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[Peter Holden]

The very firstland rovers from 1948/49 had taper roller bearings top and bottom in the swivel housing, then the top bearing was replaced by a cone and spring then eventually the railco parallel bush.  Fast forward to coil sprung land rovers and the top bearing went back to taper roller.

The annomoly is that I have recently come across an Australian (CKD) land rover from 1960 that is all original, owned by the same person from new, with no mods to the front axle and it has taper roller bearings top and bottom on the swivels.  Does anyone else know of any S2s or 2As that have this arrangement?

Peter

[diffwhine]

I know quite a few workshops and specialists who swear by the taper bearing method top and bottom on all Series LRs. As far as I can see its always been successful although I haven't gone down that route myself. I am considering it though on my 65 SW rebuild. I'll report back if I go down that road.

Because early Series Ones have shackles at the front of the spring, this combined with the bearing arrangement did trigger shimmy and handling issues which is why they went over to a damped system which either as a cone or Rialko bush arrangement continued throughout. I therefore wouldn't attempt it on any early 80".

I know they set them up very much like a Range Rover Classic with similar preload settings. No reports of shimmy or steering kick and that's without a steering damper.

[Peter Holden]

I had a 1948 S as a daily driver for many years and the steering was fantastic as long as you kept the adjustment spot on otherwise the shimmy was  something.  The first to me it happened it frightened me to death.  I thought it was going to shake the land rover apart.  I soon learned to live with it though
The S2 that prompted this discussion doesn't suffer, it must all be to do with shackles at the front changing the caster angle when the springs flex

Peter