Hi everyone, I have been running a 300tdi auto now for the best part of a year and use it for towing a large Lunar delta caravan. We recently went up the dreaded Telegraph Hill on the A38 and I have to admit it scared the pants out of me. We quickly dropped from 55 mph down to 30 mph and I was glad to reach the summit. The Disco kept the same temp and the auto box changed down as we slowed and plodded up the hill. I decided that perhaps a more powerful TD5 was required, perhaps with a chip fitted to further increase the power. I then discovered one at my local Landrover dealer which had been subject to some small damage on the front, i.e. bonnet, n/s headlamp, and front bumper. Someone had also nicked the fan for the aircon from it. It started first pull despite being sat there for a couple of months, but the rear suspension did not rise. The dealer stated that this happens because the sensors are now used to it being down and it just requires jacking up and then pressing the inflate button a couple of times. Anyway I have bought it and would welcome any tips on restoring the air suspension to it proper height. I have not checked for leaks as it is currently being sorted in the bodyshop.
D2 Com
Banned
The easiest check is to look at the pump connections (pump on nearside under car beneath passenger door) and see if you can turn any of the 3 fittings by hand. Two of mine were only finger tight which isn't going to help keep air where it's meant to be!
Assuming you have a leak then this check will cost you a full zilch.
Basically you have bought a computor with 4 wheels and the computor controls your suspension. Problems can be related connections in the pipework, leaking bags, faulty ride height sensors or even a door being left open.
If you get really fed up with the SLS then you can go for a coil conversion.
However, this is likely to make your insurance invalid unless you remove the 6/7th seats.
I recently changed to coils but then I have removed all rear seats.
fireman-andy
New Member
if he is a landy dealer I would get him to sort it before you take delivery. Its a new one on me that the ride height sensors 'learn' what position they are in.
If the bags are leaking (which is common and fairly easy to remedy) it should still rise when started. you should hear the compressor (under the passenger sill) kick in and inflate the bags .
If its a easy as he says then he will be in a better position to do it. (jacking and inflating)
Good luck
Andy
If the bags are leaking (which is common and fairly easy to remedy) it should still rise when started. you should hear the compressor (under the passenger sill) kick in and inflate the bags .
If its a easy as he says then he will be in a better position to do it. (jacking and inflating)
Good luck
Andy
martinhollings
New Member
it is most likley that the pump has give up but rember all the doors need to be closed before the suspension will work
There is no need to remove the rear seats if you go for coil suspension.
Although the type approval for the 7-seater was with air, Land Rover also sold the seats as 'occasional seats' as accessories with no specific requirement to have air suspension fitted. The RAVE CD has all the installation instructions, but nothing about checking for air suspension before fitting.
We have a 1999 GS V8 Disco 2 which had 7 seats when we bought it, but was built with 5 seats. Our insurers changed it to 7 seats with no quibble or questions about air suspension.
Peter
D2 Com
Banned
So you have coils fitted then?
In my case I didn't remove 6/7th seats for the purpose of the legalities/illegalities of fitting coil springs, I simply had no use for them!
I wonder though in the event of a claim an assessor would take the same view, especially in a worse case scenario (heaven forbid)?
Is the compressor electrically driven ? as I noticed some fuses were missing from inside the fuse box.
fireman-andy
New Member
It is an electric pump , I'm not sure which fuse it is.
I still say the garage should sort all faults before delivery, the compressor is about £200 I think ..
Andy
I still say the garage should sort all faults before delivery, the compressor is about £200 I think ..
Andy
thebiglad
Well-Known Member
This is a load of old pony - if it's so easy why doesn't the dealer just do it?
The most likely case is that the bags and or the compressor are fubarr'd
Think he is pulling a fast one, as he knows how expensive they are to repair! You can get after market ones fairly reasonably priced, but what they are like who knows? Having done a range rover years ago when it was quite new, the suspension was fairly easy to fix, cost around £300 (LR Dealer then wanted £1400) but had to go the landrover to be 'set up' on their computer - waited for 7 hours in a queue of others having the same! lol!
thebiglad
Well-Known Member
That's what i was saying - they are cheaper now - i was talking 8 years ago ish. LR wanted £1400 to sort a sales rangie I had that just sat on it's backside one day.
Repaired ourselves - £300, new airbag, peice of pipework and a bleed valve! The extra £40 was for then to activate the system - which at the time was main dealer only!
I will keep that in mind, I am only up the road in Bristol.
TD5 air bag replacement has got to be one of the easiest jobs a none mechanic can do at home other than dipping the oil. Mine has air bags still changed um myself and felt well chuffed i did it on my own, Unsure of how springs feel but seeing as all mine are fine they feel great, mind you might feel different when compresser does one.
D2 Com
Banned
Better at what? I'm sure as with most things there are pros and cons.
Let's put it into perspective from a financial and convenience point of view:-
With air springs you have a number of participating parts needed for them to function, ie a compressor, pipework, connectors, electronics, electrics, sensors, plus they have a susceptability to punctures, not to mention exploding! Any or all of these items can fail.
Cost to diagnose/repair...potentially more than you could buy a 200tdi for!
With a spring you have...........err..a spring! A spring either works or it doesn't and if it's broken it will be obvious. Cost to repair....another set of springs.
I removed mine in prep for a 3000 mile rally across Europe , in which we will be setting off for the start on Thursday, for the simple reason that after reading so much about the potential problems with air suspension I was not prepared to have to play guessing games with what could be wrong if it went wrong, nor to be stranded through an SLS issue and certainly not to be a statistical dnf!
I'm sure the SLS has benefits over the coil springs but not so much that they are justified on my Landy.
I can even leave my back door open :mooning:happily in the knowledge that my rear won't sag!
How do you like my sales technique?
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