More work on the Game

**Timj** · 18th December 2009, 12:58 AM

Well I decided that after all the work to put a new interior in Clancy I really needed to do something about the springs sagging seriously to the drivers side. I ordered some Britparts parabolics from GaryClr on e-bay in Sydney. They are too heavy to get from the uk airfreight so I think it was a reasonable price.

Anyway I got them and put them in late last week and was very happy since the car immediately sat level for the first time since I have owned it. So I took it for a drive down to my Dad's place and back (probably 30km all up) and it felt pretty good but when we got back I noticed that it was leaning slightly again. Decided to take it 4wding on Sunday with the GCLRO and it went well again with the springs seeming to keep the wheels on the ground a little better than the old ones but by the end of the day it was back to leaning just as much as the old springs. This is a difference of 70mm lower on the drivers side when measuring from the floor to the wheel arch at the centre of the rear wheel.

So I decided that since I hadn't replaced the chassis bushes I probably should. I took the rear shackle off the drivers side but found that the chassis bush seemed fine but the spring bush was not. Brand new bush in a new spring so it should have been ok but I replaced it and settled everything back on the floor and despite having nothing tightened up it still sat with the same lean to the drivers side. I followed the right procedures to get the weight on things before tightening up the shackle bolts the first time so I don't believe I caused the bush to give up.

So out with the springs today to see if they had collapsed (the old ones definitely had with a big difference between the two sides in resting height and also in resistance when putting weight on them). But they were perfectly ok as far as I can tell.

So I am a bit confused at the moment. I know the standard springs have different initial height set for the driver and passenger sides to allow for the weight difference of diffs, driver and petrol but the parabolics seem identical. Has anybody else had experience with parabolics leaning this dramatically? Also why did it sit level when I first put them in but now won't? I had a thought of putting a military shackle just on the rear drivers side to adjust the resting height but I am not sure if that is a good way to do things. I also did some basic chassis diagonal measuring to see if it was bent somehow but it appears ok. I have a set of standards I could put in but that is a bit of a waste of what seem perfectly good parabolic springs.

While I was underneath I also noticed brake fluid inside the rear left wheel so I pulled the drum off to have a look and it is stuffed, brake fluid everywhere and all gunked up so a new wheel cylinder will have to go in with new shoes. At the same time I noticed some brake fluid on the floor at the front and tracked that back to the master cylinder. Leaking from the back where it joins onto the booster, so out with that to have a look as well and it is leaking badly from the back seal so that is going to have to be reconditioned as well. So I thought well let's have a look at the drivers side rear, so off with that as well and it all looked ok with no leaks except for worn shoes but I thought I had better look closer and I found one side of the wheel cylinder jammed and full of gunk so that will go as well. Haven't looked at the front but it might be the right time to replace all that too.

It's a bit annoying since I have just done all the brakes on the other one but haven't got it all working right yet and got sidetracked with interiors and stuff on Clancy. So all in all not a very successful day and uncovering more problems than I fixed and still confused on the springs

.

TimJ.

**JDNSW** · 18th December 2009, 05:47 AM

The driver's side of Series Landrovers has more weight (driver, fuel, battery), and since there is no sway bar, unless the springs have different set between the sides, it must lean (simple physics). If the new springs are the same left to right, I would be speaking to the supplier. One way of dealing with it of course would be to put air helper springs at the back.

John

**chazza** · 18th December 2009, 08:28 AM

Hard luck Tim!

I would replace/repair all of the wheel cylinders and the master cyl.; sounds like you need new shoes as well and while you are at it measure the diameter of the drums and be prepared to replace them. The good news is that all of the parts can be quite cheap if you shop around - try Paddocks

The spring problem is one you need to take up with the supplier; it sounds to me that they are not up to the job and therefore you are quite within your rights to ask for a refund and entitled to one.

Rather than parabolics, what about modifying your originals? There is an excellent thread on here about how Isuzu Rover modified his and his solution seems far better than parabolics,

Cheers Charlie

**Shonky** · 18th December 2009, 09:10 AM

Did you have to use castor wedges to reduce the prop-shaft angle when you installed the paras? I have a set of Parabolics (also from Garry Gjerde) in Gus, and the rear ones have jacked the vehicle up sky high! I'm going to have to wedge them...

**Timj** · 18th December 2009, 09:50 AM

Hi Shonky,

I haven't looked at wedges yet but something will have to be done with the front since one other thing I noticed yesterday was what appears to be a slight touch of the front propshaft on the cross member. It is hard to tell if the cross member is perfectly straight though since I put a big dent in the bottom of it when 4wding a month or so ago.

Were your springs handed or were they identical left to right? I have seen posts on UK forums that state that they are not but as John says above that surely can't work.

Tim.

**Wolfman_TWP** · 18th December 2009, 12:24 PM

If the front left and right springs were so critical, I would have thought that they would mark them, as to which is which.. I'm about to put Paras in my shorty as well soon. I hope I don't have the same problem... (Got mine from Gary as well)

What about the Shocks?? They are different for the parabolic springs.. I still need to get a set myself..

Wolf

**Timj** · 18th December 2009, 12:31 PM

I already had suitable shocks (gas pressurised) since I had RM parabolics on there. Because of the loss of friction damping in the parabolics you need good shocks.

The front doesn't seem to be an issue, I have it sitting on stands under the chassis at the back and the front is sitting level. There are numbers painted on each spring but they are the same for both sides (different front to back though).

Tim.

**Wolfman_TWP** · 18th December 2009, 12:54 PM

Ah, ok.. I didn't realise that you already had paras on your Landy before.. Also, I misunderstood, whether the sag was on the front drivers side, rear, or both..

Mine are still the originals, and I'm just replacing those because they are badly rusted.. (Not even sure how much longer they will last even).. But that won't be for another few weeks or so, until I get the chassis sorted etc..

I just thought it might have had something to do with the shocks as well, as I've seen sag with faulty shocks as well..

Wolf

**Timj** · 18th December 2009, 01:08 PM

I did think it might be the shocks so I pulled them out as well but they seem to take the same amount of pressure to compress and they rise back up at the same rate so I ruled them out.

Busy today chasing around for brake parts so I haven't thought about the springs much.

**Shonky** · 18th December 2009, 01:44 PM

G'Day all.

My front seems fine, and I don't even have the wings/bonnet on yet! The back is so high it would be undriveable.

Certainly no marks to indicate handedness... Same numbers (part numbers) printed on the top leafs but definately no indicators as to left or right, or if they are directional.

I got shocks (armstrong brand) from Land Vehicle Spares, but with the AU dollar at present you would be able to get better (pro comp) shocks ex UK cheaper.

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