Parabolic springs

[Bigdog]

Is it worth upgrading to parabolic springs on my 1970 series 2a 109 ex military, thanks

[Wittsend]

... not really, though it might depend on how you might be planning to use the vehicle.

There's nothing wrong with a decent set of OE springs.

Parabolic springs are not the "magic" answer and won't make the vehicle handle like it was on coils 

[Bloke]

If the springs need replacing, then yes, I'd say it's a very worthwhile upgrade. They provide a slightly smoother ride and more noticeably to me, make the steering feel lighter.

GB Springs and Sanderson Springs come highly recommended (I believe they're the same product - someone more knowledgeable than me will confirm), as do Rocky Mountain, however RM currently do not have a UK distributor so importing them from Canada would be very expensive.

Tom

[Bigdog]

Think I have upgraded  springs for military use but not sure

[Bigdog]

They are just got surface rust on them as they haven't been used in a while, what's the best way to clean them up  , can I spray them with anything

[Alan Drover]

My Series 3 is on its second set. The first ones made by Chris Perfect were fitted about 20 years ago when they were a new item and the ride was more pliant. They've just been replaced with another set of British made springs from Dingocroft as the old ones were well and truly worn out.

[GHOBHW]

They are just got surface rust on them as they haven't been used in a while, what's the best way to clean them up  , can I spray them with anything

if you have a container large enough, lay them in a mixture of diesel and oil.

I had mine in a tub for about a year, until I got around to actually building the land rover, they were great.

I had the uprated version too, with the extra helper leaves. this was on an 88" and it made the backend so much better, for carrying and just usual driving. plus you can go over speed bumps at 40+mph and not break your neck.

my other has parabolics and you have to go over speed bumps at 5mph otherwise its very uncomfortable...will not go back to them in any hurry personally.

[Wittsend]

They are just got surface rust on them as they haven't been used in a while, what's the best way to clean them up, can I spray them with anything

A good wire brushing to shift as much surface rust as possible then paint/spray them with a 50:50 mix of diesel and old sump oil - repeated a few times each year. Same for OE leaf springs, but here you could splash out and spray motorcycle aerosol chain grease between the leaves when the vehicle is on axle stands (taking the weight off the spring pack).

[Serious Series]

My Series 3 is on its second set. The first ones made by Chris Perfect were fitted about 20 years ago when they were a new item and the ride was more pliant. They've just been replaced with another set of British made springs from Dingocroft as the old ones were well and truly worn out.

Alan do you have the part number for your springs from Dingo croft cannot find on there website.
I too have Chris Perfect springs been on since 2007 and one rear has gone flat between axle and front.

[Alan Drover]

ZZPWBLR001KIT Front parabolic spring kit with bushes and U bolts.
ZZPWBLR002KIT Rear with bushes and U bolts.
These are for an SWB.
I specified British made springs.

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

As the man says:

"There's nothing wrong with a decent set of OE springs."

With a caveat:

If your stock springs are seized solid, clearly any other spring will be better. If you're not going to go far, and they're seized, they will stay seized.... any other spring will be better. Replace these with ParaB and you will say they are an improvement. This will be true.

All this rather depends on you and how you use your springs. LR didn't intend them to be in the hands of limited mileage enthusiasts.

Remove the stiction between each leaf and stock springs work well enough. Daily use does this, weekly use maintains this. More so with grease or Denso tape.

If you're not using yours, your springs will not keep moving.

Most times, reports of improvements with paraBs will be comparisons against solid out-of-use springs. Most will choose to forget to mention they don't use them. Then the difference is night and day.  ParaB won't seize-up.

And... as the man says:

"There's nothing wrong with a decent set of OE springs."

Mine rides lovely, no different to ParaBs. If you use them. Thus 500+ miles, hit speed-bumps hard a few times, and two cans of motorcycle chain-grease.

There's a heap of pseud-science here. Ellipse or parabolic, when the spring moves, it'll be neither, only this all sounds good, and that's what counts. We rather hope they form an arc between two points. I buy things 'cos it says turbo on the box, and you do too.

 You pays your money.

[Wittsend]

SWB models are notorious for their bouncy ride.
Stick 4 mates in the back, or some cement bags and the ride improves.
A big winch and spare on the bonnet helps.

We're talking about a LWB model here and these ride really well when compared to SWBs.
The MoD used the LWB as the basis for field ambulances, fitted with anti-roll bars the ride over rough ground is quite smooth, albeit with body roll.

Land Rovers were envisaged and designed to be working vehicles, carrying loads, not for driving around empty with just the driver.

Parabolic springs generally raise the ride height by about 2".
Whilst this gives you more room to crawl underneath, the prop shaft angles will change slightly necessitating new props if they are old and worn. Same with shock absorbers, you need an upgrade.
So, it's not just the basic cost of the springs, you have to factor in the other bits you may need.
Which is why I suggest good OE spec springs are a good choice 
Your MoD vehicle may well have had so called "heavy duty" springs fitted.

You need to count the swing leaves to decide what you have - and/or post clear pictures up of the rear and front springs.

Bearing in mind if this is just to be used as a weekend classic car for recreation OE springs will suit you just fine.
The occasional green laning trip to get those axles articulating are good for working the springs, with the occasional painting of diesel/sump oil, or aerosol chain grease a few times a year.
If you are builder or logger and/or tow heavy trailers then a set of parabolics may suit you better.

Better if you can blag a ride in other vehicles with different springing to see how they ride - before you buy. But living where you do, that may not be possible.

[Craig T]

I helped a friend fit a set of Parabolic springs to his 88" series 3 many years ago, can't remember what make they were now, blue in colour.

They did work well coupled with Pro-Comp dampers but the biggest thing he noticed soon after was when towing and trying to reverse with a trailer at slow speed. He said it jumps and judders so asked me to give him a hand to change the clutch. I knew the clutch was pretty new and no signs of bellhousing oil leaks so asked him to recreate it with a trailer on the back while I watched from outside.

You could see the springs winding up, the nose of the diff going downwards then it would all spring back into place only to be repeated a few seconds later. Axle tramp I believe they call it. It did happen going forward as well but to a lesser degree for some reason.

Never did find a solution, he just learned to live with it. Never saw it before on the standard spring set.

Craig.

[rustynuts]

Anti-tramp bars were commonly fitted to high powered leaf sprung cars. They would probably restrict axle articulation too much for an off roader.

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

When left it's quite reasonable to get out of a Series LR with seized or near seized springs and have back-ache after 20 mins.  I'm convinced this creates the market for PB springs. And likely why this thread was started.

I've done this twice. With a chiropractor's dream for springs,  by 3-400 miles they're appreciably better. By a 1000 miles they're fine. That's not to say they give a Jag or Citroen a run for their money, yet they're more than acceptable. If anyone tells you PBs work without mention of running stock springs first, - as you would if you owned from new - and over a few thousand miles...I'd start to wonder.

On the other hand, if you don't intend to put them to real use, stock springs will seize, and PBs are a good solution.