Touring suspension

I wouldn't trust a Pedders suspension report ever....
They are more full of Bull than their old adverts.

I drove a vehicle with brand new shocks in for their "testing" and they failed it...

New rear springs in, went the 200kg constant OME raised plus Airbag man in the sleeves. According to ARB it has come up 55mm in the rear. Drives very different , stops goes and steers much better, surprising how soft rear springs have such an effect. Will over the next week or so hook the van up and figure out pressures for different loads/heights.

Turns out there was some overzealous quoting by a large suspension supplier wanting to rebush the D2 when in fact according to LR experts, the std and quite soft LR bushes are still good - with the exception of the watts link, now rebuilt and controlling the back end nicely. The setup is pretty good now with ARB OME rear constant rate HD raised and shocks and sleeved bags. The front remains the raised but marginally sagged King mediums with unknown age Bilsteins. I will do the front before we go on the big trip just to level her up a bit and have some confidence the front shocks will handle the planned 25000km big trip towing the van. Pic is with abt 20psi in the bags and the WDH hooked up with 1 too many links and no load in the boot. Now run abt 10psi and 1 fewer chain links for a more level and softer ride. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...017/03/255.jpg

Experimenting with the airbags is interesting. I've settled on 15 when towing in our Defender, but it's a different setup to yours of course, so not comparable.

I do not, and will not ever use Pedders Suspension.
They put Landcruiser Shockies on my wife's Suzuki X 90 weighs about 1/4 ton so to speak and did'nt have any suspension play whatsoever. A solid rod would have been softer but as they said " Thats was all that would fit" no refund, no fix, ended up being the cars fault apparantly. Nothing from head office had to get rid of it. Dont worry Pedders I have my spare tyre cover with Message on it for my retirement cruising.

Richo1 :bat:

For the record, haven't been back to Pedders since the "drive on test" last year . The "other" mob were the ones looking to fleece me $1200 for bushes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AdamHunter

Turns out there was some overzealous quoting by a large suspension supplier wanting to rebush the D2 when in fact according to LR experts, the std and quite soft LR bushes are still good - with the exception of the watts link, now rebuilt and controlling the back end nicely. The setup is pretty good now with ARB OME rear constant rate HD raised and shocks and sleeved bags. The front remains the raised but marginally sagged King mediums with unknown age Bilsteins. I will do the front before we go on the big trip just to level her up a bit and have some confidence the front shocks will handle the planned 25000km big trip towing the van. Pic is with abt 20psi in the bags and the WDH hooked up with 1 too many links and no load in the boot. Now run abt 10psi and 1 fewer chain links for a more level and softer ride.

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Looks great!
I would leave the front end. Bilstein shocks either work or they're broken and if they still work then keep running them. For a big trip like that I would just replace the bushes with quality stiff poly ones and they will last forever.

For the rear, I would use Bilstein also and definitely with good stiff poly bushes, rubber will flog out on that trip. The rear of the D2 is really hard on shocks as they struggle to control the weight and the overhang. The trailer will make this worse. Also, the Bilsteins don't fade with endless corrugations and dirt, so the front will remain composed and if the rear doesn't also remain composed then you will find that as other non-monotube shocks start to go off that the vehicle will become very loose at the rear and it will be very unforgiving with the trailer. Or alternatively, swap all the shocks out for matching nitrogen twin shells. I wouldn't use foam cell shocks.