Thanks, I only seem to see it's imperfections but everyone tells me it's a great vehicle. It has come a long way over the years but one day I hope to do a full restoration, leaving the battle scars but just going through everything from start to finish.
Nice indeed. Love the patina on the body. Hope it doesn't get a "blow over" Come and see my S2a 109 in Sunny South Africa, man o man... 42 years of hard earned patina through, Southern Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho Botswana, Zimbabwe, and still an eye catcher... 👁️👁️
The engine oil treatment is a good idea on the springs, I used to do the same with a mix of oil and diesel but then wrapped the springs with Denso tape, this kept the muck out, and the lube in, made a huge improvement on the ride quality.
Well done, you have done it properly. I will have to bite the bullet soon with my Paddock springs and go GB. It’s the message I tell everyone considering this upgrade. Pay the extra £100 and get a proper set from Sanderson’s. 👍
In 2015 I got a complete set of Rocky Mountain parabolics on my 109 ex-mod Series 3 (109). During a trip across Moroc in spring 2016, a leaf cracks on the front spring. ( About 3000km done from installation, no hard off-roading). Ordered a set if front parabolics from Paddocks . Today, 6 years later an 8000 km more on the clock, the rubber bushes are completely gone on the front springs. In any case, I have to exchange the bushes for PU ones or a set of GBs 3 leaf.
My brother and I both have them on our 88’s, good upgrade to the original leaf springs! Especially as we use them on the farm! Mine have gone rusty now and require a lick of paint as they’re always are getting covered in muck!
Nice to see this, thanks. I have GB paras on the back of my 88 2A. I’ve not upgraded the shocks yet - my lower shock mount is on the spring base plate and is an eye mount like the top - different to the LWBs. Haven’t done the research yet to see what the best option is. Looks and sounds a tidy ride!
Excellent install video. Lots of good info. The lift information is very interesting. I was wondering if my drive prop would be clear. Good to know. Excellent driving review.
You know- you were dead right about my heater vent inlet on my s3 88- now I have the Stage 1 home I have something to compare with- Series are a rarity now in NZ so Ive not been able to look at stuff- Hence my daily questions on all the FB landy pages. Cheers for noticing it - Stu
Nice looking MG.👌 Interesting video. I’m a new owner of a 1966 S2A 88”. It was still in daily use on a cattle ranch here in central California. It is solid and runs nice but needs a lot of TLC. Springs are just one of the items I’m looking at doing . Thanks for an informative video.
Thanks for the comment, after a few years I'm pleased to say the parabolic springs are still excellent- the ride height has settled a little but slight and evenly- it's just coming up time to change some bushes, so not bad with the mileage covered. The MG was a great car- typically cars like that over here are 50% plates and mig wire... mine was incredibly solid, it had obviously been very well looked after and drove well after I'd spent a bit of time on it. Should have kept it..
@@steamwally It’s ironic because I was looking at a 1970 MGB a friend was selling, but decided to pass as I really wanted a Land Rover. 3 days later the Land Rover popped up . I had seen it at a British car meet earlier in the year, And the Gentleman just decided to sell it. If I had Bought the MG, --no Landy.
@@steamwally I’m sure it would!👍 As it is, I bought the Land Rover at a time when we are trying to down size . Lol As we are retired , we are looking to move to a smaller place near the coast. The MG needed a lot as well. At least I could get my investment back with the Landy, although the plan is to keep it.👍
I find the 3 leaf rears on an 88 a bit harsh on an unladen tilt. Better with some weight or hardtop. So with a tilt Iddrecommend 2 leaf rears on an 88. Also the procomps will rust to hell in no time so get them and the leaf springs protected before winter.Finally the straps are indeed just Ballata belt, cheap as chips to buy by the metre ;) Good work there though, the Landy is looking really good
Thanks, good advice. There are a number of areas I want to paint/ underseal before we get into winter so I'll be sure to do that. It would have been good to paint them first but I thought it best to wait until happy with them, you never know..
I have a 109” Station Wagon with Rocky Mountain parabolics. Three leafs on the back, two up front. Fine springs - but the pro-comp shocks that come in the kit almost completely eliminate the benefit of installing parabolics because the shocks are stiff as owt - so it still crashes about in bumps. Disappointed in those, so I’m looking also where for shocks. My mate has range rover shocks on his (modified) and that drives really very well indeed so I may follow suit... good video steamwally. Thanks...
ES9000s are way too stuff but are the typical accompaniment to spring kits. ES3000 have a better rate. But ProComp quality is dire and their pistons rust very quickly, eroding the oil seals and wrecking the dampers in no time. 110 rear dampers may fit and should cope well, but I’m using MoD 109 rear dampers with great results with my 4-leaf rear springs and will do the same on the front.
Interesting comments, thanks. The Armstrong shocks I removed didn't feel too good - they aren't all that old and I've had similar trouble with lesser makes in the past. I've covered 500 miles in the last week touring the Exmoor national park and I have to say, with a little weight in the back, it was an absolute dream to drive. Running light it will crash and bang a little but overall I have seen a big improvement.
Good job, but remove those damper boots as they prevent condensation from evaporating, accelerating rust. ProComps are utter rubbish and their chrome will rust through in short time whatever you do, so budget to replace them within five years. The springs will settle and the prop angle will reduce fairly quickly, but you will need to be mindful of the prop fouling the chassis when you jack the rear end up and unload the springs. The UJs will be fine unless you fit the longer 1-Ton shackles, which would push the diff pinions out of parallel with the transmission axis and cause harsh vibration and UJ failure very rapidly - it would cause severe ridging of the spider journals within 200 miles and they needed replacing within 500 miles. Going back to regular shackles resolved the issue, so they were definitely the cause (I tried the longer shackles again with the same bad results).
Phill, another great video, thank you. My Land Rover is also an ex-military S3 LWB same as yours and am considering fitting parabolic and new dampers, all the same as yours but I may go for 3-leaf rears as I don't carry anything heavy in the back. I am after improved ride and suspension control (as were you) but would like to keep ride height as close to standard as possible. If I went for 3-leaf rears do you think that would retain near-standard ride height? Thanks.
Thanks, glad it was useful. I suspect you will find that three leaf parabolics will still give a certain amount of lift, not perhaps as much as mine. After a year and a half the springs have settled a little and the lift is not quite so pronounced. Three leafs sounds like a good idea - mine is vastly better but a little choppy unladen, but then it does often carry heavy loads. With a bit of load in the back it just floats along.
Want to know how the parabolic cope if the back is loaded up. You mentioned the ride height settle after 18 konths of use. How much load do you usually carry to your shows?
Four years on, the springs are doing great! Just about approaching the time to think about changing some bushes but I don't think that's too sad. I'd estimate the normal load carried to be around 400kg- I should think you could double that and not have a problem, with the springs at least..
Near side is near the edge of the road,, off side is the driver’s side. I think the terms came about before asymmetric cars, when horse drawn vehicles were driven from the middle of the bench.
Near side is the passenger side in the UK, Off side being the drivers side. The Land Rover has been substantially rebuilt in my ownership, it covers a lot of miles every year and is far from perfect, but it serves me well.
The microphone and "stuffed gerbil" certainly helps... but it isn't too bad, you can hold a good conversation with passengers. I've been through every mechanical unit at least once and the vehicle has the Wright Off Road sound deadening kit, which is excellent.
From experience with both a Ninety and my Series One, it's amazing how noisy it seems if you change from a soft top to a hard top. Less exhaust fumes come in the back and a its bit warmer however. On sound deadening, I added around 50kg of Code 4 lead sheet around the bulkhead and transmission tunnel in my 110 SW (sandwiched with felt against metal surfaces) . I bonded heavy rubber sheet similarly in my present agricultural G Wagen . Both methods make a huge improvement on the racket. Adding mass to anything resonating and attention to blocking even small holes or perished grommets makes for a quieter time !
I am surprised, too, by the calmness at 50mls h, I guess. Beyond 40mls h, I stop conversation in my 109 S3 ex-mod Hardtop, 200TDi, listening to the whines and howling wolfs, spreading there sound from the gearbox and transfer-box.
What nsf and osf means ? I’m French and I actually restore a Serie 2A with some indications from the previous owner but idk what it mean Many thanks aha
They prevent the shock absorbers from bottoming out, most of the time they are redundant but that's what they are for. They are part of the original design, so I wouldn't be without them.
I've got to say..Land rover are the biggest piece of shite you will ever buy. Unreliable, uncomfortable and....I need to buy another one! Work that one out!👍
It may not look it, but to those who know and follow your channel I think your 109 is one of the most desirable series 3's out there now.
Thanks, I only seem to see it's imperfections but everyone tells me it's a great vehicle. It has come a long way over the years but one day I hope to do a full restoration, leaving the battle scars but just going through everything from start to finish.
Nice indeed. Love the patina on the body. Hope it doesn't get a "blow over"
Come and see my S2a 109 in Sunny South Africa, man o man...
42 years of hard earned patina through, Southern Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho Botswana, Zimbabwe, and still an eye catcher... 👁️👁️
The engine oil treatment is a good idea on the springs, I used to do the same with a mix of oil and diesel but then wrapped the springs with Denso tape, this kept the muck out, and the lube in, made a huge improvement on the ride quality.
Another great video - i knew you would like them as made a great difference to the drive in my 88...nice one
Well done, you have done it properly. I will have to bite the bullet soon with my Paddock springs and go GB. It’s the message I tell everyone considering this upgrade. Pay the extra £100 and get a proper set from Sanderson’s. 👍
I bought original springs from craddock as I don't like parabolic springs an they are gb springs an feel great
Are they made by GME? (The ones from Paddock) I have them and they are very hard indeed.
In 2015 I got a complete set of Rocky Mountain parabolics on my 109 ex-mod Series 3 (109). During a trip across Moroc in spring 2016, a leaf cracks on the front spring. ( About 3000km done from installation, no hard off-roading). Ordered a set if front parabolics from Paddocks . Today, 6 years later an 8000 km more on the clock, the rubber bushes are completely gone on the front springs. In any case, I have to exchange the bushes for PU ones or a set of GBs 3 leaf.
My brother and I both have them on our 88’s, good upgrade to the original leaf springs! Especially as we use them on the farm! Mine have gone rusty now and require a lick of paint as they’re always are getting covered in muck!
Nice job you've done there, one of my favourite's the 109.
Nice to see this, thanks. I have GB paras on the back of my 88 2A. I’ve not upgraded the shocks yet - my lower shock mount is on the spring base plate and is an eye mount like the top - different to the LWBs. Haven’t done the research yet to see what the best option is. Looks and sounds a tidy ride!
Excellent install video. Lots of good info. The lift information is very interesting. I was wondering if my drive prop would be clear. Good to know. Excellent driving review.
Remember, it's only the body that lifts. The rest stays the same ground clearance. Only higher tyres will make a difference.
You know- you were dead right about my heater vent inlet on my s3 88- now I have the Stage 1 home I have something to compare with- Series are a rarity now in NZ so Ive not been able to look at stuff- Hence my daily questions on all the FB landy pages. Cheers for noticing it - Stu
Fantastic video, than you.
Looks like a big improvement thanks for the video!!😎🐓🐓🇬🇧
Nice looking MG.👌
Interesting video. I’m a new owner of a 1966 S2A 88”.
It was still in daily use on a cattle ranch here in central California. It is solid and runs nice but needs a lot of TLC. Springs are just one of the items I’m looking at doing .
Thanks for an informative video.
Thanks for the comment, after a few years I'm pleased to say the parabolic springs are still excellent- the ride height has settled a little but slight and evenly- it's just coming up time to change some bushes, so not bad with the mileage covered. The MG was a great car- typically cars like that over here are 50% plates and mig wire... mine was incredibly solid, it had obviously been very well looked after and drove well after I'd spent a bit of time on it. Should have kept it..
@@steamwally
It’s ironic because I was looking at a 1970 MGB a friend was selling, but decided to pass as I really wanted a Land Rover.
3 days later the Land Rover popped up .
I had seen it at a British car meet earlier in the year, And the Gentleman just decided to sell it. If I had Bought the MG, --no Landy.
@@calsurflance5598 Should you be able to accommodate an MG in the future- I can assure they they make an excellent stablemate for a Land Rover!
@@steamwally
I’m sure it would!👍
As it is, I bought the Land Rover at a time when we are trying to down size . Lol
As we are retired , we are looking to move to a smaller place near the coast. The MG needed a lot as well. At least I could get my investment back with the Landy, although the plan is to keep it.👍
Enjoyed that and learned a good deal. Thanks and all the best Mat
Nice job. That's something I will do eventually, but I want to get my money's worth out of the road springs I had fitted four years ago first! Cheers
Swb have a much tougher time with prop angles. All that time included brake pipes and bleeding the brakes. Good job 👍
I find the 3 leaf rears on an 88 a bit harsh on an unladen tilt. Better with some weight or hardtop. So with a tilt Iddrecommend 2 leaf rears on an 88. Also the procomps will rust to hell in no time so get them and the leaf springs protected before winter.Finally the straps are indeed just Ballata belt, cheap as chips to buy by the metre ;) Good work there though, the Landy is looking really good
While the shocks are new I recommend that you paint them, painted mine and they look good after many years. Procomp units rust before the seals fail.
Thanks, good advice. There are a number of areas I want to paint/ underseal before we get into winter so I'll be sure to do that. It would have been good to paint them first but I thought it best to wait until happy with them, you never know..
I have a 109” Station Wagon with Rocky Mountain parabolics. Three leafs on the back, two up front. Fine springs - but the pro-comp shocks that come in the kit almost completely eliminate the benefit of installing parabolics because the shocks are stiff as owt - so it still crashes about in bumps. Disappointed in those, so I’m looking also where for shocks. My mate has range rover shocks on his (modified) and that drives really very well indeed so I may follow suit... good video steamwally. Thanks...
ES9000s are way too stuff but are the typical accompaniment to spring kits. ES3000 have a better rate. But ProComp quality is dire and their pistons rust very quickly, eroding the oil seals and wrecking the dampers in no time. 110 rear dampers may fit and should cope well, but I’m using MoD 109 rear dampers with great results with my 4-leaf rear springs and will do the same on the front.
Interesting comments, thanks. The Armstrong shocks I removed didn't feel too good - they aren't all that old and I've had similar trouble with lesser makes in the past. I've covered 500 miles in the last week touring the Exmoor national park and I have to say, with a little weight in the back, it was an absolute dream to drive. Running light it will crash and bang a little but overall I have seen a big improvement.
Good job, but remove those damper boots as they prevent condensation from evaporating, accelerating rust. ProComps are utter rubbish and their chrome will rust through in short time whatever you do, so budget to replace them within five years.
The springs will settle and the prop angle will reduce fairly quickly, but you will need to be mindful of the prop fouling the chassis when you jack the rear end up and unload the springs. The UJs will be fine unless you fit the longer 1-Ton shackles, which would push the diff pinions out of parallel with the transmission axis and cause harsh vibration and UJ failure very rapidly - it would cause severe ridging of the spider journals within 200 miles and they needed replacing within 500 miles. Going back to regular shackles resolved the issue, so they were definitely the cause (I tried the longer shackles again with the same bad results).
Phill, another great video, thank you. My Land Rover is also an ex-military S3 LWB same as yours and am considering fitting parabolic and new dampers, all the same as yours but I may go for 3-leaf rears as I don't carry anything heavy in the back. I am after improved ride and suspension control (as were you) but would like to keep ride height as close to standard as possible. If I went for 3-leaf rears do you think that would retain near-standard ride height? Thanks.
Thanks, glad it was useful. I suspect you will find that three leaf parabolics will still give a certain amount of lift, not perhaps as much as mine. After a year and a half the springs have settled a little and the lift is not quite so pronounced. Three leafs sounds like a good idea - mine is vastly better but a little choppy unladen, but then it does often carry heavy loads. With a bit of load in the back it just floats along.
I fitted these and the wheels are too far forwards in the arches and looks weird how can I rectify this?
Can you run parabolics with oem style shocks? I just replaced my shocks, but the exmod S3 ride is rough.
Thanks for the vid. Where did you buy the shackle plates from, pls? Regards Heinz
Want to know how the parabolic cope if the back is loaded up. You mentioned the ride height settle after 18 konths of use.
How much load do you usually carry to your shows?
Four years on, the springs are doing great! Just about approaching the time to think about changing some bushes but I don't think that's too sad. I'd estimate the normal load carried to be around 400kg- I should think you could double that and not have a problem, with the springs at least..
What’s near side and offside? Not familiar with those terms in the US. Great video I was surprised on how smooth sounding the vehicle was at speed!
Near side is near the edge of the road,, off side is the driver’s side. I think the terms came about before asymmetric cars, when horse drawn vehicles were driven from the middle of the bench.
Near side is the passenger side in the UK, Off side being the drivers side. The Land Rover has been substantially rebuilt in my ownership, it covers a lot of miles every year and is far from perfect, but it serves me well.
Use the parabolic make the wheel center then the original spring. Is it correct?
Can you recommend a good online forum for Series Land Rover owners in the UK?
Sadly not, quite honestly I stay away from forums. I was a member of the Seriously Series forum, but that seems to have gone rather quiet.
Google the question and read everything you can. Not just from one source.
How can we hear you talking in a 109 at full tilt, I have to wear ear defenders in my safari 109 🙄
The microphone and "stuffed gerbil" certainly helps... but it isn't too bad, you can hold a good conversation with passengers. I've been through every mechanical unit at least once and the vehicle has the Wright Off Road sound deadening kit, which is excellent.
steamwally yeah think I’m going to give sound deadening a go when I’ve finished rebuilding it 👍
From experience with both a Ninety and my Series One, it's amazing how noisy it seems if you change from a soft top to a hard top. Less exhaust fumes come in the back and a its bit warmer however. On sound deadening, I added around 50kg of Code 4 lead sheet around the bulkhead and transmission tunnel in my 110 SW (sandwiched with felt against metal surfaces) . I bonded heavy rubber sheet similarly in my present agricultural G Wagen . Both methods make a huge improvement on the racket. Adding mass to anything resonating and attention to blocking even small holes or perished grommets makes for a quieter time !
@@philhealey449 yea totally agree, I take my truck cab off every summer and the difference is very noticeable, but I don't have much soundproofing.
I am surprised, too, by the calmness at 50mls h, I guess. Beyond 40mls h, I stop conversation in my 109 S3 ex-mod Hardtop, 200TDi, listening to the whines and howling wolfs, spreading there sound from the gearbox and transfer-box.
What nsf and osf means ? I’m French and I actually restore a Serie 2A with some indications from the previous owner but idk what it mean
Many thanks aha
NS means nearside (passenger side) OS means off side ( drivers side). Actually near side comes from the side that is near the kerb.
How much off the improvement can be attributed to the new shock as opposed to the springs ?
You need both parabolics and new shocks to get the best
Well done! Are these (20:11) mudflap holders from the defender?
Thanks, no they are original 109" Series type brackets, quite rare now.
@@steamwally really? Okay thanx. Maybe i will try the defender ones on my SIII Station Wagon. Thanx Wally
why do you need to fit check straps . never needed them
They prevent the shock absorbers from bottoming out, most of the time they are redundant but that's what they are for. They are part of the original design, so I wouldn't be without them.
Can I ask where you got the longer brake hoses from
They were something Paddocks were selling at the time, not available there now, I did look whilst doing the job. They went on about 5 years ago.
steamwally cheers bud, think there fogging them again 👍
I've got to say..Land rover are the biggest piece of shite you will ever buy. Unreliable, uncomfortable and....I need to buy another one!
Work that one out!👍