p38 1995 diesel suspension

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R

roddy4

New Member
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664
Location
banbury,oxfordshire
hi,i am sure this has been mentioned before,but i am looking to change my air suspension to coil spring,my air suspension has faults which are going to be costly to fix and will really be more than the truck is worth.
what are the fors and against of going away from air suspension.
which means i will have four good air bags for sale,not very old either,only a couple of months
brit parts do a set of coil springs,but britparts have a bad review
 
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I don't think it is such a bad idea. If the pump is still working you can use it on your tires. I would put dislocating cones on for extra articulation. Maybe even keep the back airbags to inflate manually for when you are overloaded.
 
Bad idea, the P38 was never designed for coils. The EAS is relatively cheap to fix if you can DIY it, certainly cheaper than fitting coils. You would also need to inform your insurance company.
 
Bearmach do the best coil conversion kit for them IMO, you get 1 electric harness, 1 pair of front blue springs, 1 pair of rear blue springs, 2 rear isolators, 2 front isolators, 4 spring seats and a fitting kit, now our prices are in euro's for them but it comes out at : €441.88 + IVA (IVA is VAT over here and 21%) but like Datatek says, you would need to inform the insurance of the mod.
 
If you've got 4 new air springs you're more than half way to sorting the EAS. Exactly what are the faults. Probably nothing a valve block and compressor rebuild couldn't sort out. Let everyone now the faults and lots of people on here will help you out.

I wouldn't mind betting you've taken it to a garage who knows little about the EAS and they have started throwing big repair bills at you when it can be sorted much cheaper than a coil conversion.

You would lose that high speed stability on the motorways and my mother-in-law wouldn't come out with us if we couldn't lower to access height (how much did you say that coil conversion was :))
 
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Exactly how old (age / miles) and what make are your bags? Might have 'em of yer if you go ahead with this.
 
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Datatek said:
Bad idea, the P38 was never designed for coils. The EAS is relatively cheap to fix if you can DIY it, certainly cheaper than fitting coils. You would also need to inform your insurance company.
Click to expand...

i have been quoted £444 for a rebuilt driver pack,that is where i have a fault the pump runs all the time, (i have a leak on one of the pipes going to the air bag from the driver box),so will need a new pump,aside from that i think all is ok,
and i think the transfer ecu is u/s as i have no low range and cannot work out on rave where the ecu for the transfer box is.
it could be i have a seized transfer box anyway,as i think this is a common fault? also the diesel pump is on it's way out.
lots of costly items,however once done it will be back to how it should be,just needs lots of pennies thrown at it,
oh and it needs a new clutch,which i am getting done i have a mate in the know and will charge me£250
 
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roddy4 said:
i have been quoted £444 for a rebuilt driver pack,that is where i have a fault the pump runs all the time, (i have a leak on one of the pipes going to the air bag from the driver box),so will need a new pump,aside from that i think all is ok,
and i think the transfer ecu is u/s as i have no low range and cannot work out on rave where the ecu for the transfer box is.
it could be i have a seized transfer box anyway,as i think this is a common fault? also the diesel pump is on it's way out.
lots of costly items,however once done it will be back to how it should be,just needs lots of pennies thrown at it,
oh and it needs a new clutch,which i am getting done i have a mate in the know and will charge me£250
Click to expand...


that could be the reason the pump is running all the time also, as it keeps loosing air out of the system it kicks the pump in to replenish the air in the system, that leak should just be new o-rings and a new collet on the pipe where it enters the valve block (unless its a split pipe further down)

I'm not too sure on the exact place of the Transfer box ECU, but i think its under the left front seat behind the EAS ECU
 
roddy4 said:
i have been quoted £444 for a rebuilt driver pack,that is where i have a fault the pump runs all the time, (i have a leak on one of the pipes going to the air bag from the driver box),so will need a new pump,aside from that i think all is ok,
and i think the transfer ecu is u/s as i have no low range and cannot work out on rave where the ecu for the transfer box is.
it could be i have a seized transfer box anyway,as i think this is a common fault? also the diesel pump is on it's way out.
lots of costly items,however once done it will be back to how it should be,just needs lots of pennies thrown at it,
oh and it needs a new clutch,which i am getting done i have a mate in the know and will charge me£250
Click to expand...

Driver packs are £139.99 OEM at Island 4x4. They are sealed units and connot be rebuilt. The only things the driver pack operates are the valves it does not switch the compressor. The reason your compressor is running all the time is because you have a leak.
 
stevo88 said:
that could be the reason the pump is running all the time also, as it keeps loosing air out of the system it kicks the pump in to replenish the air in the system, that leak should just be new o-rings and a new collet on the pipe where it enters the valve block (unless its a split pipe further down)

I'm not too sure on the exact place of the Transfer box ECU, but i think its under the left front seat behind the EAS ECU
Click to expand...

will try that then,it is the o rings that are leaking just one at the mo,but i should think the rest will follow.
 
the 4 spring pipes and tank feed are 6mm collets an rings, theres a 4mm one for , from what i can gather off rave is a sort of exhaust pipe, and thers 2 8mm ones for the dryer, they all have 2 o-rings each, i'll get part numbers in the mornin wen i'm in work if you want, or i'm sure someone else may come along tonight with them for you,

you may also want to trim upto 5mm off the ends of the tubes b4 you put them in the new o-rings depending on the condition of the pipe in the first place

Steve
 
stevo88 said:
the 4 spring pipes and tank feed are 6mm collets an rings, theres a 4mm one for , from what i can gather off rave is a sort of exhaust pipe, and thers 2 8mm ones for the dryer, they all have 2 o-rings each, i'll get part numbers in the mornin wen i'm in work if you want, or i'm sure someone else may come along tonight with them for you,

you may also want to trim upto 5mm off the ends of the tubes b4 you put them in the new o-rings depending on the condition of the pipe in the first place

Steve
Click to expand...

i have a box of metric o rings i was hoping these would do the job,cost me £17.99 delivered to my door,there is a wide range of o rings in this box,
my only concern is removing the air from the system so i can remove the driver box,if i lower it right down and leave it a few hours would the leak drain it,it does go down overnight but not much.
 
I changed mine to springs after my mate did his, really glad I did, no more expensive suspension problems and stability is just fine. If I got another P38 I would do the same again without a second thought. It made no difference to my Insurance (check with your own first) downside is you cannot lower the car. Sacrilige to some, peace of mind to others-your decision.
Hope this helps
Davie F
 
roddy4 said:
i have a box of metric o rings i was hoping these would do the job,cost me £17.99 delivered to my door,there is a wide range of o rings in this box,
my only concern is removing the air from the system so i can remove the driver box,if i lower it right down and leave it a few hours would the leak drain it,it does go down overnight but not much.
Click to expand...

ah yeah, we deflate the system on the computer, but even then there is still air left in, if that o ring kit does have the same size rings as the ones in the valve block by the collets, then yeah they will work, after all, an o-ring is an o-ring isn't it, not too sure on the leak draining the whole system in a few hours, but with it being on one of the spring feeds it may just deflate that 1 spring (but then the rest of the car would self level to that wheel i think), just be careful taking off the air pipes as the noise in unreal!!! and keep underneath the car clear of anything/anyone!!

Steve
 
right valve block is off,it is sat in the kitchen on the table on top of white paper,the o rings i have are not the right ones,so i have ordered them in,only £10 hoping this will help,it doesn't like being on the bump stops
which way round puts air into the tank,is it the tail gate open,or drivers door open?
 
roddy4 said:
right valve block is off,it is sat in the kitchen on the table on top of white paper,the o rings i have are not the right ones,so i have ordered them in,only £10 hoping this will help,it doesn't like being on the bump stops
which way round puts air into the tank,is it the tail gate open,or drivers door open?
Click to expand...

Any door open.
 
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