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paddy555

New Member
hi, I'm new here and desperately looking for help. I have a 1998 defender 300 TDI. Chassis was total rubbish. Bought a Richards chassis and sent landrover away to have the chassis changed. It was done by 2 very experienced mechanics who work full time in landrovers. Also changed was the clutch and PAS box.
Landrover has now come home and is a nightmare. I can barely drive it for 5 miles without feeling ill and travelling as a passenger just makes me feel like a human shock absorber. I am suffering neck pain and pain through all my joints. When the landrover went away it was lovely, soft and smooth to ride and drive. Now it is beyond harsh. Another mechanic drove it for me and pronounced it harsh. It is also harsh to drive, changing gear is a bit like lurching I presume due to the chassis change as gear changing before was perfect as was everything else except a rusty chassis. The mechanic is helpful but not coming up with any ideas. Can anyone help please? any ideas what is making the ride so harsh and what could be done? So much harshness seems to be coming up through the chassis.
 
spoken to the mechanic who told me:-
no bush kit but individual bushes, polybushes (britpart). front and rear arm and rear of front arm had polybushes. Gearbox had 2 standard replacement bushes (not Landrover make ones). 4 rubber bushes into roll bars front and back and anti roll bar link on back. Only a few of the original bushes went back on many were useless. New standard shock absorbers front and rubber bushes. No springs, brakes done, new clutch complete kit and fork. Clutch master and slave cylinder. He did not replace back shock absorbers which are original to vehicle. They have a britpart label on them saying gas but when removed did not spring out. I hope I have got most of that right. Thanks for any help.
 
mechanic wonders if it is rear shock absorbers. Would they have a knock on effect to the ride in the passenger seat? He has also offered to replace the poly bushes with rubber ones if I ask for them. The mechanics cannot seem to feel the degree of harshness that I do. My series 2 had replacement chassis, same mechanics and no problems.
 
jamesmartin said:
shocks are knackered,have you tried rocking it hard by push /pull on roof rail,check tire pressures
Click to expand...
thank you. When it came back tyres were 30 all round. OH reduced them to 27 just to try and make it more comfortable. Will go out and try rocking it.
 
jamesmartin said:
shocks are knackered,have you tried rocking it hard by push /pull on roof rail,check tire pressures
Click to expand...
rocked it. Then rocked my identical 1998 defender TDI which is a beautiful ride. Very different. Mechanic coming tomorrow with shocks for the back. I think this could be well worth doing for a start. Many thanks.
 
it needs a good looking over while someone rocks it preferably suspension arms ,springs,shocks, roll bars etc etc
 
paddy555 said:
thank you. When it came back tyres were 30 all round. OH reduced them to 27 just to try and make it more comfortable. Will go out and try rocking it.
Click to expand...
I run mine with 28 psi in the front and 48 in the rear which works well for me.. I had yellow Polybushes fitted on mine when most of the rubber ones were shot. The ride was on the hard side but did soften up with time and now I don't notice any difference.I was driving down a track with the new polybushes and I actually stopped to check the tires. I thought I had a puncture. They have been on the vehicle now for about six years and are fine. Traversed rivers, crossed the Sahara, deep snow in the winter time. When they need replacing I will probably fit them again.
 
mikescuba said:
I run mine with 28 psi in the front and 48 in the rear which works well for me.. I had yellow Polybushes fitted on mine when most of the rubber ones were shot. The ride was on the hard side but did soften up with time and now I don't notice any difference.I was driving down a track with the new polybushes and I actually stopped to check the tires. I thought I had a puncture. They have been on the vehicle now for about six years and are fine. Traversed rivers, crossed the Sahara, deep snow in the winter time. When they need replacing I will probably fit them again.
Click to expand...
thank you for commentng, especially about the polybushes.
 
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