Uprating/Re-fitting Freelander Suspension

After a recent trip where I loaded my Freelander all the way to the brim with heavy dive gear, I have decided some beefier springs/suspension will be required. I expect that a payload capacity of around 750kg-1000kg will be required as the normal <500kg was simply not sufficient...

The car performed perfectly well and did very well when driving on the roads, and I am not expecting to go off-road with this much stuff in the car... that would be nuts in a freebie ...

I was wondering if anyone here might be able to offer advice on how to choose appropriate parts for my FL1 facelift based on this information, and whether it is advisable to uprate the entire suspension assembly or only specific parts.

This is probably the most challenging and involved DIY mechanic task I will have undertaken so I'm apprehensive, but keen to get it right.

Similarly keen to understand what options there are to beef it up. I know early focus shocks are suitable which is fine if you want uprated Motorsport kit, but could be an expensive approach to matching a stronger spring. There was an Australian manufacturer that offered a deeper sorting that worked well with upgraded Monroe shocks but I can't recall the name.

Found it: Dobinson +30mm springs with Monroe adventurer struts gives a slightly greater initial ride height and a firmer spring for heavy loads.

QSpot said:

After a recent trip where I loaded my Freelander all the way to the brim with heavy dive gear, I have decided some beefier springs/suspension will be required. I expect that a payload capacity of around 750kg-1000kg will be required as the normal <500kg was simply not sufficient...

The car performed perfectly well and did very well when driving on the roads, and I am not expecting to go off-road with this much stuff in the car... that would be nuts in a freebie ...

I was wondering if anyone here might be able to offer advice on how to choose appropriate parts for my FL1 facelift based on this information, and whether it is advisable to uprate the entire suspension assembly or only specific parts.

This is probably the most challenging and involved DIY mechanic task I will have undertaken so I'm apprehensive, but keen to get it right.

Click to expand...

Remember to stay within the plated axle limits which is 1120kg for pre 2006 TD4 including the car or for late 2006 TD4 1460kg including the car, or you invalidate your insurance....

May 2006 TD4 weight is 1693kg mass in service from V5c. GVW is 2505kg.
So I can carry 2505-1693=812kg spread over the car.

The earlier TD's GVW is 2080kg, (see plate drivers door) and the vehicle weight is 1555kg, so they can carry 525kg spread around the car.

I hope that makes sense, so it depends on your car what you can carry legally. Look at the plate on your car before you do anything.

The car is designed to carry the above, but if you are carrying more, expect to be pulled over!!!!


And yes, I investigate car accidents........ for many insurance companies.

I have been trawling the internet for similar options, Dobinson springs seems like the best option out there (but where to buy?). What about a combination of Monroe adventurer struts and Old Man Emu springs? OME springs dont lift that much (think it's 10mm according to data), but they are supposed to be firmer than standard?

If the hippo can't carry all your gear with out overloading the axle weights you have a couple of choices.......

Buy a trailer or sell the freelander and get somthing with more capacity.

Also thinking about it...... If you only need two seats either take the rears out or buy a commercial. Removing the rear seats gives a two fold benefit. Firstly the vehicle weighs less so you effectively have more capacity and secondly you can put more weight. Between the front and rear axles and directly over the rear axle, this will reduce the multiplying effect that having weight behind the rear wheels creates.

Link to OME springs

Anybody who has shopped at that particular site, btw?

Take on board the comments about overloading, but there is a world of difference between carrying the full safe weight with standard springs and doing it with longer springs with a progressive rate that firms up as you compress under the load. I know which I would rather have and it's not the standard springs.

As it happens in my case I am taking out the rear seats and fitting the commercial floor and bulkhead cage, but would still rather have a longer spring with greater ability to handle loads without hitting the stops in extreme conditions. I'm thinking when I'm driving it at sites like Durler in Belgium with camping gear for two weeks on board. I've done it in my Disco3 and it was no problem due to the air suspension, but some of the coil stuff on other cars was struggling that day under the load they were carrying (part of the challenge in question - offloading the kit not allowed).

Currently making contact with a number of coil spring specialists to try and source a suitable rated spring in the UK. Based on initial enquiries, I'm hoping to find a supplier who can provide a set of 16" coils at the correct spring rate for around £50-£60 per corner. That would give me +30mm front, +50mm rear. With the rears having a lower spring rate (based solely on wire diameter info) the additional 20mm free length would be taken up as soon as any notable load was put on board.

Will see what comes back from my various emails and let you know how I proceed and what other mods I make if I do go down this route. Monroe Adventure struts will be in order to allow for the extra travel regardless.

You could also try kyb if you haven't already, they sometimes have uprated heavy duty springs it there range. If not im sure they can knock some up for you. Somewhere on there site they list all the dimensions of the spring, length, wire id, etc

I shall as them to the list, thank you.

Thanks but they're standard height/weight, not ticking the uprated box for me.

Well it seems the recession is over and nobody needs to sell anything any more. Despite half a dozen emails to companies that seem to sell appropriate springs, not one has bothered to come back to me. Must be great to be that wealthy you can ignore inquiries like that.

Take a look on Ebay at the Impreza WRX set-ups. Sure I looked into this years ago and found they would fit with minimal modification - just the turret tops as I remember (don't quote me though - it was around 7 years ago!!)

Thanks Ian, that would be ideal for rally and fast road but it's the extra travel and load handling I'm looking for. I only really want an extra 30mm or so over standard (375mm free length on the front extending to 405 ideally) as I don't want to mess with the inner wings if I can avoid it. Wondering if going the wrx route and making some polyurethane spacers is going to be the way to do this. It's the ability to retain suspension travel with the rear at Max load that I'm after more than anything.

What about places like this?

http://www.coilsprings.co.uk/index.html ]

They're one of the companies that seem wholly disinterested in replying to any emails.....

Maybe the big boys dont want to deal with one off requests?

If you said you wanted 1million sets im sure they would spring into life...lol!

Thanks for the great response! Sorry I have been a little slower than the rest of the community...

I'm also glad that i'm not the only one! Attercliffe road happens to be quite close to my house (when I get to uni) so I am quite sure I'll end up going for a little adventure down to coil springs to see if they will offer me a set. NoDosh, if you still haven't got any by the time term starts, should I see if we might be able to get two sets?

Thanks to those that offered the words of warning also, I had overlooked the max. axle weight, I'm pretty sure that the most I can fit in the car won't exceed the rated loads, and when doing long milage I feel like a little more space in the wheel arches might be beneficial.

If you have any luck in the meantime NoDosh, please keep us updated! And if you happen to be fitting them too (so that you can one day be known as AllTheDosh) pictures please!

Q