Thread: Is my front high or my rear low?

Originally Posted by Zeros

I got curious too... my 2014 puma, on stock springs front and rear, Koni Raid shocks, ARB bullbar (no winch) with half a load of camping gear in the rear is:

48cm front
51cm rear

Full load it would be level. Rides well although I've also considered HD fronts to stiffen front a bit, but I'm not so sure now given your measurements Dave. Reckon I'd try going back to standard fronts first, unless you really want airbags of course. Yours doesn't look too bad especially in the loaded pic. Having said that your rear measurement looks a bit low. Are they stock rear springs?

Gee your numbers are almost identical to mine, except my rear is slightly higher because of 10 lbs in the rear airbags I think. I put that to keep it level when towing the camper trailer.
I notice Tough Dog has a 35mm lift kit for 110s which I assume would be just right to lift mine back to original height.

Tough Dog 35mm Lift Kit Land Rover Defender 110 (Stage 2) | Superior Engineering

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Gee your numbers are almost identical to mine, except my rear is slightly higher because of 10 lbs in the rear airbags I think. I put that to keep it level when towing the camper trailer.
I notice Tough Dog has a 35mm lift kit for 110s which I assume would be just right to lift mine back to original height.

Tough Dog 35mm Lift Kit Land Rover Defender 110 (Stage 2) | Superior Engineering

Hey Mick, I reckon you're at original height already. Mine certainly is.

You'll regret a lift kit.

Cheers man

Dave, a common mod when fitting a bull bar etc to the front, and loading the back with gear, is to fit the HD springs to the front and 130 helper springs to the rear with the standard rear springs. This way the front and rear springs handle the load when loaded and you don’t loose your ride quality in the rear when unloaded.
There are other options as suggested, but this is an easy one to try, and relatively affordable.
Also, sticking with factory springs doesn’t lift the car enough to affect the front prop shaft.
Where are you located. I have a set of helper springs you could borrow for a trial fit.
Cheers Murray

Originally Posted by Zeros

Hey Mick, I reckon you're at original height already. Mine certainly is.

You'll regret a lift kit.

Cheers man

Thanks. The bullbar and winch were fitted before I bought it, so I don't know if it has dropped.
For now I'm leaving it unchanged. The airbags work fine in the rear too.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Thanks. The bullbar and winch were fitted before I bought it, so I don't know if it has dropped.
For now I'm leaving it unchanged. The airbags work fine in the rear too.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Totally agree, if it aint broke. ...I doubt it's dropped much as mine hasn't.

Originally Posted by rijidij

Dave, a common mod when fitting a bull bar etc to the front, and loading the back with gear, is to fit the HD springs to the front and 130 helper springs to the rear with the standard rear springs. This way the front and rear springs handle the load when loaded and you don’t loose your ride quality in the rear when unloaded.
There are other options as suggested, but this is an easy one to try, and relatively affordable.
Also, sticking with factory springs doesn’t lift the car enough to affect the front prop shaft.
Where are you located. I have a set of helper springs you could borrow for a trial fit.
Cheers Murray

Thanks for the offer Murray. It's probably the option that makes the most sense. Easy, affordable and will just work.

I'm in Melbourne, and I'm assuming you're still down past Geelong? Could be worth a little trip.... or maybe I could get a friend form work who lives down that way pick it up?

Again, thanks for the offer. Honestly, things like this is one of reasons I've had Land Rover's for the last 12 years

Yeah, I’m actually in Winchelsea now, so a little further down the road, but let me know if you’re heading this way.
Cheers Murray

Originally Posted by davebudge

After installing a Rijidij front bar - thanks again Murray - and a winch with synthetic rope, I noticed the front sag a little on the standard 110 coils. So I installed a set of HD springs and it of course fixed that sag, but it's been haunting me that maybe it fixed it too good. Or at least get a funny feeling about how it looks - a slight nose up, rather than a more pleasing nose down.


Attachment 130681Attachment 130682

What brand are the HD coils?
I've had to deal with this same issue since the Defender TDCi (Puma) came out....

The isssue is the Ford engine is lighter than the previous Defender TD5 yet aftermarket coils from what I have seen wear the same part number for both models.
Add to that, the ARB deluxe bar or in your case the rigidi brand bar are lighter than the old ARB standard bar.

I generally fit medium load coils to the front and heavy coils to rear or I fit 10mm steel plates under the coil plates for the rear, this varies depending upon customers setup.

Defender TDCi (puma) HD coils front back, 10mm plates in rear (fully loaded).
http://www.aztech4x4.com.au/images/DSC_0198A.jpg?435

Defender TD5 HD coils front back (same part number) no rear plates
http://www.aztech4x4.com.au/images/IMG_1958.jpg?928

Regards
Daz