PARABOLIC SPRINGS

[banjo]

Ok i want to know if anyone on here has a LWB fitted with parabolics..

I have the 2a 5 door wagon & brought the 4 leaf rear kit as it says on the rocky mountain site these are usualy fitted to 5 door safari models.So i fitted them on saturday , The fronts are great BUT the rears when fitted made the driveshaft hit the bottom of the loop it goes through really bad could'nt move the shaft even with handbrake off & out of gear.
So on Sunday i took them out again & removed the 4th heavy duty leaf & refitted them , Once back on the ground there was no differance in height But the driveshaft was'nt as bad but still bad.Atleast when i jumped on the tow hitch there was movement ..

So i was wondering if anyone on here has them fitted to a LWB & especialy the 5 door wagons.
Id like to know what ones you use & how many in the pack & if anyone has any advice..
The 2 leaf fronts are greaat there in & done up with shocks fitted.
But the rears are'nt done up or have the shocks fitted.Was told to load it up for awhile & they mite settle..
Anyway i'd like to hear from others who have them fitted to LWB models & the 5 door wagons..

[jerryd]

Hi Jason,
I had exactly the same problem when I fitted parabolic springs to mine :( I left all the shackles loose and drove it round the block before tightening them, it helped but only gave 1-2mm clearance for the driveshaft through the loop and it was constantly rubbing. I think from memory the back lifted by 70mm :eek:

I also found the ride was too soggy and it felt like it wanted to fall over round bends. Overall I wasn't impressed and I changed back to the original springs which I had rebuilt.
I was happy with this until I just put new tyres on, it now rides like I've put concrete filled wheels on and is terrible :mad: It seems very difficult to get a decent ride from a series vehicle :confused:, I seem to go one step forward and two backwards.

But don't give up, these things are sent to try us ;)

[wpalmo]

Hi Banjo,

A very timely thread as I am considering wether to go down the parabolic route with my Stage One Series 3 109 Truck Cab. I have read a lot of opinion on various forums and am still unsure if it is a massive improvement over the original Land Rover springs, (if they have been reset and oiled regularly).

From my reading however the parabolic springs of choice with most of the UK Land Rover drivers in the know are the GB Parabolics. I have contacted GB Springs and the recommended set up for a 109 is a two-leaf front and a four-leaf rear spring (true four leaf spring not a 3+1 spring with a loose helper). The load capacity for the two leaf fronts is 930kg per axle and for the four leaf rears is 1620kgs per axle. They also say that with a standard set up these springs should not raise the vehicle by more than 1" at most.

The other recommendation GB make with their parabolic springs is that they won't fit polybushes because they feel from their development work that they
will not give a noticeable improvement in suspension performance however they will supply springs without bushes for you to fit your own polybushes if you want to go down this path. They also go on to say that whilst polybushes last longer than rubber to metal bonded bushes there is no such thing as a "free lunch", hence the forces that normally wear out the rubber to metal bonded bush must go somewhere and normally with polybushes they go into the chassis and the chassis will show wear (i.e. Oval holes) at the linkage.

So although I haven't answered your question Banjo I am also going to put it out there to other forum subscribers to put forward their experiences of Parabolics V factory spec Land Rover springs. The costs of reseting the original springs is cheaper than a new set of parabolics but I would be happy to pay the extra for para's if I was confident that they really are an improvement over resetting my original springs.



Regards Warrick.

[banjo]

Hi Jason,
I had exactly the same problem when I fitted parabolic springs to mine :( I left all the shackles loose and drove it round the block before tightening them, it helped but only gave 1-2mm clearance for the driveshaft through the loop and it was constantly rubbing. I think from memory the back lifted by 70mm :eek:

I also found the ride was too soggy and it felt like it wanted to fall over round bends. Overall I wasn't impressed and I changed back to the original springs which I had rebuilt.
I was happy with this until I just put new tyres on, it now rides like I've put concrete filled wheels on and is terrible :mad: It seems very difficult to get a decent ride from a series vehicle :confused:, I seem to go one step forward and two backwards.

But don't give up, these things are sent to try us ;)

Hi Jerry yeah i remember you saying about yours when use where all down here. I dont have a problem with the height I quiet like the extra height .I did notice when i did them & stood next to the car at the back i put my hand up on the gutter & it rocks so easy Maybe better or firmer when i put the shocks on..If i did the same with the new originals i need 2 hands & it was hard to get it to move & that was with out the shocks:(.
Na i wont be giving up this is the one i have wanted since i started building them 20 odd years ago..I always wanted a V8 series Finaly got one & in a wagon so the family happy to..This ones got a HEATER.The very first one i've ever owned with one..
I'll cut the hoop & put in a U section if need be under it..

[banjo]

Hi Banjo,

A very timely thread as I am considering wether to go down the parabolic route with my Stage One Series 3 109 Truck Cab. I have read a lot of opinion on various forums and am still unsure if it is a massive improvement over the original Land Rover springs, (if they have been reset and oiled regularly).

From my reading however the parabolic springs of choice with most of the UK Land Rover drivers in the know are the GB Parabolics. I have contacted GB Springs and the recommended set up for a 109 is a two-leaf front and a four-leaf rear spring (true four leaf spring not a 3+1 spring with a loose helper). The load capacity for the two leaf fronts is 930kg per axle and for the four leaf rears is 1620kgs per axle. They also say that with a standard set up these springs should not raise the vehicle by more than 1" at most.

The other recommendation GB make with their parabolic springs is that they won't fit polybushes because they feel from their development work that they
will not give a noticeable improvement in suspension performance however they will supply springs without bushes for you to fit your own polybushes if you want to go down this path. They also go on to say that whilst polybushes last longer than rubber to metal bonded bushes there is no such thing as a "free lunch", hence the forces that normally wear out the rubber to metal bonded bush must go somewhere and normally with polybushes they go into the chassis and the chassis will show wear (i.e. Oval holes) at the linkage.

So although I haven't answered your question Banjo I am also going to put it out there to other forum subscribers to put forward their experiences of Parabolics V factory spec Land Rover springs. The costs of reseting the original springs is cheaper than a new set of parabolics but I would be happy to pay the extra for para's if I was confident that they really are an improvement over resetting my original springs.


Regards Warrick.

The price for the 4 leaf kit was $990 it was $1000 to reset my originals so thought why not..standard shocks are $50 each but are crap from the start & after see these procomp 9000s i will never use standard again .These where $300 for the full set with all bushes & new washers & pins for the front.
The 2 leaf fronts are great I still have the power steering to go on & a bullbar & winch maybe the PTO winch off the green one not sure yet.But if it does get to heavy in the front i can get another leaf for the front but seriously doubt i'll need it..
Took the brandnew old springs & shocks back today & swaped for a brandnew clutch for Harry & the power steering box for the wagon so will be doing that soon.
YES step by step pics to follow .
i'm still making the 3 power steerings 1 for wagon , Some bits to finish off Harry & there will be probably a full complete one left :)

[davidd]

Hi Banjo,

Can I ask how you resolved the rear spring problem. Having a similar problem myself with the 3 leafs on the back of a LWB series 3 ute with canopy.

Davidd

[banjo]

Hi David i dont have the wagon any more i got rid of it BUT i kept everything off it & the Parabolics are now in my series 3 LWB hardtop..Its an easy fix as it was hitting on the loop in this one aswell..I Just went out & took some pics But its only of it finished..What i did was cut the back bottom face off the rear of the loop the driveshaft goes threw..Once you cut it off use a ballpein hammer & bash the inside of the loop from the backend to the front so it stretches the bottom of the inside ..Make sure you go from the back to the front cause if you only do the rear bit it will still rub & you will have to start again..So when you done it will look like its really thin at the back side but if you look at it from the front its still the same..

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/484.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/485.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/486.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/487.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/488.jpg

Gees i hope ive explained that easy enough to follow..
When i did it to the wagon i ONLY did the rear bit not right threw the loop & it still rubbed..


I have to say though the paras are awesome the wife wants the car back for her everyday driver.I took her for a run after i did this & on the bumpiest roads we could find around here & there just great ya dont get thrown around in the car on the bumps now nice & smooth & i have to say there corner fine we dont get much more body roll then when it had standard springs on it..

[banjo]

Hi Banjo,

Can I ask how you resolved the rear spring problem. Having a similar problem myself with the 3 leafs on the back of a LWB series 3 ute with canopy.

Davidd

Depending on what brand you have you may only need the 2 leaf pack for the rear..I have Harry that i'm building it is a series 3 ute cab with steal tray & i'm going to use the RM parabolics on it as well..But i will have to talk to RM first as the 3 leaf pack i think is going to be to much But then again the tray on it is steal & weighty so i may just use the 3 leaf pack & do the same with the driveshaft loop again..But it has either a military or an original 1 ton chassis with extended shackles all round so i think its just going to be trial & error with that 1..

[davidd]

Thanks for that.

Those were the 2 options I was thinking of- I just wasn't sure whether the 2 leafs would be enough for the rear. (RMs)

I wasn't sure I'd made the right choice buying them, but you sound really happy with them and the ride!

Thanks again,
David.

[clubagreenie]

This all sounds a bit whack.

When I used to rebuild series, we used to add the extended chassis plates and extended shackle plates to lift them. Only ever on std springs (back then I don't think they had parabolics. We certainly didn't order stuff from overseas). Never had an issue with hitting the chassis loop.

Do the para's have a different radius/curve to them which is giving the raise (distance from diff mount to to of spring measured with a straight edge across the ends). If so the difference between lifting this way and the old way might be enough to cause the hitting.

The chassis you have with the already extended chassis plates (you have the extended spring plates too I'm guessing, if not you'll have bad castor issues, more neg in front and pos in rear.).

[mick88]

I have a lwb series three here with parabolics and i will get under it later and see if it has any issues regarding clearance. When I picked it up a couple of years back I drove it part of the way home, some of which was on an outback road. It did not have any issues with clunking or knocking of the drive shaft.

I have parabolics (don't recall the brand but they are blue) on my series three shorty and they are great.

Cheers, Mick.

[banjo]

I have a lwb series three here with parabolics and i will get under it later and see if it has any issues regarding clearance. When I picked it up a couple of years back I drove it part of the way home, some of which was on an outback road. It did not have any issues with clunking or knocking of the drive shaft.

I have parabolics (don't recall the brand but they are blue) on my series three shorty and they are great.

Cheers, Mick.

Hi mick i think from memery the blue springs are TI spring.rocky mountain are grey i think.I'd have to go & look..Yeah we love em they make such a differance over standard springs.I'm now going to fit them to Harry my tray back..Probably going to go down the disc brake rout to with this one..It will be used for my towing of a car float..

[mick88]

I checked them out and they are also blue, four leaves on the back.
They are on a series 3 lwb with standard shackle hangers and there is plenty of room around the rear tail shaft where it passes through the chassis cross member.


Cheers, Mick.

[TJWA]

I've had Brit Part parabolics for three years on a 109 soft top. Never had a problem with clearances but I've had two front springs break two years apart!
I ordered a full set from Heystee in January... Still waiting for them.