Thread: 130 suspension

Originally Posted by Sitec

The wandering is no worse than normal, which got a lot better recently when I replaced the drop arm ball joint! Still running standard prop, and the only vibration I get is a light shimmer at about 45kph.. Other than that, nothing. I did make the front wedges with a taper so the spring plates are still in line with the chassis plates too.

Oh ok interesting...any pics of under the front of yours to illustrate how you've made them ?

Sure. Here's the front.... Two pieces of 75 x 50 channel with the edges trimmed to suit your desired height then welded together. The top piece has a hole punched in the center for shocker bolting as well as being drilled to take the spring disk. The edges of the channel are then trimmed to alow the disk to drop on giving it matching surface area to the original plate. I also punched the bottom plate in the center, but then re welded the slug back into the hole but protruding out below 4 mm to locate into the original shocker hole. Remember to also make a spacer plate for the anti roll bar as it will touch the prop.

And here is the rear. Another piece of 75 x 50 channel, with the sides trimmed down to 40mm instead of 50mm. A piece of 6mm plate is then welded in between the channel flush with the top of the sides. Weld continuously on top and as far in as you can get underneath the top plate. Drill through both top and bottom plates to suit the original holes. I've also welded two tubes in these to stop it crushing as you can use longer bolts and go through the spring disk, the new spacer and the original mounting plate on the axle. These also help with its rigidity. You also have to buy longer rear shocks to suit as they mount to the axle. I extended mine but they are both tired and there are new ones on their way!

Thanks for that very helpful

Sitec,
A few questions if I may!
I like how you have angled the front coil perch to compensate for the -ve castor. Did you bother extending the length of the lower link (hockey stick)?
Have you set the spring perch angle such that at full compression the upper and lower perches are parrallel?
Did you space your bump stop down 75mm as well?
Do you find that on fast broken roads you crash the coils??

Also out of interest what rear dampers did you change up to?

Regards,

Steve

Hi roverrescue.
1. The lower link/hockey stick stayed the same. Over that distance the axle would have hardly moved back at all...
2. The perches are level when the vehicle load is on the spring on flat ground. I figured this was best as this is where it spends most of its time... This means that the lower perch is slightly lent back when fully loaded in a cross axle position...
3. Not yet. I spaced the anti roll bar down with a piece of 25 x 50 with the ends capped. As this is further back, there is less travel.. I have not managed to introduce the bar to the prop... Yet!
4. Not sure what you are meaning by 'crash the coils'. By fitting spacers under the coils, and bump stops, you are in effect lowering the axle. As the shock and spring sits atop the spacer, they are still running at their original height and in original positions, so should (like originally) never be able to be coil bound.
5. Re the rear dampers, the originals were Monroe so I was able to unscrew the eye, and extend the original top fitting by 40mm and screw it back on. Both rears are tired and one has started to weep, so I'm going to replace them with two heavy duty shocks to suit a 130 with 2" rear lift. This will also negate extending the bump stops.


Just another point that I've remembered. The original springs sagged to the left, Land Rover trait..., I bought a set of "super Ebay 2" lift specials"..... They sagged to the left and were 10mm lower than the originals!!! Buy cheep buy twice!!! So, I actually had another RH original spring. I fitted this to the LHS when fitting the spacers so run spacers and two RH springs on the front axle. The truck sits virtually level when in std tray form and a little lower to the rear with the camp body on. Much better IMO... Photo of it laden with body, food, beer, all SWIMBO's essentials etc etc at Bonney Doon on the way to Vic!

Originally Posted by roverrescue

Sitec,
A few questions if I may!
I like how you have angled the front coil perch to compensate for the -ve castor. Did you bother extending the length of the lower link (hockey stick)?
Have you set the spring perch angle such that at full compression the upper and lower perches are parrallel?
Did you space your bump stop down 75mm as well?
Do you find that on fast broken roads you crash the coils??

Also out of interest what rear dampers did you change up to?

Regards,

Steve

I done roughly the same with my 110 but not as neat as sitec's...
Its good as it places less stress on specifically the leading side of the spring but the ride felt a bit twitchy compared to buying a longer spring..
As for radius rods being extended that will introduce more troubles than I would like to contend with on a tourer.
My 110 with 4" coils had shocking steering and tracked all over the joint..