Build Thread: The Ultimate Overland Land Rover Defender

[Griffdowg]

Originally Posted by moggy 1968

for a Toyota man, I'm liking what you done there

whats the pipe tube/drain things along the sides of the rack?

opinion varies about the use of HD shocks and springs. They increase the stress on your chassis and cause it to crack. Using standard springs and shocks and replacing them when needed is cheaper and easier! On an expedition truck, you shouldn't need the extra load carrying capacity because you shouldn't be running at more than 75% of the design weight anyway.

having said all that, I'm running OME HD springs and routinely run over the quoted payload rate

(but it gives me 50mm lift letting me fit 235/85 tyres)

I would not be running standard springs/shocks with overlanding payloads. They don't work well with your max allowable payload. As long as you are within the GVM of the vehicle you wont have any problems. Airbags will crack your chassis but correctly rated springs and a vehicle under GVM will not (unless its rusty).

Another vote for Old Man Emu also.

Not bashing choices here so I hope you can take this constructively.

We have had great results with terrafirma springs and rate them quite highly. However I cannot say the same for their shocks I would highly recommend Old Man Emu and would consider Koni (even if we blew 4 shocks in 40,000km).

Also, not sure that going Poly is an upgrade in the bush department. Before we left the UK I did a lot of research on this and lots of people said they had no problems with Superpro (probably the better of the polys)even after over 100,000 miles, so I went with those. Well, again, after 40,000km of overlanding the radius arms and A frame bushes have gone. The few that recommended genuine were probably right and I think these would have lasted the course. I have since replaced the failed ones with genuine.

Your electrics look rock solid too and Im glad you are ditching those drainpipes! See them everywhere here in Australia. Fuel and water as low as possible

G