The classic Range Rover has that set up - thought it was to do with reducing the effect of axle tramp.
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Exactly - axle tramp is loss of grip due to the axle rhythmically twisting from torque reaction which is released when a wheel loses grip, in turn reducing torque allowing the axle to twist back, with this then repeated rapidly as the wheel regains grip. Having one in front and the other behind damps this motion, as the twisting moves the dampers.
Leading and trailing dampers are more common on leaf spring vehicles to control axle wrap
The rotational plane of movement
(My understanding of axle tramp was an unconstrained up and down cycling that helps develop corrugations!)
Coilers with upper and lower links shouldn’t have any rotational moment in the axle motion
Oh and years ago I was stripping an early RRC chassis for spring mounts and it definitely had leading and trailing rear dampers
S
in workingonit's defence Early RRC had the left rear shocker forward of the axle & the right shocker rear of the axle ,
Pictured is my Hybrid made on a cut down 1974 RRC chassis , the right rear shocker is standard position for RRC of that vintage. The left rear shocker hard to see but def forward of axle.
http://goingbush.com/landy/90-10.jpg
http://goingbush.com/landy/90-7.jpg
1984 model I'm working on has them in opposition.
Interestingly, I stripped a 1997(?) V8 D1 and the shocks were on the same side, despite my expectation that the later V8's would have made more power than the earlier V8's and more tramp effect.
It becomes a blur after a while...pick a part up in the shed - now was this vacuum brake assist for the D1, the D2, the classic RR or the Series3 stage 1 - oh, that's right its for the land cruiser - and why did I come into the shed???