Replaced 10 yr old original airbags in Dec10 with a pair of arnotts due leak in one bag.
In May 2011 started to noticed slight sagging onite. Replaced each arnott in turn with the known good orig bag and sagging still occurred.
Used the hard range emer kit and isolated the arnott bags from compressor to confirm bag problem.
Yep as predicted by Strangy both 5mth old Arnott bags leaked although I could not see the leaks via the soap bubble test.
Installed two new Dunlop bags from paddocks and all is well, the ride has less body roll with the dunlops but is still
smooth over bumps, definite improvement over the Arnott bag ride, bonus.
Yet another example that 99.9% of sagging is due leaking air bags.
Don't buy Arnotts air bags they are crap in my opinion and experience.
I can't be bothered about warranty refund stuff just put it down to experience and share the outcome.
Sorry to hear about your misfortune, I am running the dunlop bags and so far (touch wood) have not had any problems. As posted in another thread my compressor has died and my bags are still holding air, although a little down in the rear but very driveable (Noticed fault 3 weeks ago, possibly been a lot longer). So I can recommend the dunlop bags from paddocks and the price was good too.
Cheers Matt
Arnotts have a lifetime warranty on their airbags so follow up and see what they'll do about it. Worth a shot.
They are on version 3 due to catastrophic failure of earlier versions, these have the extra crimps (looks like 4 or 5 flats on the top crimp ring from an extra pressing operation) Did your failed ones have these?
The arnotts bags fail on top, with hairline crack on the top mouldings, (rear of air inlet hump, as in the photos here.
That's why the soapy water test doesn't work, unless you check the top of the bag too.
I'm on my second set, and chasing a refund - will let you know how I get on.
I replaced the Arnott one, with an old LR one.
Will be going Airbag man if I need to go again.
Arnott Air Bags are HORRIBLE-Don't buy them!! Product stink/customer service is worse
I have had a similar experience. Here's wheat I just posted on a US forum:
Did any one else have a similar experience? *In November I bought a new-to-me '05 HSE. *It is an Arizona car purchased via eBay (12th rover bought from eBay)*from a dealer in Memphis. *I live in New Hampshire. *When I bought it, the salesman told be he just had the front right air bag replaced. *Get the car and is it a great rig!!! *The first time the temperature dropped - PSSSSSSSSTTT. *The air bag blew. *I called the dealer I bought the truck from who put me in touch with the local LR dealer (Bluff City Land Rover - AWESOME PEOPLE - Roger is parts is the best!!!) where he had the bag replaced. *Bluff City told me that it was an after market Arnott air bag. *They replaced the part for free including shipping. *I had to cover the labor - no big deal. *12 days later, the temperature drops again. *You guessed it PFFFFFFTTTT - same air bag goes. *I call Roger at Bluff City. *He can't believe it but sends me ANOTHER Arnott Air bag. *Per warranty I cover he labor. *I ask Roger to put me in touch with the manufacturer because I think they should cover the labor for a bag that lasts 12 days even though that is not what their warranty says. I call Marvin at Arnott in Florida. *He explains their warranty policy to me but says that he will take a look at the part when he gets it back and he will talk to to the owner of the company to ask him if he will cover the $233 labor bill. *I patiently wait 10 days for Marvin to call me back. *In the mean time, every morning that the temperature drops below 30 degrees fahrenheit, the THIRD ARNOTT PIECE OF CRAP air bag fails. *I get a suspension fault error. *The RR goes down to the bump stops - fun ride. *Once the temperature goes back above 30 degrees I can shut the car down, reset the EAS and it goes back to normal function. *Arnott is a Florida company. *The clearly have no clue that their product fails in cold weather. *NOR DO THEY CARE!! *After waiting 10 days for Marvin to call me back, I give up and call him. *Shocker - I get his voicemail and he doesn't call me back. *I call again the next day and I go on permahold - i give up and hang up. *For some reason he calls me back - I missed the call. *Finally, we connect. *He tells me that he spoke to the owner of the company and the will not pay the $233 in labor to replace the air bag that lasted all of 12 days. *I asked him if he looked at the defective part I sent back. *The answer was NO. *He said that he has a "pallet" of defective air bags and core returns and he could not find mine. *SHOCKER AGAIN *they have so many of these JUNKY bags that they are returned by the PALLET!!! *Furthermore he tells me that the LR dealer should never have honored the warranty as I am not the original owner of the car when the part was installed. *My point of view is different. *I am the first titled owner of the car after the part was installed. Nevertheless - shouldn't a manufacturer stand behind a part that only lasts 12 days? *I had no gripe paying for labor on the first one that lasted a WHOPPING two months!!! *I guess if you live in a warm climate and you want a cheap piece of crap air bag then buy this stuff. *If you live anywhere where the temperature dips below 30 degrees you will be ver unhappy with the product. *You will be even less happy with the lack of customer service that ARNOTT provides. *Ironically, the owner of the company is Arontt. *I thought the just called them that because the ARNOTT any good.*
"catastrophic failure" indeed. The pair went within 1 km of each other on corrugations northern end of Fraser Island.
All good with Continentals now.
Steve
Master
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