Improving off-road ride quality - NL

[Mark2]

Having previously owned a few coil sprung 4x4's (GQ and Rangies) my NL has a fairly harsh ride off road in comparison.
What are the options to improve the ride on rougher roads/tracks and stop the complaints from the passenger seat?

Front shocks are original, its done 130,000 km. Its hard to tell if they're stuffed by doing the bounce test as the front torsion bars are so stiff!

[-Scott-]

At 130000km, it's fair to guess they're stuffed!

I was amazed at the improvement in ride by installing OMEs with the standard torsion bars. Try that?

Are your torsion bars original too? Unless you have a winch, I'd say stick with the factory bars over anything "heavy duty."

Cheers,

Scott

[Mark2]

Torsion bars are original.
It would be nice to be 'amazed' at the ride improvment by simply replacing the front shocks!
Is brand going to be a factor in the ride improvement or is it mainly just replacing worn out ones?
(On a coil sprung 4x4 its obvious when they're stuffed, harder to tell with Mitsubishi IFS)

[awbeattie381]

Dont know if you will ever be satisifed coming from a rangie or GQ. My pajjy is pretty stiff off road with OME coils and shocks and standard torsion bars. Dont think there is a way around it (apart from unlocking my suspension seats!! )

[Overkill]

It would be nice to be 'amazed' at the ride improvment by simply replacing the front shocks!
Is brand going to be a factor in the ride improvement or is it mainly just replacing worn out ones?

I was amazed at the difference the Rancho 9000s did for my ride, on the hard setting it is a firm ride, but when you let the air out (we have an in-cab system) the ride is soft and spongy, couple that with letting the tyre pressure down and its NICE!

[klrevo]

It would be nice to be 'amazed' at the ride improvment by simply replacing the front shocks!
Is brand going to be a factor in the ride improvement or is it mainly just replacing worn out ones?

I was amazed at the difference the Rancho 9000s did for my ride, on the hard setting it is a firm ride, but when you let the air out (we have an in-cab system) the ride is soft and spongy, couple that with letting the tyre pressure down and its NICE!

i rekon this is the easiest way, i run 2" lifted pedders springs and bilstein shockers, and iv never had anything else but its a pretty good ride anyways. Beretta and i on the weekend were doing some faster than average driving through the rough stuff and the paj is excellent, with the front ifs handles awesome. I was running 16psi in the 33"s i have.

dean

[NJV6]

Hi Mark

I understand completly where you come from with this comment as also coming from Rangie, the Pajero does have a harsh ride.

I'm concluded 90% of this comes from the torsion bar front end which is very firm, and with a sway bar on it makes it firmer. I find big bumps are fine, it's the little bumps, pot holes, stones etc where the firmness causes the headache. When trying to rock the vehicle sideways I get more movement out of the tyre sidewalls than suspension.

One thing I have not done is taken the front shockies off and driven round to see what it's like. (might do that this weekend). Mine with 96000 km on them were still very firm on compression. When simply pushing them down out of the vehicle. The Rangie ones by comparison were quite light. The Rangie can also get away with lighter rear springs because of the self levelling boge unit.

Frank on here who put the soild axle under the front of his Paj commented on how the ride off road improved dramitically.

NJV6

[Mark2]

Hi Mark

I understand completly where you come from with this comment as also coming from Rangie, the Pajero does have a harsh ride.

I'm concluded 90% of this comes from the torsion bar front end which is very firm, and with a sway bar on it makes it firmer. I find big bumps are fine, it's the little bumps, pot holes, stones etc where the firmness causes the headache. When trying to rock the vehicle sideways I get more movement out of the tyre sidewalls than suspension.

One thing I have not done is taken the front shockies off and driven round to see what it's like. (might do that this weekend). Mine with 96000 km on them were still very firm on compression. When simply pushing them down out of the vehicle. The Rangie ones by comparison were quite light. The Rangie can also get away with lighter rear springs because of the self levelling boge unit.

Frank on here who put the soild axle under the front of his Paj commented on how the ride off road improved dramitically.

NJV6

I have been meaning to pull the shocks and give it a bounce as well. Thing is, it probably doesnt need heavy shocks due to the stiff torsion bars but with lighter shocks it may well bottom more due to the very limited travel. I hear Rancho's dont last very long on GQ's/Rangies because of the longer wheel travel which works the shock harder but on a Pajero front end they might have a chance...........
I dont think the rear end is as soft either, due to the 3 link which is more restrictive than a Rangie rear or GQ five link.

[NJV6]

That could well be tru. I have had the rear shocks off a couple times while changing springs and it does bounce nicely, as any coil should.

Re: Ranchos on Land Rover's, My Dad has broken 3 on the back of a standard LR Defender 90. They do keep replacing them thou...

The front is very stiff but it needs to be to combat the lack of travel. Any lower rate torsion bar and it would bounce off it's bump stops more Im sure.