Disco 2 2" lift kit fitted - but should i stay on airbags or go to springs?

Well - project Disco has moved on another step - today it's been treated to a Terrafirma heavy duty 2" lift kit (springs and shocks on the front and shocks, airbag riser blocks and ride height adjusters for the rear). So now it's got the ride height Land Rover SHOULD have made it with (well, in my opinion anyway)!

Good think I got it done too, as when we took the front shocks out we found they were fairly shot - certainly wouldn't have passed the MOT due later in the year. The ride is noticeably firmer and it generally behaves much better on the road now too.

(there's also the added bonus of the missus now not wanting to drive it unless she absolutely has too as it's too high for her to get into easily - I knew there was I reason I did the lift kit BEFORE fitting tree bars / side steps!! )

The question that now comes to mind - following lengthy discussions with my mechanic mate today - should I stay on the airbags at the back or should I get the matching uprated rear springs?

What I've got to weigh up is the usage - I'm starting a business doing vehicle transport / recovery and will be using the Disco as the main vehicle initially (towing a 3.5t rated twin axel trailer) - so it's going to be sat on the motorway. A few weekends a year it'll be towing a caravan too. Then, as / when required, I'm also registered as a volunteer with the local 4x4 Response team so could be doing anything from practicing (playing) up on Salisbury Plain, or Dartmoor, Exmoor, etc. to wading through floods, to beach or field work - doing what a Land Rover does best and getting to those otherwise unreachable places.

What I'm thinking here is that if it was all hard off-roading then I'd go with springs. But as the vast majority of miles with be on tarmac towing a load then am I going to get better handling and road manners from the airbags (which were renewed about 18 months - 2 years ok so are reasonably new and in good condition).

The other small question is: having got all the work done today and checked no DTC codes showing anywhere (used Hawkeye). But the rear suspension light is still on. Mechanic mate suggests this will calibrate over a decent length drive (which I've not had chance to do yet) but I'm not entirely convinced - so who's right? Or is there something we've likely missed, done wrong or generally broken??

(my concentration and focus on these things seems to be directly related to the amount of skin left on my knuckles!)

My tuppence worth.

If you have put a lift in have you recalibrated the system?

I would assume from playing with mine once, that if it is not where it expects to be it will cause an alarm.

Can the hawkeye recalbrate suspension heights?

Cheers

neilly said:

My tuppence worth.

If you have put a lift in have you recalibrated the system?

I would assume from playing with mine once, that if it is not where it expects to be it will cause an alarm.

Can the hawkeye recalbrate suspension heights?

Cheers

Click to expand...

Yeah, seems to be able to (not that i'm that familiar with the function - the "experienced users only" warning comes up before going in to that section so I've had a look and not messed with anything (yet ) - might see what it does. I was hoping it would be a case of all four corners going up by the same amount (ride height adjusters in place too so air suspension still functions properly) would mean it needs nothing more than a good drive to settle it down.

If all else fails I might run it up to DB LandRovers who did the BCU replacement for me as I know they've got one of those tablet diagnostic things that cost more than my house (I'm fairly sure you could take over NASA with one of them!) , it that can't fix it then I don't know what will. Still, I'd rather find a solution myself and try to save a few quid if I can - this Discovery ownership it turning into an expensive hobby

With this kit, do you have an adaptor for the height sensors to allow for the height change as well as the spacer for the airbag?

Cheers

neilly said:

With this kit, do you have an adaptor for the height sensors to allow for the height change as well as the spacer for the airbag?

Cheers

Click to expand...

yeah little extension bars that go on to the ride height sensors to extend them. actually quite impressed with the quality of the Terrafirma kit, I looked at a few cheaper versions and they just didn't instill confidence, these seemed to be fairly decent quality and certainly the ride is excellent now.

Stay with bags

MJI said:

Stay with bags

Click to expand...

that was my preference - my mates concern was the extended height with the spacers and the relatively small key that the bags lock into, he thought this give the potential for the airbag to simply break off the spacer if doing something a little more strenuous off-road. I think he's probably worrying too much - hence wondering if anyone on here's had experience of any issues remaining with airbags?

None at all in 4 years

Paul Leinichen said:

that was my preference - my mates concern was the extended height with the spacers and the relatively small key that the bags lock into, he thought this give the potential for the airbag to simply break off the spacer if doing something a little more strenuous off-road. I think he's probably worrying too much - hence wondering if anyone on here's had experience of any issues remaining with airbags?

Click to expand...

They were designed to be off roaded with bags on , You have to go to quite a lot of articulation to rip a bag out, I had mine up on stands and jacks the other week and was surprised how far it had to go before the bags even looked close to full stretch.

Cheers

MJI said:

None at all in 4 years

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sounds like it's staying on airbags then - that'll keep the missus happy (as it's one less thing to spend on!)

currently on ebay bidding on an Allisport uprated intercooler to go with my remap - fingers crossed - if that goes in then I can't see any way it's going to struggle to tow anything (no matter how deep the mud is )

gotta behave after that and stop spending on the Disco for a few weeks - got too much to get to try and get business set up and running! But will be back to the ever-developing Disco in no time I expect. Light bar is on and just needs wiring up when it stops raining, diff guards ready to go on along with light guards. Then going to be looking to try and find a steel rear bumper that has jacking points and accepts the rear parking sensors as want to retain those. And finally i'll be scouring ebay for an Outback/Aussie-style ARB winch bumper (nicest design I've seen and has everything - but cost a fortune new!) if and when the business gets up and running and starts to bring a little cash in!!

Paul Leinichen said:

The other small question is: having got all the work done today and checked no DTC codes showing anywhere (used Hawkeye). But the rear suspension light is still on. Mechanic mate suggests this will calibrate over a decent length drive (which I've not had chance to do yet) but I'm not entirely convinced - so who's right? Or is there something we've likely missed, done wrong or generally broken??

Click to expand...

Paul Leinichen said:

Yeah, seems to be able to (not that i'm that familiar with the function - the "experienced users only" warning comes up before going in to that section so I've had a look and not messed with anything (yet )

Click to expand...

The system will not self-calibrate whatsoever, calibrating with hawkeye is easy, park it on plain ground, use two jacks to set the body at even level, go step by step with hawkeye in the calibration menu then when it asks if calibration blocks are fitted as you have the body supported prompt yes and it will save those heights as target heights , job done, you can measure all around front/rear the heights to be even or you can use a two way bubble level tool on the boot floor(that's how i'm doing it) just close the tail door before you save heights.