Defender 90 Suspension problem

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garetharcher

New Member
Posts
27
Location
Northamptonshire
Hi there. I've had my landy for about a month or two and im loving it but i've noticed that the back right of the car is dipped about 2cm lower than the rest, its the not the tyre pressure or anything but it does make it weird to drive. Anyone had this problem? and know how to fix it


its had a 2 inch lift in the past but could someone tell me how to fix it please :)

Gareth
 
Fixing it depends what's wrong, and one end dropped a little couldbe anything from a box of tools left in the rear corner to a bent damper rod ....

I'd start by checking springs and where they locate, ARB's if fitted, shock fittings, all suspension bushes ....
 
garetharcher said:
Hi there. I've had my landy for about a month or two and im loving it but i've noticed that the back right of the car is dipped about 2cm lower than the rest, its the not the tyre pressure or anything but it does make it weird to drive. Anyone had this problem? and know how to fix it


its had a 2 inch lift in the past but could someone tell me how to fix it please :)

Gareth
Click to expand...

Put it back to std using Std OEM springs and Armstrong shocks. cost you less then £100 and will look like a proper landy then.
 
It's amazing how many people on this forum have bought spring kits that haven't sat level after fitting. I'm looking at uprating my rear springs soon. I'm thinking about buying matching springs rather than position specific springs.
 
To be fair they are all different lengths and the drivers side should sit more or less level when you are seated in the vehicle and half a tank of fuel. When out the vehicle the drivers side should sit slightly higher.

I fitted the longest softest springs land rover do in all four corners 3 inches taller than stock and 175Lbs/inch instead of 215Lbs/inch. After 4 years the drivers side is starting to sag (I'm a fat bastid) and the fuel tank is under my seat. My 90 was shimmed up using packers you get for Range Rover classics in the spring seats to make it level when I fittted the springs but now its sagging it doesnt really bother me I like my springs so I put up with it. Jai
 
hi all,
my 90 seems to sit a bit lop-sided no matter where or how I park up, after measuring the tops of each tyre to the bottom edge of each wing I found that the nearside front, and offside rear each measure five inches.
the front offside measures six inches
the rear nearside measures three inches

any ideas why there are these discrepancies, plus whats the best way, to sort them out.
I was told by the previous owner that the vehicle was raised onto 750 tyres some time ago.

regards leemar
 
leemar said:
hi all,
my 90 seems to sit a bit lop-sided no matter where or how I park up, after measuring the tops of each tyre to the bottom edge of each wing I found that the nearside front, and offside rear each measure five inches.
the front offside measures six inches
the rear nearside measures three inches

any ideas why there are these discrepancies, plus whats the best way, to sort them out.
I was told by the previous owner that the vehicle was raised onto 750 tyres some time ago.

regards leemar
Click to expand...

Worn springs, or springs are fitted in the wrong places, each is specific to where it is fitted. There should be coloured bands to identify the springs.
 
So whatyou are saying is that :

the drivers side front is 1 inch high, rear passenger side is 2 inches low. If the other corners are at 5 inches.

have you had the measurements taken when you are sat in the driver seat?
as mentioned beofre with half a tank of fuel?

Cheers
 
They often sit a little unevenly. Some brands of replacement springs give you 'handed' coils that are supposed to go on a particular side, but others like Britpart don't give any indication. Once you've ruled out anything being abnormally worn, bent or twisted, it's possible to get a range of packers from e.g. Gwyn Lewis SUSPENSION to trim up the suspension so it's a bit more level. But do check there's nothing wrong with it first.
 
leemar said:
hi all,
my 90 seems to sit a bit lop-sided no matter where or how I park up, after measuring the tops of each tyre to the bottom edge of each wing I found that the nearside front, and offside rear each measure five inches.
the front offside measures six inches
the rear nearside measures three inches

any ideas why there are these discrepancies, plus whats the best way, to sort them out.
I was told by the previous owner that the vehicle was raised onto 750 tyres some time ago.

regards leemar
Click to expand...

You shouldn't measure from the wheel arches as the front are higher than the rear anyway so you will get a false reading. I have 20mm of packing in the rear just to make it look like it is sitting level but it isn't if that make sense.
 
thanks for the replies lads, I don't know when, or if any suspension works been carried out in recent years, vehicle came with a very extensive history going back eighteen years, but only one mention of a shock being replaced I did as suggested, i.e, half tank, plus driver, and was followed by a friend ( I do have one or two ) :D, and he said that everything looks level to him. but when standing on level ground, motor looks = to me = a little low on rear nearside corner.
thanks again for answers regards leemar
 
Yes, try and measure from the chassis or bumper - at least they're reasonably closely attached to the tops of the springs. The bodywork fit on Land Rovers is a bit approximate, as a lot of people doing rebuilds are finding out.
 
Brown said:
Yes, try and measure from the chassis or bumper - at least they're reasonably closely attached to the tops of the springs. The bodywork fit on Land Rovers is a bit approximate, as a lot of people doing rebuilds are finding out.
Click to expand...

Measure bump stop to axle clearance, acceptable measurements are listed in the genuine Landrover manual.

If the springs are even close to the limit, it is well worth replacing them, a new set of OEM springs is not a huge amount, and, if you replace the shocks as well, will make a huge improvement to the ride of an old landy.
 
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