ParaBollicks

Me mate on the response forum has just posted this query on there. So I said I'd cut and paste it on here for your expert opinions

hi there, right i have bought myself a series three that i am doing up, the first thing i need to do is changed the rear leaf springs and shockers whilst im at it as it sitting low at the rear.
the s3 had some new rear springs only a few years ago, and although they look flat they do seem in good condition!
not sure if its the shockers that are at fault or both.
so my thinking is do i change both to be sure or iopt for the shockers first?
second thought is, do i change the rear for parabolic and 2" extra long shocks( as suggested by paddocks) they also say i have to do the front aswell and do not advice on running standard at the front and parabolics on the rear!
is this the case? has anyone done this or can advice on this issue? what would you do. to change everything to pb springs with new shocks is 320 quid!!!!

can anyone give me any advice the best way to change these as i have never done this before. it does seem fairly simple, but im sure there are a few tricks of the trade or things to do to make it easier.
any advice on this would be great.
cheers

if it sitting low i would say springs possibly someone overloaded the truck and flattened them them out, i would recomend parabolic springs as a freind has a series 2a and they felt a hell of a lot better than the normal springs.

if you fancy a laugh drive the motor up the road with fresh pair of bollocks fitted but don't fit your new shocks .......... makes an interesting drive and helps settle the suspension



1, don't buy stuff from paddocks

2, you should fit pair of bollocks as a set

3, join up here

4 have a bacon sarnie

the shocks do not affect the hight!! why do people talk sutch bollocks. I have fitted just the back with no problem. the extra load of the engine tends to keep the springs moving

nope, shocks wont change the height, or make it look ****ed,

parrots bollox are ok if yer want to spend the money ,

dunt bother , get a good straight set of standard series springs, tap them to bits, grease every layer then put back together , be a right soft ride, makes the world of difference,

ere, i drove mine fer ****in miles with out shockers no probs ,

You must have working dampers on the car to be legal

You can remove the rear shocks on a std landy with 11 leaf springs and not be thrown from the road because of interleaf friction. This is a self dampening effect (like a friction damper) and means std shocks have a very weak dampening effect.

Std shocks on parabolik leaf springs will leave you being thrown around because the axle no longer has the full dampening required. If you crash you are at fault. You have already been advised and now advertised that fact here.

I do not see a huge problem with fitting just the rear springs as long as you have the right shocks to match. As a mech myself you must keep things the same on each axle as a minimum. This includes brakes, shocks, springs, tyres etc.

Std leaf springs that have been lubed before fitting will last a long time without flattening unless seriously abused. And they are sooo cheap right now.

The ONLY time a shock can effect ride hight would be if it is broken and jammed in a set position. I know I did it. If your shocks move they are not your cause of ride hight issue. Remember they are road spring DAMPERS !!!!!! Nothing else.

Special shocks are available these can be pressurized. Race shocks can use just gas pressure as a spring and other types will use gas pressure to adjust ride hight. A sinlge pair of these types of special shocks will cost more than a complete set of shocks and springs from paddocks or chris perfect!!!

For a really cheap fix you can try the following.

Jack up the vehicle and let the spring hang. Use a chisel to seperate the leafs and squirt oil and grease between the leafs. Go find some speed bumps and go play for a while. The springs will soften slightly and they will also raise just a little. It is possible the friction/rust stops them working properly. You should see rust bleeding from each leaf as it removes and cleans the rust away. If they are really rusty you are wasting your time.

The biggest mistake people make is to buy the weakest springs thinking they wil be the best ride and then complain about the ride hight getting lower. If you load your vehicle get a spring that is right for the job they will last longer.
Light duty paraboliks are made for pick ups and empty hard tops. Get the heavy duty if you have a county or load a hard top. If you are just off roading then buy the softest springs and adjust the ride hight with other methods.