Parabolic springs or normal

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AndyTheLandy(Tom)

AndyTheLandy(Tom)

Member
Posts
39
Location
Nottinghamshire
hi i am restoring a series 3 ready to use as my first car when i pass my driving test, its rear leaf springs need replacing as ones it completely collapsed i might to front ones to. i hear of people using parabolic sayingthe ride is more comfortable. the truck will be used mainly on roads taking me back and for from college and maybe light work around farm and maybe pulling a cattle box in future but wont be used much for first year as the insurance will be to high so probs just insure for few months then get a smaller engine car for a bit. planning on restoring more landys in future to so not sure if i would keep this on or not (its a petrol to not diesel )
 
AndyTheLandy(Tom) said:
hi i am restoring a series 3 ready to use as my first car when i pass my driving test, its rear leaf springs need replacing as ones it completely collapsed i might to front ones to. i hear of people using parabolic sayingthe ride is more comfortable. the truck will be used mainly on roads taking me back and for from college and maybe light work around farm and maybe pulling a cattle box in future but wont be used much for first year as the insurance will be to high so probs just insure for few months then get a smaller engine car for a bit. planning on restoring more landys in future to so not sure if i would keep this on or not (its a petrol to not diesel )
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The ride probably will be more comfortable, and that isn't a vehicle that has a huge classic value, so keeping it all original is not going to make you a fortune.
It sounds like you won't be doing huge mileages, or keeping the vehicle very long.
So all in all, I think I would just buy on price, which I suspect will mean standard springs.
 
I fitted para's to my 109 maybe 15 yrs ago now, well impressed with the ride comfort.
Got mine from British springs in Shropshire, don't know if they are still going though.
 
They don't lower the towing weight, basically they give a 2" lift with a softer ride the only draw back is your tow ball will be slightly higher for hitching a trailer to but with them being a softer spring the trailer will pull the weight down slightly where as std springs won't as they are too stiff :)
 
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If you have to change the springs anyway, I would advise changing to parabolics but I'm not convinced they are any better than well maintained original springs. In fact if you use the landy for carrying heavy loads, I reckon original is better. Make sure you get a decent make.

Col
 
cornish rattler said:
They don't lower the towing weight, basically they give a 2" lift but a softer ride the only draw back is your tow ball will be slightly higher for hitching a trailer to but with them being a softer spring the trailer will pull the weight down slightly where as std springs won't as they are too stiff :)
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ohh right okay that should be fine then
 
I think you need to be careful to get decent parabolics. I ended up getting standard springs which I am in the process of fitting to mine but the research I did on parabolics was that if you are not careful to get reputable ones they do not age well and sag badly. This also means that to get decent parabolics you have to spend a lot of money. As you are potentially not keeping it long term I would fit standard springs as they are cheaper, do not make that much differacne to day to day driving and will not detract from the value or sale-ability of the vehicle in the future.
 
In your situation I would go for std springs. They work fine, are cheaper.and you don't have to do a lot of research on which suppliers are good and which don't last. I run std springs and the ride is hard but I also tow and carry stuff and so I appreacite the stiffness. As a hard top with a roof rack and no anti-roll bar I get more than enough body roll on stiff std springs, I would not want more even if the ride was softer.
 
Colthebrummie said:
If you have to change the springs anyway, I would advise changing to parabolics but I'm not convinced they are any better than well maintained original springs. In fact if you use the landy for carrying heavy loads, I reckon original is better. Make sure you get a decent make.

Col
Click to expand...

Yeah probably better if constantly towing or carrying heavy loads but if or when the load is removed the std springs will be too stiff and the std springs them self's are a lot heavier than para's :)
 
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