 | Home > Puma (Tdci) > Aaarrrgghh! |
 
|
|
|
| szracer Member Since: 10 Oct 2010 Location: Cotswolds Posts: 356   
|
Well, those of you who read my 'Newbie - Am I mad' post, will know that, thanks to encouragement on here, I went ahead and bought a three month old 110 XS USW.
So far (10 days!), I absolutely love it. And in the weather conditions we've had in the last few days, there's nowhere I'd rather be. Problem is, to say that my wife is not enamoured with the 110 is an understatement. In fact, she was literally in tears yesterday, because she found it so uncomfortable constantly getting jolted, on the roads round here, by the standard 'bouncy' 110 suspension. She even (and I'm not making this up!) threatened divorce unless I do somethnig about it! Now, I've just spent a fair bit on buying the 110 (so recent I don't even have the new V5 yet), as well as various 'add-ons' I've ordered and paid for, including NAS rear tow step (my 110 had no tow bar from new), Nakatanenga cubby box safe, new stereo, and noise-killer soundproofing kit. So, at least 1400's worth of add-ons. My saviour was, I thought, that I could fit one of JE's handling packages to the truck, and make the handling less bouncy, and more road-like. Problem is, I've just come off the phone to JE, and they say that although their kits work great on 90s, there's no real point fitting it to a 110, as there's not much you can do. Any suggestions for improving the ride? Otherwise, I'm going to have to sell a brand new Defender, which I absolutely love, less than a month after getting it! Help!! 
2010 110 XS USW (the slow one) 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ (the fast one) 2005 Ducati ST3 1954 Sunbeam S8 |
||
9th Nov 2010 1:22pm |
|
| fekete Member Since: 24 Dec 2008 Location: Here on the other end of the computer Posts: 3626  
|
Have a read of this.....or use the search you will find what your after
http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic3956.html?highlight=shocks NEVER TAKE LIFE SERIOUSLY. NOBODY GETS OUT ALIVE ANYWAY |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 1:32pm |
|
| iruffell Member Since: 03 Sep 2010 Location: Marlow, Buckinghamshire Posts: 343 
|
If it's any consolation, the Puma is much better than my old TD5 & the 110 is much better than the 90.
I think the main problem is the live axles and there's nothing you can do about that, Disco maybe your only route. |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 1:49pm |
|
| K9F Member Since: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 9610 
|
Obvious solution staring you in the face! Buy her a 'runaround' of her very own!
I did as mine hates the Land Rover too for the very same reasons!!! If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!
Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!! |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 2:01pm |
|
| haworthj Member Since: 01 Nov 2010 Location: Sussex Posts: 178
|
My wife thinks exactly the same....so i banned her from it. It's her loss.
 |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 5:27pm |
|
| johnnyturbo2002 Member Since: 21 May 2009 Location: Poniente Granadino Posts: 371  
|
Bummer, My wife loves it!
how bad can the roads be? jeez take her to poland in a modern vehicle and she will see that one bounces just as much as in a defender on nice streets...see hun, it's not so bad, we could be living in poland! 2008 Defender 110 60 year Edition (sold unfortunately) IN the hunt for another Puma for the wifey! 2008 Kia Sorento LX 😁 2.5crdi |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 5:44pm |
|
| Glynparry25 Member Since: 16 Feb 2009 Location: Miserable Midlands Posts: 3015  
|
I have the answer...... cheaper than any springs too!
or a cheaper option to stop the complaining:
My missus hated mine, untill last Christmas and now she 'Doesn't mind it' Best of luck with the presuading.... but to be honest I don't think the ride is too bad. Glyn |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 6:21pm |
|
| sc70 Member Since: 29 Jun 2010 Location: Tregaron Posts: 261 
|
have just changed the shocks on mine and its made a huge difference when empty, a lot less bounce on B roads. the wife still moans though
 |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 6:39pm |
|
| SiWhite Member Since: 19 Jan 2010 Location: North Hampshire Posts: 455
|
Try airing the tyres down a touch - makes a huge difference between crashy and banging to much smoother. Try 5psi down.
Failing that, consider some superpro bushes (don't bother with any other brands) and then a new set of genuine shocks. My blog - www.anacreinhampshire.blogspot.co.uk 110 TD5 BuildHERE - sold! 110 Tdci Build HERE - sold! Passat Alltrack - 4x4, auto, 45mpg, gloriously comfortable - but not a Defender! |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 7:35pm |
|
| MK Member Since: 28 Aug 2008 Location: Santiago Posts: 2422  
|
OME light duty springs&adjustable shoxs. Less air pressure and Im sure a pair of fancy new seats in pink or light blue would make a difference. + sand and cement bags in the rear. You can eventually use them
 Puma 110" SW
............................................................. Earth first. Other planets later |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 8:05pm |
|
| szracer Member Since: 10 Oct 2010 Location: Cotswolds Posts: 356
|
Thanks for the suggestions, chaps......some more than others)...
Actually, the wife IS getting her own runaround - We're supposed to be trading in her 7 year old Honda for a nearly-new Skoda Yeti 4x4 (if I can find one - bloody things are in short supply). Problem arises because my car has always been our main 'family' car (for this, read 'I always end up driving'). I guess the Skoda can certainly fulfill this purpose, and it's even the same platform as my (previous car) Golf. So, to my wife, I think she thinks our main family car should be comfortable, which personally I find the Defender to be - Although even I would concede that if you hit a run of small bumps the suspension can't 'keep up'. Plus, it does tend to 'rock' backwards and forwards over these. I actually like the handling going round bends - Sure, you lean a bit, but you can chuck it round, it seems. So, having now had a good read around this site, I've deduced the following. Feel free to comment/correct/suggest with abandon! 
This is based purely on 'gut instinct', plus 15 years of racing old cars.. - Don't think the fact that the LR has a live rear axle should be responsible for the choppy ride? My 50 year old Alfa has a live rear axle and rides very smoothly - The usual pitching backwards and forwards on undulating roads would seem to indicate too SOFT springing (exacerbated by the shocks). I understand why this is great for off-road driving over large obstacles, but obviously more of a compromise on-road. - The jittery over-bouncy ride seems to point directly to shocks with not enough damping ability. ie. The shocks are not slowing the spring rebound quickly enough. - Since my truck has ARBs front and back, and it corners nicely, don't think these need touching. - Reading on other forums (and indeed from my own experience over the years), a set of Konis or Bilsteins would be a good (if expensive) replacement for the OE shocks? - I think the point about the difference when the truck is weighted down is a good one. I noticed a difference even when carting the noise killer parcel (25kgs.!) in the back. Would dropping the rear slightly with softer springs help to compensate? My usage for the 110 is towing a race car trailer, general on-road commuting etc., getting me out of trouble in Winter here, and the occasional spot of gentle greenlaning. And yes, the roads really are bad here. Although not as bad as Belgium. That wins my award for worst roads in Western Europe (especially around the Ardennes!).
2010 110 XS USW (the slow one) 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ (the fast one) 2005 Ducati ST3 1954 Sunbeam S8 |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 8:27pm |
|
| szracer Member Since: 10 Oct 2010 Location: Cotswolds Posts: 356
|
What are you trying to imply....? Listen, this is serious...!
2010 110 XS USW (the slow one) 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ (the fast one) 2005 Ducati ST3 1954 Sunbeam S8 |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 8:32pm |
|
| sc70 Member Since: 29 Jun 2010 Location: Tregaron Posts: 261
|
i do a lot of towing with mine and when the trailers on i rides fine, but did used to bounce when empty which i put down to the springs BUT after a lot of trial and error the biggest difference was by up rating the shocks.put a set of bilestine (cant spell) (yellow gas shocks) and its a lot better
|
||
|
9th Nov 2010 9:06pm |
|
| spudfan Member Since: 10 Sep 2007 Location: Co Donegal Posts: 4709 
|
Borrow a short wheelbase series Land Rover and take the wife for drive, then let her have it for a day. You will be surprised how quickly she will warm to the Puma. 1982 88" 2.25 diesel
1992 110 200tdi csw -Zikali 2008 110 2.4 tdci csw-Zulu 2011 110 2.4 tdci csw-Masai |
||
|
9th Nov 2010 10:32pm |
|
|
|
| All times are GMT |
< Previous Topic | Next Topic > |
Posting Rules
|
Site Copyright © 2006-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
