P38A Best AirBags - About to ditch the Coils

hose is 6mm OD

PastyMuncher83 said:

Ah bugger, I'm beginning to see why there is no write ups for coil to bag conversions!!

Is that 6mm id? And where would you ideally fit the non return valves?

Problem is even if you got to a point where you've fitted all 4 bags primed with air and are ready to fire up the system. But you would then need to remove the one way valves and or attach the oem pipes to the bags whilst they were under the load of the cars weight whilst preventing the bags from leaking the primed air. This is the catch 22 I was worried about but I'm sure there must be away around it.

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Once the bags have been fitted and part inflated and the car lowered it will be sat on the bump stops. You don't need much air in them, the pressure in them will increase as it is lowered you just need to make sure they fold over themselves properly. You can play with the rest of the system at your leisure.

I'm not sure about this but - couldn't you plug the ends of the other 3 pipes, inflate it a bit with EAS and then let it take the weight. Then unplug the next one and fit that bag in the same way etc. etc.?

PastyMuncher83 said:

Ah bugger, I'm beginning to see why there is no write ups for coil to bag conversions!!

Is that 6mm id? And where would you ideally fit the non return valves?

Problem is even if you got to a point where you've fitted all 4 bags primed with air and are ready to fire up the system. But you would then need to remove the one way valves and or attach the oem pipes to the bags whilst they were under the load of the cars weight whilst preventing the bags from leaking the primed air. This is the catch 22 I was worried about but I'm sure there must be away around it.

Click to expand...

You could fit short length of 6mm line into the valve block with the 1 way valve fitted - fit a bag and replace with air line for the bag - turn on compressor and let bag inflate. Once turned off, solenoids denegerized (system sealed). Repeat. Works in my mind. Maybe!

PastyMuncher83 said:

Good to know, have committed to the dunlops now. Will see how it goes.

This is also on a 2001 V8, a 30th anniversary.

It's been on coils since it came into my ownership and have never experienced a P38 on air so hoping it will sort the handling out! It's verging on dangerous at motorway speeds on the coils.

Have had 2 classics b4 this and the handling was head and shoulders above this P38 on coils, I'm sure it will be worth the aggro as will be selling up and going back to a classic if not!

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New Shocks as well then

Anyone got any calibration blocks i could borrow? Mine has started doing a dance!

Calibrating with a nano com

I also had 2 classics before the p38's a 79 2 door then a 84 4 door. It took me a while to like the p38 diesel so glad I sold it and gone back to the V8.
I do like the comfort of the air suspension over the coils, I drive a mates disco 1 and it wallows and doesn't handle as well as the Rangy

Yes replaced the shocks about 5 months back, made a marked improvement but still not great!

Falk said:

New Shocks as well then

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My first venture into the Land Rover world was in a Disco 1 3.9 Efi.

Was a great truck had many a happy green laning trips and pay and plays but after the 3 hour trip to deliver it to its new owner after I had sold it, ending with an hour driving through the country roads of the South Downs and getting stomach pains from the way it wobbles it confirmed it wasn't the car for me!

Discocrazy2 said:

I also had 2 classics before the p38's a 79 2 door then a 84 4 door. It took me a while to like the p38 diesel so glad I sold it and gone back to the V8.
I do like the comfort of the air suspension over the coils, I drive a mates disco 1 and it wallows and doesn't handle as well as the Rangy

Click to expand...

Falk said:

You could fit short length of 6mm line into the valve block with the 1 way valve fitted - fit a bag and replace with air line for the bag - turn on compressor and let bag inflate. Once turned off, solenoids denegerized (system sealed). Repeat. Works in my mind. Maybe!

Click to expand...

Ok now we're thinking, I like it!

This is a bit Heath Robinson, but bear with me.
What if, as I jacked up each corner in turn, removed the coil, installed the bag, deflated. Then had a 6" or so length 6mm hose, connected one end to the bag push fitting, and the other end to an air gun which I could use to blow some air in and expand the bag.
Remove the 6" pipe, whilst using ye olde finger technique to minimise the air coming out of the bag whilst I plug in the oem compressor feed pipe into the bag.
Then remove the jacks ect and rinse and repeat for the remaining 3 bags.

Or would the air escape out of the bag as soon as it was connected to the factory connection compressor feed pipe?

you've never owned a series land rover then I'm sure they caused my tinnitus. which is great as I cant hear the buz from the p38's door speakers after fitting a new kenwood head unit.

When I replaced mine, the critical bit was that for the first time you drop the car onto the bags then you need air in them but after that they are already set to fold the correct way. I had Schrader valves fitted and blew them up with compressor before I disconnected valves and connected pipe to valve block, I was not changing from coils but just changing all bags

PastyMuncher83 said:

Ok now we're thinking, I like it!

This is a bit Heath Robinson, but bear with me.
What if, as I jacked up each corner in turn, removed the coil, installed the bag, deflated. Then had a 6" or so length 6mm hose, connected one end to the bag push fitting, and the other end to an air gun which I could use to blow some air in and expand the bag.
Remove the 6" pipe, whilst using ye olde finger technique to minimise the air coming out of the bag whilst I plug in the oem compressor feed pipe into the bag.
Then remove the jacks ect and rinse and repeat for the remaining 3 bags.

Or would the air escape out of the bag as soon as it was connected to the factory connection compressor feed pipe?

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The push fit valve into the bag is not self sealing - the air would be forced out under the weight of the car if you tried to hold it wit your finger. Better off doing it from the valve block. Wouldn't escape out of the bag once connected to the valve block - unless you have a leak!

Ok thanks I think I've got my head around it now.

Disconnect battery and stick it on charge.

Fit a bag to one corner, inflate using schrader valve in relevant pipe for that corner. Remove jacks/stands and go on to repeat for the next for corners.

Once all bags are on, evenly deflate all four bags by using the valves so car is sat on bump stops. Remove the valves, re-insert pipes into the valve block.

Remove the eas by-pass loom. Re-fit compressor. Re-connect battery.

With a door open start up the engine leave to run for 10-15mins checking compressor is running to charge the pressure tank with air.
Switch her off, shut the door and fire her up and see what happens from there!!

Where would you advise to get a eas diagnostic lead from and I see the software is free to download pretty easily?

Datatec on here can supply you with a lead and software give him a pm.

Does he ever visit these parts? I think he left this forum which is a shame.

davidsmith1307 said:

Does he ever visit these parts? I think he left this forum which is a shame.

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I think he still does the lead and software and a copy of RAVE for little money. Contact him.

We live in hope that he may come back as his tech input is rather missed, you never no pm`s may kick start a response.

PM Sent, many thanks.

Good luck and you are doing the right thing IMO