Member Since: 24 Nov 2012
Location: Essex
Posts: 74
Poor handling, sloppy, squirmy ride
Hi all,
I’m hoping for some guidance on the handling of my 2005 HSE. I have 2 D3s, and compared to our 07 base spec D3 my HSE handles very poorly. I’ve done lots of searching on the forum over the last few days and need to Chuck some money at it, but wanted some advice on where to start.
Car is on 126k miles, it has 20 inch Michelin’s on the later RRS wheels, tyres dated 2016 and about half worn. I’ve owned the car for over 4 years and it’s always felt like this, but since driving the wife’s D3, it’s highlighted the problem.
Handling:
It feels as though the inside front wheel is lifting, much like the stadium trucks I saw on the race of champions. With a change of direction, in either direction, the weight transfer is very noticeable and the wife and kids are getting sloshed about inside, even when being driven very carefully on wet roads. On roads with changing camber it squirms about requiring steering input to correct. It certainly is not the ‘magic carpet ride’ I’ve heard others describe.
I have no advisories on recent MOTs for front or rear bushes, and have inspected the front stabiliser bars and rear drop links with the standard ‘hand wobble’ and no signs of issues. I don’t have any major suspension leaks, I do think it’s dropping slightly over prolonged periods of standing though, but doubt that would cause such a profound feel whilst driving.
Other points - I’ve noticed cracks/splits in the orange chassis to body mounts (bushes), I’ve had serious tyre wear in the past on inside and outside edges of front tyres. Psi always kept in mid 30s. I noticed some slight knocking when driving on a stony track in the Peak District last week, felt through the wheel in my hands.
I’ve heard height sensors can cause issues, I have an icarsoft LR2 scanner which gives live data but not recording function, although this can be overcome with an iPhone and 15 year old helper.
I’m tempted to buy front stabiliser bars and ARB bush kit and see if that helps, but throwing parts at a problem like this is a slippery slope I’ve tobogganed down many times before.
Car in question is silver one, for wheel reference.
Any help would be much appreciated,
Stu
2006 D3 Zambezi silver, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Java Black, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Bonatti Grey, TDV6 Auto
29th Aug 2021 8:30 pm
zig
Member Since: 09 Sep 2005
Location: Scotland
Posts: 634
Does your 07 base spec D3 have coil-sprung suspension and does your 2005 HSE D3 have height-adjustable air sprung suspension?
29th Aug 2021 10:02 pm
Stu_rs
Member Since: 24 Nov 2012
Location: Essex
Posts: 74
Both have full air suspension. Both have hitachi style compressors.
When I bought the black one (07) it instantly felt better to drive, even with 30,000 more miles and a hissing front strut, which he now been replaced with a new Dunlop strut.
I’ve heard people comparing the D3 & D4 handling to the new defender, which I’ve driven a fair amount. My D3 feels nothing at all like a modern Land Rover. It’s a constant flip-flop from side to side.
2006 D3 Zambezi silver, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Java Black, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Bonatti Grey, TDV6 Auto
29th Aug 2021 10:30 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8156
I suspect the orange bushes you mention are not genuine, a photo of them would be interesting. Has a previous owner fitted none standard bushes?It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
30th Aug 2021 8:18 am
aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2462
My D3 has far better handling and comfort than my D4, i put that down to tyre sizes and the fact that my D3 had new suspension struts fitted just before i got her.Andrew
D3 2.7tdv6 2005
D4 3.0 SDV6 Commercial died and gone to LR heaven
D5 3.0 SDV6 HSE
30th Aug 2021 8:19 am
Stu_rs
Member Since: 24 Nov 2012
Location: Essex
Posts: 74
M3DPO - the chassis mounts that are cracked are these:
Obviously, these being damaged means they need changing, so I’ll do them soon.
Aja4x4 - in a normal non air car, I’d be changing the dampers and springs if it felt like this, but don’t want to fork out on new bags all round if that’s not the issue. Probably cheaper than a set of
4 tyres though!2006 D3 Zambezi silver, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Java Black, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Bonatti Grey, TDV6 Auto
30th Aug 2021 9:25 am
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4448
I would have thought tyres would be the single biggest difference between your cars (assuming no suspension parts are actually falling off )
Are all the tyres the same? What pressure do you run them at? What brand? Tread depth?
I found Pirelli Scorpions handling gets really poor when they get down to about 4mm tread depth.Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
30th Aug 2021 9:48 am
MintyHit
Member Since: 25 Jul 2017
Location: Bradford on Avon
Posts: 229
Both my front body mounts are cracked, can anyone confirm if cracked mounts = movement?
30th Aug 2021 10:02 am
Patman
Member Since: 16 Aug 2019
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 314
i would have thought Minty that even seemingly minor faults in the suspension would lead to issues as you have 2t Floating around so id say yes cracked will lead to issuesPatman
Derek the Discovery keeper and owner
30th Aug 2021 11:24 am
aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2462
How do you crack a body mount?Andrew
D3 2.7tdv6 2005
D4 3.0 SDV6 Commercial died and gone to LR heaven
D5 3.0 SDV6 HSE
30th Aug 2021 11:41 am
aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2462
Stu_rs wrote:
M3DPO - the chassis mounts that are cracked are these:
Obviously, these being damaged means they need changing, so I’ll do them soon.
Aja4x4 - in a normal non air car, I’d be changing the dampers and springs if it felt like this, but don’t want to fork out on new bags all round if that’s not the issue. Probably cheaper than a set of
4 tyres though!
£815 for a complete set of suspension legs from Advanced factors before the discount.
I just paid £300 for a rear set of shocks for a Vito so in my mind thats not a bad price.Andrew
D3 2.7tdv6 2005
D4 3.0 SDV6 Commercial died and gone to LR heaven
D5 3.0 SDV6 HSE
30th Aug 2021 11:44 am
Stu_rs
Member Since: 24 Nov 2012
Location: Essex
Posts: 74
There’s a guy near me in Essex that buys up slow moving stock from dealerships, I got a Dunlop shock from him for £100 so it’s not horrendous at all.
Does anyone know the feeling of shot airbags? The feeling I’m getting is no rebound/firmness on change of direction and on long sweeping corners. It just leans and leans!
Tyres are Michelin latitude sports, 255/55/20 with around 5mm tread. They don’t look great, but I’ve ran the car on the same wheels as the black one before and symptoms are the same.
No knocks, donks or rattles2006 D3 Zambezi silver, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Java Black, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Bonatti Grey, TDV6 Auto
30th Aug 2021 12:37 pm
Stu_rs
Member Since: 24 Nov 2012
Location: Essex
Posts: 74
I’ll get a picture of the body mounts too, apparently (from searching the forum) this can happen from major stresses like tyre blow outs.
My car has signs of previous repair to one side so it’s feasible that but some shock through the body mounts. I’ve left it alone as I assumed it’s a body off job, but seeing some guides for other jobs they can be loosened for clearance. Has anyone experienced swapping these with the body on?2006 D3 Zambezi silver, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Java Black, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Bonatti Grey, TDV6 Auto
30th Aug 2021 12:41 pm
Dillon
Member Since: 05 Jan 2018
Location: Brighton
Posts: 103
How about swapping all for wheels on the two Discos (assuming they are differant sizes) and seeing how each of them perform then. I believe that wheel size and tyres have a huge impact on handling!!
Good luck
Dillon
30th Aug 2021 1:00 pm
Stu_rs
Member Since: 24 Nov 2012
Location: Essex
Posts: 74
I’ve made sure the rolling radius of my current wheels is good for the D3, so I’d be surprised if it made a massive difference. As I say, I’ve ran the silver car on the 19 inch HSE wheels before with the same issues. Also, the black car came with 20 inch stormers wheels and low profile tyres (presumably for the RRS) and that was noticeable. I took them off the black one and fitted the 19 inch wheels and it’s miles better.2006 D3 Zambezi silver, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Java Black, TDV6 Auto
2007 D3 Bonatti Grey, TDV6 Auto
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