Series 3 Leafspring preload

Good Morning all

Just a quick question just replaced all my chassis and spring bushes and the LR Manual talks about spring deflection and setting the distance between chassis and spring before tightening the leaf spring shakes etc.

My question is does everyone do this and if so what's a good technique? I was thinking taking it for a drive to settle things in and then ratchet strap one corner and tighten rinse and repeat.


What's everyone's thoughts on this and how critical the deflection is.


Many thanks
Richard

When i put new springs all round, i let it settle under its own weight then tightened up

When I did mine I loaded up the back with as much weight as I could til the chassis distance was roughly as per the book. Then drove about a while. Then tightened it all up. But with new springs being so variable I’m not sure the book distances are that valid any more so no idea if it was the right thing to do. The book talks of chains and jacks to set the height but that was too much faff for me. Don’t think I’ve had any issues and it’s been a couple of years.

Should say I only changed the back ones. The fronts are for another day…

Ric82 said:

Good Morning all

Just a quick question just replaced all my chassis and spring bushes and the LR Manual talks about spring deflection and setting the distance between chassis and spring before tightening the leaf spring shakes etc.

My question is does everyone do this and if so what's a good technique? I was thinking taking it for a drive to settle things in and then ratchet strap one corner and tighten rinse and repeat.


What's everyone's thoughts on this and how critical the deflection is.


Many thanks
Richard

Click to expand...

If you're using OEM bushes that'll work. I had the luxury of doing mine with the body off and strapped it. If you're using polybushes there's no point, they'll just spin.

Ric82 said:

Good Morning all

Just a quick question just replaced all my chassis and spring bushes and the LR Manual talks about spring deflection and setting the distance between chassis and spring before tightening the leaf spring shakes etc.

My question is does everyone do this and if so what's a good technique? I was thinking taking it for a drive to settle things in and then ratchet strap one corner and tighten rinse and repeat.


What's everyone's thoughts on this and how critical the deflection is.


Many thanks
Richard

Click to expand...

A regular rubber bonded bush is well... bounded to the metal insert. When you do them up tight it won't rotate freely, it will just stretch and compress the rubber as the insert tries to move. If you tighten it with the axle in the wrong place there won't be enough movement in the bush rubber to cater for the movement it needs, which will result in poor performance and the rubber tearing or breaking its bounding much sooner.

Basically don't tighten it at either end of the spectrum, either fully extended or compressed suspension. If you fitted poly bushes then it won't matter as they aren't normally bounded and can rotate freely.

Thanks everyone so it sounds like I need to set the springs I should have mentioned I'm using the metalastic bushes. I will add to the job list.

Thanks
Richard

Just to let you all know I took the landy for a short run to settle the springs and then checked the axle to chassis distance and all seemed about right tighten them up and I can't belive how much better it rides over pot holes and bumps.

Thanks as usual for all the advice.


Richard

Good, and remember to check bolts and specially the U bolts in a bit.

tottot said:

and specially the U bolts in a bit.

Click to expand...

What makes you say that?

Having done a number of leaf spring changes over the years it is not unusual to find U nuts needing a tweek up as springs bed down.

tottot said:

Having done a number of leaf spring changes over the years it is not unusual to find U nuts needing a tweek up as springs bed down.

Click to expand...

Thanks, that makes me feel a bit better. I thought I'd left mine loose. I'll blame that.