Disco 1 Harsh ride

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mr glee

Active Member
Posts
372
Location
braintree
Checked all the ball joints and changed all four shocks (worn out) handling is much better but the ride is still harsh every little bump feels like a pot hole...pot holes feel like hitting a house brick can't hear anything banging or knocking but hard to hear over the dash and trim rattling done the same journey in the wife's golf GTi this has been lowered and stiffened up and the ride is much smoother.worn out springs?.
 
Checked all the ball joints and changed all four shocks (worn out) handling is much better but the ride is still harsh every little bump feels like a pot hole...pot holes feel like hitting a house brick can't hear anything banging or knocking but hard to hear over the dash and trim rattling done the same journey in the wife's golf GTi this has been lowered and stiffened up and the ride is much smoother.worn out springs?.

Are you sure there is actually a problem?

Bear in mind it is a landrover, with beam axles and big coil springs, you can't expect it to ride like an independent suspension car.

Have you driven many other D1s?
 
Checked all the ball joints and changed all four shocks (worn out) handling is much better but the ride is still harsh every little bump feels like a pot hole...pot holes feel like hitting a house brick can't hear anything banging or knocking but hard to hear over the dash and trim rattling done the same journey in the wife's golf GTi this has been lowered and stiffened up and the ride is much smoother.worn out springs?.

Tyre pressures, it's a fine art, 26psi front and 28 rear and see how you go.

What springs are you running at present?
 
Had this D1 for 7 years now I'm sure it was a lot smoother on the road and if it felt like it does now wouldn't have bought it.standard set-up Armstrong shocks original springs tyres 235/70 r16 atr's at 28 front 32 rear will adjust pressures later as car not here at mo same for the bushes which ones you referring to?.
 
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Had this D1 for 7 years now I'm sure it was a lot smoother on the road and if it felt like it does now wouldn't have bought it.standard set-up Armstrong shocks original springs tyres 235/70 r16 atr's at 28 front 32 rear will adjust pressures later as car not here at mo same for the bushes which ones you referring to?.

Have you changed the tyres lately?

Some have much stiffer sidewalls than others, even with the same size tyres.

And has the weight that you carry changed for any reason, for example removal of a roof rack, a winch, or seats in the back?
 
Had cooper atr's all round when I bought it rears have been changed (cheap atr's) since due to damage I'll find out what they are the fronts I believe are cooper atr's n/s/f is getting near the limit o/s/f half worn other than the weight it's gain in welded plates still the same.
 
Had cooper atr's all round when I bought it rears have been changed (cheap atr's) since due to damage I'll find out what they are the fronts I believe are cooper atr's n/s/f is getting near the limit o/s/f half worn other than the weight it's gain in welded plates still the same.

For optimal handling on a 4wd, you should really be using matched tyres all round, same make,same type, same wear, same size.
 
Are you sure there is actually a problem?

It's a Land Rover - I'm sure there is a problem :D

Had this D1 for 7 years now I'm sure it was a lot smoother on the road and if it felt like it does now wouldn't have bought it.standard set-up Armstrong shocks original springs tyres 235/70 r16 atr's at 28 front 32 rear will adjust pressures later as car not here at mo same for the bushes which ones you referring to?.

Bushes I refer to are your suspension bushes ... I.E, the metallistic ones ... which are probably past their best by now.

I have no experience of armstrong shocks. SWMBO has britpart on her 3 door = very good - I have Terrafirma on my 5 dr - I am not impressed.

Tyre pressures are a bit high at the front IME - try 26..... - rear is down to use / load - I run 34 because I do quite a bit of towing. Tyres are 245/70R16 BF Goodrich AT2 ( about a year old now ) ....

Tyre pressures, it's a fine art

Indeed it is - AKA PITA :mad: :D
 
For optimal handling on a 4wd, you should really be using matched tyres all round, same make,same type, same wear, same size.

+1 - specially the size - and make sure the wheels are all the same !! ..... There's a deafener locally running on mismatched tyres AND mismatched wheels - alloy and steel on the same axle :eek:
 
Tyre pressures, it's a fine art, 26psi front and 28 rear and see how you go.

What springs are you running at present?
On both this current D1 Tdi and the previous one on 245/70-16 tyres I never, (except in the bush), run on the road with less than 30 psi minimum, runs very smooth, handles nice, both sway bars removed, mild lift, std hydraulic shocks.
I'd check for failed wheel bearings, even one wheel with crook bearings will muck up the usual smoothness, been there, done that.
 
On both this current D1 Tdi and the previous one on 245/70-16 tyres I never, (except in the bush), run on the road with less than 30 psi minimum, runs very smooth, handles nice, both sway bars removed, mild lift, std hydraulic shocks.
I'd check for failed wheel bearings, even one wheel with crook bearings will muck up the usual smoothness, been there, done that.

The Coopers on road were 40psi off road 18psi, lining with in betweeny bits were 25psi.

I'm looking at panhard rod bushes and radius arms in prep for safety test post welding of course lol
 
I'd check for failed wheel bearings, even one wheel with crook bearings will muck up the usual smoothness, been there, done that.

Good call. Also, wheel bearings are so often adjusted wrong IME, it beggars belief.

OP:- The correct procedure is in RAVE - it requires some special tools ( I.E. a torque wrench - probably two to cover the range involved), but if done properly, the bearings will thank you for it by lasting :) ...

And, talking of bearings, Timken ONLY .
 
So I've had a look with a crow bar and get movement on both front radius arms I can move them up and down with my hand just a little and all the exposed rubber bushes front and back look like this.
IMG_20190514_071144.jpg
think I'm going to be busy next weekend.
 
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