Log in

View Full Version : D3 pad sensor replacement with LR tank & Cooper tyres.



Nomad9
17th January 2011, 04:54 PM
Hi fellow forumites,
Some advice rather than a problem, recently during a trip to Alice Springs via Uluru on the Great Central Road. The D3 performed faultlessly in the fact that it did 9500 klms successfully never missed a beat. 13L /100klm at an average speed of 81.6 klm/hr I think for the entire trip.
I had two issues on the trip one was Cooper Tyres which I will never purchase again. I did two of them in the latter part of the trip, only done 1500 klms prior to leaving. Lower the pressure you say, I did, when I did that the tyre temp started to rise quite sharply, I had to keep the pressures up so I could do more than 50 klm/hr. Both rear tyres which sends a mesage in itself. Having the dual wheel carrier, the long range tank, the fridge (full) and a CT trailer (TVan) on is too much for these tyres. They are the HT plus range which I was told would be OK on gravel, well they're not! The front tyres were fine, brilliant.
Second issue was the rear brake pad sensor, at some point it got broken, not completely just a bit. This could have happened by some gravel getting into the rim or I broke it when I was changing a wheel, not sure. Anyway the sensor had intermittent contact which drove me nuts for about two days, I was ready to rip the alarm speaker out of the dash at the end of day two........ An intermitant binging / bonging noise, never realised how annoying this is. When I got to the in-laws in Melbourne I cut the sensor bit off with some pliers, the light stayed on but the alarm stopped.
Anyway I replaced the sensor yesterday, with the long range tank getting your hand up where the connector is on the inside of the chassis rail is very tight, you need the arms of a six year old to get into the space. I managed to get the clip out eventually, should have been a five minute job, I was nearly ready to remove the tank, only joking the job could never be that bad!
For $30 and the annoyance of the alarm carrying a spare sensor is a good idea and something I'll be doing in future. The sensor are wired in series so intially you don't know which one is the bad one.

sniegy
17th January 2011, 08:05 PM
Nomad9,
Very good point & good info. for other travellers.
Just a side note: there are only 2 sensors for the vehicle 1 front & 1 rear...not 1 per wheel.
Cheers.

Blue C
17th January 2011, 09:23 PM
Hi Nomad
Thanks for the useful advice. Just for the interest of others I would like to add that I have the Cooper Light Truck rated 245/70/17 STT's (on 17" Performance Alloys made here in Adelaide) and have similar rear weight issues to you (also towing camper) so needed a strongly constructed tyre. These tyres have a load rating of 119Q which is considerably better than a passenger construction HT plus tyre. Whilst I agree with you that I wouldn't use those tyres on my D3 I don't have a problem with the brand as such- any Light Truck constructed tyre will be a better option to cope with the kind of load you describe especially at lower pressures. I have had no issues with tyre temps (Tyre Dog monitor) at lower pressures even when fully loaded + camper on unsealed roads. Picture is from Helipad on Billy Goat Bluff Track early this month (note LLAMS height adjustor activated + offroad height). David

Nomad9
17th January 2011, 10:48 PM
Hi Blue C,
I knew the comment about Cooper tyres would be, well controversial, this was just my opinion based on my experience and the tyres I had on. I was limited when I was buying tyres as to what I could get at the time. In some ways I still am having six 18 inch rims, I have to wear six tyres out, the tyres I got where an odd (ish) size. Thankfully I have six of them so when I puncture a couple I can still keep moving.
When I asked about new tyres of the size I've got on, just an enquiry, I was met with a look like I came from the planet Zod. In one of the road houses in the GCR they had a rather average looking Dunlop something or other, more than 50% worn for $530, I suppose when it comes down to it "any port in a storm", but this did seem extravagant.
Appreciate the comments.

Mike_S
18th January 2011, 08:17 PM
In future, if the brake pad sensor wire plays up like that just cut it off. Pull the wire off the brake pad and throw it away, then join the wires together for the bit that's still connected to the car and it'll remake the circuit. Yes, you'll have no low brake pad warning so you'll need to keep an eye on them but at least it'll not keep bonging at you.

My RRS has this on both wires, I got fed up of snatching the wires when the wheels were full of mud at work.