New suspension For Defender 90

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Will96

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Hello there, I am looking at upgrading the suspension on my 2010 Defender 90, something that will improve the ride on-road and will also help off-road. I use my vehicle mainly on-road although I do a bit of light off-roading. I am currently looking at the Terrafirma All Terrain Suspension with a 2 inch lift (medium load). If anyone else has this suspension: Do they better the on-road driving in addition to off-road? Or if you have changed the suspension to something else and it has improved driving please put what it is,

Thanks.
 
Land Rover developed the Defender suspension to be the best all round compromise for road, off road and towing, the standard set up is the best you will get for a mix of driving, lifting and altering the set up may make it better for more extreme off road but it will be at a cost to normal road use.
The one easy thing that will improve off road ability is better treaded tyres.
 
I would agree with the above, the best compromise is an OEM suspension set up. To improve road handling you can fit lowered springs and stiffer shocks, but offroad performance will suffer. Improve the suspension travel for off road use and on road will suffer. Land rover spent a lot of time on r&d finding the best compromise. The only thing I would consider changing are the shocks although I run OEM shocks and previously ran standard britpart, which are also very good, I know people on here have fitted adjustable shocks which have reportedly improved things. A quick search should pull up the thread.
 
Not all tdci's were fitted with anti roll bars so check if you have them or not. Fitting them would be a good upgrade. I believe factory fitted coil springs were standard or heavy duty depending on what the customer wanted. Again check which you have, changing from standard to HD would also be a good upgrade. Coil springs are colour coded to identify the type - do your research.
 
Bit of info attached. The chart calls the anti roll bars "stabilisers" because its from an NAS manual.
 

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  • Land Rover Defender MY07 Workshop Manual Complete (dragged).pdf
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dag019 said:
I would agree with the above, the best compromise is an OEM suspension set up. To improve road handling you can fit lowered springs and stiffer shocks, but offroad performance will suffer. Improve the suspension travel for off road use and on road will suffer. Land rover spent a lot of time on r&d finding the best compromise. The only thing I would consider changing are the shocks although I run OEM shocks and previously ran standard britpart, which are also very good, I know people on here have fitted adjustable shocks which have reportedly improved things. A quick search should pull up the thread.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Think im going to wait until I get new wheels and tyres next year and get some uplifted suspension then.
 
Wimblowdriver said:
Not all tdci's were fitted with anti roll bars so check if you have them or not. Fitting them would be a good upgrade. I believe factory fitted coil springs were standard or heavy duty depending on what the customer wanted. Again check which you have, changing from standard to HD would also be a good upgrade. Coil springs are colour coded to identify the type - do your research.
Click to expand...
I would not necessarily agree that swapping to had will be an upgrade or improvement. It very much depends on usage. He is exactly that and is designed to carry heavier loads more of the time. You fit them to a vehicle that spends all its life empty and it will be a very jarring ride in which you will feel every bump. Put half a ton in the back And carry it around all the time and will ride nicely and be an improvement.
 
dag019 said:
I would not necessarily agree that swapping to had will be an upgrade or improvement. It very much depends on usage.
Click to expand...
Very true but heavy duty does not necessarily mean its also hard. My 90 has factory heavy duty springs and anti roll bars. It is not a hard ride, I would describe it as firm and sure footed. Mostly driven with just me in it and on roads. But occasionally it has to carry a full load from the builders merchant or pull a trailer and again it drives and handles well. In a nutshell its a factory standard suspension, and as others have noted LR knew what they were doing.
 
I fitted adjustable dampers to my 110 (and to my previous 90)
Both TD5
This noticeably improved the ride quality when set to the softest of the 4 positions.

They can be adjusted quickly if needed to make the suspension either standard, or firmer than standard.
 
Ive gota OME +40mm springs, HD on the front medium on the rear. With Koni HT Raid adustable dampers set to my kind of driving. On and off road.

Ride is brilliant miles better over standard, even though it is lifted. Even with the roll cage the body roll is minimal. No ARBs either

Off road no issues at all and the dampers soak up all bumps without issue.

Not a cheap set up but the quality and comfort is worth it. I do 350miles a week on mixed country lanes and mway, also drive to spain and france often for some offroading. Its perfectly at home anywhere.

Land Rover also built and sold cars that leak water and oil inside and out. Questionable assembley with body pannels and a whole host of other issues. I wouldnt be using LR as a benchmark at all :p considering damper tech has moved on from 1980 :p:p
 
I think adjustable dampers are the way to go. The Terrafirma ones are about £300 a set.
You can buy standard length and various longer ones for lifted suspension.
Obviously the Koni ones will be better if you can stretch to them, so long as they do them in standard lengths.
 
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