Defender spring ratings - one rock hard ride

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>This is a common comment from Bilstein owners. [/b][/quote]

If they are valved anything like Patrol ones, they'll shake your fillings out.
The amount of low speed bump is bloody unbelieveable.....great for outright handling (dramatically slows the roll rate and keeps the massive amount of unsprung weight, ie. the diff housings, under control) but it is very tiring on a trip on less than ideal roads, meaning the vast majority in Oz.

I copped heaps from SWMBO over the change in ride, and the only way I got around it was "yeah, but how much safer does it tow your (very bloody expensive) dressage horse..."
:wink:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>285/75/16 BFG Mudds at 50psi on road [/b][/quote]

8O

don't they crown out at those pressures ??

THe only hassle I have had in 45,000km was when I bent the steering. Drove from Lithgow to home which chewed the inner edges out a little. Otherwise she handles great and has worn nicely, Does give a harsher ride but its easier to control.

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Originally posted by rick130
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>This is a common comment from Bilstein owners.

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If they are valved anything like Patrol ones, they'll shake your fillings out.
The amount of low speed bump is bloody unbelieveable.....great for outright handling (dramatically slows the roll rate and keeps the massive amount of unsprung weight, ie. the diff housings, under control) but it is very tiring on a trip on less than ideal roads, meaning the vast majority in Oz. [/b][/quote]
I run 230lb front, 300-340lb rear, quite literally Bilstein Patrol rear shocks in the fronts, and custom jobbies that are stiffer again in the rear from Bilstein and the ride unladen is a little stiff, and laden is is brilliant.

I think each has different expectations of what is good and what is not.

Slunnie, is it you that is running the B46-0360's (10" travel, spherical bearing ends) ??
or are they actually Patrol rears ?

FWIW, there were/are two valvings available for the GQ, and most people went for the 'comfort' option. No way did I let on to SWMBO that there was an option and we had the heavy valving. :wink:

SWMBO wouldn't want to here that either! https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

I run GU/GQ rear shocks in the front and the B46-0360's in the rear as you've described. The B46-0360's have been revalved a couple of times and the spherical ends have since been replaced with bush type ends though.

.......and I can't win. With the GU, I fitted Koni's, and now she's complaining the fronts aren't stiff enough/controlling the front end well enough.... :roll:

In all honesty, I wasn't real happy with the stock valving on the fronts when I fitted them eighteen months ago. (the rears are excellent)
Looks like I'll be re-valving a pair of Koni's in the next few weeks.... https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

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Originally posted by rick130
.......and I can't win. With the GU, I fitted Koni's, and now she's complaining the fronts aren't stiff enough/controlling the front end well enough.... :roll:

In all honesty, I wasn't real happy with the stock valving on the fronts when I fitted them eighteen months ago. (the rears are excellent)
Looks like I'll be re-valving a pair of Koni's in the next few weeks.... https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

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Have you tried adjusting them????

yep, set full hard on the front.
It's not the first time I've run out of rebound in a Koni, although I think it's the first time with an OE spring. I'll also try and replicate some of the low speed bump we had with the Billies. No where near the control of the front Billies we had in the GQ, and I've been putting off tearing them down to re-valve, mainly 'cause I have to make another pin tool to open them up. (I broke the last one, which happens.)

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Originally posted by dhumphri
Thanks for the advise so far guys - I have played with the tyre pressures a little, am running a tyre called a Mudstar 35x12.5x15 (mud terrain style tyre, soft compound) but have not gone under 30psi or over 40psi as mentioned - will play a little more and post results in a day or so.
Thks Daz

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I think 25PSI will solve your problem