P38A Very paranoid EAS calibration block question

Hi all,

As I approach my dotage, I'm about to have my first set of calibration blocks made to save me bending over and standing up multiple times as I try to measure the distance between the wheel hub and wheel arch.

The dimensions are well published on the net and on wammer's tech archive (needs to be accessed by google search somehow because the link doesn't show on the forum main page on my browser for some reason) article but I just wanted to ask whether the lengths of the home made blocks take the height of the retention mushroom inside the bump stops into account?

I ask because the official ones have what appear to be little dimples on one end which presumably are meant to allow the retention mushrooms to sit in, discounting their height from the resulting ride height of the car while on the blocks. Sure, I've never heard of anyone saying "Oh well my car mysteriously rides 5mm higher than it used to since I calibrated my ride heights with my home made calibration blocks" and it probably wouldn't matter even if it did but I just want to hear it from someone.

Anybody?

Cheers!

Blocks are bored 10mm to sit over retention pip.

I've just come across this from 'The Absolute Beginners Guide to the Range Rover P38 Electronic Air Suspension', written by Jonathan Mills

HIGH SETTING:
2 blocks 145mm rear setting
2 blocks140mm front setting

STANDARD SETTING:
2 blocks 105mm rear setting
2 blocks 100mm front setting

LOW SETTING:
2 blocks 80mm rear setting
2 blocks 75mm front setting

ACCESS SETTING
2 blocks 40mm rear setting
2 blocks 35 mm front setting

My guess is that these do take the mushrooms into account but can't be certain.

Yes those are the measurements. Wammers' article says the same but he just answered that question. Need to put 10m holes in one end so the retention mushrooms can sit inside them.

Now trying to source 30mm delrin rods because I dare not use softwood and I'll be hunted down and burnt alive by greenpeace if I used local hardwood.

That's right- you heard it here- delrin is more "green" than timber in the world of P38 ownership!

I cut up an old broom handle..

No need for fancy shyte,

Thats wot I did too and didnt bore a 10mm dimple

I don't think it'll make that much of a difference either way. The mushroom can't be more than 3 to 5mm high and you get as big an error as that- if not bigger- if you tried doing it with a meter rule between wheel hub centre and wheel arch anyway.

But you know... since I'm going to have them made (or sacrifice a broom handle), might as well get it right.

I do know that putting hole broom handles in a lathe to bore a hole in the middle can be quite fun, you need to have someone loosely hold then to stop them going in to self distrucked

Well.... as an apartment dweller, machining is something I'm quite happy to outsource.

I'm really not sure about the broom handle solution though. You guys probably get a better class of timber for yours but the days of finding good hardwood broom handles (or indeed good hardwood anything menial) in this country are well and truly over and I'm not comfortable in entrusting a little over 2 tonnes to 4 x 30mm diameter rubberwood rods, so delrin it'll probably be.

Mine are just softwood. They're a tad small really bit they just sit inside the bumpstops and work well enough. Strong stuff, wood.

Erm... do you know what kind of softwood? I'll look it up and see. IF I can get away with a rubberwood mop handle then heck I'll have a bash at it

DarthDude said:

Erm... do you know what kind of softwood? I'll look it up and see. IF I can get away with a rubberwood mop handle then heck I'll have a bash at it

Click to expand...

The wood will be under compression so should be strong enough.

Broom handles will bend sideways in a long length but you try and push them shorter no way, the way we need them for height block they are very strong.

brianp38dse said:

Broom handles will bend sideways in a long length but you try and push them shorter no way, the way we need them for height block they are very strong.

Click to expand...

Great mind's, eh Brian. I've had poor internet for days or had there been a problem with the site? I put it down to having mobile broadband and so many neighbours and their kids being at home on lockdown. Bloody pain, no forum when I could have been helpful, funny, sarcastic, pain, delete as applicable @Enthusiastman and anyone else..

tomcat59alan said:

Great mind's, eh Brian. I've had poor internet for days or had there been a problem with the site? I put it fine to having mobile broadband and so many neighbours and their kids being at home on lockdown. Bloody pain, no forum when I could have been helpful, funny, sarcastic, pain, delete as applicable @Enthusiastman and anyone else..

Click to expand...

The forum has been fine from my end which makes a change, it does not seam to have had fit for a little while

I just have visions of the thing splintering under the weight and playing merry hell with my airsprings. Rubberwood is not very strong, especially as it ages so yeah..... a little concerned about that.

We use it to make cheap timber furniture here.... and yeah.. they don't stay strong for long. The other use is as charcoal and even then it's not great- you don't get the embers for very long. Maybe I just don't like rubberwood.

DarthDude said:

I just have visions of the thing splintering under the weight and playing merry hell with my airsprings. Rubberwood is not very strong, especially as it ages so yeah..... a little concerned about that.

We use it to make cheap timber furniture here.... and yeah.. they don't stay strong for long. The other use is as charcoal and even then it's not great- you don't get the embers for very long. Maybe I just don't like rubberwood.

Click to expand...

Try one block away from the air spring and see if it takes the weight.

Might be worth a shot. It'll certainly make life easier than trying to find someone who will sell me 2 lousy metres of delrin.

Yeah I'll give it a go. Thanks!

Or use 25mm steel or aluminium tubing cut to the required lengths ? No need to machine holes for the retention pips.

.... and that's BRILLIANT!!

Actually that removes another nagging doubt I have in my mind- it's all very well for your guys to use timber over there, but it's humid all year round here and I don't want to find the broom handles have warped or bent when I reach for them in a couple years time when I've had to change height sensors.

D'oh!!

Allright! Sorted!