Suspension/Bumper Pairing

[DevynsDad]

Okay, so I'm putting a set of Bilstein shocks and new Land Rover soft springs on my truck this weekend (along with EBC rotors and pads all around) and have a little more cash to play with than I thought I would. Does anyone have any experience running Bilsteins and OEM springs with an ARB brush bar or something similar? How about an ARB with a Warn winch?

I know Atlantic British doesn't recommend Bilsteins with "heavier than normal" vehicles, but does anyone have a good heavy bumper mounted with them?

I already have the shocks and springs, so please don't try to talk me out of using them

[Paul Grant]

I have Bilsteins on my Range Rover along with genuine Land Rover HD springs. They support an ARB bumper in the front with a MM 12K winch and an ARB bumper in the rear. I've been running the truck this way (the front at least) for over three years with no complaints or undue sagging. I even have a Brownchurch full length roofrack up top that gets loaded with camping gear and supplies with no adverse effect.

I don't think I'd go with genuine Land Rover soft springs if I planned on mounting a winch up front. With regard to the comment from AB about using Bilsteins with 'heavier than normal" vehicles, all I can say is "opinions are like...." I think you know what I mean. Call RN and they'll recommend the Bilsteins with HD springs specifically for "heavier than normal" vehicles.

[p76rangie]

I am not sure how you worked out what springs you purchased, but adding a bar and winch now will stuff up those calculations. That is, the car will sit lower in the front.

Landrover springs are nearly always the best option due to the range of lengths and ratings available. Most after market springs suppliers only over 2 or 3 to choice from, which may not suit your vehicle.

Ian

[p76rangie]

PS. I have a steel winch bar, dual batteries and a winch up the front of my classic. To cater for this weight I run Landrover "red" springs. Which from memory are 180 lb per inch springs and 16.3 inches long. If you want a more standard ride height, I think the pinks may be better. They are the same rating, but shorter by 0.4 inches. The reds are actually listed as a rear spring.

Ian

COLOR..............................RATE........... .......LENGTH

Yellow............................................ 138 psi.........................16.00"
Blue.............................................. .160 psi.........................15.50"

Green............................................. 160 psi.........................16.20"
Pink.............................................. .180 psi.........................15.90"

Red............................................... .180 psi.........................16.30"
Orange............................................ 180 psi.........................17.00"

Purple/Yellow..................................220 psi.........................15.50"
Purple............................................ .220 psi.........................17.00"

Purple/Orange.................................220 psi.........................18.00"
White............................................. .270 psi.........................16.80"

White/Green....................................270 psi.........................17.80"
Red/Yellow......................................320 psi.........................16.80"

Red/Blue.........................................320 psi.........................17.80"
Orange/Yellow (Defender R)............270 psi.........................16.80"

Orange/Blue (Defender R)...............320 psi.........................16.80"

[Zbb6]

Hi

I have Bilsteins 7100 series on my with heavy duty springs and a custom made front and rear bumper. I love those shocks they are great . Yours will work fine.

[Paul Grant]

The shocks will work fine but not the soft springs supporting the front end equipped with a bullbar and winch. It will ride substancially lower in the front and the springs will not last long. They are simply not cut out for all that extra weight.

[Disco Mike]

It has already been said, don't run with Rovers soft springs, especially with a winch and bumper.I wouls rather see you with a good hD set of OME springs to go along with your shocks.
Using factory springs means your truck will start to settle and loose easily an inch or more in the first year.
It is your truck and you need to do what works for you, good luck and let us know how it goes.
Mike

[p76rangie]

Factory springs do not sag anymore than normal springs. OME springs tend to be too stiff. You want to keep the springs as soft as possible if you use it off-road. If you mainly use it on-road, then heavier springs will give you better handling.

[sevenrover]

I am with mike, OME springs are made to be used off road, I wouldn't even consider running rover springs with a bumper. I have bilsteins with a Rovertym bumper and a Warn 9000i winch, and it works well with the Great Basin 3" OME springs.

[Paul Grant]

What??? Genuine Rover springs managed to get a Range Rover through the Darien Gap. There is not just one Rover spring or spring rate. Rover, as is pointed out in p76Rangie's post, makes a variety of springs at different spring rates. I'll agree that OME, Rover Tym, ect make very good springs for equipping a truck for off-road use but to blithely say "I wouldn't ever consider running rover springs with a bumper" is ridiculous.

[sevenrover]

Yeah, lets remember what year the darien gap expedition was....1970? yeah, I believe that they were using 2 piece coil springs. Between my buddies and I we have tried all the combos with Rover springs... And guess what?.... They didn't rise to the occasion... That is why I say that....

[p76rangie]

To suggest that OME springs are designed for off-road is a little concerning.

Most people judge their springs by the way they handle on the road. Just read many of the comments about springs on this forum. 98% of 4WD owners never take their vehicles on anything more serious than a dirt road. So if you were a spring retailer like OME, would you go for 98% of the market or the 2%.

OME have a very limited range of springs. They are a lot stiffer than what they need to be. This also applies to your big blues and whatever else you have over their. It is cheaper here to get your springs custom made to what you need rather than buy things like OME. The next best thing to having them custom made is having a large range like the rover springs where you can pick a spring that is very close to what you need.

Ian

[p76rangie]

PS. If you are after anything more than a 3 inch spring lift, you will not achieve it with Rover springs. But I am not sure why you would be wanting to lift your vehicle any higher than this with springs.

[Paul Grant]

Well guess what sevenrover, I have been running Rover springs on my '85 with an ARB bullbar, 12K winch, Optima Group 31 battery (61 lbs) for the last four years. The truck has been on an expedition to Canada carrying a full load on a full length roof rack as well as in the cargo area. The truck has also been loaded with firewood, feed, hay (both in the back and on the roof) and countless other items and the springs have never let me down. Say what you will but Rover HD and extra HD springs get my seal of approval for both work and play.

[sevenrover]

Well, it just boils down to opinion in the end, I wasn't ripping your opinion, I was just giving mine, you don't have to be so defensive about it. And in the end, I am guessing there is a miscommunication. I believe that disco mike and I were talking about lift springs, and since hardly any cars in OZ are modified like that, that would make sense to run rover springs. I mean, most cars in Australia are made to be durable, and get 900 miles out of a tank of gas.