Keeping a Range Rover P38 on the road
If you’re the owner of a classic 4x4 that has perhaps seen better days, then it’s worth downloading and reading this technical feature that was first published in Land Rover World in 2013. It featured a 2000 model P38 Range Rover that had covered 110,000 miles and, although in good general condition, it was reported that the car’s suspension had become tired and soggy, with worn-out dampers and fading rubber bushes, coupled with sagging and cracked air springs. Consequently – and unsurprisingly - its handling wasn’t what it used to be.
The revitalisation of the vehicle’s suspension involved the replacement of its four air suspension units and the fitting of Bilstein dampers, together with a full complement of SuperPro bushes that were supplied in one box set that is listed as part number: KIT0090K.
- Front radius arm to chassis mounting bush kit: four bushes and assembly grease.
- Front radius arm to axle mounting bush kit: four bushes, two steel tubes and assembly grease.
- Rear radius arm to chassis mounting kit: two bushes, two steel tubes and assembly grease.
- Panhard rod bush kit: four bushes, two steel tubes and assembly grease for front and rear.
- Shock absorber bush kit: four bushes and assembly grease for front and rear.
- Front anti-roll bar to chassis mounting (31mm bar): two bushes and assembly grease.
The article features two pages where the journalist (Phil Royle) describes in detail the reason why he selected SuperPro, the process of removing the old bushes and fitting of the new ones. Interestingly, he reveals that he chose to fit the bushes before he replaced the air suspension and dampers, in order to gauge the effect they had on the car without any other upgrades being carried out – and this is what he said:
"I fitted the SuperPro bushes before the new air springs and Bilstein dampers, giving me a chance to test these independently. And the difference is instantly, dramatically noticeable. The P38 is a lot less prone to wandering, feels a lot more accurate, is a lot sharper – changing direction easier and not wobbling while steering and braking – offers greater driver feedback and feels fresher, stronger and tougher. And there’s no increase in NVH levels. It’s all win, win, win fitting SuperPro..."
It would be fair to say that, having completed the project, the journalist was more than pleased with the outcome and the way the parts enhanced the feel and handling of his aging Range Rover. In conclusion, he says:
“Wow! Project P38 is barely recognisable to drive now. It always impressed me from the off, given its age and 110,000 miles, but there was a feeling of exhaustion, fragility and a lot of inertia. The difference the bushes, dampers, springs and alignment have made is genuinely astonishing.
“Project P38 genuinely feels like new – only better as it’s now reaching new (better than standard) heights of agility, ability and reaction on and off-road. It’s stable, happy to change direction, wants to turn-in (even at daft speeds), doesn’t wash out or wander, eats up bumps and bad surfaces and generates massive grip, all with a superb ride quality. Fantastic! Indeed, the tuning has improved Project P38 way beyond its OEM factory-new specification. I can’t rave about these superb products enough...the suspension tuning has made the P38 superbly tractive, given flatter handling on the road – wet and dry – and they’ve all combined to make the Range Rover a lot more capable and controlled off-road too. A truly amazing transformation.”