Suspension settings for towing?

Having just started towing a caravan (with our Defender 110 TD5) l could do with some advice on a few things.

Firstly rear tyre pressure, currently at 38psi
Also damper settings. l've got 4-way adjustable dampers. l had them on second firmest settings but the ride seemed quite hard.

Springs are standard. Well, standard Puma 110 springs.

The caravan is a fairly small one, weight 1,000kg

Normal tyre pressure and try softening the dampers for better ride, this would also be kinder on the van drawbar as landy travels over the lumps and bumps in our roads. Defenders are pretty much set right for towing as standard.

Never had adjustable dampers, but i would say too firm isn't what you're looking for, you want a nice smooth tow, so it would depend on how the 110 is loaded. Can you adjust compression and rebound?

No just the four settings

Second setting is "normal" and there's a softer setting and two harder ones.

lt does make quite a difference if you change the settings.

"Soft" gives a better ride quality but the suspension tends to bounce on bumps if you try to drive it fast.

Hi lightening having towing stuff my self inc a 2.6 ton trailer regularly I’d say your pressures are spot on, my landy is exactly right the sane as yours except it’s a van, I have terriferma springs and shocks ( standerd height) and hardly know the trailer is on the back even loaded at them pressures, yours is single axle so just take it steady that’s all I’ll say, act like it’s a 3 tonne trailer, people may say otherwise but that’s my experience towing loads of different trailers over the years

Can’t recall the official figure. But your drawbar nose weight should only be a max of 150-175kg normally. And probably less with such a light caravan. Ie very little of the trailers weight should be on the rear suspension of the Defender.

Thank you for the replies.

The nose weight is around 80kg (we bought a gauge)

The small caravan tends to bounce forwards and backwards a bit and it's a swine to reverse.

But the Defender tows it fine and there's not even a hint of instability.

What you don't want is really hard suspension sending socks through the towbar.. ie hardest setting, empty landy, no give in the tyres. Caravans aren't built for it

I found that an old set of Disco 1 rear coils on my 90 were perfect for towing, they are progressive so soft ride when unladen and also give a little lift as well, maybe you could get progressive springs for the 110 ?

It's definitely an idea.

The Landy is loaded up when towing, with bikes and other caravan gear but the total weight isn't that much, maybe 60kg

landowner said:

I found that an old set of Disco 1 rear coils on my 90 were perfect for towing, they are progressive so soft ride when unladen and also give a little lift as well, maybe you could get progressive springs for the 110 ?

Click to expand...

The Puma springs are supposed to be progressive.
Unless someone knows better!

The ride quality is great under normal driving, l obviously made a mistake setting the dampers to "firm" when towing the 'van.

l still think the rear springs could be softer, but l don't want to raise the ride height, which causes problems changing the springs because softer springs tend to be longer and raise the ride height when the Defender is not loaded.

l spent ages going through the various options with regards to springs, and ended up going standard Puma 110 SW

Just been away again, left the suspension dampers on soft, much better, less clunking and banging about, and all the plastic plates still in their racks when we got home.

A little more bouncing (pitching?) on the caravan but nothing to be bothered about.

"Elsa" The Defender will sit at 60mph up hill and down dale with the caravan, l am really impressed with her.

She's running a mild remap, around 25% apparently