PGM316 Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Defenders don't have the most luxurious floating on air ride quality... Can the quality be improved much? With new springs and/or dampers? And is it cost effective? Would love to hear from someone that has done something like this, cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 If you currently have a hard-top or truck cab model you could try fitting springs for a station wagon, although I think that might only go for 110s. My 110 rode very hard because a previous owner put heavy duty springs underneath it, so I'll be putting the softer station wagon springs back in. Decent dampers help, especially in a 90 where the short wheelbase isn't conducive to a good ride anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuck Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 My 110 was shocking (no pun intended) when I bought her, Changed everything to OME and it's much better on and off road, having said that, when I took the original dampers off they were seized solid! You could be original and retrofit the air set up from a P38 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 don't use the 110 rear springs that also have the Self levelling strut, these are to soft to be used without the strut, you could go for OME springs, on my 110 they give a good ride & aren't as stiff as 110 hardtop rear springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGM316 Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 Thanks all. That's probably the reason, mine has the hard top springs I believe, so station wagon ones would help. Would you go for land rover original springs or not? Along with ome dampers it should help a lot. * re read westerns post, looks like ome all round then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Td5 110 station wagon springs these would be easiest to find/fit, if dampers are in good order no need to change them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGM316 Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 Thanks Western, mine is a 90, so I'd just get the 90 station wagon springs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Thanks Western, mine is a 90, so I'd just get the 90 station wagon springs? Should have noticed from your picture,110 springs won't fit yours, 90 springs are still handed IIRC, so either the correct colour code for each side or 2 the same driver side is normally slightly longer NRC9448 D90 Rear 15.31 225 8 blue/red NRC9449 D90 Rear 14.80 225 8 yellow/white http://rovers.red90.ca/springinfo.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGM316 Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 Thats great help cheers. Its not my 90 in the picture, mines in a little better condition than that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Thats great help cheers. Its not my 90 in the picture, mines in a little better condition than that I hope so, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 90 station wagons use as standard, heavy duty rear springs. Hard top springs are softer ! Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncmc Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Heavy duty suspension(springs) was an option on a 90 Hard Top. So maybe the springs you have or are the heavy duty ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGM316 Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 So I may have the "comfort" springs already fitted... From reading the spec chart I'm left a little more confused, looking at the lb/inch for the springs the standard are 225. But the heavy duty has 210/240. So softer under initial compression I should just accept it's not a range rover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Jenkins Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Should have noticed from your picture,110 springs won't fit yours, 90 springs are still handed IIRC, so either the correct colour code for each side or 2 the same driver side is normally slightly longer NRC9448 D90 Rear 15.31 225 8 blue/red NRC9449 D90 Rear 14.80 225 8 yellow/white http://rovers.red90.ca/springinfo.html Hi Western, Not hijacking the thread exactly ... When you say "2 the same" above, do you mean that it's ok to fit same length springs each side? Bought some new ones on ebay - new takeoff from a brand new Puma, and they're the same on each side - ok to fit on an older 90? (relates to http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=68584) Cheers Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 only older 90/110 were fitted with different springs each side, can't see why 2 of the same can't be used. LR did this with later vehicles. only change on 90's that would possibly make a small difference is the fuel tank was reloacted from RH side under seat to the rear of the chassis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Jenkins Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Thanks Western! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicks90 Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 just thinking out loud - but why cant you fit disco / rangie classic springs to a 90 to get a much nicer and softer ride? both of them are heavier than a 90 and i believe they all use the same anti roll bars front and rear as well. So theoretically you could fit them and it would work, as discos and range rovers dont fall over all the time - so in principle it would be safe on a 90. Looking at the figures... D90 front 175lbs/inch and 15" long NRC9446 disco front 150lbs/inch and 17" long NRC4305 D90 rear 225lbs/inch and 14.8" long NRC9449 disco rear 155/215lbs/inch and 15.3" long NRC8044 So you shouldnt actually lose any ride height either, as the drop in spring rate is offset by the longer spring. In fact i am pretty sure the gap between the bumpstop and axle bump pad on a disco is the same as a defender anyway, so it should sit 'normally'. Combined with decent uprated shocks (or twin shocks) and good ARBs front and rear - would make it quite nice. Would imagine you would lose some payload capacity though. Would a 10-15% drop in spring rate make it ride like a rangerover on air springs though? Narrrr. but might make it more comfy though. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGM316 Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Oooh nicks90, thats a very interesting post. I'd like to here more about the possibilities of this, I'm sure Western or some other will be help to help confirm or not if its possible.Just imagine wafting along in the old bucket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 I'm not able to confirm, simply because I don't have a 90 & not tried fitting RR or Disco springs to one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 A look at Trevs' spring calculator (see tech archive) & a bit of braining should lead you to a set of springs that will do what you want for the use you have in mind. I'd vote for genuine LR springs or Old Man Emu, and the same for shocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGM316 Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 http://www.btinternet.com/~cooperchadwick/lr90/calculator.html I found the link thanks FridgeFreezer. Next job is to put the right figures in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Hi Western, Not hijacking the thread exactly ... When you say "2 the same" above, do you mean that it's ok to fit same length springs each side? Bought some new ones on ebay - new takeoff from a brand new Puma, and they're the same on each side - ok to fit on an older 90? (relates to http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=68584) Cheers Mike Its fine to run the same springs both sides... I have Yellow/White (110/130 HD fronts, cant remember which side) on the front. On the back I have Red/Blue 90 rears (normal, not the HD ones.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriso Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Sorry - bit thick here! Just to clarify Western's valid points: Does OME stand for Original Manufacturer's Equipment or Old Man Emu suspension? I suspect the former? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Sorry - bit thick here! Just to clarify Western's valid points: Does OME stand for Original Manufacturer's Equipment or Old Man Emu suspension? I suspect the former? Old Man Emu. OEM is Original Equipment Manufacturer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriso Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Old Man Emu. OEM is Original Equipment Manufacturer Thanks - learn something everyday (sorry for off topic) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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