Sorry, I've searched, can't seem to find much on road comfort (perhaps unsurprisingly!).
My problem:
An '03 defender 110 double cab p/up, TD5, 100K on clock, almost all road use (it's not even scratched!). I've run it for the last 24K round France a couple of times, bit of Spain, used every day for work (100mile round trip)
In many ways, quite civilised compared to may last (90 with +2", terrafirma prosports, straightthrough exhaust, 33" wheels - knicked off the Drive.) BUT...
It does roll more (it's a pre antiroll bar model), and though the 110 doesn't suffer 'nodding dog' syndrome like the 90, it's on-road behaviour ought to be improvable. It's on standard tyre size, General Grabbers (32psi front, 35 rear), good turn in, someone's put poly bushes in rear trailing arms (whatever you call 'em) but not everywhere else (the rest of the set are in a box in the garage). Fairly modest procomp replacement dampers just before I got it
Mostly, though, I 'm dissatisfied with: a)suspension - bumpy corners, the front axle bounces a few times, sometimes the vehicle changes direction - on certain interesting potholes, at 50mph, the back end can hop slightly sidewise, pointing me elsewhere than originally intended by a few degrees.
Also, it does 'fall down' every pothole, bouncing and thumping along.
I know, it's a defender... but my question is: can defender suspension really not be improved upon?
Is it underdamped, or overdamped? - ride comfort on undulating but undamaged roads is fine. But potholes make the axle bounce a few times, which would sound like the axle was underdamped. But if the shocks were firmer, the springs would tend to be even less adaptive to the contour of bumpy roads.
I'm wondering whether, for my use (usually lightly laden, very rarely towing), I might be better with actually softer springs and see if I can get AR bars retrofitted to counteract roll? - or might progressive springs be a decent route?
I'm prepared to take a while investigating this, as it's non-urgent, but it seems to me that the standard criticisms of defenders' ride are justified. The 'one size fits all' agricultural suspension pays little more than lip service to comfort, but could it actually be tailored to suit?
Lastly, of course - even if it could, I wonder to what extent it could be made adjustable - I know that's what air suspension is supposed to be about, but I have a car with that, and I'm not a big fan,
My problem:
An '03 defender 110 double cab p/up, TD5, 100K on clock, almost all road use (it's not even scratched!). I've run it for the last 24K round France a couple of times, bit of Spain, used every day for work (100mile round trip)
In many ways, quite civilised compared to may last (90 with +2", terrafirma prosports, straightthrough exhaust, 33" wheels - knicked off the Drive.) BUT...
It does roll more (it's a pre antiroll bar model), and though the 110 doesn't suffer 'nodding dog' syndrome like the 90, it's on-road behaviour ought to be improvable. It's on standard tyre size, General Grabbers (32psi front, 35 rear), good turn in, someone's put poly bushes in rear trailing arms (whatever you call 'em) but not everywhere else (the rest of the set are in a box in the garage). Fairly modest procomp replacement dampers just before I got it
Mostly, though, I 'm dissatisfied with: a)suspension - bumpy corners, the front axle bounces a few times, sometimes the vehicle changes direction - on certain interesting potholes, at 50mph, the back end can hop slightly sidewise, pointing me elsewhere than originally intended by a few degrees.
Also, it does 'fall down' every pothole, bouncing and thumping along.
I know, it's a defender... but my question is: can defender suspension really not be improved upon?
Is it underdamped, or overdamped? - ride comfort on undulating but undamaged roads is fine. But potholes make the axle bounce a few times, which would sound like the axle was underdamped. But if the shocks were firmer, the springs would tend to be even less adaptive to the contour of bumpy roads.
I'm wondering whether, for my use (usually lightly laden, very rarely towing), I might be better with actually softer springs and see if I can get AR bars retrofitted to counteract roll? - or might progressive springs be a decent route?
I'm prepared to take a while investigating this, as it's non-urgent, but it seems to me that the standard criticisms of defenders' ride are justified. The 'one size fits all' agricultural suspension pays little more than lip service to comfort, but could it actually be tailored to suit?
Lastly, of course - even if it could, I wonder to what extent it could be made adjustable - I know that's what air suspension is supposed to be about, but I have a car with that, and I'm not a big fan,
