Super Flexi coils

[pommy]

G’day, happy Australia Day to all , just wondering has anyone installed APT super Flexi coils on there puma defender ? Have put them in mine but seems to have lifted the front a lot 150mm bump stop height . Happy with back got 140mm bumpstop height Have ARB bullbar and winch on car . I spoke to Ben about this and he said will settle in but not sure how much ! What’s everyone’ Thoughts thanks Richard

[Red90]

Any springs that “settle” are complete garbage. Springs should never change height.

[landiematt]

Mine have all settled after time and getting used by hAlf inch or so.
Haven't used those coils but other brands.
Did you get 150 and 140 of lift respectively out of the coils at the bump stops?

Matt

[pommy]

Mine have all settled after time and getting used by hAlf inch or so.
Haven't used those coils but other brands.
Did you get 150 and 140 of lift respectively out of the coils at the bump stops?

Matt

Yes I now have 150 and 140 bumpstop measurements started with75mm back and 70 mm front from my original sagged springs
Thanks

[Slunnie]

All springs will settle over the next 12 months to a certain degree. Even with scragging its just what they do.

[Red90]

All springs will settle over the next 12 months to a certain degree. Even with scragging its just what they do.

No spring should ever settle unless they are designed or built properly. In order to settle, they would have needed to go plastic, which means one or the other has happened. A properly designed and built spring should be able to stack without any plastic deformation. A coil spring is a very simple thing, with well understood properties and they are simple to design the correct way. I've pulled many 30 year old genuine springs and they all are just as long as the day they were installed.

[Slunnie]

No spring should ever settle unless they are designed or built properly. In order to settle, they would have needed to go plastic, which means one or the other has happened. A properly designed and built spring should be able to stack without any plastic deformation. A coil spring is a very simple thing, with well understood properties and they are simple to design the correct way. I've pulled many 30 year old genuine springs and they all are just as long as the day they were installed.
I hear what you're saying, but the reality despite theory, proper engineering and manufacture including scragging is that they do.

[Red90]

My point is that if you are buying springs that settle you need to find a different supplier. They are junk.

[rick130]

My point is that if you are buying springs that settle you need to find a different supplier. They are junk.IME you can't buy a decent coil wound here.
I'm not sure about now but back when I was buying coils the steel used wasn't optimal, it was generally a BHP chrome vanadium whereas OS the premier spring houses used some type of chrome silicon and everyone here hot wound and then heat treated whereas I think it used to be anything under 5/8" wire diameter was cold wound in the US & the UK/ Europe.
My experience is from 20 years ago, but back then you needed a US, UK or German spring if you didn't want it to sag, lean or settle.

[Eric Mac]

I have the APT Superflex suspension from Ben. My 110 Defender wagon weighs about 2.5t. The bumb stop gap at the front is 160mm, rear 135mm. I got a 70mm lift in the front & about 16mm in the rear. Having said that Ben predicted the front spring height to be 335mm, it came in at 340mm. The rear at 320mm, got 340mm.

It did sag in the rear because of the weight she is carrying, but Ben predicted that. And I have fitted Airbag Man CR5157 bags to fix that. I did not want a HD spring ride.

Ben also told me it would settle over 4 weeks. I have not noticed any yet and it was fitted mid December. But his prediction of spring height was very close. Which gives me confidence he knows his product.

I am very happy with the ride and off raod its awesome. Definitely as advertised.

You can see for yourself on YouTube;

YouTube (https://youtu.be/dFTHLY38RFE)

YouTube (https://youtu.be/egsIGXwXz1w)

Have to say I am very happy with the support I have received from Ben.

Cheers Eric

[pommy]

G'day Eric thanks heaps for your post , I am also happy with Ben great to deal with was just a it concerned lifting the front so much on my car being a puma ! Yours being an older defender doesn't affect you as much . Are you running a double Carden front shaft in yours ?



I have the APT Superflex suspension from Ben. My 110 Defender wagon weighs about 2.5t. The bumb stop gap at the front is 160mm, rear 135mm. I got a 70mm lift in the front & about 16mm in the rear. Having said that Ben predicted the front spring height to be 335mm, it came in at 340mm. The rear at 320mm, got 340mm.

It did sag in the rear because of the weight she is carrying, but Ben predicted that. And I have fitted Airbag Man CR5157 bags to fix that. I did not want a HD spring ride.

Ben also told me it would settle over 4 weeks. I have not noticed any yet and it was fitted mid December. But his prediction of spring height was very close. Which gives me confidence he knows his product.

I am very happy with the ride and off raod its awesome. Definitely as advertised.

You can see for yourself on YouTube;

YouTube (https://youtu.be/dFTHLY38RFE)

YouTube (https://youtu.be/egsIGXwXz1w)

Have to say I am very happy with the support I have received from Ben.

Cheers Eric

[Eric Mac]

Yes I am mate. Also from APT, considered buying from the US but went with Ben knowing I would be supported afterwards & l like having companies like APT around.

I will be fitting a Britpart 3° radius arms in the front & Superior engineering rear radius arms in the rear, on advice from Ben.

[Wicks89]

Yes I am mate. Also from APT, considered buying from the US but went with Ben knowing I would be supported afterwards & l like having companies like APT around.

I will be fitting a Britpart 3° radius arms in the front & Superior engineering rear radius arms in the rear, on advice from Ben.

I have the APT flexycoils, couldn't be happier. Suspension articulates beautifully, rides very nicely.

When I fitted mine I already had Superior Engineering superflex arms castor corrected for about 50mm lift.

What may be occurring is if you have standard arms the spring may be sitting in a curved shape which is creating a rotational force extending the spring. Just a theory, please someone disprove me.

If I had my time again I would get the same spring but at standard height and just avoid the issues around castor correction and propshafts and stuff.

Not unhappy with how I have my rig set up though it is a weapon off-road with these springs and Ben has always been a legend to deal with.

[Eric Mac]

My front springs are curved, & I plan on correcting that with the 3° correction of the Britpart radius arms. I will measure bump stop height before & after and report back. May be a while though, I am in Townsville & it's a bit wet. So the job is low on the to do list.

[martnH]

Planning to lift my defender


What is the major advantageof the flexicoil, compared to others, say king 2 inch springs?

Cheers

[Wicks89]

I'm no engineer, but basically a flexy coil (no matter what brand) aims to improve articulation. So generally will be a nicer ride, though you might not have the same carrying capacity as a non 'flexy coil'

[Eric Mac]

148442

Superflex coils are a progressive rate coil. The wire is thinner top & bottom allowing for more travel. It was amusing today watching the tyre fitter having to jack under the rear diff when hoisting the Defender. She was refusing to lift her rear wheels off the ground.

[carpdvl]

148442

Superflex coils are a progressive rate coil. The wire is thinner top & bottom allowing for more travel. It was amusing today watching the tyre fitter having to jack under the rear diff when hoisting the Defender. She was refusing to lift her rear wheels off the ground.

Are the rates all custom from Ben? How'd you spec?

Cheers,

Gus

[Eric Mac]

The rates have been all developed by Ben, the R&D is quite expensive. You can use a linner rate spring in the rear if heavy loads are a issue & flexibility coil in the front. Ben can advise you on that. If you're interested speak to him there is no hard sell.
l fitted air bags to cope with the extra weight my truck carries as ride is important to me. All depends what you want to accomplish.

[pommy]

Eric and Wicks Do you guys have a front anti roll bar on your cars ? Thanks

[Wicks89]

G'day Pommy,

I have no anti roll bars on my rig at all. If I were to fit them I think I would probably fit the rear one before the front. That way I think I could probably optimise the articulation in the front.

The coils ride flat on the road, there is a slight increase in body roll with the flexy coils compared to the rock hard king springs coils I had. BUT going over speed bumps and driving off-road is far more enjoyable now.

I rarely have much in the tray of my 130 so it's fairly light. No RTT or anything. But I can load it up and it doesn't sag or roll much more. The benefit of the progressive design.

I have crappy terrafirma shocks on my 130 too, so if I fitted some decent ones I think the ride would be amazing. So many good shocks out there to choose from though!

Hope that helps.

[Eric Mac]

Eric and Wicks Do you guys have a front anti roll bar on your cars ? Thanks

No Mate, but the airbags seem to settle any sway side to side.

[Eric Mac]

I have the APT flexycoils, couldn't be happier. Suspension articulates beautifully, rides very nicely.

When I fitted mine I already had Superior Engineering superflex arms castor corrected for about 50mm lift.

What may be occurring is if you have standard arms the spring may be sitting in a curved shape which is creating a rotational force extending the spring. Just a theory, please someone disprove me.

If I had my time again I would get the same spring but at standard height and just avoid the issues around castor correction and propshafts and stuff.

Not unhappy with how I have my rig set up though it is a weapon off-road with these springs and Ben has always been a legend to deal with.

Hello all

Just fitted the Britpart 3° radius arms today. There was no noticeable change to the bump stop height. Although the springs are sitting flatter there is still approximately a 10mm difference from the front of the bottom spring plate & the rear from the ground.

Cheers Eric

[pommy]

Thanks mate I am now waiting on radius arms to get delivered will see if it makes any difference on my car do you the airbags fitted already ? Thanks Richard

[Eric Mac]

Hello all

Just fitted the Britpart 3° radius arms today. There was no noticeable change to the bump stop height. Although the springs are sitting flatter there is still approximately a 10mm difference from the front of the bottom spring plate & the rear from the ground.

Cheers Eric


Eric and Wicks Do you guys have a front anti roll bar on your cars ? Thanks


Thanks mate I am now waiting on radius arms to get delivered will see if it makes any difference on my car do you the airbags fitted already ? Thanks Richard


G'day Pommy,
Mate I have fitted Airbag Man CR5157HP in the rear. They were easy to fit. I also placed a piece of insertion rubber on top of the bottom spring plate to sit the airbags on. Otherwise the bags are sitting on the bolt heads of the spring retainer.

l looked at fitting the on board air controller but at over $400 I left it for another day.

Cheers Eric

[pommy]

G'day Pommy,
Mate I have fitted Airbag Man CR5157HP in the rear. They were easy to fit. I also placed a piece of insertion rubber on top of the bottom spring plate to sit the airbags on. Otherwise the bags are sitting on the bolt heads of the spring retainer.

l looked at fitting the on board air controller but at over $400 I left it for another day.

Cheers Eric

Thanks Eric airbagman talked me out of the longer bags now they have turned up I am not sure if the standard ones will work with the APT superflexi’s are they fixed top and bottom ? Thanks mate

[Eric Mac]

Hi Pommy

Mate you squeeze them through the top of the spring retainer and then put a top plate though the spring to sit on top of the bag and held inplace by 2 tabs. And run the airline through the top plate. With the Superflex coils leave plenty of airline to cope with the travel or you will pull the line out of the bag. I will send some pictures soon.

Ben recommended the longer bags, the Airbag rep I spoke to agreed. Go figure

Cheers Eric

[Eric Mac]

Pommy further to last post, you can see how much the larger bags are lift short on full articulation, in the photos above.

The photos attached to this post show the top plate set up on my Defender, note the extra airline coiled.

Cheers Eric

[micksta1973]

What is the actual lift height on an empty 110? I bought Dobinson 3 inch flexy springs that lifted me at least 5-6 inches when empty. Couldn't fit into my garage, so out they came.

[Eric Mac]

Hi Mick,

The APT Superflex coils are ment to give a 2 inch lift, with a Defender with winch & steel bar. Mine lifted about 70mm in the front. But take into account my old springs had settled. The back I got about 25mm lift but the truck is carrying a fair weight, hence the airbags.

Cheers Eric