Thread: Botched coil spacer installation? (pics)

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

So is their complaint about "money" ... or ... a job to be "well done"

SO... How hard is to change springs on the front ... I found it easy on my RRC

It's not hard. I fully understand everything involved and are capable of doing it myself. My only problem is that I don't have a jack that will lift the body of the Disco high enough to let the suspension drop down enough to let me get the coil and/or spacer out.

Just called Malcom at Mornington Prestige who can do it on Saturday for me.

Originally Posted by MSkinner

It's not hard. I fully understand everything involved and are capable of doing it myself. My only problem is that I don't have a jack that will lift the body of the Disco high enough to let the suspension drop down enough to let me get the coil and/or spacer out.

Just called Malcom at Mornington Prestige who can do it on Saturday for me.

Just clarifying
My comments were aimed at the mechanics and the excuses used

Originally Posted by rovercare

The nose pointing up and the light steering is usually assosciated to the trailer on the back, incorrectly loaded having a leverage point over the rear diff, not the actual hieght itself

But you feel as tho your driving uphill ... Thats why I find it uncomfortable

When the nose is down it feels as tho your "bearing down the road" (attacking the road)

Originally Posted by rovercare

F trucks are alright, shame they're such a heap of ****, body and chassis wise

But they are brilliant on heavy corrugated gravel roads ... Sloppy suspension & shocks .... Just floats /// Good ol American suspension // Sloppy as /// sea sickness for some

You just need the V8 "to put ya foot down" to push the A## End around, when you stuff up on corners

fairly easy to change springs on a Range Rover clasic. I would be suprised if defender is any harder, just a few hours on Sunday needed. a friend of mine had his brother come in and tell him how easy it was to do the shocks on the RRC. He just dropped his front axle in order to put them in. My friend laughed. that is the very hard way. You just unbolt the scocks, then take of the cone which requires 4 nuts to undo and drop the new shock in. Perhaps your mechanic did it the hard way not knowing any better.

All sorted. Stuff the guys that did it in the first place. My brother in law just called me telling me to meet him at his factory this afternoon. Suitable jack won't be a problem, he's got 2 fork lifts. I'm also borrowing spring compressors from my cousin so this will be a 40 min job tops.

Going to take out the rear coils that are in the front and replace them with the original front coils. Sure, it might be sitting a tad lower in the front but the tyres will still clear the guards, it'll handle like it used to, and when the Disco is loaded up in the rear for an outing, it'll sit level anyway. Might also take this chance to do a camel cut and perhaps trim some of the side-skirt behind the front wheel if need be.

Sorry to everyone for all my bitching. I'll post pics when I'm done.

Oh and thanks to anyone who provided advice and insight to what setup would be the best.

Cheers

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

If you have a look at all new cars you will notice that they are all setup "nose down"

I call this the wedge look .... I personally believe that all cars should be set up this way ... as it gives "positive steering" on the road

Also when you put weight in the rear ... the worst it can be is "level ride"



So in a nut shell .... Your current setup will be a mongrel to drive and control



Start again ..... Get the wedge look (nose down) .... I personally like to set them up with 2" raised rear ..... and get it "wheel aligned"



Mike

Thats not necessarily the case with a 4WD, especially when you start putting lift onto it. The problem is that when the rear is high, when you turn in all is sweet, and then the roll that is generated changes the geometry which causes mid corner movement in the vehicle, particularly the rear. Not talking about losing traction here, this is all geometry change and roll. It makes it feel very unstable, and it will do the same under brakes and feel generally twitchy. This can be sorted out with further suspension changes though, but how much do you want to play with it. If anything a Disco particularly with its high roofline will respond better with a lower rear than front.

Cars are designed like this in the body shape rather than in the suspension setup.

Originally Posted by MSkinner

All sorted. Stuff the guys that did it in the first place. My brother in law just called me telling me to meet him at his factory this afternoon. Suitable jack won't be a problem, he's got 2 fork lifts. I'm also borrowing spring compressors from my cousin so this will be a 40 min job tops.

Going to take out the rear coils that are in the front and replace them with the original front coils. Sure, it might be sitting a tad lower in the front but the tyres will still clear the guards, it'll handle like it used to, and when the Disco is loaded up in the rear for an outing, it'll sit level anyway. Might also take this chance to do a camel cut and perhaps trim some of the side-skirt behind the front wheel if need be.

Sorry to everyone for all my bitching. I'll post pics when I'm done.

Oh and thanks to anyone who provided advice and insight to what setup would be the best.

Cheers

Should be able to do with out spring compressors

Originally Posted by Slunnie

Thats not necessarily the case with a 4WD, especially when you start putting lift onto it. The problem is that when the rear is high, when you turn in all is sweet, and then the roll that is generated changes the geometry which causes mid corner movement in the vehicle, particularly the rear. Not talking about losing traction here, this is all geometry change and roll. It makes it feel very unstable, and it will do the same under brakes and feel generally twitchy. This can be sorted out with further suspension changes though, but how much do you want to play with it. If anything a Disco particularly with its high roofline will respond better with a lower rear than front.

I see your point Slunnie ... The gracious art of driving bush tracks .. verses a balanced car

Originally Posted by Slunnie

Cars are designed like this in the body shape rather than in the suspension setup.

Have to think about this one cause thats not how my Ford is setup





I'm was mainly thinking of the of the tarmac driving that we all do

At high speeds ..the air forces come into play
With the front lifted ... the air is compressing under body // (Loss of vacuum)
With the front down ... the air is + Vacuum under body

Originally Posted by rovercare

Actually with the rear end squating, it'll be better to drive, bringing the castor back and all

But I will take it onboard


But in the words of others

Originally Posted by rovercare

Its just it looks pox