Leaf spring question

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Originally Posted by Warb

....I'd be surprised if many people would even notice 1/2inch less wheel travel. These days I don't have much time to go out just to drive, but as a farmer I do a fair amount of off-road driving anyway!


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Perhaps the lack of shock breakages reflects driving skill and experience as much as design integrity?

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Many of series owners - maybe not. Those who do serious offroading (certainly). i.e. the average farmer wants to get around their farm as easily as possible. They don't go and drive up rock waterfalls because they are there.

I personally noticed a huge difference when I removed my front bump stop spacers (1.5") and when I fitted slightly longer rear shocks. Both changes only on the order of what removing check straps would give you.

Most of those I mentioned in LROCB who removed their check straps were qualified engineers and or automotive tradespeople. There was a large range of mechanical sympathy (or lack thereof) amongst them. The list of landie parts I have broken over the years is LONG - but no rear shocks or spring leaves...

I cannot accept that if there were inherent design issues with removing check straps then so many people could have managed for so long without them - with absolutely no shock etc failures on the rear axle...

Opened a can of worms here:wasntme:

Seems to me if the front doesn't have them the back will be ok with out them too. Saying that I've no plans to remove them but I might disconnect one and park her on the forklift and see if there is any difference. Interesting discussion...

First thing I ever did with any of my Series 2's was to fit Army shackles and rip the Axle straps out, Never had any shocker issues or flipped over shackles.

Looking at the forklift test the Series 2 LR has more wheel travel than a D3 / D4 ,


Just a Thought
Im pretty sure its an easy to fit old Transit Van front springs into the rear of a Landrover , They are a thick single leaf, As are Holden SB Combo rear springs, Im sure they will also fit. They are very supple & don't bind up at all, great for off road work - probably not so good for load carrying.

interesting comparison video here of a difflocked leaf sprung 2A swb with no wheel travel and a Coil Sprung 90 with a wicked amount of suspension travel.

LR execs probably saw this and thought they would not worry about suspension travel in the Disco 3/4

fast forward it to about 2.28

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBNPZFNOK-4]Lockers vs Extreme Suspension - YouTube[/ame]

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Originally Posted by goingbush

First thing I ever did with any of my Series 2's was to fit Army shackles and rip the Axle straps out, Never had any shocker issues or flipped over shackles.

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What implications come with fitting extended shackles to a non-military chassis?

Sam

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Originally Posted by series3

What implications come with fitting extended shackles to a non-military chassis?

Sam

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Rear - change in angle on back U-joint, no real problems except possible vibration. On swb, may hit U-joint angle limit.

Front - change in angle on front U-joint, change in steering caster - potential steering problems. The front prop shaft may contact the gearbox crossmember.

All problems can be prevented by fitting the modified spring hangers as on the military and One Ton chassis. A cutout for the front prop shaft is needed in the gearbox crossmember.

John

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Originally Posted by isuzurover

I personally noticed a huge difference when I removed my front bump stop spacers (1.5") and when I fitted slightly longer rear shocks. Both changes only on the order of what removing check straps would give you.

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If the spacers can be removed without the shocks bottoming before the un-spaced bump stops, and there isn't an issue with the springs flattening out to a length greater than the distance from the mount to the end of the shackle, then I'd agree that you can do without them.

On the rear of the '59 I fitted longer shocks (and longer brake hoses) to give me extra travel, and then fitted check straps adjusted to about 10mm shorter than the shock length. The check straps aren't the original material, but a very thick rubberised strap as used by Rocky Mountain. If it doesn't stretch I've lost 10mm travel at most, which still gives more than the original set-up. If it does stretch - which is more likely and probably preferable to stopping the axle "dead" - then depending on the degree of stretch I have either a strap slowing and stopping the axle prior to the shock doing so, or some assistance to the shock in that process. In either case I have more travel than standard, and avoid the shock and its mountings taking the full load of abruptly stopping the axle. I've yet to test the results, as I'm still rebuilding the vehicle.

On the other hand, my farm 88" has fencing wire holding the suspension together, no rubber in the bushes and no oil in the shocks. Apart from a great deal of banging and crashing as the springs move about in the "bushes", and a somewhat firm yet bouncy (?) ride, at off-road speeds it still drives OK.

ops

Good day all, I am new to Series Rovers (but have 3 classic rangies before) and have just purchased a well documented "unfinished project" - most of it is together and the rest is in a few boxes. My first question is that when it came off the trailer at home I noticed that it had a significant lean to port, the distance from axle to chassis was 20 mm greater on one side. I am assuming that this is a result of springs grabbing after being pulled down tight with the tie down straps. I noticed early in this thread that a set of springs had been pulled apart. Does this required special tools or any replacement parts to reassemble. What should be done to the springs when they are apart? Paint? Grease? Oil?

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Originally Posted by happydad59

Good day all, I am new to Series Rovers (but have 3 classic rangies before) and have just purchased a well documented "unfinished project" - most of it is together and the rest is in a few boxes. My first question is that when it came off the trailer at home I noticed that it had a significant lean to port, the distance from axle to chassis was 20 mm greater on one side. I am assuming that this is a result of springs grabbing after being pulled down tight with the tie down straps. I noticed early in this thread that a set of springs had been pulled apart. Does this required special tools or any replacement parts to reassemble. What should be done to the springs when they are apart? Paint? Grease? Oil?

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Springs may need to be reset as they get older. You would need to remove and check that the free camber is still in spec with the SIII workshop manual spring table. (Dina has posted it on here a few times).

Spring packs are easy to dismantle and clean. You just need to bend back the clamps if they are the folded over type, and undo the centre bolt. Best to put the spring pack in a vice as it will spring apart when you remove the centre bolt. The centre bolt should be replaced when reassembling. Any spring works can sell you one the right size.

Thanks isuzurover, should I grease between springs when reassembling?