Harsh Ride

[MickG]

This has probably been covered a thousand times but my search didn't really produce the results I want.

I fitted my D2 with some OME springs and shocks about 20,000 klms ago and the ride quality around town is starting to really get to me. It is so firm and harsh even with a drawer system in the back loaded with a heap of recovery gear, a winch bar on the front and the tyres running at 30psi all round.

ARB fitted the springs and shocks and according to them, they are the firmest OME springs - part numbers 777 front and 762 back and the shocks are N107 front & N108 back. My questions is this; is there any way of acheiving a MUCH softer ride around town without compromising the load carrying capacity of the car when touring. When the car is loaded and is "off road" or touring unsealed roads, its fantastic. It's really just around town, unloaded that it is doing my head in and as I drive mostly around town - would like to be off road more - I need to find a compromise.

I would be keen to hear what everyone else has on their set up or if anyone knows of anyone to speak to on the Gold Coast for staright forward advice.

Cheers

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:green">i think you will need progressive rate springs.....
ie. the more you load them the stiffer they get.....

or softer springs with polyairs to handle the weight....</span>

[PhilipA]

My favorite hobby horse of OME bloodty stiff springs and shocks. I have no direct experience with D2 so my comments will be generic.
Unless you have a winch or steel bullbar on the front there is no need for much harder front springs eg rangie Rover Classic from 133Lb per inch to 160 Lb per inch with say 1"lift.. A lot of ride quality comes from the front so if you softened it off it would improve the feel of the car.When you load the back the front goes UP so there is little extra weight to carry .D2s are apparently very touchy to get correct. I recall Graeme cooper talking about it recently.

One source of harshness is the poly bushes in the OME shocks. These feed sharp impact harshness into the chassis and body.
And the OME shocks are generally valved very hard to suit and control their hard springs.

Put Jeep level of stiff springs on and it will ride like a Jeep.
However if you are happy with the touring then it is all a compromise. if you soften off the fronnt you will bottom more if you thunder over rough tracks. If you have softer suspension and slow down you will be more comfortable.
Regard s Philip A