Bullbar weighing front down?

[DrOsteo]

Hi there. Had the new 2016 OL bar with VRS winch attached to my 2016 TDV6 D4. Very happy with it although it has completely changed the way the car handles. Wondering if anyone has adjusted the amount of air in the front bags to level the car back up again/ stiffen? Hoping this woukd fix the increased roll a bullbar and winch seem to add to what was a lovely travelling car previously?

[Grentarc]

The vehicle will automatically self level when you add weight, but more air pressure in the air spring will not stiffen the ride up.

A few people have mentioned that adding the bull bar changes the handling dynamics of the vehicle, but it is something you will have to live with if you want the front bar.

[shanegtr]

Add a rear bar to balance it out:D

Sent from my GT-I9505 using AULRO mobile app

[scomac]

I have just recently had an ARB bar fitted and wouldn't say that it has "completely changed the way the car handles" although I have not fitted a winch yet!
Cheers
Scott.

[Graeme]

If the winch has steel rope then replace it with synthetic to halve the winch weight.

[Graeme]

The front tyres may need a little extra air.

[DrOsteo]

If the winch has steel rope then replace it with synthetic to halve the winch weight.
The winch has synthetic rope but will certainly add some air. How much would you suggest? Equal it to the back?

[Graeme]

I added 2-3 psi to the front when the rope was steel but not with synthetic. The bar was alloy so perhaps a little lighter than your's. I had LT 17" tyres too.

Oops - higher pressures with the winch with steel rope on the D2 but used synthetic from the outset with the D4.

[strydes]

I agree, makes a noticeable difference to the handling, I messed with tyre pressures a little to compensate but didn't feel any improvement.

[LandyAndy]

I havent got a winch as yet,I did think my almost 2 year old D4 with 28000km drove nicer than the brand new HSE with 500km I had as a loaner last week.Thinking about it,the bullbar and extra battery may have improved the ride feel.The OEM tyres are quieter,BUT the thing had front roof rack extensions plus roof bars,they were noisy in the wind that was howling on friday.
Andrew

[Tombie]

It's different, but certainly not worse.
Give it a week of regular driving and you won't even notice it.

[Tombie]

The winch has synthetic rope but will certainly add some air. How much would you suggest? Equal it to the back?



Just air the front up a couple of PSI..

Tyre pressure isn't going to remove much - and once you get use to the additional mass up front you won't notice it.

As for Air suspension - pressure doesn't change - only volume.... And it Always levels out (unless broken [emoji6] )

As I said, give it a week and you won't even notice it.

[Grentarc]

As for Air suspension - pressure doesn't change - only volume.... And it Always levels out (unless broken [emoji6] )

Well, sort of....
Pressure is determined by vehicle weight (heavier vehicle requires more air pressure in spring to be at X height, lighter vehicle requires less air pressure for same height) - which doesn't affect spring rate, Volume of air determines height and does affect spring rate, due to spring design.

[ADMIRAL]

The vehicle will automatically self level when you add weight, but more air pressure in the air spring will not stiffen the ride up.

A few people have mentioned that adding the bull bar changes the handling dynamics of the vehicle, but it is something you will have to live with if you want the front bar.

Yes I agree. It cannot be good to hang 80 odd kilos way out in front of the axles. The vehicle copes, ( i have a steel bullbar- no winch ) but it certainly makes you think how it would affect the ultimate handling, if for example you had to swerve hard. Would it function as well as a non bullbar vehicle ? It would be pretty difficult to make a case for it. Putting weight on the extremities, won't assist the handling of a vehicle or a trailer/van.

[TerryO]

We get to drive back to back both modified and standard Disco's, so can compare how they both drive and handle.

My D3 which is a HSE with a glass roof starts life more weighty than the other models but then also add the weight of a ARB bulbar and winch, dual battery, spotties and compressor all fitted up front. The vehicle also has steel sliders and out back a Dolium single rear wheel carrier so it weighs considerably more than standard, and would because of the accessories have a serious front weight bias compared to standard.

Our D4, has all the extras of HSE including glass roof, so again it's a heavy bit of gear standard, but other than a Llams kit and 20" A/T's it is pretty much standard.

My point is the D3 even with all its extra's when it has on the 18" A/T's, rather than the 17" muddies, handles pretty damn good even compared to the D4. Obviously fitting any heavy bolt on accessory's is going to make some sort of a difference but the differences aren't great and both vehicles drive well and it's hard to notice any major difference handling wise between the two, if I am going to drive either hard I always lower the suspension to -20 with the Llams kit which in the twisties makes a real difference over standard.

Which is nicer to drive? Most days in fact I prefer to drive the D3, believe it or not it's early HK logic7 stereo is way better than the later model and more powerful HK Logic7 in the D4.

[AnD3rew]

It is definitely a bit of a trade off. My D3 was very much changed when I added the bar and winch and the rwc and long range tank. It is definitely worse to drive on the road than it was before. It is a trade off because it is now much better for touring and the bush. I am happy with it and you get used to it. But for city on road driving it is definitely worse.