Thread: suspension overhaul - parabolics vs standard leaves

If your springs are typical of Series Landrovers, a large part of the problem comes from the fact that the joins between the leaves are cemented with rust. The cheap ans simple solution to this is to remove each spring, one at a time and completely disassemble it by removing the centrebolt (clamp in a vice to do this) and bending the clips (heat helps).

Each leaf is then thoroughly cleaned by wire brushing to remove all rust, and perhaps if it seems to be necessary, smoothing with wet and dry (but remove an absolute minimum of metal). Grind off ridges at the end of where the leaves slide on each other as these may limit travel. Paint the leaves and reassemble with, at a minimum, a layer of powdered graphite between the leaves. There will be arguments about using anything at all sticky between the leaves, but I would be inclined to use graphite grease. You can consider removing one leaf (3rd) from the front springs and two (3rd and 5th) from the rear if you do not plan to carry significant loads.

Reinstall with new bushes as necessary and you will probably be pleasantly surprised with the result - and certainly a lot cheaper than parabolics. The reason that parabolic springs ride better than conventional leaf springs is that they have almost no friction between the leaves.

John

This thread (and the linked threads on outerlimits) have all the info you need.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/series-3/4...springs-2.html

Originally Posted by JDNSW

If your springs are typical of Series Landrovers, a large part of the problem comes from the fact that the joins between the leaves are cemented with rust. The cheap ans simple solution to this is to remove each spring, one at a time and completely disassemble it by removing the centrebolt (clamp in a vice to do this) and bending the clips (heat helps).

Each leaf is then thoroughly cleaned by wire brushing to remove all rust, and perhaps if it seems to be necessary, smoothing with wet and dry (but remove an absolute minimum of metal). Grind off ridges at the end of where the leaves slide on each other as these may limit travel. Paint the leaves and reassemble with, at a minimum, a layer of powdered graphite between the leaves. There will be arguments about using anything at all sticky between the leaves, but I would be inclined to use graphite grease. You can consider removing one leaf (3rd) from the front springs and two (3rd and 5th) from the rear if you do not plan to carry significant loads.

Reinstall with new bushes as necessary and you will probably be pleasantly surprised with the result - and certainly a lot cheaper than parabolics. The reason that parabolic springs ride better than conventional leaf springs is that they have almost no friction between the leaves.

John

thanks John, though one question (potentially dumb question). When removing springs which is the number one? top or bottom?

Cheers
Jim