Wheel alignment tip

[chimpy]

I was just talking to a well recommended local chap who simply opens the tailgate to prevent the suspension from moving when he does a D3 alignment. I have no reason to doubt him but does anyone know if this is correct?

[Hoges]

aah! does he open the tailgate or not...hmmm : watch him work on a D3!:p

[Celtoid]

If the D3 is like a D4 in this regard, the tailgate is the only door being open that DOES NOT stop the suspension from going up and down when stationary. I'm not sure if it would be any different while trying to align the wheels. :confused:

[roamer]

My info was, tailgate open ,hazards on, car thinks you have a flat and stays put. Made sense to me

Cheers Ken

[Neil P]

....hazards on ..... Only problem
with that is the battery-drain if they're slow . Pull the neg. off .........
That's what I do in tyreshops , or the susp drops too much.

[bbyer]

Only problem with that is the battery-drain if they're slow . Pull the neg. off ......... That's what I do in tyre shops , or the susp drops too much. As best I can figure, in actual practice, the "leave a door open" instruction, (you choose which one, or all them), does not preclude the auto level program from coming into action; hence, that is the real problem. The door open function is just to inhibit vertical movement while Sir or Madame are entering or exiting and is not for the benefit of the boffins.

The good news is that for the vehicle to drop, the electrically operated exhaust valve within the air compressor has to be powered to open and release air. Hence if all power is disconnected, about the only way air from the air springs can release is thru something broken, (air line lets go, etc), or thru the mechanical pressure relief valve. See the pdf attached, page 79.

As such, if the battery(s) is/are disconnected or fuse F26E in the engine compartment fuse box is removed, then the air system computer is de-energized and the auto level action cannot happen. The 3 should therefore remain at the level where it is. Please note the word "should".

In other words, merely leaving one of the doors open is really not a safe practice. The air system must be de-powered for there to be any chance of it staying put.

http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/albums/userpics/15405/Land%20Rover%20factory%20D3%20air%20suspension%20d escription.pdf

[Graeme]

As best I can figure, in actual practice, the "leave a door open" instruction, (you choose which one, or all them), does not preclude the auto level program from coming into action
This is definitely the situation. A door open only restricts height changes, eg between access and normal heights. The auto levelling is done to keep the vehicle at a constant height and whilst stationery, is to cater for weight being added or removed.

[Disomania]

I thought the dealer needed to put the suspension in 'maintenance' mode which was half way twixt entry/normal height? Every place I've asked about wheel alignments says I have to take it to the dealer before they can do anything.

Dealer said the same, and then complained that they have to drive the car under 40 for it to stay in that mode. Fortunately, its only a few hundred m to the place they use.

[trif]

I think this thread gets back to my earlier question about the need for "tight tolerance mode" for wheel alignment. It was recommended that a similar effect to TTM could be achieved by having the car idling on a level surface for 5-10 mins, switching off, then pulling fuses 3 and 26 from the engine compartment module, and fuse 10 from the cabin module.

Regards Trif.

[Rockylizard]

I thought the dealer needed to put the suspension in 'maintenance' mode which was half way twixt entry/normal height? Every place I've asked about wheel alignments says I have to take it to the dealer before they can do anything.

Dealer said the same, and then complained that they have to drive the car under 40 for it to stay in that mode. Fortunately, its only a few hundred m to the place they use.

Gday...

This is what I was told by the wheel aligner when I needed/wanted an alignment with fitting of new tyres - and he insisted on doing a 4-wheel alignment - which the dealer also agreed was the wisest thing to do.
So I did
Dealer did not charge me for 'setting in maintenance' ... and I had to drive under 30kph to the aligner and back to dealer to 're-set' car.
Cheer
John

[harlie]

Yes – the dealer, or someone with diagnostic gear, needs to set it to Maintenance mode. This is essentially a super sensitive setting to ensure the vehicle sits at exactly the right height and geometry (as apposed to the allowable tolerances for heights) so the toe and align can be achieved. Without it you align and especially toe adjustments will be all out. Its not just a case of getting it to stay put - the height (and suspension geometry) must be exact to start with.

If this super sensitive mode was allowed all the time the compressor would be on the go all the time…..

[101RRS]

It would have been nice if there was a simple mechanical way to lock the suspension - maybe a bolt through two holes in the suspension.

However unless there is real evidence of mis-alignment then I do not touch it. In the past in my other cars more often than not when an alignment is done there is a chance it ends up worse than it started when the only reason for the alignment was the purchase of new tyres.

To set up the front suspension on my Jag a bar goes on the wishbone to a spot on the body and holds the suspension in a set position while setup is completed..

Garry

[ADMIRAL]

The BBS Faultmate Extreme will put the vehicle into 'Tight Tolerance Mode ' ready for a wheel alignment. It will also allow adjustment of the programmed height settings within the allowable parameters. ( which from memory is about 25mm )