Smoother ride from leaf springs?

Shock Absorber Advice:

Use KONI if you can. I could only get KONIs for the rear of my SIII @ $180ea. I used Rancho on the front, at about $120ea, Iron man were about $140ea. But where KONI said they're 10way adjustable shocks would be good for 400,000km, the others advised changing shocks @ 40,000km!!!!! So the KONIs were far more economical.

As for steering stability, you can retrofit power steering from an XW Ford (or other holdens or fords from circa 1970) This is a hydraulic ram type power steering, as seen on the Ti-Console website as an after market fitment for series Land Rovers. I've got this set up on my SIII. I found the conversion on an old Landy farm wreck! If you are interested, contact ADAM on this forum, who is selling his Stage One V8, he's accumulated all the parts and was about to fit it onto his wagon. If the PS fails, the steering still works. If you're after a steering box, I've got a couple on ebay at the moment (1 x SII & 1 x SIII).

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Originally posted by DEFENDERZOOK
you run the uppermost leaf soft(or with more of a curve in it) so it gives you a smooth ride unladen, then the rest of the leaves are stiffer to carry the weight.

as the weight is added it quickly compresses the first leaf and everything sits on the rest of the spring stack, which will be again smooth due to the weight of the load.

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You know... I was sceptical about that...figured it would be too stiff regardless of spring design due to the thickness of my newies. I wanted the carrying capacity anyway. I've fixed a couple of leaks in the fuel tank put it back and took her for a little trot 'round town today.

Even with only 80psi of air in the back shockies.....she's like a sports car again !! Hangs onto the corners like a cat on carpet and doesn't ride hard at all.

Very happy with the result. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

what we do in the Uk is to keep the old engine oil and then brush the leaves with it or soak them in it. This works a treat and makes them a lot softer rid
Not point wasting money on grease when you hagve loads of oil left after and engine oil change

Isn't old oil corrosive or something ?

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Originally posted by Hellspawn
Isn't old oil corrosive or something ?

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Not to my knowledge we use it here as underseal as well. Works well for that, after all the salt they put on the roads

:? Oh .... just heard somewhere old oil becomes acidic ....

Yes would wonderfully against the salt.

Hi Guys
Oil or grease isnt such a good idea in aussie,the dust sticks to it and creates a grinding compound.Much better using graphite powder or a "dry lube" spray used on earth moving equipment.
Andrew

Many years ago I iowned several MkVII Jags. They had leather gaiters on the rear leaf springs. The gaiters were grease-filled and, if I recall correctly, were greasable.

Ron

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Originally posted by LandyAndy
Hi Guys
Oil or grease isnt such a good idea in aussie,the dust sticks to it and creates a grinding compound.Much better using graphite powder or a "dry lube" spray used on earth moving equipment.
Andrew

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Trouble with powder is it shakes off. We used to use french talc on the pecan shaker to lube the head to cut friction between the rubber pillows and the skirts to reduce damage to the tree during harvest. We used to recoat the head about every 3 hours as the talc would fall off, so in a harvest we would use 30kg of talc which was quite expensive. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif[/img]

Before that we used petroleum jelly to coat the shaker head as the lubricant, a five kg tin used to last the two harvests and the wear rates were about the same even with leaves and dust getting stuck to the jelly.

We only changed as Stahmanns didn't want contamination which was what happened when a chunk of jelly would fall off and coat a few pecans.

You're probably right, dry lube might be an option if anyones willing to trial it. Seems to work okay on car doors. I just don't know how long it would last on springs though.

Hi Jay
The spray on stuff would be the go,just put one of those WD40 nozzles on and spray between the leaf cracks.
I will get some details off a can from work.Its a CAT product so it wont be cheap.
Andrew