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EWS



Member Since: 29 Nov 2011
Location: Bristol
Posts: 156

United Kingdom 2006 Defender 90 Td5 HT Alveston Red
Suggestions for softer suspension
Hi all.

Need some advice on possibly softening the suspension, as my partner would like a little more softer ride if possible. My partner is disabled ( a Tetra, has lost the use of arms and legs, spinal injury) she rides in a adapted Modular Seat from Exmoor Trim, that takes her spinal curvature into account , and lacks the ability to brace for any impacts/lurches/ect like an able bodied person does automatically. So need some info as for alternative springs and shocks, thoughts also on air suspension seat bases , as per fitted to agri tractors /HGV’s


Truck info. ’06 Td5 Defender 90 ,hard top , 2seats, (V5 states 5 seater County).

Anti roll bar on both axles

Springs
Front pass- yellow & blue marking
Front drivers- green & blue
Rear both- yellow & silver

Shocks
Front- Land Rover RNB 103710/64601 (????)
Rear- Land Rover RPD 102390/64602/5G0 (?????)

Wheels/Tyres
Boost Alloys with General Grabber TR 235/85R16 at handbook pressures . 29PSI Front & 38PSI Rears

Truck use is mainly highway with some offroad use ( green lanes) , with two up plus a wheel chair , may be luggage, so basically running light at all times .

So any suggestions out there !! As SWMBO says the ride is no better than our old leaf sprung Fourtrak , and this is 4 years down the line !!!!

It’s a Land Rover, and yes , it leaks, and its got draughts round the doors, and yes you can see daylight through the door seals and yes it cost a fortune for silly electronic parts , no you cannot run it on all the veg oil we have left over from the Fourtrak. Yes, I know I said the coil sprung Land Rover would be like sitting in a comfy armchair, rather than a hardbacked upright kitchen chair .

Err’r don’t mention Discoverys, she thinks they are plo***ers motors, or even breath the word Fr*****der, she would like a RR V8 Classic though, in fact she would probably rip your arms and legs off to get it !!!! ( so would I). And I agree the Toy***a Land Cruisers we hire in Australia are comfy , but would it still be around in 20 years .

She’s winding me up, !!!!! singing that Janis Joplin number/advert , about a Mercedes Benz , subbing in Land Rover instead !!!!

Truck was bought with the idea that it would last us out, after all our Fourtrak did 15 years before a terminal injury took her from us
Post #230594 25th Apr 2013 10:55pm
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davew



Member Since: 02 Jan 2012
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 888

England 1990 Defender 90 V8 Petrol PU Auto Rioja Red
If budget allows, the best solution is to replace the existing suspension with a coil over setup. A good coil over setup can be tuned to pretty much eliminate any shock from the occupants.

D44 are the only people I'm aware of offering a "bolt on" conversion which uses King coil overs with hydraulic bump stops.

If you want to do it on a budget then you need to look at long soft springs with good quality shock absorbers. Anti Roll Bars probably aren't helping in that regard, they may reduce body roll but they can be counter productive when it comes to isolating the occupants from shocks.

Hydraulic bump stops are really good on their own, particularly for reducing off road shocks but they're not easy to fit to a standard Land Rover setup. Before coil overs became "normal" a lot of Australian competition Range Rovers were using hydraulic bump stops inside the front springs with the shock absorbers being mounted using the air suspension style shocker mounts behind the spring. http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net/
Post #230597 25th Apr 2013 11:49pm
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MartinK



Member Since: 02 Mar 2011
Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border)
Posts: 2665

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Orkney Grey
I found a great improvement (on a 110 tho) by replacing the Shocks with Koni Heavy Trak. Although that doesn't soften the ride, it does take away the "choppiness". My SWMBO is much happier, she can actually put her head on the headrest without it being hit by the headrest by the jolty ride.

Mine's a USW, so I also put CSW suspension (Land Rover springs) on the back which also helped with the softening. Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's)
Post #230599 26th Apr 2013 5:26am
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smb



Member Since: 15 Jan 2013
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 1232

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
Hi EWS,

Only a suggestion, but have you considered relocating the battery, etc from under the passenger seat and removing the seat box. This would then give you greater depth to possibly mount an air seat from a Volvo, Mercedes, etc HGV. I don't know whether you would have the width, but it would give you a greater choice of seat.

I saw a similar set up on a 110 at a sailing venue for Less-abled people to promote mobility awareness. A father had done the modifications to enable his son(who had his spine pinned) to keep sailing.

Regards

Steve
Post #230607 26th Apr 2013 6:47am
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ibexman



Member Since: 13 Dec 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 2945

United Kingdom 
Fit range rover air suspension Thumbs Up
Post #230626 26th Apr 2013 7:43am
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adafish



Member Since: 30 Mar 2009
Location: atherstone
Posts: 1382

United Kingdom 1984 Defender 110 300 Tdi DCPU Stornoway Grey
With Chris on this fella, we had enquiry regarding fitting air-suspension to customers 110. It is do-able, but at a cost. What with all the electric's and gubbings that go into it....do a bit of research 1st... Putting Dreams on Drives at JLR Solihull..
Post #230749 26th Apr 2013 3:55pm
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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8027

 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
i would go for the air sprung seat option rather than suspension, handling wont be affected then either.

coil overs are good at speed but not alot different to decent coils and shocks at lower speeds. Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop
Post #230785 26th Apr 2013 6:39pm
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technophile



Member Since: 22 Mar 2013
Location: Perth
Posts: 11

Australia 2006 Defender 110 Td5 SW Alpine White
This may not help as the company is in Australia, but they do do full air bag conversion kits fir the Defender. Look them up, the company is called Air Bag Man. The are great to deal with.

http://www.airbagworld.com.au/a1-coil-replacement-airbag-kit.html

Here is one of his videos from Youtube

From memory the rear bags are $650 for the bags and mounting plate, the compressor, tank and everything is extra.
Post #230961 27th Apr 2013 3:44pm
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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8027

 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
if you want an engr solution rather than just softer springs try ringing Si at X-Eng, he is always after a challenge. He used to run a 90 on air springs too, X-Eng system. Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop
Post #231092 28th Apr 2013 8:04am
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