What suspension on my 90 pick up?

I've got a 90 defender pick up - I own it purely because I want a landy in my life and it shares its life with 4 other toys. I decided that whenever it needed anything replacing, I would use the cheapest standard parts, to keep costs down. It's a rough looking ex-farm truck with not much going for it and the suspension is in a poor state (pitting on the shock rods and the shock casings have rusted away. Thinking it won't get through the next MOT, I thought I'd replace the shocks and springs.

Now as the car will need this doing on all 4 corners, should I go for the cheapest Paddocks do, heavy duty, or the yellow gaz kit they do with 4 HD springs and shocks? (all britpart I think?). I don't want lift kits as I don't really go off road. I use the vehicle for transporting stuff and towing my other toys when they break down. Anmy feedback very welcome.

Ive just ordered all new springs and shocks for my defender 90 truck cab (pick up), I didnt want to lift it, mainly due to reading various posts on here. Ive gone for standard heavy duty springs from Paddocks and pro comp es900 shocks all round.
I did quite a bit of reading before ordering and discovered that for heavy duty front springs on a 90 that you use standard defender 90 rears, they list heavy duty rears.
I was told paddocks springs are genuine, the website certantly gives that impression as all the springs are listed by part number with the exception of the britpart ones.
Doing a search on the forum will lead you to a list of springs against colour codes, thats were I found the info.
I belive the hd springs will give a very slight lift without causing any other problems, the new bits will also ofcourse refresh the ride anyway as the old ones are tired.
Mine is also a fairly rough looking 90, I'm gradually fitting a few bits as money allows.
Regards
Mark

Thanks Mark,

That's really helpful. Looks a bit more complicated than I thought. Let me get this right, are you suggesting HD springs on the front, but not the rears? My truck might very well have a ton of concrete blocks in the back from time to time, so this might be problematic!

steer clear of ****part

notlight said:

Let me get this right, are you suggesting HD springs on the front, but not the rears?

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No, youve misunderstood.

Heavy duty spring on the rear RBK101230 & RKB101240

Then for heavy duty front springs you fit standard 90 rear springs on the front ie NRC9448 & NRC9449

This is where I found the spring colour code info:
land rover spring specifications

If you look at the applications you will see the above springs are fitted as standard on defender 90 rear, but the as HD on defender 110 front.

Hopefully the guy who compiled the spring list will not mind me posting a link to it, its a great source of info.

Regards
Mark

Got it! Sorry, was being a bit thick! Good link that.....

Britpart really don't seem to have a good name on here do they!!. I will stick with genuine I think.

Cheers gents.

I'm hoping ive choosen right.
Really didnt want to lift it.
Hopefully the HD will be fine, I too avoided britpart after bad reviews on here.
Im going to try and take some photos and measurements before and after.
Parts ordered should come this week but wont get fitted till well after the weekend as I'm going to Peterborough show for the weekend.

Definitely let me know how you get on!

i have also just changed my springs all around but after almost 12 months of trawling and resurch discutions with land rover ect i chose to use 4 discovery 1 rear springs apx 1 in lift ntc8572

As a follow up, I've just got my springs and shockers fitted, also had new spring seats and retainers and new axle mounts welded on at the rear, with new spring retainer discs at the front (stainless ones) also some newish 2nd hand shocker turrets at the front.
I am very please with the result, it sits level and the ride is good, compaired to the old springs it has lifted it about 1 inch all around, although obviously the old set up had probably sagged over the years.
Regards
Mark

I picked mine up last week and guess what - Britpart!!! I was too desperate to return them, so have fitted them at the back. This of course leaves me the dilema of what to fit at the front, as the rears are Britpart HD (yellow), rather than standard HD. If I now fit standard 90 rears on the front, I will probably have a lower front end, so will probably ask for front HD.

just considering ordering some a kit from paddocks +2 hd with gaz shocks in the add they say standard hight shocks does this mean there same lengh as my original 1s? as i have standard oil filled britparts on at the moment 1 is leaking (fitted 6months ago) due to what i guess me being an idiot driver but if they say stanard height do i just get the springs and leave the exsisting shocks on ? thanks

notlight said:

If I now fit standard 90 rears on the front, I will probably have a lower front end.

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Dont worry, the ****part springs will sag to normal ride height in no time at all

Last month with some help from friends I fitted Britpart Standard Height HD springs and cellular dynamic shocks all round as the front springs in particular were sagging and not performing brilliantly.
They were easily fitted, no spring compressors were required, just jacked up the chassis and droped the axles with care. I have to admit so far I am impressed by them, but how they last over time will have to wait and see.

The new springs gave the front a gentle lift, levelling up with the back quite nicely.
For the first week or so they were pretty rough but have now bedded in nicely, and whilst the ride is hard the handling is much improved compared to the old springs, most noticably there is less body roll which is nice on roundabouts etc.

I would have thought fitting a 2" lift would definitely require matching shocks, as otherwise your existing shocks would presumably be operating incorrectly if you could even get them fitted with the 2" springs, although I am no expert on the matter.

If your serious about a lift I would have thought going for at least a spring/shock kit would be worth while, also bearing in mind any other factors (brake lines, additional transmission wear, handling etc). At the end of the day if you go mud plugging and the axles bottom out your still stuck, lift or not.