Mo Murphy Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 What works, what doesn't ? Opinions based on experience please chaps. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I will say don't know on my Defender as I've not changed one YET I did change one on my daughters 300Tdi Discovery. IIRC we used the cheapest one we could buy. it still works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I prefer the stock cheap ones. I acquired a fancy heavy duty gas one a while back and tried that on a defender, but it just made the steering really heavy. And on my daily drive Range Rover, I took the damper off two years ago as I was making a couple of mods, haven't noticed a jot of difference on the road and it hasn't been back on since. The cheap ones are fine off road too, it's not like they take the same hammering as a suspension damper, and seem to last a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris113 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I had a Terrafirma RTC version and was very unimpressed with it. The bush in the eye end wore very quickly and replacements are unavailable by themselves. The spring also used to unwind around the clamp-on collar. I've now got a nice OME version, it seems much better, so much so that we just fitted one to dad's 90 also. It did make the steering a little bit more firm as Eightpot said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Noisy Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Not having any problems with terrafirma RTC spring unwinding but bush is poor Not long before I will be needing to remanufacture the bush, not sure on method though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 OME damper on my 110, steering feel is good, self centring of steering is good, not had any cause for concern over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I bought a 2nd hand OME one a few years back and that's been good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 You are gonna hate me for this, got a britpart one on the v8 and.............. can't fault it for about £16 I paid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Cheap stock ones are fine. If the swivel preload is set correctly, they do not do much. Heavier ones do nothing useful other than make it harder to steer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Cheap stock ones are fine. If the swivel preload is set correctly, they do not do much. Heavier ones do nothing useful other than make it harder to steer. in full agreement mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I went middle ground on price. 'Nothing' doesn't work off road if it's very bumpy, even going slow. Stuck it for about a year before I gave up and put a Gwyn Lewis kit on the RRC chassis. (My S1 hasn't one). Coiler's seem to just be on the edge of needing one, so quality should only buy better seals and oil, not works/doesn't work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Armstrong or Woodhead, both of which I understand to be OEM, are ideal. The expensive gas dampers are too stiff, but more crucially, pressurised gas dampers want to self-extend, and so have a continuous input on the steering towards the near side on a Series vehicle or Defender and to the right on a RRC or Discovery (due to the positioning of the damper). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Noisy Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Return to Centre definitely helps when you have 13.5 sandbags for tyres I found myself going round and round roundabouts, it didn't want to steer out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtydiesel Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 OME is my choice, my current one has lasted 6 years and 50k of abuse on unbalenced 35's and is just starting to weep. even when the wheels are packed full on mud any steering wobble only cycles about 3 times before the damper gets it under control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon White Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Got a posh decarbon one on mine at the moment (cos it came on a disco that I was was breaking). I can notice no difference whatsoever over the cheapo oil filled one it replaced. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jai_landrover Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Mo I fitted a cheapy paddocks one (I'm pretty sure it wasn't a Britpart item either, maybe Armstrong) It wasn't expensive. Its been fine and abused for 3 years now. I will need another one not because it doesn't work but because points came before brain moment trialling and I got caght up on a concrete post which has caused it has bent slightly after taking out a std drag rod at the same time.The bushes have worn on the damper. Its worth buying Genuine bushes or better quality bushes as the ones that come don't last as long as the damper will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 Thanks for your input chaps Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelw Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Fitted a posh Terrafirma one, only because it matched my new shocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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