Disabling Auto Height Air Suspension

[NTB]

Hello,
I have a Discobery 4 SDV6 SE. I hitched up the campervan to check wiring operation and coupling to the Discovery. It went well until I went to uncouple the campervan. The campervan has a Treg Hitch. When I coupled the campervan via the Treg Hitch and transfered the weight to the Discovery via the jockey wheel the rear of the Discovery lowered as excepted. I started the Discovery and the Auto Height feature pumped the rear back up to the correct level. So that was all good. When I uncoupled the campervan I had the Discovery Stopped, as I transfered the weight to the jockey wheel the rear of the Discovery raised up as excepted. But then the Auto Heigth feature operated (The engine was not running) and wanted to lower the rear back down again. This would not normally be a problem with a normal 50mm Ball Hitch but with a Treg Hitch some of the weigth of the Discovery is loaded onto the Hitch because it has a ridged top and bottom plate. When this happened I quickly adjusted the jockey wheel so the weight was transfered back to the Jockey wheel and completed the uncoupling process.
Are you able to Disable the Auto Height feature during this process?

[101RRS]

If you leave the drivers door open the vehicle should not change height.

Garry

[Graeme]

The driver's door (or any door) open only inhibits selected height changes, not levelling at the currently selected height. To prevent the ecu from making any adjustments the main suspension ecu fuse in the engine bay fuse box needs to be removed.

[101RRS]

The driver's door (or any door) open only inhibits selected height changes, not levelling at the currently selected height. To prevent the ecu from making any adjustments the main suspension ecu fuse in the engine bay fuse box needs to be removed.

Ok thanks for that - when you jack up on end of the car there is a chance it will try to self level (even with the door open) and (in a very extreme case) cause the car to move on the jack (think offroad here rather than workshop floor) - hmmm not real safe.

Cheers

Garry

[gghaggis]

With our off-road camper (which had a Tregg hitch), I'd have the car running, press "lower" on the EAS switch and immediately open the driver door. This inhibits the lowering and I'm pretty sure whilst inhibited it won't auto-adjust. At least mine never did.

Cheers,

Gordon

[Neil P]

.... cause the car to move on the jack (think offroad here rather than workshop floor) - hmmm not real safe.

RACQ and others won't change a wheel on a D3/4
according to some on the Forum.

[Graeme]

With our off-road camper (which had a Tregg hitch), I'd have the car running, press "lower" on the EAS switch and immediately open the driver door. This inhibits the lowering and I'm pretty sure whilst inhibited it won't auto-adjust. At least mine never did.
I just confirmed this with my D4 using Llams to simulate the effect of adding and removing weight. Engine running, normal height with the door open then select access height, the vehicle would not level downwards using Llams -20mm, but would level upwards using +30mm! Without the engine running but the ignition still on, no change up or down could be forced. I didn't try with the ignition switched off after access height was selected, but ordinarily Llams will lower with the ignition off.

Edit: I've confirmed that switching the ignition off with access height pending due to the door open does not inhibit lowering once the ignition is switched off.

I've also just unhitched my trailer with access height pending with the engine running and no height adjustment was attempted and no opening of the exhaust valve. Selecting normal height before closing the door cancelled the access height request, with the result of no height change other than a subsequent level due to the trailer no longer attached.

Gordon, you've nailed it!

[101RRS]

Going down to Access height and locking it there should stop any suspension movement - might be a bit low if the OEM plow tow hitch is fitted but would still be reasonable if a Mitch Hitch was fitted.

Garry

[NTB]

Hello all,
Thanks for the feed back. I shall give the Open Door and Activate Access Mode and see how I go on the weekend.
New to the Discovery's may I "Graeme" what is "Llams"?

NTB

[Graeme]

For Llams, see
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/verandah/114282-llams-electronic-height-controller-d3-d4-rrs.html

[Celtoid]

Just remember...For Newbies to the D3/4/RRS....it's doors....not tailgate.

The car will still adjust height with the tailgate open.

Cheers,

Kev.

[Celtoid]

RACQ and others won't change a wheel on a D3/4
according to some on the Forum.

My wife had a puncture in our D4 one night and I was worried about this...but the LR Roadside Assist guy that turned up, knew the car inside out and had no issue.

I've also changed a few wheels on mine, following the LR owners manual procedure, on flat surfaces and dirt tracks and never had an issue.....:confused:

Maybe selecting Offroad Height stops the movement?

Cheers,

Kev.

[NTB]

Hello Graeme,
Thanks for the Link to the information on the "Llams".

NTB

[NTB]

Hello All,

I have been away camping with the campervan and experimented with the Auto Height Adjustment on the D4.
What I have found is different to what some others have suggested that will stop the Auto Height from activating.

The Test Procedure was the following:
I have a Tregg Hitch fitted to the D4 and campervan.
I am taking the load off the tow hitch by winding down the Jockey Wheel, this then raises the height at the rear of the D4 because the hitch (ball) weight is being removed.

Test 1:
D4 Switched OFF and Rear Tail Gate Open - Auto Height Activated, D4 Lowers.

Test 2:
D4 Switched OFF and Drivers Door Open - Auto Height Activated, D4 Lowers.

Test 3:
D4 Running in Park and Drivers Door Open - Auto Height Activated, D4 Lowers.

Test 1 to 3 were also repeated in Access Height and Off Road Height with the same result.

Test 4:
D4 Running in Park, Hazard Lights Flashing to Enable Remote Control Mode (Height Adjustment) - Auto Height Activated, D4 Lowers.

Test 5:
D4 Running in Park, Hazard Lights Flashing to Enable Remote Control Mode (Height Adjustment), I initiated a Height Adjustment via the Remote Control on the Key - Auto Height Would Not Activate, D4 does not move.


It appears that the only way to Disable the Auto Height from operating is to Enable Remote Control Mode and initiated a Height Adjustment via the Key.

This maybe useful to know for others with a Tregg Hitch or similar.


NTB

[roamer]

Pretty sure if I select a different height as I get out and leave door open, (before it reaches height,) it doesn't adjust till I close the door


Cheers Ken

[NTB]

Hello Ken,

What you have said is true when the driver has selected a height change.
But when the height changes because of a load change on the D4 the doors being open does not appear to prevent this.

NTB

[gghaggis]

Best way to achieve what you're trying to do is:

1. drop the jockey wheel until just touching the ground.
2. Engine running and door open, select a dropped height change
3. Shut the door and as soon as the car is at the right height, open the door again.
4. Car will temporarily freeze at that height.
5. Disconnect and then shut door.
.
This is obviously easier to do with a ball hitch rather than a Tregg, but I got used to when to open the door pretty rapidly with my Tregg set-up.

Cheers,

Gordon

[Stuart02]

I was happily using the key fob to remotely adjust the height as necessary, but it seems to have stopped working. All I get is a beep-beep and no movement. I don't get it!

[Nicky]

Best way to achieve what you're trying to do is:

1. drop the jockey wheel until just touching the ground.
2. Engine running and door open, select a dropped height change
3. Shut the door and as soon as the car is at the right height, open the door again.
4. Car will temporarily freeze at that height.
5. Disconnect and then shut door.
.
This is obviously easier to do with a ball hitch rather than a Tregg, but I got used to when to open the door pretty rapidly with my Tregg set-up.

Cheers,

Gordon

Similar and simpler method :-
With the engine running and tranny in "Park" to disconnect a trailer when it's in position I block the wheels, and get the jockey wheel down to touch the ground. Then I pull the retaining pin on the tow block in the car, and slowly drive forward leaving the tow-ball and block attached to the trailer. Then with no load this easily releases from the trailer.