Disco 2 Air suspension blowout issue

Hi,

I've been the proud owner of an 03 plate Discover 2 TD5 Facelift for a couple of years.

6 months or so ago, the rear suspension all of a sudden became very hard and a couple of minutes later, the passenger/near side air spring blew. I changed the air spring myself - I was briefly quite proud of myself. A couple of days later, the same thing happened again. This time, I observed the rear suspension over extend, before the air spring blew.

Lesson learned (or so I thought), I got my garage to change both air springs and check the ride height and any issues with that might be going on with the sensors and/or compressor. He couldn't find a fault - other than the blown air spring.

Over the past few weeks, the same passenger/near side has been drooping, so I raised the rear suspension, released and it came down near (but not quite) level. I did the same again, but this time the air spring over extended, did not release and blew.

What might or might not be relevant, was some off-roading on a friends farm, which included sliding into mud and grass sideways at some speed, shortly before the initial problem.

I know there's no way of knowing for sure, but does it sound like a height sensor issue? If so, is it difficult to get the sensor bolts off a 16 year old chassis and replace the sensor? Typically, I'm broke after taking my daughters away for a few weeks over the summer school hols, but I need the truck up and running for my job.

I have considered changing to coil springs, but it's a 7 seater, so not sure of the legalities and my insurer is closed today. It does go off-roading, but not usually aggressively and I rarely tow.

Any help or advice appreciated.

Many thanks,

Alun
Elvington, York, UK

Could well be sensors. Easy enough to swop, did mine last year matter of minutes to do. Need a Nanocom or similar to set them and best buying genuine parts.

If you don't have acess to equipment to re-calibrate the RHS then disconnect the battery BEFORE changing them so you don't loose the settings.
Griff

And if you change to springs, provided you tell the insurers I doubt they'd up your insurance at all, after all, it hardly makes your Landy go faster does it?!

I changed my air bags to coils a few years ago because the "system" was playing up. It never blew a bag, but just couldn't decide whether to inflate the bags or not after they had dropped.
Anyway, when my cash flow improved, I replaced both the bags AND sensors and everything has been groovy with the world ever since.
Although changing to coils got around the issue to begin with, the car just never felt right until I fixed the air suspension.

Much appreciated all. I might order the bits shortly, just a little reticent to do the sensors myself.

Feathers McGraw said:

Could well be sensors. Easy enough to swop, did mine last year matter of minutes to do. Need a Nanocom or similar to set them and best buying genuine parts.

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I read somewhere (cannot find it now) that someone struggled to get the screws out (or whatever they are) that hold the sensor in place. I don't have specialist tools or a full set of spanners.

Shimsteriom said:

I changed my air bags to coils a few years ago because the "system" was playing up. It never blew a bag, but just couldn't decide whether to inflate the bags or not after they had dropped.
Anyway, when my cash flow improved, I replaced both the bags AND sensors and everything has been groovy with the world ever since.
Although changing to coils got around the issue to begin with, the car just never felt right until I fixed the air suspension.

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That's what I needed to read!

"I don't have specialist tools or a full set of spanners."
Love this! Sounds like, "I don't have a full set of sandwiches for my picnic"!
But then you are a Landy owner!

Alunee said:

I read somewhere (cannot find it now) that someone struggled to get the screws out (or whatever they are) that hold the sensor in place. I don't have specialist tools or a full set of spanners.

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Here you go
https://workshop-manuals.com/landrover/discovery-ii/rear_suspension/repairs/compressor_unit_air_sls/
I just used a decent 3/8 drive socket, either a full hex or wall drive one. Didn't have a problem. I did have replacement bolts ready just in case.

Stanleysteamer said:

"I don't have specialist tools or a full set of spanners."
Love this! Sounds like, "I don't have a full set of sandwiches for my picnic"!
But then you are a Landy owner!

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I've never heard of "a full set of sandwiches" before.

Feathers McGraw said:

Here you go
https://workshop-manuals.com/landrover/discovery-ii/rear_suspension/repairs/compressor_unit_air_sls/
I just used a decent 3/8 drive socket, either a full hex or wall drive one. Didn't have a problem. I did have replacement bolts ready just in case.

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Brilliant, thank you.

Alunee said:

I've never heard of "a full set of sandwiches" before.



Brilliant, thank you.

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No but you have heard of " a sandwich short of a picnic"!

Stanleysteamer said:

No but you have heard of " a sandwich short of a picnic"!

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Only when replying to you!

Alunee said:

Only when replying to you!

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If you continue to own Landies you'll soon own a full tool kit, and a diagnostic, and spend hours on this and other forums! You may well also find yourself owning other Landies. Many of us do, perhaps we should form a group "Landies anonymous"?!

Stanleysteamer said:

If you continue to own Landies you'll soon own a full tool kit, and a diagnostic, and spend hours on this and other forums! You may well also find yourself owning other Landies. Many of us do, perhaps we should form a group "Landies anonymous"?!

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Funnily enough, I've just been Googling torque wrenches that go to down to 6 Nm. Before the blowout, was looking at an old Station Wagon. Bloody Landies!

Alunee said:

Funnily enough, I've just been Googling torque wrenches that go to down to 6 Nm. Before the blowout, was looking at an old Station Wagon. Bloody Landies!

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I am too old to function in Newton metres, which are bizarre in themselves, being a combination of a British scientist and a French system of weights and measures. I still work in pounds feet. but, yes, I have 3 torque wrenches, one a Norbar, click-when-it's-on-it, present from wifey that I use all the time, an old indicator type that I use for the lower torques and a FO powerful one that I got bizarrely to work on an old style Mini, doing up the hub nut to it's amazingly high torque. But if you muck about with your hubs on your Disco you may feel the urge to get a still more powerful one, but I do it by using a longish breaker bar, knowledge of my own weight and a bit of very simple maths, to tell me where to stand on it. This has already been mentioned on another thread about rear hubs.
As for the Station Wagon, I'd love one, but the three Discos parked on my drive pea off one of our neighbours so much they have planted a laurel hedge on our side of their drive to try and hide the view! So I don't think I can get one until I've at least got rid of one of the others. Also anything Defender like has gone the through the roof, price-wise, recently. so, especially as I cannot justify it in anyway, it'll stay a pipedream. Looks like you are on the same page as most of us!

Stanleysteamer said:

but the three Discos parked on my drive pea off one of our neighbours so much they have planted a laurel hedge on our side of their drive to try and hide the view!

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Sod them! Get one!

Stanleysteamer said:

I am too old to function in Newton metres, which are bizarre in themselves, being a combination of a British scientist and a French system of weights and measures. I still work in pounds feet. but, yes, I have 3 torque wrenches, one a Norbar, click-when-it's-on-it, present from wifey that I use all the time, an old indicator type that I use for the lower torques and a FO powerful one that I got bizarrely to work on an old style Mini, doing up the hub nut to it's amazingly high torque. But if you muck about with your hubs on your Disco you may feel the urge to get a still more powerful one, but I do it by using a longish breaker bar, knowledge of my own weight and a bit of very simple maths, to tell me where to stand on it. This has already been mentioned on another thread about rear hubs.
As for the Station Wagon, I'd love one, but the three Discos parked on my drive pea off one of our neighbours so much they have planted a laurel hedge on our side of their drive to try and hide the view! So I don't think I can get one until I've at least got rid of one of the others. Also anything Defender like has gone the through the roof, price-wise, recently. so, especially as I cannot justify it in anyway, it'll stay a pipedream. Looks like you are on the same page as most of us!

Click to expand...

I was brought up with pounds, ounces, feet and inches, but now operate in a two simultaneous worlds, where I communicate both my colleagues (old money) and my children (new).

I was on a train (another obsession) the other week and got talking to a chap who was coming up to Yorkshire to view a car. He said that it was worth his while spending hundreds of pounds (different pounds) on train tickets and give up days, sometimes wasting his time and money, because of regional variations in second hand car prices. Might all be nonsense, I don't know, but there have been a few decent 109s at fair prices in this neck of the woods of late. Then I went on holiday, then I broke the Disco again...

Anyway, I've ordered a pair of OEM height sensors (fairly sure the offside is OK, but better safe than sorry with winter coming up) and a Dunlop spring. I'll see what tools I need over the next couple of days.

Alunee said:

I was brought up with pounds, ounces, feet and inches, but now operate in a two simultaneous worlds, where I communicate both my colleagues (old money) and my children (new).

I was on a train (another obsession) the other week and got talking to a chap who was coming up to Yorkshire to view a car. He said that it was worth his while spending hundreds of pounds (different pounds) on train tickets and give up days, sometimes wasting his time and money, because of regional variations in second hand car prices. Might all be nonsense, I don't know, but there have been a few decent 109s at fair prices in this neck of the woods of late. Then I went on holiday, then I broke the Disco again...

Anyway, I've ordered a pair of OEM height sensors (fairly sure the offside is OK, but better safe than sorry with winter coming up) and a Dunlop spring. I'll see what tools I need over the next couple of days.

Click to expand...

I was born in Hull and my great-grandfather started one of the first garages there. He also owned a Stanley Steamer, hence my handle! We go to the Yorkshire Dales most winters and really appreciate the Disco there. But i'd still be inclined to chuck the whole thing in and change your problem for springs. You could keep all the gear and change it back if you get the urge.
I had a look at Series and Defender prices last night, something I never do normally, and there is some truth in what you say, and that was only looking on Gumtree. Also, as soon as you see a Defender advert which starts off "price without VAT" you know it is some greedy beggar trying to flog it abroad. There are still a few out there but so many ads are outrageous.
It is also often cheaper to fly to Scotland to look at a Landy than to go any other way!

Stanleysteamer said:

I was born in Hull and my great-grandfather started one of the first garages there. He also owned a Stanley Steamer, hence my handle! We go to the Yorkshire Dales most winters and really appreciate the Disco there. But i'd still be inclined to chuck the whole thing in and change your problem for springs. You could keep all the gear and change it back if you get the urge.
I had a look at Series and Defender prices last night, something I never do normally, and there is some truth in what you say, and that was only looking on Gumtree. Also, as soon as you see a Defender advert which starts off "price without VAT" you know it is some greedy beggar trying to flog it abroad. There are still a few out there but so many ads are outrageous.
It is also often cheaper to fly to Scotland to look at a Landy than to go any other way!

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We're just down the road from Hull - 30 miles, anyway. Coincidentally, I read The Story of a Stanley Steamer a few months ago.

Looking at it logically, it's probably the nearside height sensor. I've never had a problem with the offside. I'll regret that statement and not going for the coil springs, if I can't get the bolts off the sensor or the bag reinflates then pops again.

I have a big exam Thursday, so will update over the weekend.

Well, whether it is medical or for your qualifications, good luck with the exam!

(...if he is old enough to remember pounds, shillings and ounces, it can't be to get a quali...)
I once spent farthings, only once mind, guess my age! Four little, black, liquorice chewy things, a farthing each. Corner shop, Falmouth Street, Hull. With my Grandpa.