P38 Air Bags

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
I recently (last 6 weeks) replaced the shocks and bags on my P38 2.5dse 1997auto. I opted for arnotts2 all corners, they were a total F8** up. Out of 8 ordered only 3 worked, most just leaked ,one actually burst, all were sent back and the garage costs invoiced the agent. I ordered another set of 4 from maxspeeding very cheap and arrived quickly. Fitted last week and so far happy. I have now got them fitted as well on the V8. Apparently Arnotts were good about 20 years ago, what happened? I don't recommend Arnotts sorry, go for maxspeedingrods. Cost wise at least half price and as they are in HongKong you can haggle a discount ! Interestingly the fronts came from Germany and the rears from UK stockists.

I've had issues with Arnott 2 but Arnott 3 are made in the States and excellent.
 
tenor.gif

giphy.gif
 
Well thanks for that,also asked in the states and got the same result about Arnott,not being any godd for the last few years,dont use them.
The general opinion seems to be that the oem Dunlops are the best due to the design of the rubber mix etc etc.
So have ordered these.
ps the dog in the Kilt should surely be a Scottish Terrier
 
Arnotts are made of a synthetic and do last, so long as they don't get torn/ripped from debris however the O rings do like to leak.

Dunlops are made of natural rubber they're the OEM and seldom have issues, they can last anywhere from 5-10yrs depending.

Some push 15+ years out of a set ;)

sad-airbags.jpg
 
Arnotts are made of a synthetic and do last, so long as they don't get torn/ripped from debris however the O rings do like to leak.

Dunlops are made of natural rubber they're the OEM and seldom have issues, they can last anywhere from 5-10yrs depending.

Some push 15+ years out of a set ;)

sad-airbags.jpg

The "Dunlops" on sale from Island and the like are made in China under licence. Last more like 5-7 years.

Arnott 3 can be had off Amazon for £250 delivered but check they're an authorized dealer on the Arnott site first. If not, walk away.

Truck Store in the States do them at $200 bit you have to pay import duties and shipping so ends up only slightly cheaper and no UK buyers protection rights plus more cost if there is an issue. Excellent bags though.

Arnott 2. Don't know WTF happened there but heard a lot of horror stories recently.

Think the Land Rover ones are not made by Dunlop any more. @Henry_b probably knows who makes them now.
 
The "Dunlops" on sale from Island and the like are made in China under licence. Last more like 5-7 years.

Arnott 3 can be had off Amazon for £250 delivered but check they're an authorized dealer on the Arnott site first. If not, walk away.

Truck Store in the States do them at $200 bit you have to pay import duties and shipping so ends up only slightly cheaper and no UK buyers protection rights plus more cost if there is an issue. Excellent bags though.

Arnott 2. Don't know WTF happened there but heard a lot of horror stories recently.

Think the Land Rover ones are not made by Dunlop any more. @Henry_b probably knows who makes them now.

No idea where they're made to be fair, the originals on mine were date stamped 09/2001 the new un's looked the same, I think the knock offs lack the date of manufacture and brand scribble on the bag...

Gen II arnotts have been a disaster recently, I was considering a set for mine..
 
Well thanks for that,also asked in the states and got the same result about Arnott,not being any godd for the last few years,dont use them.
The general opinion seems to be that the oem Dunlops are the best due to the design of the rubber mix etc etc.
So have ordered these.
ps the dog in the Kilt should surely be a Scottish Terrier
The one I have in mind is a Scottish R sole.
 
I get mine from airbagman..... I think I'm on my 3rd or 4th set now and so far I'm happy. I change 'em every 2 years as part of routine maintenance, though so I don't know how long they last beyond that.
 
Back on the subject I am still waiting to fit my rear airbags and rebuild the compressor. (luckily the beast is still working i just know they need doing) Ordered the parts a month ago now. and because of the weight on airmail to Russia the seller put 1 air bag and the 4 new retaining clips in one box and the other airbag and the compressor rebuild kit in another. These were then tracked albeit very slowly until they reached Moscow, somehow they then separated one box winged its way to me a few thousand miles in a few days and all good. The other is after 10 days still sat on the shelf at customs despite probably been sat right next to the the one i have as the scanning time is the same for their clearance, So they haven't lost it yet its just abandoned. Pity is its the one with the rebuild kit in it so cant even get on with that while i wait. Even in the UK when dealing with and i use this term loosely "customer service" it difficult to find someone who is still not on their induction and speaks English. So when in any country where you don't speak the local language fluently you are going to have problems and i just have to accept this and its part of the price i pay for living here. But it hasn't stopped the hair loss or made me drink any less :D:D:D

PS the bags i have ordered are OEM.from Island and all other parts i have had from them have been just Perfik.
 
The "Dunlops" on sale from Island and the like are made in China under licence. Last more like 5-7 years.
The ones I get are from LRparts,Liverpool and are marked made in England,so the chinese ones are probably not genuine Dunlop.
Checked Dunlop and they dont seem to manufacture in China.
 
The "Dunlops" on sale from Island and the like are made in China under licence. Last more like 5-7 years.
The ones I get are from LRparts,Liverpool and are marked made in England,so the chinese ones are probably not genuine Dunlop.
Checked Dunlop and they dont seem to manufacture in China.
I'm seriously amazed. Even when I bought complete airsprings from Land Rover, I'd see the beginnings of cracking around 3 years. I seem to remember a set of bellows I bought from Arnott which did seem to last longer but the rubber was very obviously thinner and I was actively taking the car offroad, I didn't want to chance it.
 
The one I have in mind is a Scottish R sole.
I'm seriously amazed. Even when I bought complete airsprings from Land Rover, I'd see the beginnings of cracking around 3 years. I seem to remember a set of bellows I bought from Arnott which did seem to last longer but the rubber was very obviously thinner and I was actively taking the car offroad, I didn't want to chance it.
Climate may have an input. But Landrovers estimate of around eight years is based on a P38 being a road vehicle with off road capability. Off road loads and flexing greatly increase fail rate.
 
Climate may have an input. But Landrovers estimate of around eight years is based on a P38 being a road vehicle with off road capability. Off road loads and flexing greatly increase fail rate.
Sure... that makes sense. I'll start monitoring them at 2 years now and see how far they go, instead of changing them as a matter of course. I don't use the car nearly as much nowadays as I used to back then after all.
 
I'm seriously amazed. Even when I bought complete airsprings from Land Rover, I'd see the beginnings of cracking around 3 years. I seem to remember a set of bellows I bought from Arnott which did seem to last longer but the rubber was very obviously thinner and I was actively taking the car offroad, I didn't want to chance it.

The gen 3 are a lot more robust in every way.
 
The "Dunlops" on sale from Island and the like are made in China under licence. Last more like 5-7 years.
The ones I get are from LRparts,Liverpool and are marked made in England,so the chinese ones are probably not genuine Dunlop.
Checked Dunlop and they dont seem to manufacture in China.

That sounds more like it. My old ones from Island are in the shed waiting to go on the scrapper so I will check what is on them.
 
Back
Top