BritPart Parabolics

I can't see any reason why you would want to leave the shackles loose. The bolt is screwed into the the threaded plate and then the nut fitted to secure it (locking device). Leaving the shackles loose would would just increase wear and increase the chance of a failure.

Which bushes have you got fitted?

i have the same problem with my grey paras has anyone tried turning then round end for end or are they the same
how have you set them up as i have no body on mine or engine so its quite light ,i was thinking of pressing it down with a jcb bucket

1) I didn't want to l;eave the shackles loose but a good mate of mine who has worked on many a landrover reckoned that that is how they were supposed to be. Did i find them that way...no i didn't...am i doing them back up...yes sir i am indeed.

2) The bushes that are in the curly ends of the paras are the ones that came with them. everything from that point of view fitted like a glove, there were no gaps no wobbly bits...in a word it was almost a sexual experience with the way it all just fitted together. (maybe having to look at the galv chassis added to that).

3)the front springs are exactly the same, they are grey...they have the same serial number...they measure the same, i beleive that they are symetrical. We turned them round to see if this was the fault with the rubbing on the chassis, it was not.

Anyhoo, After talking to you kind people i now have two or three things i can try...

1) Loosening the bolts off on either end of the paras, Jacking the TRUCK (sorry yella) back up and and down, then nipping the bolts tight with all the weight on them.
2) Do the shackles back up tight as i found them (thanks for reassuring me Ashoofack).
3) Last ditch effort...take a grinder to the leading edge that is rubbing.

Another mate who goes by the name of Reload (coz he is always missing) suggested cutting part of the spring curl off as it seems to be useless. the only part of my reply to him that i can publish is "no ferkin way" (the rest consited of mainly swear words in seven different languages.)

thanks guys i will get back to the forum with my findings.

Have you called Britpat yet? I'm sure they would want to help.

Or contact the company you bought the springs from and seek there advice.

Hi all, after working yesterday in the rain...on my Truck, ive reset the springs by lifting it off the ground...loosening all the bolts...dropping the weight onto the wheels, rocking it slightly to settle the springs in (as stated in the haynes manual...then finally doing up the bolts again.

This has produced the smallest gap possible between the shackles and the spring curl. (not good enough)

I have taken pictures and have emailed and phoned paddocks and am now waiting for an answer.

i only pray now that i have the wrong ones, although i cannot see that this is possible.

Defoe,

If you look at the supplementary info at the back of the haynes it gives you the acceptable limits for the suspension set up. To get mine right I had to jack up one side then tighten the shackles. My advice would still be to contact Britpart for guidance.

Cheers mate i did see that stuff, but to be honest it made little sense to me...
does what you did fix the gap problem between the shackles and the curl in the spring? it was ****ing in rain, i was in the middle of a muddy field on my own not knowing what the ferk i was really doing. I read that bit on tolerances and acceptable limits but was more concerned about getting the mud out of my arse crack...damn i need a lock up somewhere.

I beleive that my springs are paddocks own that they sell, so the ball is in their court really. on thursday (next day off of work) i will get my measuring stick out and see what they are measuring like.

thanks for the support

Hi all, just to update you all on the common problem of parabolic springs not fitting...

After a few comunications with Paddocks i have received the following email...

"i have spoken to our suppliers.
apparently they are all arriving to them like this at the moment.
the curl of the leaf spring is touching because they have not been bent over far enough at that point during manufacture.
we only have this type in stock at the moment.

are you able to physically bend the spring over yourself?

sorry for this inconveinience."

I unfortunatly have a family curse which makes me badly over-react to things like this, i havent spat the dummy yet but beleive me folks it is in the pipeline.

any suggestions beyond the obvious as to my course of action next?

i have replied stating that bending the springs is completly out of the question, and stated that i will not be liable for my mechanics bill to fit/remove any further springs because of this.

my springs are britpart and would presume it is a wide spread problem, if i understand it all correctly (being a skilled welder) they would have mass produced these and the jig has slipped or something.

downer or upper?

Regards Deef

depends if you wanna get involved in a legal fight or if you want yer landy on the road. if it wur me ad ask fer some form of copo even if it is just in the form of free bits to the value of £XXXX.
then bend the fooker over a bit and get on wiff the rest of me life.

good advice well taken sir, thanks

deef

So it's not only me them..!! I will have to ask Paddocks for new springs or money back..............thanks to all who have contributed to this thread.

Deef,

must be an upper. At least you now know your galv chassis not stuffed and that you've done nowt wrong. If you can't bend it get a quote and ask P's to cover the costs. Me - I'de just stick a torch to it, hit it, with a big hammer and pocket the cash for all my buggering about.

Wonder how many others are affected? Will we see a recall in the Landie mags - not a chance I'd say.

Thanks mate, indeed it is an upper. although i've still not heard anything back from paddocks (if they keep the silence up then i think it will get into quite a few media sources).

cheers for the kind words everyone.

waiting...
Deef

Hi Guys n Girls.
Greetings. Am brand new to this site and owning a computer!, ....finally dragging myself into the '90s. lol. Anyway, was just wondering what the outcome of Defoes spring woes were? Am considering buying a set of these springs for my series 2. Also, can see this is an old thread. Will anyone ever read this??? Regards. bogtrotter.

well, yes, as when you type in an old thread it brings it back up, welcome to LZ

Well, general consensus is paddocks are abit of half and half, sometimes good sometimes bad. Britpart are known as ****part. Just look around, weigh up a good deal and go for it. Oh yeh, its the 00's now

i can get rocky mountain parabolics, if you need a quote pm me

ere notts, how much can yer get td glow plugs for ???

ya got pm yella

Well...
after long arguements with paddocks over this (albeit a year ago) all their parabollox were worse than the wset i bought.

in the end i ordered some from devon 4x4 mail order and they fitted like a glove.

i wont use paddocks again because of the way they just fobbed me off with any old BS.

as a side note, i wish you all the luck in the world with your springs, im sure they will be fine whoever you get them from.

regards
Defoe

just contact paul meyers at britpart,wen i had my issues with paddocks who supplied my britpart springs,he sorted it,took a couple of weeks but i did get me money back