Hello all, suspension has been covered from many angles before, but I can’t find the info I need. I’m looking for bushes, suspension and shocks recommendations to soften the ride for general use. No real off-road use required and no heavy towing, so it’s about comfort when lightly loaded. Most threads I read all mention off roading / towing / road driving balance / compromise. I also have steering wobble at low speed and also at 45-50 so I need to sort that out and I have vague steering generally. Last MOT by PO had steering linkage ball joint slight play at drop arm. Would that cause my issues? I’ve also seen the adjustment videos at the power steering box - I can rotate the steering linkage quite a lot so I guess that might be the low speed issue? Cheers.
Steering / suspension ideas
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Anaconda
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The ujs on the shaft going to the steering box can cause issues.
Any of the ball joints on the steering arms can also cause a problem, actually anything can (saves listing every thing!).
You can get an "oem" Bush kit for not a massive amount of money, or you can get different rated Polybush kits, I imagine you can get softer springs and shocks.
Any idea what you have at the moment?
Is a stock ride so bad? I think that many people buy uprated or heavy duty and just ruin the ride quality thinking the parts last longer.
OME seem to get reviews for shocks and springs.
Any of the ball joints on the steering arms can also cause a problem, actually anything can (saves listing every thing!).
You can get an "oem" Bush kit for not a massive amount of money, or you can get different rated Polybush kits, I imagine you can get softer springs and shocks.
Any idea what you have at the moment?
Is a stock ride so bad? I think that many people buy uprated or heavy duty and just ruin the ride quality thinking the parts last longer.
OME seem to get reviews for shocks and springs.
Not sure what’s on there but the ride is a little hard and bouncy. I’ll have a good look to see any markings. It’s not the first time OME has been mentioned. Also Bilsteins seem to get decent reviews, less so Terrafirma, but like I say, I won’t be carrying heavy loads or towing anything hefty. I looked at the joints on the steering shaft and they didn’t seem to have much play, but the whole thing rotated a lot into the steering box, which I hope is adjustable. Video says Jack the front up, so I don’t know if the allen head adjustment screw tightens things up at the output side of the steering box?
v8250
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I have the following set-up and it gives a very good, positive steer feel without any harshness.
1. SuperPro Poly bushes all round including A frame
2. Std ride height/rate Land Rover Ninety springs
3. Std ride height/rate Terrafirma dampers
4. OME steering damper
5. Gwyn Lewis Sumobars to front
6. Gwyn Lewis HD rear railing arms
When time comes to change the Terrafirma's I'll be trying the OME std dampers for comparison.
1. SuperPro Poly bushes all round including A frame
2. Std ride height/rate Land Rover Ninety springs
3. Std ride height/rate Terrafirma dampers
4. OME steering damper
5. Gwyn Lewis Sumobars to front
6. Gwyn Lewis HD rear railing arms
When time comes to change the Terrafirma's I'll be trying the OME std dampers for comparison.
tottot
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You do not say the year/model truck you have.
First thing sort that ball joint on the drop arm.
Still wobbles check all other ball joints on link rod and track rod.
Steering box adjustment has to be done with the wheels set straight ahead only [important] Free nut holding allen key, turn clockwise until contact with internal rod, turn back a tad [one flat] so there is no load on it. Do up nut being careful not to move the allen on any.
First thing sort that ball joint on the drop arm.
Still wobbles check all other ball joints on link rod and track rod.
Steering box adjustment has to be done with the wheels set straight ahead only [important] Free nut holding allen key, turn clockwise until contact with internal rod, turn back a tad [one flat] so there is no load on it. Do up nut being careful not to move the allen on any.
tottot
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I do not know why folk think towing trailers need up rated shocks or spring or brakes, its the trailer that carries most of the load and does the extra braking required for the extra weight. What NEEDS to be correct is the down load on the drawbar of the trailer, it will not be a lot of the total weight carried [ each trailer will be different]
Hi @tottot, thanks for replying - it's a 90 Hardtop (slowly turning into S/W
) 2004, running Cooper Discoverer STT Pro 265x70xr17 sat on KN Predator 17" alloys. Do I need to jack the front so the wheels are off the ground when adjusting the allen key and will it lessen / eliminate the play in the steering shaft, or does it only adjust something on the output side of the steering box? Also, psi all round are only 28 ish, which is too low, even if not towing. I wonder if the PO was trying to compensate for hard suspension set-up? I was thinking 30+ front and 35+ on rear? Cheers.
tottot
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Having driven my Ninety over 30 years and had different set ups have decided the standard springs with the standard Armstrong shocks is fine for general use. Mine is farm off road, towing and general run around.
Maybe it's more relevant when people go offroading - which i won't be (nothing serious anyway).
tottot
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No, above most important on the road, you do not want the tail wagging the dog.
tottot
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Also fan of Cooper Discoverer, adjust box wheels on the ground straight ahead.
It will eliminate play in the steering box internals but only in the straight ahead position. Do not be tempted to do more than instructed. It is not possible to eliminate all play in the wheels turned position, nor does one need to.
If play in steering rod up to steering wheel then that is another issue. If output shaft on the steering box drop arm has side to side play that is another issue.
It will eliminate play in the steering box internals but only in the straight ahead position. Do not be tempted to do more than instructed. It is not possible to eliminate all play in the wheels turned position, nor does one need to.
If play in steering rod up to steering wheel then that is another issue. If output shaft on the steering box drop arm has side to side play that is another issue.
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The standard springs seem OK for most situations and not too uncomfortable. If you're after a 1970s American land yacht experience, the Land Rover isn't the best choice of vehicle, but otherwise they're not too bad. A steering shimmy at a specific speed might also be related to wheel balance too. It's possible to get the handling to feel quite precise on a Land Rover, provided all the relevant components are reasonably fresh. As well as all the bushes, I've found the biggest improvements in handling 'feel' occur when I replace the steering swivel bearings. Even though they don't get loose, after a few years the rollers tend to indent the races in the straight ahead position, which leads to an unpleasant floaty, imprecise feel on the motorway. New bearings top and bottom each side and it immediately becomes much better. I consider ball joints to be wear items and tend to put new ones on every few years anyway.
many thanks. Do you run anti-roll bars?
tottot
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No, unless you are doing many winding main road miles I do not see the need on a SWB truck.
Different for a CSW that may have several people onboard.
Anaconda
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I fitted front and rear anti roll bars to my 90, it does make a fair difference. I didn't like it at first, steering is more direct, got used to it quite quickly though.
Won't fix any problems though, obviously.
Won't fix any problems though, obviously.
Thanks for the comments, I’m not expecting a limo and I’m prepared for the routine expenditure to keep things tight.
