Disc air suspension snaking

Have recently converted to Disco XS with air suspension from a freelander. I have a heavy caravan which towed well with Freelander but I needed more space for dogs. However with same caravan (tow hitch height sorted out ), I get snaking above 55 mph. There is an anti snake device on the hitch which obviously works up to a point . I have a feeling that it's something to do with the sponginess of the air suspension. Anyone any ideas ?
Thanks in anticipation.......

I tow a 1400 Kg caravan with a Disco 2 with air suspension and it's really stable - doesn't even twitch when a whita van comes past at 80+. It's better than its predecessor, a V8 Disco 1.

So I don't think it's the air springs. Nose weight?

thanks, , the nose weight is the same that the freelander towed, and it was stable then. There is more overhang on the discoveryI know the nose weight is a lot but it doesn't sag the discovery.

How old is the Disco? could it just be that your shocks are getting tyred?

Hi, Is the a frame horizontal when hooked up?
Don't wanna take the p!ss but have you changed the way you load the van or does it happen when the 'van is empty.

I found that if mine is empty or I have put the load slightly too far back it is all over the place.

Rob

minidod said:

How old is the Disco? could it just be that your shocks are getting tyred?

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Could be a tyre pressure issue

What is your nose weight compared to the Caravans Max Weight?

What chassis is the Caravan on?

Thanks all, have not thought about shock absorbers,does an air suspension disco have them on the back .Pardon my ignorance. Disco is X reg and in good nick. It tows a vanmaster which is a heavy van. The company could not tell me the recommended nose weight. Its on an Alko chassis, van is horizontal when hooked up played around with tow ball height. MRO is 1490kg.. MTPLM is 1800kg, payload 310kg. Tyre pressures are as recommended by Landrover.

mikebrid said:

Tyre pressures are as recommended by Landrover.

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As in laden or unladen though ??

mikebrid said:

The company could not tell me the recommended nose weight. .

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Recommended nose weight depends on towing vehicle not caravan

I believe it's about 75Kgs for a Disco

mikebrid said:

MTPLM is 1800kg,

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The recomendation from the Caravan club is that the noseweight should be around 7% on the MTPLM, this would equate to 126Kg, but must NOT exceed the Noseweight limit of the Vehicle, Towbar or the Chassis manufacture of the Caravan

The Disco is rated at 150Kg so no problem with the car

If you are on a Alko Chassis with stabliser the limit is 100Kg

Not quite sure what the limit of the BPW chassis is

Therefore you need to aim for a nose weight of 100Kg

Two things first look here for your 'van details Vanmaster

Another trick is to load up the front locker. Don't worry about maximums for now. Just find out what is comfortable first. Then split the load between front end of 'van and front locker. It's also a good excuse to annoy the locals for a while

Rob

Thanks all , am going to get shocks looked at as on checking there is a bit of sideways flop on the rear end. Nose weight is about the 75kg. There is nothing else that I can imagine would cause this because everything else checks out . Will end thread thanks. As our friend says It's good to shut up.

TBH sideways flop won't be due to shock absorbers. It's more likely to be suspension bushes. The sideways location of the rear axle is via a Panhard rod and fore and aft by the radius rods you can see running forward from the axle.

It would be worth taking it into an independent LR place to have it checked. As I said earlier my similar model tows dead straight.

Have you tried the Watts linkage bushes at the rear axle.
Replaced mine last week,but before replacement the car felt like the rear was trying to steer.
Caused an unsettled ride.