard of them, and if so, why the lower bushes don't really sit onside properly!! (the shock can be waggled around quite a lot... almost failed M.O.T! held in with a big washer and split pin. probably could do wiv upgrading, however, my axle broke today, so... Anyway, sorry, I totally hijacked the thread, but I do like my parabolics... but I don't know the difference between normal leafs and these. Feels like I'm driving over rocks if I hit a slight imperfection in the road! Hmmm.

[Snagger]

I have Paras fitted to mine, can't be sure of the make tho? wondering maybe m.o.d fitted? as it's ex-military, but 1967? It also has American (I think) shocks, 'Explorer' which are white.. been meaning to ask, if anyone heard of them, and if so, why the lower bushes don't really sit onside properly!! (the shock can be waggled around quite a lot... almost failed M.O.T! held in with a big washer and split pin. probably could do wiv upgrading, however, my axle broke today, so... Anyway, sorry, I totally hijacked the thread, but I do like my parabolics... but I don't know the difference between normal leafs and these. Feels like I'm driving over rocks if I hit a slight imperfection in the road! Hmmm.

The white "Explorer" will be a Pro-Comp, which is indeed American made and is a low quality, cheap damper (the tyres and springs are the shock absorbers, though many people misapply the name to the dampers) that is used in about 90% of parabolic upgrades. They're fine, but you need to keep an eye on the condition of their pistons - the rubber boots trap condensation, which rusts the piston, abrading the seals and causing the damper to lose its oil.

The MoD never fitted parabolics to their Land Rovers, except the 101FC, which had straight parabolics from new.

The bottom ends of the front dampers (and rear dampers on 88"s) are retained by the washer and split pin from new - it's not a mod or a botch and is perfectly satisfactory, but it sounds like your bushes are worn out.

[sussex-landy]

I can see a lot has been said.

I have replaced my springs on a 1972 standard series and I tried both standard leaf and the low cost paras from paddock. The paras are smoother with heavy duty standard shocks and easier to clean and go great with my galvanised chassis. I reckon load capacity is reduced but with two teens in the back and a big dog it sits great and is higher than standard leaf.

When I tried some new standard leaf springs which a mate bought for his they were harder and firm on teh road, you felt every bump so I kept the paras.

I know they are not the best quality coming from paddock but mine has very light use as a weekend run around without the roof on or just for odd jobs.

Stuff is so cheap for the series and quick to change you could even put leafs on the rear if you know you have some major load work to do and then pop the paras back on for general use. A little over the top but its not like they cost a lot.

[fraser1]

If I want to avoid the back of my 109 being way high do you think there is any mileage in fitting parabolics to the front only. Cars in 70s had leaf springs on rear?

[FridgeFreezer]

4 hours ago, fraser1 said:

If I want to avoid the back of my 109 being way high do you think there is any mileage in fitting parabolics to the front only. Cars in 70s had leaf springs on rear?

Why would parabolics make it too high?