Thread: Leaf springs (series 3) is there a right and wrong way?

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

With a standard chassis, you can use the extended shackles on the rear. However to correct the steering geometry on the front assembly, you should place wedges between the spring pack and axle housing.

Diana, does this only apply if using the extended shackles on the front and the back? If I just use the HD springs and extended shackles on the rear and leave the front as is will this work? Or do I really need to use the same front and rear to keep it all consistent?

I'm not particularly after lift as such, she only just gets into my garage as it is, so can I use the HD springs combined with the standard shackles or is this not going to work? My main issue is that my current springs are seperating sideways.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

The term "camber", applied to a leaf spring, means the amount of curvature of the spring. When you get down to actual numbers, it needs to be more closely defined, but the figure often used is the separation of the top of the top leaf from a straight line joining the centre of the two spring eyes. In this case, all you need is to determine which spring from a pair has the greater camber. If not the correct springs, the springs will allow the vehicle to lean one way or another, although Series Landrovers tend to have a bit of a lean anyway - with the fuel tank, driver and battery (and spare in lwb) all on one side, most of the time there is more load on the driver's side, and the long suspension travell and lack of a sway bar means that unless the different camber exactly counters this, there will be a residual lean. (Common in other sprung vehicles with no sway bar, but most of these had much less suspension travel, and usually central fuel tanks, battery etc., so the effect is much less)

John

So if I send them to a spring place to have them reset, will they take all this into account and give me back a drivers side and passenger side spring set up specifically? Or do they need the vehicle to do this? I'm wondering if I might be better off getting rid of the HD springs and shackles and going with having mine reset instead. I don't want more height, just springs that don't chew the bushes out every few months.

Originally Posted by pfillery

So if I send them to a spring place to have them reset, will they take all this into account and give me back a drivers side and passenger side spring set up specifically?

Yes

Originally Posted by pfillery

Or do they need the vehicle to do this?

No

Originally Posted by pfillery

I'm wondering if I might be better off getting rid of the HD springs and shackles and going with having mine reset instead. I don't want more height, just springs that don't chew the bushes out every few months.

HD springs will give you are harsher ride when unladen but will allow you to carry more weight before they go flat. If you are towing heavy weights you should consider using the HD springs. If not, then the standard duty springs ought to do you right.

Keep the HD springs anyway and maybe have them reset at the same time (might work out cheaper). Time will be that they become hens teeth.

I have a set under the house, just in case.

Alan