I have a 2004 V8 D2 and am about to fit a winch - using a winch support plate, NOT with a heavy winch bumper.

To allow for the extra weight, I'm thinking about changing the front springs to those of the TD5 diesel model.

The TD5 is about 55kg (110lbs) heavier than the V8 and that is up front due to the heavier engine, so by my reckoning this would be just about right for compensating for the winch and support pate. Given that the current springs are probably the original 200,000km (125,000 mile) originals then any replacements are likely to be a bit more firm anyway so major upgrades are not needed (in my opinion).

I am adding a small lift (1") using blocks but don't want to go over the top as this vehicle only spends an average of 1 day per week off road (maybe less) and the rest of the time as a road vehicle.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

 

that sounds like a good idea. do the springs, for the two models, even have different ratings, though? and have you considered just adding a receiver tube to the front? you could stick a cradled winch up there whenever.
also you can use d1 spring perches instead of blocks for less $ and its less pieces and less bolt, to gain that little boost.


you could get new springs in. add winch. see how you like it. add blocks/different perches as needed. (I have different height lifting front to back)

 

Dusty, I've checked the Rimmer Brothers website (and others) and the TD5 front springs are different - and the LR workshop manual says the same. Given that the TD5 engine is heavier than the V8 then the TD5 springs must be more beefy (weights were checked in the LR workshop manual, too).

I already have the 1" spacers in my possession and hadn't thought about D1 perches before buying them - but there's no point not using the spacers now I've got them

I hadn't thought about the front receiver but have not seen them on sale here in Abu Dhabi so bought the winch plate (and winch) locally.

 

I see....so, it sounds like the td springs would be just right, with your weight father forward, in the form of a winch and plate.

 

That was certainly my thinking

 

there is 2 different spring part numbers for the TD5 D2
REB101340
REB101341
and they should be about $65 each

 

That's not what I read. The specs I found (for a D90) showed the curb weight of the TD5 was 143kg/315lbs. heavier than V8. The 300TDi was about 68kg/150lbs. heavier than the V8.

The diesels are iron blocks. Besides that there is all the weight of the turbos etc. The TD5 was five cylinders vs. TDi's 4 cylinders. Also, the TD5 was essentially a VW motor for the transit vans plumbers drive around with a couple tons of pipe fittings and tools. The weight of the block was never a concern when these motors were designed. They just needed propulsion for the tugboats they were going into, and to spare the plumber enough diesel they wouldn't go broke before they go to the jobsite.

A Warn M8000 with synthetic line is 55 pounds. This winch is a fine choice for the Discovery because it is narrow enough to fit between the frame rails. It is strong enough if a pulley block is used when needed. It doesn't weigh too much.

High rate springs will prevent the suspension flexing and they will overpower the the shock's rebound damping. The stock springs will easily hold up the front end of a stock vehicle with an extra 55 or 65 pounds. What they won't do is keep the vehicle from bottoming out when you hit a bump. To do that, you need a higher rate of compression damping. You can increase the compression damping a lot without interfering with the suspension's flexibility.

Get some shocks where you can adjust the compression and rebound damping by replacing shims and plan on valving them about 5 times. If you're lucky, you can do it in three tries. Try them out as received and revalve based on the results, either up or down. Try again. Hopefully you will have gone too far and you can back off toward the original values. Try it the third time and see if you didn't nail it. Chances are, your second attempt won't be far enough. If you manage to go too far on the third try, you will probably need another two revalves to get it just right. That's why I say to plan on 5 tries.

I can tell you that you will never find a shortcut to the right valving on the Internet, and will never be able to order them valved correctly from the factory. People just buy it and believe it's right without ever actually valving it themselves enough times to know what is right. If they did, they would have to publish the specifications of their shim stacks, and even then it would be useless to others who have a different vehicle with different corner weights.

If you're not going to take the time to setup the shocks to work well, then there's really not much benefit to all the work to change springs.

 

seeing as you are dealing with 10-year old springs to arr right to replace them, replacing shock with old spring will just destroy the new shock, no matter what kind you use.

 

Drowsap: Shocks will indeed be replaced, too.

Binvanna: Those vehicle weights, the figures were taken from the 2003 RAVE workshop manual which is produced by Landrover, so I guess that they know!


The TD5 is most definitely NOT a VW engine (you are probably thinking of the VW/Audi derived 5 cylinder engine in various Volvo ranges). The TD5 is a Rover derived engine - developed by Landrover on behalf of Rover and based on the Rover L-series 4 cylinder unit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Ro...15P_and_16P.29

As for finding shocks in Abu Dhabi that I can revalve myself - fat chance. I'll stick some uprated ones in there because that's all I'll be able to get.

 

Well I ordered a set of springs from my local Landrover specialist and they supplied "Lesjofors" branded items (a well known and generally well respected Swedish brand) and they didn't fit. The inner circumference of the lowest coil was too small to fit over the spring seat (spring perch). So they went back. Their parts guy tried to get me to take some Range Rover springs because "they look the same and the size if the wire used is the same". Ha, get lost!

When asked to provide some uprated dampers he produced a Bripart branded standard item. They were cheap (some would say they'd have to be) but why would I bother fitting standard items when I clearly asked for something uprated? I can't get the desired Terrafirma items over the counter here - so my choices are 1) mail order or 2) more expensive Old Man Emu kit from the shops here. I may go for the latter.