Land Rover Discovery Suspensions: Caster

[muskyman]

gone

 

[Lars70]

This is a Disco thread, but if anyone wants to see pics of what is done to an early Bronco front end to make it work (or at least what I did to make mine work) I can post some. Perhaps it would be instructive.

 

[michaelgroves]

LOL asking a question

you were questioning what he said plain and simple.

here let me make it clearer for you.

the pinion is higher then stock because of the lift, the caster is greater then stock for stability so that makes the tie rod that is in front on a bronco higher and closer to the housing....just like he said .

so he moved the panhard mount just as the guys with 3" plus of lift do with disco's RRC's that have redrilled the swivels.

can you picture that...go ahead and tell me its wrong, tell me its not the best fix, tell me I am mistaken or he is mistaken.

better yet ...just post up some pics of you with a tool in your hand:wings:

There, that was the only bit that I was missing from Lars' description. If the caster were back to stock, then the tie rod would have been in the original position, no?

My, you are an unpleasant little man.

 

[michaelgroves]

This is a Disco thread, but if anyone wants to see pics of what is done to an early Bronco front end to make it work (or at least what I did to make mine work) I can post some. Perhaps it would be instructive.

I'd find that interesting, yes please.

In recent days, this has got to be a bit more like the Pirate board, sadly! Do you miss it?

 

[Lars70]

If the caster were back to stock, then the tie rod would be in the original position.

The tie rod will be in the original position relative to the steering linkage, but not relative to the axle housing. By rotating the knuckles in my case or swivel balls on the Disco, you are rotating the tie rod back relative to the axle housing. In doing so, you create potential interference with other stuff on the housing (panhard rod mount in my case). It also has the effect of elevating the end of the drag link. That puts the drag link at a shallower angle. If you don't change the panhard mount on the axle, the two rods will no longer be parallel and you'll get bump steer. Ask me how I know...

 

[Lars70]

the bronco's front suspension is far from obsolete, infact it was well ahead of its time.

This is a good fix in that you still have the rubber bushing to isolate the noise from the passenger compartment. allthough the heim joints or urathane core johnny joints are not at all limited in flex as the stock bushings are, the noise transmission from them may be more then desired by a overland traveller might want to deal with.

Worth noting is that I was making a gentle tease at myself for pouring money into my nearly 40 year old truck. I'm very happy with it, and drive it all the time. Besides, in the college town where I live, chicks dig it, and this middle-aged guy will take all the strokes he can get.

And as for the Johnny joints, I worried as well about NVH transmission. One of the reasons that regular spherical rod ends (AKA "heim joints") weren't part of the plan. I was hoping that the urethane in the Johnny joints would provide some isolation, since it turns out that I obsess about keeping my Bronco semi-civilized. I was pleasantly surprised. No additional noise or vibration that I could discern. Mentioned only in case someone is curious about using them.

 

[michaelgroves]

In doing so, you create potential interference with other stuff on the housing (panhard rod mount in my case).

Hmm, yes, I didn't think of that. I will definitely need a picture

 

[Lars70]

some photos

..then it's time to go home. These three I took this afternoon. I'll post a few more that were taken at other stages of evolution.

 

[Lars70]

More

 

[muskyman]

gone

 

[michaelgroves]

No additional noise that I could discern.

If you have a Defender, fitting a pair of these cuts back the noise amazingly! Cheap too!

 

[Lars70]

last one

First pic in the last post shows a fixture I made for checking caster angle prior to removing the axle housing for "surgery". I used the same fixture with an angle finder to monitor how much I rotated the knuckle, and again on the other side to get them even from left to right. Compared to what I had to go through to change the caster, the Disco front end sounds like a pleasure.

 

[michaelgroves]

no if he cut and turned it enough to just return the caster to stock specs the tie rod would still move up and closer to the panhard/housing.

any time you rotate the knuckle that will happen.

see you dont really have a clue about this stuff.

Actually, I'm happy just to find out how it works from Lars. Thanks anyway.

 

[Lars70]

If you have a Defender, fitting a pair of these cuts back the noise amazingly! Cheap too!

I have handfuls of those things. Oh yeah. Back in the day my Bronco would've doubled as an acoustic torture device. It's less bad now.

 

[michaelgroves]

First pic in the last post shows a fixture I made for checking caster angle prior to removing the axle housing for "surgery". I used the same fixture with an angle finder to monitor how much I rotated the knuckle, and again on the other side to get them even from left to right.

Re-welding sounds like it must have been fun too! Making the jig must have been a big job. How accurate was the result?

And why the bit of weldery on the top of the kingpin?

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