Boris113 Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 The X-springs fitted to the rear of the 90 work really well but I'm after some advice. I understand that people say they can be noisy when off road and that's not a problem, but mine make a lot of noise on the road also. The 90 is a soft top with nothing in the back, resulting in the 'hats' of the X-springs sitting about 5mm off the spring seats. Once I'm in the vehicle and the fuel tank is full, they sit flat, but the slightest pothole causes them to lift away, then crash back down with a lot of accompanying noise. For now I've thrown 2 sacks of pheasant feed in the back to add some weight but that isn't really a long term solution. So that got me thinking, would some of the rubber isolators fitted to the rear springs of a Mk 1 Discovery work as a way of isolating the noise? Annoyingly the rear of the 90 already sits noticeably higher than the front so I am reluctant to increase it by much more. Any suggestions chaps? Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco-Ron Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 The spring isolator won't work as its not the spring making the noise, its the top hat...... It sounds like you need either softer, or shorter internal springs, a chap in our club had them on a softop, and they were really noisy, the main springs were also too firm, meaning that the internal springs did all the work..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 You need to shorten the inner springs a little. Cutting the end off doesn't really work as it makes the spring stiffer as well as shorter which changes the dynamics of the system too much. An answer is to heat a few of the lower coils of each spring. You'll need Oxy Propane or Asethylene - though Mapp Gas may be hot enough. This reduces the temper in the couls, making them less springy, and allows the spring to compress more for a given load. The other option is to get a spring winding company to wind you some weaker springs. The originals are 50lb/in compression. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris113 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 Disco-Ron apologies I didn't explain the source of the noise very well. The base of the top hat is banging on the spring seat. I was going to fit the disco rubbers on the top of the spring seat to isolate the mating faces and hopefully stop the noise. My main springs are slightly too firm but once the Hi-lift, storage boxes etc are bolted in then I will look into changing the rear springs. The additional weight over the rear axle may even stop the noise. Si, I had thought about shortening the spring as many of my friends do with old VWs, but was put off by the fact it seemed like a bodge. Also by shortening it at the end, it won't have the tapered end that makes it sit flush on the spring seat and I wouldn't trust myself to cut a section out of the middle then weld the bits together. I spoke to a mechanical engineer friend and he also explained how it would affect the dynamics, ruining the whole reason for the X-spring in the first place. I like the idea of tempering them, that sounds like a job that is easy enough, and by picking up the back of the vehicle with a telehandler, I won't have to remove the springs outright. Could you advise a little more please? Do I heat the spring to red hot or a little off that? Would I start with a few coils and see how it goes? More importantly is this a job that is safe for an overly-enthusiastic amateur Many thanks for all of the advice Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Harry, you don't actually have to heat them very much - nowhere near red hot. Try it out on one coil on each side, heating it for the same time on each. If it doesn't make enough difference, heat for a little longer. Normally you would load the spring and heat until it sags the right amount - but that's tricky in this instance so it will have to be done iteratively. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris113 Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 Thanks very much Si, I'll have a crack at it tomorrow and let you know how it goes. Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 I thought of another option. Jack up the vehicle until the top of the spring is below the two holes cut in the can then stick a bar through the holes so the spring should now extend several inches out the bottom of the can when the truck is lowered. Then heat the spring until it drops the required amount. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris113 Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 That's a great idea, thank you Si, means I'm not reliant on borrowing a telehandler either! I didn't manage to have a go yesterday but will try over the weekend. Will a conventional butane blowtorch be up to the job do you think? Many thanks again, Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Worth a go - but probably not! See if you can get a Mapp gas or even Propane canister for it? I have one of these: http://www.ac-one.co.uk/rothenberger-superfire-2-turbo-brazing-torch-322-p.asp which is hot enough with Mapp gas. Someone near you will have something you could borrow! Regards, Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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