Defender spring ratings - one rock hard ride

[dhumphri]

Hey guys
Thinking about a softer set of springs for my Defender. My vehicle is fully loaded in terms of accessories but despite this I think my springs might be rated just too damm hard - in addition I have polyairs on the back(running at 6psi truck empty) - just found on an old receipt that lists the springs ratings at:

Rear - 320lb
Front - 220lb

Just finding when running unloaded the car just jolts all over the road - am running Bilsteins and have not measured the lift on vehicle yet but it sits pretty bloody high.

What rated spings are you guys running and what sort of ride do they give you unloaded, I dont expect the truck to soak up bumps like a Lexus but at the moment on poorly paved roads it just bumps all over the place, affecting the stability/steering of the vehicle.

Regards
Daz

[abaddonxi]

Not trying to be completely facetious, but what about running the tyres a few psi lower?

At the very least it'll give you an idea of what a softer ride'd feel like.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Cheers
Simon

[rick130]

following on from Si's reply, what tyres are you running, and what pressures ?

[MickG]

Here's something to consider, I posed the same question a few months back to try and soften up my D2 ride. I have OME springs a shocks all round giving me about a 40mm lift 300-340lbs rear and 180lbs front. I have a winch bar (no winch) and run 275/75R16 BFG muds. I used to run the muds at 30psi all round on road unloaded to try and soften my ride up but it was still very jumpy on small bumps. On advice I now run all my tyres at 38-40 psi all round and this believe it or not has made the ride smoother. Not sure if it was the tyres trying to act as my suspension before and now the suspension is allowed to work properly but either way - unless something else has happened - my D2 runs much better at the higher tyre pressure.

Hope this helps

P.S. I am still about to change my springs rates to about 240lbs rear and will add polys and about 160-180 lbs front - am also hoping to achieve around a 2.5 true lift at the same time and soften my ride even more.

[crump]

I've always ran my factory front Grabbers at 28psi as placard says tried them at 30psi the other day and the thing catches every set of bumps and shudders like **** thru the steering, scary.

[dhumphri]

Thanks for the advise so far guys - I have played with the tyre pressures a little, am running a tyre called a Mudstar 35x12.5x15 (mud terrain style tyre, soft compound) but have not gone under 30psi or over 40psi as mentioned - will play a little more and post results in a day or so.
Thks Daz

[George130]

I don't know the spring rate in mine but they are heavy, I also have LTR shocks all round. I run my 285/75/16 BFG Mudds at 50psi on road and have gone as low as 20psi off road. I find the high pressure lets the vehicle role more happily and seems more stable and responsive.

[tombraider]

I dont believe its the spring rate...

I'd say its the Billies....

Too stiff IMHO...

CHeers
Mike

[tombraider]

Whilst I no longer run these springs as I changed to longer ones I had sitting in the shed which were softer rate (220Lb F / 320Lb R with custom lengths) I used to run the following:

Front 290Lb
Rear 360Lb

Shocks - LTRs all round @ 100psi

Firm onroad, but not jolting and drove like a dream! (2 trips Adl to Vic, including offroad in 4 weeks) empty on way over, laden on each return and yet still rode brilliantly.

Defenders flex fine with these springs (was initially apprehensive!) as can be seen here in Toolangi.

http://www.aulro.com/albums/Tombraiders_Toys/Toolangi_Outing_007.jpg

I'm betting your shock rates are too firm. This is a common comment from Bilstein owners.

Cheers
Mike

[sclarke]

i run the same coils with no problems.
My shocks are pedders crap... the Koni's were 2 stiff...

[rick130]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>This is a common comment from Bilstein owners. [/b][/quote]

If they are valved anything like Patrol ones, they'll shake your fillings out.
The amount of low speed bump is bloody unbelieveable.....great for outright handling (dramatically slows the roll rate and keeps the massive amount of unsprung weight, ie. the diff housings, under control) but it is very tiring on a trip on less than ideal roads, meaning the vast majority in Oz.

I copped heaps from SWMBO over the change in ride, and the only way I got around it was "yeah, but how much safer does it tow your (very bloody expensive) dressage horse..."
:wink:

[rick130]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>285/75/16 BFG Mudds at 50psi on road [/b][/quote]

8O

don't they crown out at those pressures ??

[George130]

THe only hassle I have had in 45,000km was when I bent the steering. Drove from Lithgow to home which chewed the inner edges out a little. Otherwise she handles great and has worn nicely, Does give a harsher ride but its easier to control.

[Slunnie]

Originally posted by rick130
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>This is a common comment from Bilstein owners.

If they are valved anything like Patrol ones, they'll shake your fillings out.
The amount of low speed bump is bloody unbelieveable.....great for outright handling (dramatically slows the roll rate and keeps the massive amount of unsprung weight, ie. the diff housings, under control) but it is very tiring on a trip on less than ideal roads, meaning the vast majority in Oz. [/b][/quote]
I run 230lb front, 300-340lb rear, quite literally Bilstein Patrol rear shocks in the fronts, and custom jobbies that are stiffer again in the rear from Bilstein and the ride unladen is a little stiff, and laden is is brilliant.

I think each has different expectations of what is good and what is not.

[rick130]

Slunnie, is it you that is running the B46-0360's (10" travel, spherical bearing ends) ??
or are they actually Patrol rears ?

FWIW, there were/are two valvings available for the GQ, and most people went for the 'comfort' option. No way did I let on to SWMBO that there was an option and we had the heavy valving. :wink:

[Slunnie]

SWMBO wouldn't want to here that either! https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

I run GU/GQ rear shocks in the front and the B46-0360's in the rear as you've described. The B46-0360's have been revalved a couple of times and the spherical ends have since been replaced with bush type ends though.

[rick130]

.......and I can't win. With the GU, I fitted Koni's, and now she's complaining the fronts aren't stiff enough/controlling the front end well enough.... :roll:

In all honesty, I wasn't real happy with the stock valving on the fronts when I fitted them eighteen months ago. (the rears are excellent)
Looks like I'll be re-valving a pair of Koni's in the next few weeks.... https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[rovercare]

Originally posted by rick130
.......and I can't win. With the GU, I fitted Koni's, and now she's complaining the fronts aren't stiff enough/controlling the front end well enough.... :roll:

In all honesty, I wasn't real happy with the stock valving on the fronts when I fitted them eighteen months ago. (the rears are excellent)
Looks like I'll be re-valving a pair of Koni's in the next few weeks.... https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Have you tried adjusting them????

[rick130]

yep, set full hard on the front.
It's not the first time I've run out of rebound in a Koni, although I think it's the first time with an OE spring. I'll also try and replicate some of the low speed bump we had with the Billies. No where near the control of the front Billies we had in the GQ, and I've been putting off tearing them down to re-valve, mainly 'cause I have to make another pin tool to open them up. (I broke the last one, which happens.)

[Maggot4x4]

Originally posted by dhumphri
Thanks for the advise so far guys - I have played with the tyre pressures a little, am running a tyre called a Mudstar 35x12.5x15 (mud terrain style tyre, soft compound) but have not gone under 30psi or over 40psi as mentioned - will play a little more and post results in a day or so.
Thks Daz

I think 25PSI will solve your problem