load = ride comfort = what spring rate?

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Originally Posted by rick130

...........Fast gravel requires totally different valving to fast bitumen too, I'm guessing the dampers need to be more compliant to let the car take a set faster to cut through a loose surface and generate grip.........

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As I see alot of job sites and the ride is okish on a nice smooth run of black top, its the crap roads, pot holes and dirt tracks im not happy with...so im guessing thats more the Bump.

My dampeners are at the softest rebound setting, so if I go a lower coil rate I can up this a bit if needed.

so more bump is going to be harsher over corrogations? not going to let the axle/wheel travel up as quick as needed...what is forcing the axle back down? (what action/part of the dampener)

obvious thing to do is change ONE thing at a time....go to a softer spring and sort that out....THEN, fudge with the dampener.

btw those wheels are going to look sweet after I finish with them ;)

you could try progressive springs.

Or

get a set of 180 or 160 pound springs and then put assist bags in them.

best of both worlds.

pay attention to rick130's post, and be aware that changing the spring rates also means (if you're pushing the envelope) you need to change the shocky settings, a softer spring (depending on your driving style + preference) generally needs more bump and less rebound to maintain the same driving "feel"

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Originally Posted by uninformed

[snip]

so more bump is going to be harsher over corrogations? not going to let the axle/wheel travel up as quick as needed...what is forcing the axle back down? (what action/part of the dampener)

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On hitting a bump like a corrugation,the damper blows through the low speed bump valving and is working on the mid/high speed circuit.

The ride still feels jiggly when you have HD Bilstein type bump valving as it blows through the low speed circuit, but (if valved properly) the damper handles the corrugations well as it's a momentary thing as it transitions to work on a different part of the valve stack, or in the case of the Koni, not working on the bleed and low speed part of the stack on the footvalve anymore, but working on the main part of the footvalve stack.

The spring keeps the wheels in contact with the road, although if you have too much rebound valving the wheels won't follow and comply with the bumps properly as the spring isn't allowed to return quickly enough.
Conversely most cars doon't have enough rebound valving, either low or high speed, so the springs oscillate too much, or in the case of not enough low speed valving you get that floaty feeling.

Remember what the back end of the 130 felt like ?

Not enough low speed rebound valving, in the case of those dampers the bleeds are too big.

Serge, what's the back half of your vehicle weigh? Put the back axles on a weigh bridge and that'll give us a starting point.

It has all been said before,unless you weigh all 4 corners,not just the ends,you are just guessing.You need a referencing point to start your calculations,or you are just going around in expensive circles.And yes I know the nearest weighbridge isn't close,but I bet the cost of the fuel is less than the cost of incorrect springs.!!!!;)

It's a landrover, ends are close enough.;) Minor differences in corner weight can be artifacts of slightly different spring lengths and not actual weight differences. Especially if they show up as opposite corners weighing more or less.

I once corner weighted my rangie. The RHS was 60kg heavier than LHS. I put that down to diff heads and driveshafts, but the left hand position of the engine and box should have evened that up.

2240kg total, 1300 front, 940 rear. First "public weighbridge" would not tell me weight due to liability issues.....second one wanted $40....

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Originally Posted by uninformed

...second one wanted $40....

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When I had my van weighed at a local bridge for rego they wrote on the receipt that they charged $5 even though there was no charge otherwise the RTA would not accept the docket.

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Originally Posted by uninformed

2240kg total, 1300 front, 940 rear. First "public weighbridge" would not tell me weight due to liability issues.....second one wanted $40....

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That's very light. My rangie is ~1130kg rear and rides well with 180lb springs. Currently I have 240 lb/in fitted for a towing job two years ago. They ride a bit harsher than ideal but they carry load well.
You're looking t ~20% lighter than those to get similar results.

Lucky for me the 2nd weigh bridge had the digital readout visable from my cab (its at the end of the weighbridge) I already had my pad and pen in hand, drove slowly on until the weight leveled out, that gave me front. Continued on until max. Thats where I told the lady that I wasnt dumping any waste, just getting some weights.....she was not happy! Either was I! as I drove off, I slowed until the front axle was off and confirmed the difference between front/total=rear...all weights were taken with the vehicle at dead stop.

Yes Dougal, its light for what it is....the tray I can manage to remove by myself. Its only a TDi, some of the "extra" weight is my front bar, winch, pto/pump and hyd res.

BTW that weight was with me in the drivers seat and 1/2 tank of fuel...so add another 30kg at rear.

One thing (of the many compremises) I have to consider, is that making the rear soft, will make it more compliant, and intern less likely to "force" the front end to flex...

current front springs are 210lb