Disco II Air suspension – the definitive guide!

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jackstringer

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Mendip Hills, Somerset
Originally Posted by battenberg

Disco II Air suspension – the definitive guide!
It's about time someone put all this into one place... so here it is!

All you will ever need to know about Air Suspension.


Simply put, the air suspension on the disco II consists of a couple of balloons at each back wheel.
A way of inflating them independently and a computer to monitor the height of the car and keep it all level.


The Disco II air suspension consists of the following components:


  • Air bags (balloons)
  • Pipes that join the air bags to the valve block and supply air to the compressor
  • A valve block to control independent inflation/deflation of the air bags
  • A compressor to supply compressed air
  • Air scrubbers/filters to clean and de-moisturise the air
  • Ride height sensors to feedback levelling and height information to the computer
  • A computer to control the valve operation and activation of the compressor

Component Locations:

  • Air bags:There are two air bags, one at each back wheel (there is no air suspension on the front)
  • Air Pipes: the supply air to the compressor runs along the chassis to the compressor from behind the top light cluster at the rear left hand side of the car. The supply to the air bags runs from the compressor valve block along the chassis to each of the rear air bags. There is a supply to the valve block that runs from the compressor.
  • The valve block: this is contained in the compressor unit black box on the outside of the chassis rail under the passenger seat (UK models)
  • Compressor: this is contained in the black box on the outside of the chassis rail under the passenger seat (UK models)
  • Air Scrubbers/Filters: there is an air scrubber on the compressor unit and the filter is behind the light cluster on the end of the supply pipe.
  • Ride height sensors: these are small matchbox size boxes with a plastic arm. They are attached to the chassis rail on each side at the front of the rear wheel arches and have a link bar which attaches to the rear arm to the axle and an electrical connection.
  • Computer: this is the SLABS ecu (‘Self Levelling’ and ABS ecu) and is found behind the dashboard glove box.

Modes of operation.

1. Normal driving mode: this is the normal operation height of the suspension
2. Extended height mode: (user controlled), this is activated via a button on the dashboard. Activation/dis-activation comes with a dashboard light and audio chimes. This mode raises the back end for extra off road ground clearance.
3. Dropped height mode:, (user controlled) this is for hitching a trailer or caravan and needs a remote key fob, although you can buy these keyfobs from ebay etc… This key fob accessory needs to be programmed to your car by a dealer. This mode drops the back end down below ‘normal’ operation levels.
4. Grounded Chassis Mode: (automatic) this mode is automated by the SLABS ecu. If it detects that the chassis is grounded using the traction control sensors. It automatically raises the chassis beyond extended height temporally in an attempt to jack the chassis out of its grounded situation.
5. Transport Mode: (dealer only) This is only available to a dealer or someone with a ‘testbook’ computer, it lowers the suspension right down, for use when the car is on a transporter.

Quirks and safety.

The suspension will rise about 20mm once the engine is started and all the doors closed. This is normal.
The suspension will drop about 20mm once the engine is switched off and all the doors are closed after exiting the car. You can usually see this happen and hear the air rushing out. This is normal.
The ‘extended mode’ will return to ‘normal mode’ once the car drives over 18mph. lights will flash on the dash and you will hear the chimes. This is normal.

For safety, all the doors including the bonnet and boot must be shut to allow any changes in the suspension height. (Remember this if you are making a repair!)


Troubleshooting.


Land Rover recommend that the air bags be changed every 5 years as they become porous with age – so if they haven’t been changed, change them..!

Sinking on one side or the other is a sure sign of an air leak on that side, if it regains normal height after running the engine (remember doors closed!) then the compressor is ok and you should be looking at replacement air bags. Replace them in pairs!
Spraying soapy water on them when in ‘extended height’ mode is a good telltale for an air leak. Find the bubbles and you have found the leak!
Expect to pay around £90 each for Air Bags and £0.50p for the clips – you’ll need two clips for each air bag. The clips are reusable, but may break when getting them off. Get some anyway to be sure.

Very few people have had an air pipe wear through by rubbing on the chassis, this is not a common fault. If this happens then the compressor will be constantly on (when the engine is running) and the car will not lift on that side.

Over inflation on one side or the other is a sign of a defective ride height sensor; this will pump the air bag to the max and will cause the front to dip down on the opposing side. DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR if this happens, Get it recovered and replaced immediately! Air bags have exploded due to over inflation. At any road speed this could be lethal... believe me, they go with a bang!!!
Replacing them is an easy job, but for safety sake must be done with caution given the fault. Expect to pay about £25 for a ride height sensor and a further hour or two costs for calibration at the dealer

Sinking on both sides and not able to regain height is probably a failed compressor or faulty valve block. Some people have claimed to source just the valve block, mostly the compressor and valve block come as one unit. The Compressor is very easy to change. Expect to pay about £200 for a new unit.

When attempting to do any repair on the suspension, pay attention to whether to support the chassis or the axle or both.



Replacing the compressor unit:


1. Secure and chock the car
2. Jack the car slightly at the back and place axle stands under the chassis rails, taking the weight of the car off the axle.
3. Locate the compressor and remove the cover using the two turn buckles and a penny.
4. Undo the two bolts that hold the compressor to the chassis.
5. Get a couple of house bricks or similar block of wood and place them under the compressor on the ground.
6. lift the compressor unit as a whole onto the bricks (there should be enough slack in the pipe work)
7. Undo all the electrical and pipe work connections and swap out for the new unit.
8. Hook compressor back into place on chassis rail and bolt back on.
9. Jack car and take axle stands away, remove jack.
10. Spray soapy water onto the valve block to check for air leaks.
11. Replace cover.

Inside the compressor unit:


compressor.jpg



Replacing an Air Bag


1. jack car really high put stands under chassis letting axle dangle
2. remove jack and put under diff pan.
3. take off wheel, jack axle slightly
4. carefully take off two air bag retaining clips at mounting at top and remove air supply pipe.
5. remove bag like light bulb
6. lock new bag in
7. use jack to raise axle and get pipe on.
8. put clips back on
9. jack up axle really high to fool sensors into low ride height
10. close all doors including boot and open drivers window.
11. start car through drivers window and run for a few seconds to put just a touch of air in the bag
12. stop engine and check that bag is inflating properly and square
run engine again till bag inflated

13. put on wheel
14. take off stands and jack

Replacing a faulty ride height sensor.
  • take your keys out of the ignition.
  • DO NOT RUN THE ENGINE until you have completed the job
  • if the car is up on one side due to over inflation, release air pressure at the valve block on the appropriate side by slowly slackening off the pipe union. DO NOT WORK IN THE WHEEL ARCH until correct ride height has been restored.
  • chock, jack, put chassis on stands and remove road wheel.
  • locate electrical connection on sensor and unplug, unbolt sensor and replace.
  • restore electrical connection
  • replace wheel
  • with all doors closed run engine and observe.
  • use a tape measure to compare sides, measure from the hub of the wheel to the top of the wheel arch. If it is wildly out, go see a dealer for a suspension calibration.

Converting the Air Bags to Coil springs.
There are conversion kits for about £100 to convert from Air to Coils.
Many people consider this option if the air is proving problematic.
Bear in mind the following if you are considering this…

  • The air suspension is a European Standard for a 7 seater, if you go to coils you may invalidate your insurance for a 7 seater.
  • The conversion to coils requires the re-programming of the SLABS ecu to turn off the air function, an additional cost at the dealer!
 
Good day folks, just a big thanks to all who added to this line, with a saggy back end and a deadline, I was a little stuck.however a search, a read and a couple of great suppliers the job was done and my tail has never felt so stiff.
Off to take the lad to Uni this weekend and the Disco will b packed.
I raise a beer to you all
Cheers
 
Just done the rear air springs on a friends D11 and would like to add the following:

1. DO NOT attempt to do this if you don't have new retaining clips as well as new springs. The ones I just removed were destroyed by rust.

2. It is a wise precaution that you disconnect the battery whilst doing this job.

3. Once the old springs are out give the chassis/spring supports a good wire brushing or you'll have bother when installing the new springs.

4. It is much easier to change the bump stops whilst the old air springs are out. Much better access.

5. Use a good sharp cutter to cut through the air supply pipe at the top of the old spring and make sure that you push the pipe fully home, on the new one.
 
I did the bags on Rover the dog recently.

Step 5. Remove bag like lightbulb. 'Right' I thought, 'that'll be simple'. Straight forward bayonet fitting, should be a piece of cake. Like hell it was! Fortunately my tool kit contains the biggest plumbers pliers In NATO, cos I needed a tight grip and a lot of leverage to get those bad boys to turn.

A good wire brushing and the new ones went on with no troubles at all.

Oh and 'remove air supply pipe'. Again, no way. I had remove the union from the compressor pump and deflate the bag, so I could pull it down enough to reach the union with a spanner. Just as well LandRover didn't include a non return valve, or I'd have been banjaxed.
 
A quick temporary workaround if you are suffering from 'Disco saggy bottom'. When you park the car, raise the rear suspension before you shut down. The leak is likely in a fold of the air bag and raising the suspension moves the fold. It should keep the rear end up overnight and save you thrashing the compressor in the morning while you wait for te new air springs to arrive in the post. Also, if you are switching to Dunlop bags, there is no need to cut the air pipes, thereby shortening them. I little careful use of a junior hacksaw and you can cut the brass fittings off instead. Finally, changing the air springs is not a difficult job and in fact, converting to coils is a much more difficult job; you lose the self levelling function, towing is more fraught, you can't raise the back end in a fix and you risk a facefull of coil spring when the spring compressor slips. I regard changing rear air springs as a service item, Daisy is 15 and on her third set.
 
A quick temporary workaround if you are suffering from 'Disco saggy bottom'. When you park the car, raise the rear suspension before you shut down. The leak is likely in a fold of the air bag and raising the suspension moves the fold. It should keep the rear end up overnight and save you thrashing the compressor in the morning while you wait for te new air springs to arrive in the post. Also, if you are switching to Dunlop bags, there is no need to cut the air pipes, thereby shortening them. I little careful use of a junior hacksaw and you can cut the brass fittings off instead. Finally, changing the air springs is not a difficult job and in fact, converting to coils is a much more difficult job; you lose the self levelling function, towing is more fraught, you can't raise the back end in a fix and you risk a facefull of coil spring when the spring compressor slips. I regard changing rear air springs as a service item, Daisy is 15 and on her third set.

I did my second rear SLS airbag a week ago - it's been in there since 2003 (original LR), so 18-19 years of service - not bad! I did the other original LR one on the other side two years ago, so now I'm on the second set - both Contitech. Compressor is running well, but I did buy an overhaul kit from BagPipingAndy on eBay as insurance. The dessicant in the compressor can be removed and rejuvenated in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Took me 1 1/4 hrs to do the changeover this second time around - had spare clips, but just like the previous one, no need to change them.

Do a bit of towing, so won't change to springs.
 
Hi davec18, why do you want to know the pressure?
The system works on the basis of sufficient air pressure to lift the back end of the vehicle to a predetermined height, not to a specific pressure.

Dave.
 
Are you aware that it is possible to buy a compressor repair kit which seems to solve most compressor problems ?

There are several sellers on Ebay "BagpipingAndy" for one who sell these kits - which include a new piston ring - and they only cost about £15-20.
 
Yes, I bought the air compressor overhaul kit from BagpipingAndy (eBay). I also thoroughly cleaned and dried the inlet air white fibre filter disc hidden behind the passenger side tail-light; there is another sponge-like filter there that had disintegrated (cut a piece of car cleaning sponge to replace it); you can buy replacement inlet filters on eBay.

Also, as per BagpipingAndy's further advice (see below):

For the desiccant you can easily regenerate the original beads, simply remove, dry using a heat gun or in the oven for 2-3 minutes and refit. There are people selling aftermarket beads but the originals are multi-sized and very difficult to replicate, filling with a different volume alters the flow rate.

The brass intake filters blow out with an airline.




 
Hi I am new to the forum but not to landrovers I have had them for over 30 years and I am hoping someone can help
I am Having issues with the air suspension on a discovery . The suspension keeps dropping (completely) randomly while I am driving and unable to raise again. If you leave it for a given amount of time (not sure yet for how long) but let's say overnight it raises as it should after starting to the correct height if you press the raise button on the dash it will then raise to the off road height as normal and drops to correct height once you drive it a distance at speed.so everything works correctly.
I have changed the air springs on both sides and left it on both normal drive height and the off road setting for over 48 hours each and it did not fall at all.
I have driven it around for about 200miles since I changed the air springs no issues at all then it did it again. left it in a pull in and got my dad to pick me up and take me back next day started raised drove home (about 10 miles) and is still up 12 hours later but I dare not go out in case it dose it again
Please if any one has any ideas I would be so grateful
Thanks ja
Ps Sorry for the long post
The ride height sensors look fine
 
HI had a similar problem with mine changed most things even the filter nsr behind the lamp unit , rebuilt the compressor etc then when I was going through nano com I saw that drivers door lock had intermittent fault checked wiring and changed the lock assy been ok since ? just a thought for you to check. Good luck let me know
 
Cheers I would never of thought of that I don't have nano com so not sure how to check for fault with out were is the best to get hold of one
 
check that the interior light is working and going out when you close the doors you could check it with a volt meter as well ?? best thing that I have bought for my landy is the nano com expensive but in the long run worth it
 
Thanks alot I will check that out tomorrow as not with it at the moment I should get a nano com really I will look into it
Thanks
 
Hie all
Im new on this forum . I have my range rover sport 2006 , 2.7 diesel . . Its been sat for 4 months. Yesterday l started the car and l have noticed the rear suspension is not raisng up. I've tried raising and lowering it but not doing anything at all. The body of the car is actually sat on the wheels so i cant move the car . Tried to run the engine for an hour but nothing is happening . Now its saying suspension fault. Can anyone recommend a mechanic in the Leeds , Bradford , Wakefield area who could check this for me . I have rang Four Plus 4 who deals with Land rovers but they said they are very busy till end of November . Please if you know anyone PLEASE HELP


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