Regular springs and shocks aren't enough for me it seems.

[streaky]

My Discovery 1 has a heavy rear end. I have a roof tent, HD steel bumper, dual wheel carrier, 60kg Engal, two water jerry cans and the usual camping gear but even after fitting 2" HD springs with a 200kg rating I still hit the bump stops on a regular basis.
I also have 2" adjustable Reigar shocks which I don't think are suitable for over landing 4x4's.

A mate has reccomended Tough Dog suspension but I heard that the really heavy duty shocks rub on the tires because the diameter of the main tube is really big.

What springs and shocks should I go for to take all of my extra weight into account? I'd rather go with first hand experience rather than a sales pitch from the company.
Since the body work has been modified to accept wheel arch extensions I want to stick with 2" lift.

[BigJon]

Keep your springs and shocks and fit polyair bags or similar inside your springs.

[2_door]

Keep your springs and shocks and fit polyair bags or similar inside your springs.

Second that ! Stiffer shocks aren't necessarily going to fix your problem. You need either stiffer springs if the load is constantly on your vehicle or airbags which can be inflated depending on your load :)

[Spel1]

Thirded. My D1 gets way loaded down with work stuff, even with good 2" lift springs and Bilsteins weren't cutting it. Fitted Polyairs and were the best thing I could have done in improving the rebound, stance and ride of the vehicle. The fact you can adjust pressure depending on load is the best thing. Only wish I had discovered them before my cross country trip last year over the Tanami loaded with a roof top tent and all the stuff for self sustainment. Went with Polyairs as they had a solultion to a 2" lift install out of the box, the Firestones I think would have needed something made up or bought separately to fill the space. The vendor I got them from on Ebay included a low pressure gauge also which has been useful as I often run them at minimum or 8lb between jobs. Simon

[Blknight.aus]

speak to the guys at suspension stuff...

[streaky]

The car is now in the workshop having the guts ripped out of the gearbox, so whilst it's up on blocks I told them to fit a set of the air ride bags as well.

I'm not sure if it will work but the price was really cheap since my workshop had ordered a set for a guy back in 2002 and he hadn't picked them up yet!
However, on Rally sweep duties this year my mate who also has these bags fitted in his LWB Nissan Patrol blew the top off of one of the bags.
We carry a fair amount of weight during Rallies and have to travel at considerable speed so I'm a little skeptical as to whether these bags will work with my set-up and driving needs.

An email was sent to Tough Dog Australia last week asking for advice and also if they have a distributor in the UAE who can answer my questions and take my potential order. They haven't replied to my website inquiry or my separate email.If they don't want my money then I'll start a new inquiry with Dobinsons who have done me stirling service in the past.

[njz]

Koni Raids might work for you. I have them in the back of my D1 with firestone airbags in the coils. Don't think I could bottom it out if I tried now. They are huge and don't rub on anything.

[SouthOz]

Hydraulic bump stops might be the go.

RaceRunner Hydraulic Bump Stop 2.0 Series (http://theshockguy.com/hydraulic_bump_stop_2_0.html)

Dave

[rick130]

[snip]

I also have 2" adjustable Reigar shocks which I don't think are suitable for over landing 4x4's.

[snip]



Pray tell why ?? :eek:

Too much maintenance ?
Exposed shafts coping a peppering ?

I really am intrigued.

[streaky]

Hi Rick...I was hoping you'd show up in the thread since I know you have good experience on all thing springy and bouncy.

I got the Reigars for free after a mate wrote off his racer. He had twin Reigar shocks on each corner so I had 4 good un's made from the eight bent ones if you know what I mean.
They were stripped and rebuilt with new seals & valves all around etc but I just couldn't get them to work right with the Dobinson springs. Maybe the two weren't suited or the spec of the Reigars just isn't right for my Discovery? They are a little longer than normal shocks and I'm forever replacing the rear anti-roll bar bushes which appear to be pushed back all of the time.

Last week I dialed in the stiffness to max but still I'm getting lots of body roll with the +200kg Britpart springs that were recently fitted and it's also bottoming out onto the bump stops over relativly small sand mounds. I hope to get the car back this week with another gearbox and a set of those air bags installed at the back.

It's possible that I don't have the experience to set these shocks up properly or maybe they aren't matched to the springs?

[rick130]

I'm about to hit the sack, been watching the MotoGP and will answer properly in the morning, our time, but the bottoming is a spring rate/travel issue and the ARB bushes flogging will be more than likely from the extra travel with the dampers allowing the links to try and invert, which will really squeeze the rubbers.

If it's not riding properly you do need the dampers to match the spring rates, the adjustments usually only work on the low speed circuit of the dampers (unless they're triple adjustables) and the adjustment is only for a relatively narrow range.
Usually any more than a 50lb rate change from what they are designed for and the dampers need re-valving.

[streaky]

Thanks Rick. I think you've summed up what I already suspected in that my springs and shocks are not compatible with each other.
It's for this reason I am trying to get quotes from both Tough Dog and Dobinsons.
Of the two companies Rick would you have a preference?

Thx.

[Discomark]

I've got the Dobinsons 2" springs and bilsteins on mine and been very happy with them. It used to bottom out all the time with the stock suspension but i've not had any issues since, even with the 170kg bike on the tow bar, rooftop, 60lt fridge etc etc it still sits level (see attached)

[streaky]

Cheers Mark.

Would you happen to know the technical specs of the suspension system or have part numbers etc for both the shocks and springs?

Whats the excess load rating of those rear springs?

I have a very heavy steel rear bumper, dual swing out spare wheels with heavy Wolf Rims and BFG AT's.

Thanks!

[rick130]

Thanks Rick. I think you've summed up what I already suspected in that my springs and shocks are not compatible with each other.
It's for this reason I am trying to get quotes from both Tough Dog and Dobinsons.
Of the two companies Rick would you have a preference?

Thx.

Umm, Koni ? :D

Any idea on the open/closed lengths of your Reigers, front and rear ?

and I take it they use rubber/PU bushes, they aren't Rose Jointed/spherical bearings ?

[streaky]

I've no idea on the lengths Rick. Correct...rubber bushes all around.

I was on the phone to Dobinsons this morning since Tough Dog can't be bothered to respond to mails. They have some really heavy duty springs that might be better suited to my needs. They also have matching shocks too.
I just have to get the car weighed front and rear and measure up the distance between the hub center and the wheel arches etc.

[Discomark]

Cheers Mark.

Would you happen to know the technical specs of the suspension system or have part numbers etc for both the shocks and springs?

Whats the excess load rating of those rear springs?

I have a very heavy steel rear bumper, dual swing out spare wheels with heavy Wolf Rims and BFG AT's.

Thanks!

It was over 10 years ago when I fitted em and I still have the boxes for the springs but no details on the Bilsteins unfortunately.

Springs
Front c51-018
Rear C51-027V
Details on the springs can be found here.
http://www.dobinsonsprings.com/docs/catalogues/4x4/pdf/LAND-55.pdf
Cheers
Mark