I have a rattle coming from the rear suspension on my 1989 Defender.
I replaced the rear springs at the same time as I changed the chassis.
According to the workshop manual there is an upper spring pad/isolator.
Mine are absent and I suspect that this may be the cause of the rattle.
Could someone please confirm that these are fitted.
Thanks.

No there is no upper spring pad/isolator/clamp on the Defenders but they were fitted to the Disco's and RR's.

There shouldn't be a rattle as the landrover should be sat down on and compressing the spring ?

If you have the rear anti-roll bars fitted then it is very unlikely that you will 'unseat' the rear springs, without the anti-roll bar it is possible - the unseated spring then rubs against the tyre making a "I must have picked up a twig or something" noise untill it rubs the tyre away and there is a very, very loud BANG - ask me how I know.

I have a 1990 Ninety, had it a long time, never had "isolation pads". As above re unseated spring and also check the shock/damper fittings.

Well……I found the rattle. It was a strange noise, more like two pieces of sheet metal contacting each other rather than a heavy clatter.
Anyway….the rattle came from the n/s front. By sheer luck I noticed that the shock absorber had no threads showing above the top nut. So after convincing myself that there was something in the fuel tank…..and removing it to find there wasn’t. I then tried to tighten the shock absorber nut….I couldn’t, it had unscrewed itself right of the thread leaving the shock absorber to rattle around in the turret…..causing a dull bell sound.
I can’t believe that the nut came undone as it’s safe nylock so I must have failed to tighten it……own goal!!!!
It’s funny how a fault at the front can emerge as a noise at the back.
Anyway…..no rattles now.