What Shocks N Springs

[Happyoldgit]

Ok, one Locomotors bodies ex RAF ambulance now fitted out as a camper. Original weight was something like 2,600 Kgs, now weighs in at 2,200 (inc spare, full fuel & water tanks but minus driver / passengers). They come as standard with helper springs on the back but cornering is a bit like an old tall ship at the best of times - mine moreso now that it has the spare on the roof and rooftent up there too during the summer.

So, I'm thinking about upgrading the shocks and springs - what would you recommend? Usage is mainly on - road.

[JST]

def 130/110 HD rears springs on the back with disco tdi rear springs on the front with es9000 shocks

[NegevLandRover]

You might want to add a stabalizer wheel each side just to make sure that it stays upright !!

Seriously though I reckon JST has a good set up there.

Adam

[western]

I suggest OME, contact Chris Bashall at Surry off road, http://www.surreyoff-road.com

I took my 110 down and after looking at the problem, came up with a top result using OME kit I've been very pleased with it ever since

Edited August 8, 2005 by western

[Mark90]

MOG I'd expect it to have the 330lb HD 110/130 rear springs as standard and if it's got the 140lb helpers too I'd expect it to be reasonably stiff even given the vehicle weight. Maybe there are a bit tried. I woould have thought somewhere in the 300-400lb range would be suitable or maybe up to 500lb if you are after something a bit stiffer

OME do tend to do stiff springs so they might be worth a shot. They do a 420lb 110/130 rear spring.

Good gas shocks to compliment the spring would help too, especially if it's currently on standard shocks.

Also do you have anti roll bars fitted? Front and rear? If not, fit some, if so the try some stiffer rubbers, red polys maybe.

[Mark90]

Edited August 8, 2005 by Mark90

[rick]

be a little careful with your rear shocks as most aftermarket dampers are valved to suit Rangie/Disco rear springs and so are woefully inadequate for even the stock Def130 setup. If you have heavier springs again, the beast will wallow, roll and float like nobody's business.

I'd be trying standard 130 anti-roll bars front and rear, with Koni 'Heavy Track' low pressure twin tube dampers. The beauty of the Koni's is that they are adjustable (off car), and can be re-valved if need be.

My Step Fathers 130 CC with camper rear setup uses 540lb/in after market springs as well as the 140 llb/in inners, and it still wallows like a floundering ship with the heavier of the two available TJM XGS shocks. They are going to try and fit my old rear anti-roll-bar (difficult with their long range 140 litre fuel tank) to see how that helps.

[Diff]

I would be tempted to leave the rear springs as they are if you have the 330lb+140lb inners(standard equipment), and go for a VERY stiff rear anti- roll bar(edited to add:with red polybush mounts), and possibly a standard one on the front. I don't think a standard bar on the rear will be anywhere near stiff enough.

I would also consider fitting twin rear shocks. At the very least you need heavy duty shocks even with standard springs.

If you uprate the springs anymore, you may get a very hard choppy ride. If you do choose to uprate the springs, make sure they don't add any height! In other words, any uprated springs will have to be shorter than your current ones or you will end up with lift and an even higher Centre of Gravity.

You can improve the roll, but it will always wallow a bit due to its high mass. The tyre pressures and stiffness of the sidewalls will also make a difference.

You may like to look at the Polyair system, where a small airbag sits inside the rear spring instead of the inner spring. The pressure can be adjusted according to load and may help to reduce roll, but like stiffer springs, the ride may get very choppy if the spring rate is raised too much. I would go for the very stiff antiroll bar with this set up too.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Diff

[Happyoldgit]

Thanks all. Diff, you are right in that I don't want a lift. I was pretty sure that I'd made a note of the spring codes but can't find them anywhere so have just been out for a looksee. Fronts are L/S= 1xyellow, R/S = 2xwhite. Rears, despite cleaning them off I can't see any codes at all.

There is no sway bar on the front but there is on the back.

[Diff]

Hi MOG, the fronts are standard 110 spec progressives NRC 8045 yellow/yellow and NRC 8044 white/white and are rated at 155/215 lbs inch.

If the rears are original(highly likely- due to them being a specific diameter for 110/127/130 rear ie very few aftermarket options) then they are NRC 6904 red/green and NRC 6389 red/red and are rated at 330lbs inch. The inner springs are both RRC 3266 (no colours) rated at 140 lb inch.

These original rear springs were good quality are unlikely to be worn out unless the Landrover has covered rocket ship mileage with heavy loads, so replacing them with new ones of the same spec is unlikely to make any difference.

Some 127/130s would be fitted with heavy duty non progresive NRC 9448 blue/red and NRC 9449 yellow/white rated at 225lbs inch on the front. These may stiffen the front a bit, BUT they will also lift the front around 1 inch I think.

Hope this helps, regards,

Diff

[Happyoldgit]

Yes they are the original ones which now have 40,000 on them. A lot of these RAF ambulances only had / have a few thou on them at release. I'm going to have another shufty at the rears if i get time this afternoon.

[Diff]

If they are the original ones, then they can only be the 330lb inch NRC 6904 and NRC 6389 with the RRC 3266 140lb inch helpers.

The only other Landrover springs of the same diameter, are the 180 lb inch springs fitted to 110 station wagons with a self levelling device. They were never fitted to a 110 without a self leveller, as they are way too soft on their own. These weren't fitted to 127/130s and it would be VERY unlikely for anyone to have fitted them in place of the original 330lb inch springs.

Regards,

Diff

[Mark90]

The only other Landrover springs of the same diameter

Not strictly true. There are the TD5 110 rears for instance, although these are unlikely to have been fitted as they are softer than 330lb. Another genuine LR 110/130 rear spring is the very heavy duty military spec ones that are around the 450lb mark IIRC, there was a pair on ebay a few weeks back.

[Diff]

Oops, quite right Mark, forgot about those!

Sorry MOG!

Regards,

Diff

[Happyoldgit]

Ok, after wiping all the black Waxoyl off the rears I re-discovered that the right side is red / red and left green green - both + helpers of course.

I'm not sure what 'standard' is on these as they went from SVO as 127 / 130 chassis / truck cabs to Locomotors who made and fitted the rear bodies / overcab fairing.

[Mark90]

Red/red and red/green are the 330lb HD (ie no self leveler) 110 or 130 rears. They are what I'd expect it to have.

The helpers are 140lb

That's 470lb which to me seems plenty for a 2200kg truck, even one so tall. Maybe they are tired.

Do you have anti roll bars fitted?

[Happyoldgit]

One on the back.

[Mark90]

What are anti roll bar bushes like? I'd be tempted to try some red (hard) polys and fit a front one and maybe even get a stiffer bar for the back as suggested by diff.

Unless you think the ride is particularly soft in which case some stiffer (or maybe just new) springs may be teh way forwarrd.

[Turbocharger]

MOG,

Be careful beefing up the anti roll bar at the back; stiffer rear bars will encourage oversteer - if it tries to pick a back wheel up in heavy cornering...

Since you're trying to stop it rolling in corners, use the fact that the vehicle is rigid - if you've not got a front anti roll bar then that's where I'd start. Match the dampers to the springs so the ride isn't bouncy, choppy or "too" wallowy - they're not a good solution to big body roll because they'll have no effect once the car's leaning over (eg in long corners). That said, LR under-shock their vehicles for my preference but there's a whole minefield of user perception in different spring/shock combinations.

JB

[Happyoldgit]

Yes I think a front anti roll bar is where I'll start with perhaps some new springs at the front and shocks all round. I have to confess that at first it's always a bit of a sharp shock to pilot this thing if I haven't driven it for a bit!