Don't get me wrong, I'm not against the EAS. But I spent nearly 2 years of being unable to use the vehicle properly because of it. And I still don't really know what was wrong with it. The cost to try and replace bits vs the actual value of the vehicle or a coil kit, just didn't stack up. And there was no guarantee that it would fix it, just allow further diagnosis.
Oh trust me I know..Im in deep..at this point 9 out of 10 of us are upside down in this "investment". You gotta be in it for the love of the vehicle.. I just live with the quirks of the EAS system now. I try not to track down every single oddity. Still worth it to me personally.
BTW, you must have fun if your EAS drops to the bumps stops with 33" tyres. Or have you extended the bump stops? This became a point of paranoia for myself. On standard wheels/tyres you can drive on the bump stops, although it is bloody horrid. With my MT's, which are a lot smaller than your 33's. It would sit on the rear tyres, and thusly want to damage and rip the tread blocks when you moved it. The front also made the tyre sit inside the arch to the point it would limit steering. With 33's I can't fathom how you'd be able to move it more than 20 foot without damaging stuff if you are on the bump stops.
Definitely made custom bumpstops. I made sure that I can crawl home even if I have no bags. Steering would certainly be and has been an issue on tight winding trails where articulation,and line choice matters. But I have still always made it home..
Also, when you say reseat a bag in about 5 secs. What do you mean?
Every time I have seen them pop off, it is the bottom axle piece getting separated from the bottom portion of the bag. Sometimes the bags are ripped and deteriorated and just irreparable. But if it only blows the bead off the bag like when you get crossed up and one corner hangs a little to far..maybe..Those types of blow outs are super easy to repair. All you would truly need is the factory jack and something to remove the top R clip on the air spring. Physically reseating the bag would take only 5 seconds once it is out.
As for the ride off road. In normal ride height it was ok, not as compliant as my pickup Land Rover, but not bad. This was fine on lanes and across the fields. But the standard ride height gives even worse approach/breakover/departure angles. So isn't practical for more difficult terrain. I know you could use/fab a spacer to give increased ride height and the same bag pressures as the standard ride height. Which may well be a winner, although doing this means your lower ride heights would also be higher. So maybe negating some of the benefits anyway.
The EAS is just fundamentally flawed in that the lower the vehicle rides the softer the springs are and the higher it rides they get massively stiffer. You ideally want it the other way around. Which is exactly what Arnott Gen 3's address.
I agree with everything you are saying which is why I made spacers for my EAS and used the Gen3 springs. My EAS doesnt really know it is lifted and the spring rates are what Arnott meant them to be. All the heights are indeed taller across the board however I still retain a choice of heights and also the huge advantage of self leveling. One of my biggest gripes with coils was driving the 100 miles, swaying about on the freeway, just to get to the trails where I will be really utilizing the height of my rig. EAS makes the journey tolerable on the freeway and twisties vs the coils at one static height.
Also the only reason why I could personally justify the Gen3's is because they are lifetime replacement warranty for customers in the US. If not for the warranty. I dont think I would've pulled the trigger either.
Dont have any really good pictures with the tires yet.. Mostly out there having fun and testing the limits..
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