New check straps too short? 2A 88"

My new check straps are too short when offered up on my 88" 2A with the rear on axle stands and new parabolic springs fitted. They'd need to be about 4" longer just to get the holes to line up and sit tight round the axle casing.

There were no check straps at all when I got it, so I've got nothing to compare these new ones with. The new ones are 32 3/4" and the holes are already in them.

I ordered by part no. 237100, as per Series II parts book. Mine is a 2A, not a 2, but I don't expect that to make any difference.?

Have I ordered the wrong straps? Is there a knack to fitting them and/or stretching them? With the motor sat on axle stands, I'd expect the check straps to hang a little loose so it has room to chuck the tub up and way on a rebound. So too short definitely seems wrong.

Cheers.

Are your axle stands under the chassis, or the axle ?

Under the axle, so same as being on its wheels. Sorry bit misleading to mention the stands.

What shock adsorbers are you fitting?
Most modern ones have stops in to prevent over extending so check straps not needed.
Originals could fall apart if over extended.

The old shocks are going back on as they are not leaking - they look standard to me.

I'd like to fit check straps as I'm trying to restore things as original as possible within reason and where it doesn't cost too much to do so.

I am just wondering if the new parabolic springs have given you a little bit of a lift and that's why the straps don't fit. Or I could be talking a load of arse!

LordOWar said:

I am just wondering if the new parabolic springs have given you a little bit of a lift and that's why the straps don't fit. Or I could be talking a load of arse!

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I'm sure they've given me a bit of lift over the rusty old leafers that were on it. I'll try the shocks for fit. If they go on about mid-range give or take a couple inches as it's sat right now it looks like it'll be within reason. If I can't get the shocks to extend far enough to fit it will make sense the straps seem 'too short'. I'll report back when I've checked. Didn't occur to try at the time probably because it didn't look overly high once the new parabolics were on.

Plan B hatching is to get some belata belt like they use for stationary engines and make my own. Suggestion by @rob1miles in another thread. Would still like to know why these BritPart straps for a series 88" Land Rover do not fit my series 88" Land Rover though. Perhaps same reason their fuel tank didn't fit..

You have answered you own question ....BritPart

Yes I noticed that other thread suggesting to make your own. I have bought some to replace the scabby ones on mine but as my landy is currently residing in my mums loft, garage, drive, greenhouse, down the side of her garage and a few misc parts are in my garage so it may be a while before I get to check them. I didn't go for parabolic springs on mine and just got the standard leaf springs and dampers.

I've found two causes to the problem.

I ordered two RH check straps, thinking it meant RH drive. I couldn't see why that would make a difference but it didn't occur to me at the time the axle casing is different on RH and LH sides either. When I tried the RH strap on the LH side, it was very obviously too short. Tonight I tried it on the RH side where it's meant to go and it's only a bit too short, but not as much as the other side. It's still a bit too short, I think, because of the new parabolics I've just fit giving it some extra lift over what's normal from leaf springs.

I've ordered some balata belt to make up my own with to the length I want. I don't know if I actually need different shock absorbers with the paras or not. Thoughts anyone? Current plan is to jack the chassis up to just below where the shocks top out and measure out how long the strap needs to be to hit the axle at that point, being the limit of what I would want to articulate to. I'm not planning to do any serious off-roading so I'll be conservative with the length and ensure that rear flexi isn't pulled tight. How does that sound to our experts here?

Not an expert but I'd drop it off stands put some weight in back and see if RH strap fits would think the springs would need to settle a bit with use...just a thought..

By expert I just meant everyone compared to me! ;D Well you make a good point Shippers, they probably will settle a bit. That said the length the straps should be each side based on the point I want them to hit the axle won't change. Whereas if I worked out what they should be by unloading and measuring to have a certain amount of slack beneath the axle case then when the paras settled I'd find my straps were too slack.

My check straps are extended for the parabolics. Similar material just rivetted to the end of the old strap.

You don't need them though these days as modern shocks have internal stops

scottonthefen said:

The old shocks are going back on as they are not leaking - they look standard to me.

I'd like to fit check straps as I'm trying to restore things as original as possible within reason and where it doesn't cost too much to do so.

Click to expand...

If you are running parabolics you may want to upgrade your shocks. Stocks ones probably won't like it over rough ground/prolonged use. They simply aren't designed to work as hard, as a traditional leaf doesn't move much. Assuming you have bought the correct spring rate parabolic, it will allow the suspension to move a lot more and effectively over heat a stock shock.

As for the check straps? Wouldn't bother, people usually took them off. As you are running parabolics, they don't really serve any practical purpose. If you want to fit them, jack up a wheel at a time to compress the suspension, they should fit then. But if they are going to be fitted while the suspension is compressed, I suspect they won't do much for ride, handling or off road ability.

Std multi-leaf spring get their damping from the damper and the friction between the leafs. The dampers are visous - ie stiffness goes up (roughly) as square of speed, the leafs are friction - it stays constant. That's why leafs are so poor at speed bumps as there is a lot of friction to overcome but great at heavy loads going slow as the friction stops a lot of body roll. Paras work in a differnent way, they move more, damp less and give a lot more body roll. In my view changeing to paras is a major modification that requires changes to damping, geomentry and driving style. The std set up is designed as whole to work with the std dampers plus the spring friction. I get why paras make sense off road but I'm not persuaded such a big change makes sense for a "normal" working vehicle. My LWB does around 3000 miles a year, probably nearer 5000 this year, on std springs and std seats and (except for speed bumps which are literally a pain) it works fine. As a camper we carry a lot of weight in a trip and the std springs take everything we throw at them. I keep them oiled and wrapped and that gives a reasonable ride.