SG Springs

Chucaro

Adventurer
revor said:
Nice talking with you tonight Arthur!! When I first mailed you I was finishing up your axles in the shop at a "balmy" - (that's minus!!!!!) 16 degrees C.

Hoping for better weather tomorrow!!! Did you see that "road service 130 for sale at the Pickles Auction? http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/51074-who-looking-300tdi-130-a.html

There's your truck!!! Well it's not an Isuzu but you'd be amazed at that little 300TDI

I got my springs!! They're pretty!! I figure to put them on this weekend if I can, that and My new Bumper from Matt, well and then there's all that work I need to finish for Pendy and a couple other products that need to go out... Rear shock mounts, front shock mounts, springs... All this and only two days about 40 degrees!!!!!
The boys in AURLO believe that the 130 can go to 40000 OziDollars which is crazy.
No way I rather get one old one and build it as I like it (with the Isuzu)
Have a look at http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/46194-my-county-progress-pics.html
for ideas. This fellow member is doing a great job.
Cheers
 

Andrew Walcker

Mod Emeritus
OK, putting the spings on this weekend. First Q, dead springs on top or the bottom for the front? Graham's running them on top and a picture on the SG website has the dead springs on the bottom (although the pic is of the rear springs). In addition the word on the trail is that SG fronts and rear springs were the same. Thoughts?
 

gjackson

FRGS
SG told me to put the dead links on the bottom. I put them on top for several reasons: easier to install, and when I had the deads on the bottom they collected a lot of dust and mud which was wearing off the coating and pitting the springs. Keep in mind that SG intended these springs for rockcrawling not overlanding. I consider my change for a good cause! :coffee:

cheers
 

Andrew Walcker

Mod Emeritus
Makes sense to me, thanks for the heads up Graham. I wonder what the difference, if any, in the ride of the spring being installed upside down is?
 

revor

Explorer
Got 'em on!! Took them for a test ride and they seem great! I have some noises to figure out (what did I forget) I think the 7100's might have loose ends. I'll gas up the shocks tomorrow and get a better feel. They are firm but keep in mind the truck is very light right now, the rear woodheads really need to be changed out now as it's bouncy in the rear.. The spring balance is nice though, medium duty OME's in the rear and these RTE/SG's up front. No vibes but I think I will do some RTE modded radius arms., not much return to center. Height at the sill right behind the front tire is 24" right in front of the rear tire is 25.5", perfect!
 

revor

Explorer
It's the heavier version Identical to yours I believe.

I'll be mounting a lot of "stuff" on the truck's rack considering it's mostly people hauling duty inside. The 110's siblings in 90" and 100" lengths are extremely front light, even the 110 seems that way but it's length of wheelbase helps to hide it.

I'm kind of approaching the resolution to this imbalance in the opposite manner than what migh be considered conventional wisdom by using a a lighter spring in the rear and a heavier one in the front. Mainly because of the people hauler designation.

I plan to add more weight to the front of the truck than to the back . A Winch of course, the tent up top will be forward on the rack, I'm even thinking that I'll extend the rack forward of the windscreen a foot or so. This moves the weight even further forward and allows more gear on the roof, I think I'd rather be top heavy towards the front where I can feel it's effects more sooner than later on an obstacle. Hopefully this will offset the low (down) weight in the rear (extra fuel and water behind the rear tires)
Additionally all those things below the roofline and behind the driver are variable, fewer people less fuel and water in the tanks(by consumption). That weight could be as much as 600 pounds if you add the dogs. 600 pounds of moving, sloshing, panting, complaining. That may have to get out when the driver decides he might roll the truck on a sidehill.

What about that variable weight behind the driver, loaded is the truck going to look like a tail dragger when it's loaded with people dogs fuel and water? I hope not. I've got plans about replacing that crazy Boge self leveling unit at the rear axle (which is still working) with an air bag. The idea is that if I can keep the front stable and heavy (ish) I can run with the lighter rear springs to have a nice ride when unloaded and adjust it up when loaded. Of course we'll make it automatic (but simple)

Hah!! Bet you won't ask a simple question again!!!!
 

sinuhexavier

Explorer
revor said:
What about that variable weight behind the driver, loaded is the truck going to look like a tail dragger when it's loaded with people dogs fuel and water? I hope not. I've got plans about replacing that crazy Boge self leveling unit at the rear axle (which is still working) with an air bag. The idea is that if I can keep the front stable and heavy (ish) I can run with the lighter rear springs to have a nice ride when unloaded and adjust it up when loaded. Of course we'll make it automatic (but simple)

Hah!! Bet you won't ask a simple question again!!!!


I am dealing with this problem now with my 96 Disco and I think my solution is to keep my RTE RR4's in the front at 2" but in the back I am going to upgrade to The RTE RR3's in the back at 3". I am hoping that the softer springs will compress to a level ride when loaded and be a little easier on the hardware when unladen. Should do this fairly soon so I will take measurements before and after loaded and unloaded for science sake.
 

revor

Explorer
For an FYI my spring height unloaded is 13.25" If I through a winch worth of weight up front I get 13". Before I got about 11.75" with the OME 751's With 764's I got about 12.5"

I will measure the springs on my Disco as well.

I am measuring the spring itself top to bottom..

For the rear on the 110 it is what it is because I don't feel the need to increase spring rate.. If it comes to needing more "starting" height in the rear I'll do it with air bags or spring spacers or a combination of both
 

overlander

Expedition Leader
revor said:
Got 'em on!! Took them for a test ride and they seem great! I have some noises to figure out (what did I forget) I think the 7100's might have loose ends. I'll gas up the shocks tomorrow and get a better feel. They are firm but keep in mind the truck is very light right now, the rear woodheads really need to be changed out now as it's bouncy in the rear.. The spring balance is nice though, medium duty OME's in the rear and these RTE/SG's up front. No vibes but I think I will do some RTE modded radius arms., not much return to center. Height at the sill right behind the front tire is 24" right in front of the rear tire is 25.5", perfect!

Keith, thanks for posting. so those measures are from ground to sill? what size tires do you have? I'm going to have to take measurements of mine to see what realized increase I would have.

also, you mentioned you have no vibration problems, which is encouraging. why do you feel you need to get cranked arms?
 

revor

Explorer
From Sill to ground I'm at 24 in the front and 25 in the rear. Measuring the spring in it's perch I get that 13" measurment. I'm running the 285/75-16 KM2 MT Goodrich on a 6.5" wolf rim, its a 33" tire. I figure once I start adding gear it will sag down an inch to an inch and a half. While the truck will mainly haul people there will things like a cage, invertor, extra battery,cabinetry and a fridge, so it's still going to gain weight.

Getting the cranked arms will help with the bushing pressure and allow more downward travel as well as helping to correct the caster angle a little bit as the return to center is now starting to go away and the truck is "just starting" to get a little twitchy at highway speeds. Certainly nothing that one wouldn't get used to and it is only slight.
I'm also figuring that the springs will settle in a bit after some use. Steve's intention was to have the dead coils sitting flat on each other for the first four or so winds, currently there is about .125" between the coils even with my "Wench" standing on the front bumper.
Hey I had to use something about 110 pounds to mimic a winch, what better to use than a Wench?
 
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