Parabolics...

Trailstar said:

been eyeing up the Rocky Mountain parabolics, they dont have a heavier duty one for the front, and i do need it because the ED33 is way heavier that the landrover engine in it previously.....can they do an extra leaf does anyone know, would just like to get it all from the same place...also RM do a complete shock kit, do GB springs do one as well...??

also can anyone tell me whether a flatdeck would be heavier than a wellside with a hardtop - i am tossing up between the RM 3 and four leafs? - i would think it would be heavier, if you look at a flat deck subframe plus plywood, obviously they are all made different but they definitely dont seem to be made for saving weight.....but someone might be able to say from experience?? thanks!!

Click to expand...

Trailstar said:

if i fit parabolics and 235/75/r15 continental cross contact AT's would i be at any risk of damaging the panels/ mud gaurds of my series 3 because of the increased articulation......??

i want to replace the current springs as one corner is a bit lopsided so paras seem a good upgrade..., and the increased articulation is more of a 'because i can' thing rather than i need it badly....
but all the same, i am just after a more comfortable(series style comfortable)ride...
the tyres (as in continentals mentioned earlier) are the ones that come factory on defenders i thnk.....

photo of the vehicle in its current state, on the back is a lightish load, what type (as in how many springs) of parabolics should i fit....View attachment 99412
the front end is also heavier because of a nissan ed33 - done years ago by owner 2 previous to me....View attachment 99415

Click to expand...

kommer2013 said:

sort of looks like your nissan may have been leaking coolant, i would flush the block out forward and backwards with water, and dont use a cooling system clean as it will make leaks and clean too much, my sister did it to her astra and a few months later the head gasket blew, she had real bad corrosion on the head on the edges where the coolant goes through the passages, big job the head was, and we had to do the timing belt but remember you have a old push rod engine nothing nears as bad as a efi petrol, she even can out v8s at the lights, and they hate her as she is a lady a 1.8l auto.

Click to expand...

kommer2013 said:

oh a series 3 tub would be lighter with the hard top as that tray could be soild plate steel used, it all depends on what you want it for, if you were just carting firewood around then i would leave it as a tray as it would be easy to access and clean or if you were camping and or had a tool box setup in the back then a tub with a hardtop would be better as the tool box and or gear would be out of the weather and it will be less likely to be stolen.

Tony

Click to expand...

kommer2013 said:

tristan i have heard of people adding an extra leaf to normal leaf springs, if you cant get them to add another leaf to the front ones just go and see a steering and suspension place and they'll make you one leave to bolt on, you may need a longer centre bolt though.
just looking at your pics and your landrover looks pretty good already, looks like not much is needed to get it on the road, i tell you a little trick for the mechanic or who ever well test your car for rego, check everything on the whole vehicle and if everything looks good take it to a mechanic and get him to give a once over and a test drive and he'll tell you what else would be needed and you should be good after that.

as for the bulkhead in the pic, she looks really good up top, oh and that exhaust looks strange, if i were the previous owner i would have cut the top of the manifold back and have a 90 degree elbow welded on then another elbow welded on to go down. but the pipe is fine as it is.

Tony.

Click to expand...

300bhp/ton said:

Articulation shouldn't cause issue with body work, assuming the tyres are't sticking out of the arches. The rear bed, assuming it sits in the same place as a regular tub should be fine. Although with taller tyres it is possible to hit the inside of the seat box under full compression.

As for what springs. Depends. I quite like Rocky Mountain, or if you want to spend the money Heystee.

I'd be tempted to look at what would be on a Santana PS-10, would think they would suit your vehicle well.

Parabolics won't give you more articulation however. Being usually softer they allow you to access more of the standard travel, but the actual movement up and down is limited by the tiny short shocks. The wheel simply can't move up further than the shock compressed, nor down further than the shock fully extended. Longer shocks in the stock mounts will give more down travel, but limit the up travel. So the total travel remains the same. The only real way to get more travel is to use much longer shocks and relocate the upper shock mounts.


This is my 88, it doesn't tow or haul stuff. So I wanted lightweight spring rates. It flexes quite well for a leaf Series. These are 7.50 tyres, they just hit the inside of the seat boxes at the back under compression.







Shocks I'm using compared to standard Series front/rear shocks:


And the revised shock mounts:

Click to expand...

300bhp/ton said:

Articulation shouldn't cause issue with body work, assuming the tyres are't sticking out of the arches. The rear bed, assuming it sits in the same place as a regular tub should be fine. Although with taller tyres it is possible to hit the inside of the seat box under full compression.

As for what springs. Depends. I quite like Rocky Mountain, or if you want to spend the money Heystee.

I'd be tempted to look at what would be on a Santana PS-10, would think they would suit your vehicle well.

Parabolics won't give you more articulation however. Being usually softer they allow you to access more of the standard travel, but the actual movement up and down is limited by the tiny short shocks. The wheel simply can't move up further than the shock compressed, nor down further than the shock fully extended. Longer shocks in the stock mounts will give more down travel, but limit the up travel. So the total travel remains the same. The only real way to get more travel is to use much longer shocks and relocate the upper shock mounts.


This is my 88, it doesn't tow or haul stuff. So I wanted lightweight spring rates. It flexes quite well for a leaf Series. These are 7.50 tyres, they just hit the inside of the seat boxes at the back under compression.







Shocks I'm using compared to standard Series front/rear shocks:


And the revised shock mounts:

Click to expand...

Trailstar said:

yes, was just wondering whether the combination of parabolics being softer and bigger tyres were going to damage my guards, the flatdeck hassnt got in the way of any flexing yet, so even with bigger tyres i dont think im going to touch it that easy, plus if i do get springs rebent/new 4 leaf RM paras it will sit slightly higher and wont have such easy flex compared to a lighter duty parabolic spring.....
havent got much in the way of money atm so if i do go down the parabolics path, it will be RM, or if i can find something that is proven to be better - you mentioned on a santana, would i go for parts off one or were you saying to look what they have and go new??
yep i realise they dont increase articulation much unless theres mods but my leafs atm are so stiff and they dont drop or push down much.....so going from that to paras would be day and night!!!!

love your build by the way!! - i would really love to have a short wheelbase landy that i could use as a fun 4wd, not for competitions or anything, but just for a general car that can go anywhere.....

Click to expand...