Parabolic springs

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A minor update from the manufacturer and distributer.

The rears are perfectly servicable apparently and the fronts shagged because the engine is 80kg heavier than the 2.25 the springs were designed for.

Should have a full set of GB springs early May.
 
Broomel said:
A minor update from the manufacturer and distributer.

The rears are perfectly servicable apparently and the fronts shagged because the engine is 80kg heavier than the 2.25 the springs were designed for.

Should have a full set of GB springs early May.
Click to expand...

I would still go for standard.
 
My own research suggests the 6 cylinder is infact the a similar (possibly less) weight than the old 2.25 diesel, but arguing is not going to get me anywhere.

The problem is i liked the parabolics whilst they worked, and i have recently been doing a lot of off roading and my concern is the standard leafs will not quite articulate as well?
 
I don't understand the connection between parabolic spring rates and axle articulation. If anyone can explain it I'd be interested.
 
I thought parabolic springs were so called because the spring rate increases non-linearly under load, so you get a parabolic graph instead of a linear one like with leaf springs. So as the load increases the springs becomes harder and harder to bend. This action is what smoothes out the peaks on a graph and gives the smoother ride. That's my understanding, which is why I don't understand how they help axle articulation - if they get harder and harder to compress as they are loaded more and more, they would be harder to articulate to larger angles - i.e. leaf springs would articulate more, easier. But that's just my understanding, I'm low on actual experience so could well have it wrong in my head. o_O

That said you could be right. A 9 leaf parabolic spring vs. a 9 leaf leaf spring would be as I described above, but surely 2 springs would articulate more for less force than a regular 9 leaf spring, despite the non-linear action. Yeah you're probably right.
 
Broomel said:
My own research suggests the 6 cylinder is infact the a similar (possibly less) weight than the old 2.25 diesel, but arguing is not going to get me anywhere.

The problem is i liked the parabolics whilst they worked, and i have recently been doing a lot of off roading and my concern is the standard leafs will not quite articulate as well?
Click to expand...

IIRC, 6 cylinder is about the same weight as a diesel. My 109 was Perkins engined, a much heavier engine than either.
And I drove it for thousands and thousands of miles off road, on standard leaf springs, no issues at all.
 
Broomer,
I just noticed your weight post after i posted the other thing.
My jeep originally was 2.25 and now 2.5 turbo 200 with 300 box.
Would this have added a good bit of weight.
Would i need to bear this in mind when buying springs?

Many thanks...
 
Last edited:
I know know nothing about this as only got 88 a few months ago, i am hoping to be guided here.
I actually bought two Land Rover Series 2 & 2a 88" SWB Front Bearmach Parabolic 2 Leaf Springs
yesterday and the seller cancelled as not in stock, they did mention flattening which led me to the experts here.
What would the members here advise?
Also i never heard of greasing springs, can i ask how is this done?
I greatly appreciate any advise as to which type to buy and what to avoid.
This jeep will literally be doing no work and is really a "man toy"
 
First thing,do not call it a jeep:eek: Landy,truck or barsteward thing will do.Call it a jeep and no one will talk to you.
Easy way to grease a standard spring is jack up the body so the leaves open and use a can of spray grease.
Parabolic's have separation pads and need no grease.
 
tottot,
Thanks for good advise re "landy" i should have known better, also thanks for info re grease.
I am leaning towards ordinary springs principally on what i have read here.
Hopefully i will be forgiven and someone will give me the advise i need.
Regards...
 
scottonthefen said:
So the springs don't come into it then?
Click to expand...

They do, the spring rate controls how hard or soft the ride is, and how much the axle will articulate between the upper and lower limits.
But the ends of the axle travel cannot go further than the bump stops and the limit straps.
And if the axles go further than that, perhaps because the straps have been removed, it may damage the shock absorbers.
 
I think the point about axle articualtion and paras is that the paras deflect more at light loads and so you get a softer ride un-loaded (as most Series are now driven) and most off roading is done with a very light load. Std multi leafs can only give the same travel unless the ride height its changed, but at low loads they are very stiff so there is less articualtion (bad for those who want it) but less body roll in corners which suits me as my camper has a lot of wieght up high. The key is that damping with multi leafs is a combination of the hydraulic dampers (ie rate dependent) and friction between the leafs which is linier. The friction damping makes the ride hard at low loads but also allows for signficant overloading without damage, paras have a lot less friction (a single leaf has none). If you want axle articualtion then you want body roll which I don't as I'm 99% on the road, the alternative is variable rate anti-roll bars as on RangeRovers, but that's very complex. The other issue is that the weight distribution is very uneaven on a series as the front is mostly the engine and passengers so it hardly changes, the rear changes hugely with load so its a compriomise, my personal opinion (worth very little, you have been warned) is that paras are a fad like TDIs and it will all pass in time along with bug deflectors, vinyl roofs, sun strips and 8-tracks.
 
Rob,
Lots of good info there, i am lucky i found this before i bought.
Can you or anyone else here direct me to where i can buy good quality leaf springs online?
There are options on eBay but because i am new to the "landy" game i do not what best to buy.

Many thanks...
 
rob1miles said:
I think the point about axle articualtion and paras is that the paras deflect more at light loads and so you get a softer ride un-loaded (as most Series are now driven) and most off roading is done with a very light load. Std multi leafs can only give the same travel unless the ride height its changed, but at low loads they are very stiff so there is less articualtion (bad for those who want it) but less body roll in corners which suits me as my camper has a lot of wieght up high. The key is that damping with multi leafs is a combination of the hydraulic dampers (ie rate dependent) and friction between the leafs which is linier. The friction damping makes the ride hard at low loads but also allows for signficant overloading without damage, paras have a lot less friction (a single leaf has none). If you want axle articualtion then you want body roll which I don't as I'm 99% on the road, the alternative is variable rate anti-roll bars as on RangeRovers, but that's very complex. The other issue is that the weight distribution is very uneaven on a series as the front is mostly the engine and passengers so it hardly changes, the rear changes hugely with load so its a compriomise, my personal opinion (worth very little, you have been warned) is that paras are a fad like TDIs and it will all pass in time along with bug deflectors, vinyl roofs, sun strips and 8-tracks.
Click to expand...

Quite right. Best way to improve ride in an empty series is put a quarter ton of sandbags in the back.
 
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