Murphy's Law, catastrophic failure in a very bad place

[GregMilner]

I write this from Broome, where my wife and I have arrived this afternoon on a Cessna we had to charter from Drysdale River Station, 700km by road from here up the Gibb River Rd/Kalumburu Rd, where we had to leave the beloved Rangie. She suffered a catastrophic rear shock absorber failure on some of the worst roads in Australia.
Meanwhile the car is on its way to Broome on a tilt-tray truck called in from Kununurra, and we hope to get it repaired at the local LR agent here. Been quite an adventure. Those roads up there are wrecking yards, camper trailers abandoned by the side of the road, broken axles, Landcruisers and Pajeros with blown shocks all over the place.
It's a long, convoluted story, more to come. In the meantime, absolute joy to be in a nice hotel room after lying under the car in 35 degree heat on the Mitchell Falls track with hot hydraulic fluid dripping all over me. Good grief.

Never again on 20 inch tyres, even at low speed and aired down as low as I dared.

The car should arrive here tomorrow. That's the easy bit. Apparently the only right rear replacement shock for a full fat L322 in Australia is in Melbourne. Otherwise, according to the dealer, they have to be brought out from the UK.

Interesting predicament. Will post some pics/video in the next couple of days. s

[RangieBit]

G'day Greg,

So sorry to hear your tale of woe and travails with the Rangie.

I have found that even the main dealers in the capitol cities don't seem to stock much beyond the usual service consumables, and get everything else shipped from the main LRA warehouse (which I think is actually here in Melbourne though I could be wrong - it's happened before!). Not sure whether this is economic measures; that they don't have to dedicate storage space to stuff they don't use every day/week maybe.

They keep lots of weird and wonderful stuff in that warehouse so hopefully what you need will be in stock and can wing it's way toward your car promptly. Stuff seems to get here quickly even from the UK (3-4 days?), though that'll still be time you'd rather have travelling I know.

Anyway I hope it works out well and quickly for all of you. We look forward to further tales as you are able. I have enjoyed reading your notes re the trip so far.

Good luck and Cheers,
Iain

[33chinacars]

Sorry to hear of you trouble Greg.

May be quicker & cheaper to get your own in from the UK.

Hope it all works out for the best

Gary

[joel0407]

Not good to hear mate. I pray every night that I don't fall to a similar faite when I get across there.

I like how you said:


......on some of the worst roads in Australia.

........Those roads up there are wrecking yards, camper trailers abandoned by the side of the road, broken axles, Landcruisers and Pajeros with blown shocks all over the place


Including Land Cruisers and Pajeros but you didn't mention your own LR.

Happy Days

[Homestar]

Bad luck mate hope you are back on the road soon.

It's not just LR that keep low stock levels of shocks. Had my work Commodore (VE) in for a service, and asked them to check the rear end as it handled funny. Picked the car up in the afternoon and they said
'Yep, rear shocks were stuffed'.

'Great' I said 'it should handle like a new car again now'

'Oh, we didn't replace them, we don't keep them in stock, we've ordered them, but you'll have to come back another day to have them fitted'

So a very large Holden dealer doesn't even stock shocks for a 3 year old car....

[Pedro_The_Swift]

lots of kudos for taking a Fully-Phat RR out there to begin with!:cool::cool::TakeABow:

any other issues?

[GregMilner]

Thanks for all your comments guys. The story isn't over yet.

You all would have had a laugh had you been there. I've already written about 3,000 words for a story I'm putting together for one of the national magazines - had plenty of time while cooling our heels at Drysdale River Station for three days. Looking back it was actually funny, trying to deal with Land Rover Roadside Assist from a borrowed sat phone at a bazillion dollars a minute, standing by the side of the car at King Edward River crossing 100km north of Drysdale River Station.
"You're where?"
King Edward River, on the track to Mitchell Falls.
"Okay, where is that?"
Darling, how about you Google it.
"Oh...I see. Oh dear. I'm sorry, but I don't think we cover you for recovery from a place like that, it's not a gazetted road..."
You mean, you'll recover the world's best, most expensive 4WD from a suburb in Sydney, but not if it's actually, er...off road???

So with busted shocks we endured a 5 hour trip, crawling at 20kmh - often down to 5kmh - bouncing violently all over the place, back the 100km to Drysdale River Station where I spent most of the next two days trying to deal with roadside assist people - a different one every time I called - from a steam-driven pay phone (housed in an old fridge!) out the front of the station homestead. The tilt-tray truck finally arrived yesterday, from Kununurra 400km away up the Gibb, to take the car to the agent in Broome, another 700km down the Gibb to the west. And he has to go back and pick up our camper trailer and bring that back too. Fortunately, Land Rover are picking up the bill, which is going to be pretty eye-watering.
I said to them, how do you suggest my wife and I get back to Broome?
"Well, what usually happens is the owner rides in the cab of the truck, we're happy for you to do that."
Well, I'm certainly not happy to make my wife endure a 12 hour overnight trip down the Gibb River Rd in a truck cab, particularly since the driver was going to stop and roll out his swag by the road at the Windjana Gorge turn-off. And we had no camping gear with us except the camper trailer. So we ended up having to charter a Cessna to fly out from Broome and collect us. That'll be $2,310, thank you sir.

So this morning in Broome I'm dearly hoping the Land Rover people are going to call me with some good news:-)

[rar110]

Years ago I had a rear shock fall in half coming down from the plateau. We drove for about 1000km with one rear shock. Very bouncy.

We could have bought a shock from another vehicle like a Patrol. In hindsight I should have done that as while not exactly right it would have been better than driving the 110 with one shock.

You could get a mechanic to pull out the shock to see if they have something similar that will get you going again quickly. They are good at improvising up there. It's an option that might be worth considering.

[harlie]

Bummer - that is a sorry sight.

According to my old man, who in retirement has travelled all over the outback during the past 15 years.

The biggest killer is speed. So with a previous thread in mind, am I allowed to ask?

Being a retired couple with heaps of time they are never in a hurry and the 300tdi Disco was recently retired to “Fraser Island duty only” with 385000km showing and in desperate need of new suspension components. I’d say 16” tyres with 28psi also helps.

His simple rules, when the black stuff runs out, the tyres go to 28 on the car, 24 on the camper, the speed < 80. Rarely gets punctures since he introduced those 2 rules, only other issue he’s had is the tensioner pulley (half way down the Gibb River road), a hose (near Innamincka) and a thermostat housing gasket.

Everyone blasts past him (with rocks flying); most are changing tyres (or more) later in the day when he potters through. They all end up in the same camp ground around the same time….

At least it is the rear and not the front which is a strut carrying the air spring...

[GregMilner]

Yes we had thought of that, among a dozen 'what-ifs' we were considering. But a near-new vehicle under warranty, I am very nervous about doing anything major for fear of giving LR any excuse to void the warranty. And in any case, I had neither the tools, the expertise nor the inclination to lift the car with a single 6 ton bottle jack in the middle of the bush and make repairs...even if we could have found a suitable shock, which, with the rate of destruction of these things out there, would have been difficult finding one anyway.

One guy with a Landcruiser was stuck up at Mitchell Falls with two broken rear shocks. We heard on the radio that he got two replacements flown in by helicopter from Kununurra, cost him more than $2,000!

[GregMilner]

Bummer - that is a sorry sight.

According to my old man, who in retirement has travelled all over the outback during the past 15 years.

The biggest killer is speed. So with a previous thread in mind, am I allowed to ask?

Being a retired couple with heaps of time they are never in a hurry and the 300tdi Disco was recently retired to “Fraser Island duty only” with 385000km showing and in desperate need of new suspension components. I’d say 16” tyres with 28psi also helps.

His simple rules, when the black stuff runs out, the tyres go to 28 on the car, 24 on the camper, the speed < 80. Rarely gets punctures since he introduced those 2 rules, only other issue he’s had is the tensioner pulley (half way down the Gibb River road), a hose (near Innamincka) and a thermostat housing gasket.

Everyone blasts past him (with rocks flying); most are changing tyres (or more) later in the day when he potters through. They all end up in the same camp ground around the same time….

At least it is the rear and not the front which is a strut carrying the air spring...

Oh, believe me, I was VERY conscious of speed and tyre pressures, particularly given I was on 20 inch Coopers. We weren't even doing 80kmh - mostly 60, perhaps 70 in some places, and on the Mitchell Falls track itself, 25-30. And the shock still gave out.
On the Kalumburu Rd with corrugations 600mm apart - I measured them - people were blasting past us in both directions doing 80 or 90, and we'd come across some of them further up the road, stopped with broken springs and shocks.

Crazy thing is, it was that very behaviour that causes the breakdown in the road surface in the first place, speed and tyres too hard. I was running 32 on the front and 34 on the back, the lowest I could go given the profile of the tyres. And even that was higher pressure than I would have liked. My mate Glenn, travelling with us in his HiLux dual cab and towing his camper, was running 26 all round. I envied him the luxury.

[cjc_td5]

Mate, not what I wanted to hear seems I'll be there in a week and a half!

How's the Gibb River Road at the moment? Has it corrugated since its last grade a month ago? Sounds like the Kalumburu and Mitchell roads are nice and rough...

Hope you can salvage something of your holiday in Broome, there are worse places for an enforced stay!

Todays job will be to get my set of old shocks from the shed and put them in the trailer to take with us as spares!

Have fun,

[GregMilner]

Mate, not what I wanted to hear seems I'll be there in a week and a half!

How's the Gibb River Road at the moment? Has it corrugated since its last grade a month ago? Sounds like the Kalumburu and Mitchell roads are nice and rough...

Hope you can salvage something of your holiday in Broome, there are worse places for an enforced stay!

Todays job will be to get my set of old shocks from the shed and put them in the trailer to take with us as spares!

Have fun,

Chris the bits of the Gibb we travelled on - only from El Questro where the blacktop runs out to the Kalumburu Rd turnoff to Drysdale - were pretty good. Compared with the Kalumburu Rd in fact it was a doodle.

But last night my mate Glenn rang me from Mornington Camp and said the section of the Gibb near Mt Barnett was an absolute shocker, he saw numerous cars and campers by the road with broken springs and shocks. Again though, it would have been too much speed and tyres too hard. He got through it no problems, but very slowly.

[PhilipA]

I did the Gibb 2 weeks ago south to north.
Road crews are rebuilding the road in the southern ranges so good and OK there.
Mornington rd was fine except for one bull dust trap for young players.
To mt barnettwas fine then the road deteriorated in the middle to large corrugations in the red scoria type surface, perticularly around the Kulumburu turnoff.
It came good again for a couple of hundred is where a grey rock surface has been laid, then mediocre north of Ellenbrae.

I had no suspension trouble with my D2 or camp'o'matic both on 16inch wheels withBFG AT on the car at 20PSI front and 28 rear and trailer at 20 PSI.

As I posted my high pressure fuel line wore through at el Questro , but this was the culmination of years of wear, although my vehicle history showed no programs outstanding.

To the OP, if the RAC WA is the recoverer check everything on the vehicle for damage .
Regards Philip A

[CSBrisie]

Very sorry to hear that news Greg...and damn....looks like I might need to rethink the whole "20's" thing too before I attack anything similar.....ofcourse stuff all options for wheels on the 4.4TDV8 (noting the 18's sold by GEO dont fit)

cheers

Chris

[CSBrisie]

Greg, I'm trying to find something optimistic to say :p - so....no punctures on the Coooper LTZ's?:)
cheers

[scarry]

Bad luck mate hope you are back on the road soon.

It's not just LR tat keep low stock levels of shocks.h

Geez,hope everything gets sorted,and you are on your way...

Had to get a diff for one of our late model yota work vans,only two in the country and none on order.....

[GregMilner]

Very sorry to hear that news Greg...and damn....looks like I might need to rethink the whole "20's" thing too before I attack anything similar.....ofcourse stuff all options for wheels on the 4.4TDV8 (noting the 18's sold by GEO dont fit)

cheers

Chris

Hi Chris, no, no punctures on the LTZs. Having said that, I'll never again go north with second-hand 'one-trip' tyres, no matter how good they look. I'd bought a couple of LTZs, but couldn't get any more, so settled for a couple of Cooper semi off-road tyres for the back (plus a couple of spares), one of which threw a tread north of Carnarvon. So I order a couple of new LTZs while in phone range near Karratha, I'm promised they'll be in Broome within 5 days, only to find out the day before we head up the Gibb that the freight company had 'forgotten' to put them on the truck. So eventually we got them to Kununurra and had them fitted there. Just a lazy $500 each.
I still think the L322 is a brilliant car. But with 20inch wheels - the smallest you can fit, I believe - it's more suited to English country lanes than the Australian outback.
Anyway, there is SOME good news. Just had the car up on the hoist at Shinju Motors here in Broome. No other damage apparent except the one right rear shock. Which, if course, is in Melbourne, hopefully on its way here.

(And worth noting: the mechanic told me that no make of shock absorber other than a Land Rover one will fit the vehicle. Even the left and right side are different part numbers)

Meanwhile, life's not too bad. It's 32 degrees here. Sitting by the pool. With a green bottle of goodness so chilled you could chew it:-)

[rar110]

Id be pushing to replace both rear shocks at least.

[CSBrisie]

Excellent, glad there is some good news - and I guess when you look at what other travellers have suffered (that you mention earlier) one stuffed shockie isnt too bad in the scheme of things.

If you arent already having the Broome guys doing this - get all 4 wheels off and double check for any cracking; I know another forum member ended up with 2 x cracked rims crossing the Plenty in his l322 on 20's. they were not serious rim failures and he only noticed on arriving in Alice - but eventually resulted in deflating tyres.

I think your last point shouldnt be understated - lying by a pool in Broome in 32 degree heat with a coldie in hand is a far better place to be than many others in this world (me included, right now lol!!!)

Cheers and enjoy the 'avo mate - sounds like you deserve every minute of the break!

[GregMilner]

Excellent, glad there is some good news - and I guess when you look at what other travellers have suffered (that you mention earlier) one stuffed shockie isnt too bad in the scheme of things.

I think your last point shouldnt be understated - lying by a pool in Broome in 32 degree heat with a coldie in hand is a far better place to be than many others in this world (me included, right now lol!!!)

Cheers and enjoy the 'avo mate - sounds like you deserve every minute of the break!

Yeah, could be worse. While we were waiting at Drysdale for the tilt-tray, we got talking with a lovely Scottish gent, 75 years old, called Roger. He was travelling on his own, had flown out from the UK and landed at Darwin, hired one of those Cheapa Camper things and was travelling slowly down the Gibb and various offshoots (like Drysdale). The camper people had told him he wasn't to a) deflate the tyres at all(!) and b) if he got a flat, he wasn't to change it himself, he was to call them (how, one wondered) and they'd get someone out to help him.
We waved Roger off yesterday morning from Drysdale, and heard this morning that he'd got half way along the track to Mornington when he broke an axle, and had to abandon the camper van by the site of the road. He got a lift the remaining 50 kilometres, made a pay-phone call, and got a quote for $6,000 to truck the thing out. Happy days.

[101RRS]

I see that your vehicle was sitting on the tilt tray fairly level so I assume the shockie failure did not damage the air bag.

What actually failed in the shockie - just the shockie internals, and/or the ends of the shockie and/or the shockie mounts on the car body or suspension arm. I guess if still connected the shockie locked solid.

Garry

[GregMilner]

No damage to the air bag Garry, it seems just the shock internals gave up, it got red hot and blew a seal. The techies are going over the whole suspension system now, but there doesn't seem to be any other damage, certainly the car raises and lowers as normal.
A single failed shockie can bring on a very, very expensive recovery operation.

[Dougal]

There is a travel speed of death for shock absorbers in rough terrain where they run the hottest and fail the most.
If you go faster the cooling air takes more heat away and they run cooler. If you go slower the heat creation is less and they run cooler.
But there's a band in the middle maybe around 30km/h depending on the terrain that will keep them the hottest.

Any room to clip heat-sinks on them?
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/380.jpg

[GregMilner]

Thanks Dougal, I didn't know about that. Never heard of heat sinks for shocks. Sounds logical though. We were certainly in the speed range of death for a long time, 25-35kmh over truly horrible terrain.

I've asked the mechanic at Shinju Motors to go very carefully over the whole suspension system while it's up on the hoist. But a good point re the wheels.

Oh, for the ability to fit 18s.

[Dougal]

Thanks Dougal, I didn't know about that. Never heard of heat sinks for shocks. Sounds logical though. We were certainly in the speed range of death for a long time, 25-35kmh over truly horrible terrain.

I've asked the mechanic at Shinju Motors to go very carefully over the whole suspension system while it's up on the hoist. But a good point re the wheels.

Oh, for the ability to fit 18s.

That picture was a heat-sink for a small electric motor. But if you can find them the right size, they'll help anything hot. Just need good conduction.

I guess for the rest of your trip take some regular breaks to let them cool down in the worst conditions and best of luck.

[GregMilner]

No more rough roads for me Dougal. All smooth blacktop down to Perth.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

isnt the shock inside the airbag?
is it anything like this?

not much chance of cooling there---
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/374.jpg

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Theres a reason God invented remote canister shocks;)

[disco gazza]

Thats only for the front Pedro :p

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[GregMilner]

Thats only for the front Pedro :p

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Yeah, and I'm grateful it's only a rear shock and not one of those fancy front ones.

[101RRS]

I guess that we have to face reality and that is the top end Landrover products while they have good offroad credentials there are a number of components and design that are more geared to boulevard cruising.

I am sure the shockies are designed for onroad cruising and comfort rather than the outback corrugations. Now this is not a critiscim of Landrover as most larger 4wd OEM shocks would fail in similar circumstance - but this air suspended vehicles probably not helped by the shockie being inside the airbag so limiting airflow

Maybe an offroad shockie with a remote oil reservoir with cooling fins would be the go but not sure whether remote reservoir shockies are suitable for strut suspension systems.

Certainly highlights on strut type suspensions the need to endure offroad shocks are fitted - on my 101 I doubt there would be much difference with the shock connected or not but if in my RRS I guess the result would be the same as the Fat RR.

Garry

[rar110]

I wonder if anyone has developed a bolt on external helper shock set up. Another pair of rear shocks to carry the load would help.

[Dougal]

isnt the shock inside the airbag?
is it anything like this?

not much chance of cooling there---
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/374.jpg

As already mentioned that's the front. But the air-bag covers the top of the shock with the shaft, not the lower body which is still out in the cooling air.


I guess that we have to face reality and that is the top end Landrover products while they have good offroad credentials there are a number of components and design that are more geared to boulevard cruising.

That's not a fair assessment of the failure. You can overheat the shocks on almost any vehicle in the situation of rough roads at the worst speed.
If you do intend on doing a lot of this driving, there are modifications you can make to help keep the shocks from over-heating. Keep them cooler and they don't explode.


I wonder if anyone has developed a bolt on external helper shock set up. Another pair of rear shocks to carry the load would help.

That would just make for a harsh and over-damped ride. If you want to modify it to keep the heat down, then fit cooling ducts or heat-sink fins. If you still think that's not enough, fit aftermarket shocks with aluminium bodies and bigger, remote, reservoirs which again can be mounted in a location to get more cooling breeze.

The easiest way to prevent failure is simply to be aware of what's happening, drive at different speeds if possible and take breaks to let them cool if you think they're getting too hot.

[GregMilner]

You guys are much more aware of technical specs and the general physics of it all than I am, but I think I'm fairly typical of the average owner who wants to to simply turn the key and give it a burl.
I think the story is more interesting for that reason. Most owners are like me, average kind of guys who don't spend their lives obsessing about off road adventures, who do it as an occasional thing.

[Graeme]

Greg, I assume from your comment that the left and right rears are different that your vehicle has the CVD feature with the extra canister attached to the rear of each rear shock. I wonder if LR's CVD algorithms don't cater for the particularly bad conditions of that road and have set the shocks too hard for the corrugations. I'm contemplating fitting CVD shocks to my D4 but would build my own controller to manually set the firmness which would allow them to be set soft for bad corrugations to stop the oil from overheating.

Edit. There might be a demand for a CVD manual override system to allow the driver to determine the setting if needed. Another Llams project?

[GregMilner]

Greg, I assume from your comment that the left and right rears are different that your vehicle has the CVD feature with the extra canister attached to the rear of each rear shock. I wonder if LR's CVD algorithms don't cater for the particularly bad conditions of that road and have set the shocks too hard for the corrugations. I'm contemplating fitting CVD shocks to my D4 but would build my own controller to manually set the firmness which would allow them to be set soft for bad corrugations to stop the oil from overheating.

Edit. There might be a demand for a CVD manual override system to allow the driver to determine the setting if needed. Another Llams project?

Graeme, I get what you're talking about. I have noticed the CVD canisters attached to the shocks, didn't know what they were for. Now I understand. I learn a little bit more each day.
Either way, this stuff is way more advanced than 99.9% of LR buyers will ever have to consider. Perhaps this exercise is an opportunity for LR to sell a normal 'suburban' full fat and a more detailed, hard-edged 'off-road' full fat?

FOOTNOTE: has any full fat ever been put through the same exercise in Australia as I've just put mine through?

[spudboy]

That's a sad story, and looks like it is going to be expensive for Land Rover :(

Reminds me of the story of the 5 or 6 Luxury Mercedes G-Wagons doing a similar trip, and every single one of them died from shocks failing. Only the one base model (like the army has) didn't have shock failures.

Hope you're back on the road real soon.

Cheers
David

[Graeme]

I understand that the extra oil canisters are only fitted to the CVD version of the shocks to increase the oil volume because LR know they can get hotter than the non-CVD versions. I assume that you wouldn't have been using dynamic mode.

[BigJon]

It is a bit hard to see in the photo, but I hope the towie didn't have a chain over your towbar to secure the Rangie to the tow truck. Great way to bend things.

[GregMilner]

No, I watched him chain it down, all good.

Not so all good, just found out that the replacement shock apparently can't be air-freighted from Melbourne because it's classed as dangerous goods (something to do with containing fluid under pressure) so now it has to be trucked via Perth. It'll take at least a week.

Also interesting: the cost of a replacement shock: $800!

[cjc_td5]

If the shock can be in Perth by Friday morning, I can bring it up if required. I'll be passing through Perth Friday midday and in Broome on Sunday night. Chris

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[AndyG]

I thought i should learn a bit more about high temps and found this :

http://www.shockabsorbersport.co.nz/wawcs0141193/sasi.html:p

[Greatsouthernland]

I thought i should learn a bit more about high temps and found this :

http://www.shockabsorbersport.co.nz/wawcs0141193/sasi.html:p

Tough research project that...:o. But very useful...I'd consider donating some of my office time to help contribute to the cause, even if it was just by assisting with change-out of shock absorbing sets during the trials :angel:
.

[Graeme]

Also interesting: the cost of a replacement shock: $800!Not as bad as I thought they might be, considering the cost of D3 shocks from LR.

[GregMilner]

If the shock can be in Perth by Friday morning, I can bring it up if required. I'll be passing through Perth Friday midday and in Broome on Sunday night. Chris

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Chris that's a very generous offer. I doubt that the shock can be in Perth by Friday morning though, it 'might' have left Melbourne this afternoon but more likely tomorrow or the next day. In any case, I got word today from Barbagallo in Perth that Land Rover might be prepared to fly us down to Perth and truck the car down when repaired, or for repairs at Barbagallo, so, fingers crossed, it might all turn out well.

Have already written 3,500 words for 4X4 magazine, the ending will depend on what happens with Land Rover.

[GregMilner]

I thought i should learn a bit more about high temps and found this :

http://www.shockabsorbersport.co.nz/wawcs0141193/sasi.html:p

Andy I have plenty of time on my hands up here in Broome, I have also volunteered my expertise (limited) to the research project. I wonder if LRA will cover the costs????

[peter g]

Hi Greg,
That tilt tray in your photo is the same one that picked me up last year when my 5L40E tranny went !! Fortunately we were on the bitumen 100 km south of Kununurra, we were due to head out to the Mitchell's 3 days later. In our case RACV total care saved the day, shipped car, trailer, and us home to Me lb. I wouldn't head anywhere without it (even if driving something made in Japan).
Re tyre pressures when I did the same trip 12 years ago in my D1 we aired down the 16" to 24 psi no problems at all, had a discussion with a local paramedic on the Gibb he runs a troopie at 16 psi !
We ran standard 18" on our 02 L322 3 years ago on the Ghan track to the centre, at 26 psi - as low as I thought prudent, again no probs the whole trip - incl gulf road back thru Qld. The roads that year were worse than the worst we encountered on the Kimberley trip.
If I had your model car I would be trying to fit a set of GO compomotive rims and run 65 profile tyres - they will fit.
Finally good luck with the repairs, I hope it gets sorted soon.
Peter

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[AndyG]

Andy I have plenty of time on my hands up here in Broome, I have also volunteered my expertise (limited) to the research project. I wonder if LRA will cover the costs????

Particularly in the area of oversized 'air bags' causing shocker stress, would require a hands on approach.:p

[GregMilner]

Hi Greg,
That tilt tray in your photo is the same one that picked me up last year when my 5L40E tranny went !! Fortunately we were on the bitumen 100 km south of Kununurra, we were due to head out to the Mitchell's 3 days later. In our case RACV total care saved the day, shipped car, trailer, and us home to Me lb. I wouldn't head anywhere without it (even if driving something made in Japan).
Re tyre pressures when I did the same trip 12 years ago in my D1 we aired down the 16" to 24 psi no problems at all, had a discussion with a local paramedic on the Gibb he runs a troopie at 16 psi !
We ran standard 18" on our 02 L322 3 years ago on the Ghan track to the centre, at 26 psi - as low as I thought prudent, again no probs the whole trip - incl gulf road back thru Qld. The roads that year were worse than the worst we encountered on the Kimberley trip.
If I had your model car I would be trying to fit a set of GO compomotive rims and run 65 profile tyres - they will fit.
Finally good luck with the repairs, I hope it gets sorted soon.
Peter

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Good info Peter, thank you. That tilt-tray is doing a roaring trade again! Check out the attached picture. The recovery operation for us was a 3,500km plus exercise, I should think the biggest and most remote recovery Land Rover has had to deal with in a long, long time. When our driver finally dropped our car at the Land Rover agent in Broome, he took a picture of his odometer - the devil's number, twice!
I would have killed to be able to put smaller wheels/higher profile tyres on before we left, but as I understand it, you can't fit less than 20s on the later model L322s because of the size of the brakes.
In any case, the point of the exercise was to see if a Rangie, reputedly the 'world's best luxury 4WD', could in fact be driven straight off the showroom floor and into the heart of the back country. Clearly not, in our case anyway. Having said that, prior the shockie failure, we'd taken it down some pretty gnarly, sandy, rocky tracks to find fishing spots along the banks of the Pentecost River and it performed beautifully, thanks to that amazing terrain response system, and with the tyres aired down to about 30psi, as low as I dared in those circumstances, given we had to drive out again, across the Pentecost's rocky crossing and back up the Gibb a few kilometres to Home Valley Station.

UPDATE: late yesterday I heard from Barbagallo, the Perth dealer, that Land Rover were considering flying us back to Perth and putting the car on a truck, given that the replacement shock is having to make its way to Broome via road transport, since it's not allowed to be flown here.

[101RRS]

Have already written 3,500 words for 4X4 magazine, the ending will depend on what happens with Land Rover.

I hope you are retaining editorial control to ensure the Mag actually prints what you write/wrote and not what they want to print.

Garry

[CSBrisie]

If I had your model car I would be trying to fit a set of GO compomotive rims and run 65 profile tyres - they will fit.


Sent from my AMID-9743G using AULRO mobile app

No, the GOE Comp Rims (18 inch) fit all L322 UP TO but NOT including the 2012MY 4.4TDV8 / 5.0 V8 Supercharged petrol.

They fit the 3.6TDV8 model though. A forum member here in Brisbane has the latter (MY2009) with new GOE rims - we tried to fit them on my 4.4 but the huge (upgraded in 2012) Brembo brake calipers are the problem.

[GregMilner]

Publishers always retain the right to edit/alter copy as they see fit Garry, so there's probably not much I can do about that. But I haven't actually chosen the magazine I'll give it to, although I've sent a draft to 4X4 Australia to see if they think it fits their format. I'll see if I can post it online somewhere so you guys can have a read.

[GregMilner]

No, the GOE Comp Rims (18 inch) fit all L322 UP TO but NOT including the 2012MY 4.4TDV8 / 5.0 V8 Supercharged petrol.

They fit the 3.6TDV8 model though. A forum member here in Brisbane has the latter (MY2009) with new GOE rims - we tried to fit them on my 4.4 but the huge (upgraded in 2012) Brembo brake calipers are the problem.

Well that settles it then. Mine's a MY2012 4.4TDV8 so smaller rims definitely won't fit.

[101RRS]

Publishers always retain the right to edit/alter copy as they see fit Garry, so there's probably not much I can do about that.

In that case I am sure they will twist things to try and bag the RR as best they can.

[Dougal]

Can 19" fit the 4.4 TDV8?

[CSBrisie]

Yes, some 19 inch LR rims will fit, not all. Depending on tyre (sidewall) size - 20's might be just as good.

I am going to try Cooper AT3 with 275/55/20, for off road only, (the Forum member on here with the 3.6TDV8 used these prior to the GOE 18's).

cheers

[GregMilner]

Can 19" fit the 4.4 TDV8?

It seems to depend on the model year. Chris (CSBrisie) you were going to see if you could get 19s for your car weren't you? (Same year as mine.)

I did manage to get SOME pics of the car in some fairly gnarly off-road situations....this was beside the Pentecost before we headed up the Kalumburu Rd and the Mitchell Falls track.

[GregMilner]

Kudos to LRA - they've just called to say they're flying Michelle and I down to Perth on Sunday, arranging for the car to be trucked down for repairs at Barbagallo Land Rover, offered us a hire car for the rest of our time in Broome, and another one for us at Perth Airport to use while the car is being fixed.

And they'll look into reimbursing us (even partly would be appreciated) for our charter flight out of Drysdale River.

Can't ask for more than that. Good on them.

Time for a celebratory drink by the pool. (Well, it IS 32 degrees here, okay???)

[GregMilner]

Wayne, one of the 'old salts' at Drysdale River Station. Classic character. Been living there for 15 years. 79520

[CSBrisie]

Bravo LRA - that's impressive. And smart of them too.
cheers

[GregMilner]

I think so. I hate to think of the total bill for the recovery, transport, repairs, air fares etc etc. I'm giving them a big plug in the magazine piece. They'd be mad not to use it in their marketing.

Here's the fateful moment when we realised our trip to Mitchell Falls was over...

Shockie failure on the Kalumburu Rd on Vimeo

[GregMilner]

Before things went pear-shaped. Crossing the Pentecost into El Questro station for a few days R & R.

Small crossing on the Pentecost River at El Questo Station, East Kimberley WA on Vimeo

[rar110]

Quite a small bodied shock. It doesn't look particularly special.

[GregMilner]

Nope. Just the standard off the shelf one that comes with the car.

[DiscoMick]

Few places stock much nowdays, they all order it in. That's why the Toyota argument about them having such a big dealer network is misleading, because they also order in most stuff overnight.
Hope they get you going quickly.

Sent from my D1 using overweight hamsters.

[scarry]

Is that the jack the vehicle came with?
If so it is waaaayyyy better than the D3/4 POS jack.

[GregMilner]

No, that's a six ton bottle jack I bought after I used the standard jack once to change a flat tyre. The stupid thing twisted out of shape. I packed it away, never to be used again. Got me beat why Land Rover even bother with those silly, lightweight things.

[CSBrisie]

so, do we know if an aftermarket "heavy duty" shock absorber is an option - or are we stuck with the LR version (which as a number of made the point, probably isn't up to outback Australian roads)?

cheers

[GregMilner]

Don't know about that Chris. One of the guys on the UK full fat forum indicated that the shockies on the RR are controlled by one of the ECUs, which would suggest to me that after-market shocks aren't an option unless they can somehow be hooked up to the RR's electronics. But I'd be wary of that, for fear of invalidating any part of the warranty.

[Dougal]

so, do we know if an aftermarket "heavy duty" shock absorber is an option - or are we stuck with the LR version (which as a number of made the point, probably isn't up to outback Australian roads)?

cheers

As pointed out several times already. "Heavy Duty" means nothing. If you drive in a way to prevent shocks overheating then they'll last a very long time.
If you drive at the worst speeds on rough tracks then you'll overheat any shock. The worst speed isn't fast. It's the speed with the least air-movement and most frequent shock movement.

Driving on rough roads doesn't overheat shocks. Driving at slow-moderate speeds without cooling air while regularly using most of the stroke does.

[GregMilner]

As pointed out several times already. "Heavy Duty" means nothing. If you drive in a way to prevent shocks overheating then they'll last a very long time.
If you drive at the worst speeds on rough tracks then you'll overheat any shock. The worst speed isn't fast. It's the speed with the least air-movement and most frequent shock movement.

Driving on rough roads doesn't overheat shocks. Driving at slow-moderate speeds without cooling air while regularly using most of the stroke does.

I very much appreciate your point Dougal. But on roads as bad as the Kalumburu or Mitchell Falls tracks, it's a toss-up - drive too slowly and risk overheating the shocks, or drive fast enough to provide them with cooling air, and risk serious damage or a life-threatening crash by hitting a washout, or a tree. I'd always been taught to air down and go slow. Seems everything is a risk.

[Dougal]

I very much appreciate your point Dougal. But on roads as bad as the Kalumburu or Mitchell Falls tracks, it's a toss-up - drive too slowly and risk overheating the shocks, or drive fast enough to provide them with cooling air, and risk serious damage or a life-threatening crash by hitting a washout, or a tree. I'd always been taught to air down and go slow. Seems everything is a risk.

No.:eek:

You stop, check them, if necessary let them cool down. Then proceed.

[Graeme]

ECU control of shock valving has the opportunity to be inappropriate for some conditions if the algorithms obtained from computer modelling haven't been sufficiently field tested. The bypass valve is normally closed and only opened to the degree considered appropriate for the current wheel height change and change frequency as determined from height sensor value changes and body movement as detected by 3 G-sensors. If insufficient real situation trialing hasn't been done then the shocks could be operating on too firm a setting so that with extended severe use the oil could prematurely overheat. I will be evaluating various manual open settings of the bypass valves to determine whether it could be a useful addition to my LLAMS module for the new generation combined height and CVD (dynamic suspension) ecu. LR might eventually revise the s/w parameters to prevent overheating, if overheating was indeed the cause of the failure.

[GregMilner]

ECU control of shock valving has the opportunity to be inappropriate for some conditions if the algorithms obtained from computer modelling haven't been sufficiently field tested. The bypass valve is normally closed and only opened to the degree considered appropriate for the current wheel height change and change frequency as determined from height sensor value changes and body movement as detected by 3 G-sensors. If insufficient real situation trialing hasn't been done then the shocks could be operating on too firm a setting so that with extended severe use the oil could prematurely overheat. I will be evaluating various manual open settings of the bypass valves to determine whether it could be a useful addition to my LLAMS module for the new generation combined height and CVD (dynamic suspension) ecu. LR might eventually revise the s/w parameters to prevent overheating, if overheating was indeed the cause of the failure.

Strewth Graeme! That's one helluva explanation:-) But I get it. Overheating seems certainly to be the cause of the problem in this case, if the smoke wafting out from the dripping oil is any indication. Perhaps prior to embarking on the expedition I should have asked the relevant questions here on the forum...er, had I known in advance that shocks could have been a problem, of course!

[Graeme]

It may have been a faulty shock rather than any sort of design shortcoming.

[GregMilner]

I suspect a faulty driving style more than a design fault, given what I now know:-)

[Dougal]

ECU control of shock valving has the opportunity to be inappropriate for some conditions if the algorithms obtained from computer modelling haven't been sufficiently field tested. The bypass valve is normally closed and only opened to the degree considered appropriate for the current wheel height change and change frequency as determined from height sensor value changes and body movement as detected by 3 G-sensors. If insufficient real situation trialing hasn't been done then the shocks could be operating on too firm a setting so that with extended severe use the oil could prematurely overheat. I will be evaluating various manual open settings of the bypass valves to determine whether it could be a useful addition to my LLAMS module for the new generation combined height and CVD (dynamic suspension) ecu. LR might eventually revise the s/w parameters to prevent overheating, if overheating was indeed the cause of the failure.

I'm not convinced that less damping will create less heat. It will however create a wallowng situation where the driver may be forced to drive even slower.

The extreme situations at either of of overdamped and underdamped both result in less work done by the damper. But the underdamped condition results in a lot more motion both during and after the impact. The integral of damping force x distance travelled is the energy input to the damper.
Half the force and twice the movement is the same energy.

You'd have to be a brave and highly insured to sell over-rides for active suspension.
In an avoidance situation you can put the vehicle on it's roof far more easily.

[Graeme]

I suspect a faulty driving style more than a design fault, given what I now know:-)Maybe LR have looked after driver comfort too well. If there's no feedback from the ride that the components are being over-worked then how does the driver know when to ease off?

[GregMilner]

Maybe LR have looked after driver comfort too well. If there's no feedback from the ride that the components are being over-worked then how does the driver know when to ease off?

Maybe this: an overheating alarm that comes up on the dash display. With so much other tech in the car, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch technically.

[Dougal]

If there's no feedback from the ride that the components are being over-worked then how does the driver know when to ease off?

From experience.

Experience is of course gained from bad experiences.

[FeatherWeightDriver]

From experience.

Experience is of course gained from bad experiences.

Hopefully other's bad experiences, which it why it is a) good to tell others about your bad experiences and b) good to read about other's bad experiences. ;)

[Graeme]

Maybe this: an overheating alarm that comes up on the dash display. With so much other tech in the car, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch technically.I was already thinking that one day we may see temperature sensors in at least the rear shocks. However just some, or more, allowance in the calculations to cater for increased temperatures from prolongued rough road usage albeit with a slight degredation in ride quality could be all that it takes to prevent excessive temperatures.

Manual over-ride of perhaps only the rear shocks to provide a set rather than a variable damping rate would result in a more usual non-CVD ride (dis)comfort level but perhaps better than totally failed shocks. However the possibility of being useful would depend on the shock's standard valving with the bypass valve at various openings. LR document that the valve opening varies from 0% to 100% in CVD's operation so even at 100% there must still be damping to a useful degree.

[Dougal]

It is conjecture that different settings will prevent overheat.

[goingbush]

At least your in Broome, I can think of worse places to be stranded.

We had a catastrophic engine failure in a Landcruiser on the Cape Leveque road a few years ago and ended up getting towed back to Broome, ended up pushing the car into a wreckers yard here and buying another car from Broome Toyota to finish the trip.

Key point here, part of any trip planning is that you need to envisage and have a workaround for any catastrophic event. Satphone & a spare $10,000 usually will suffice.

( A shocker salvaged from the rear of a dumped Commodore looks a close enough fit to have got you on the road again)

[CSBrisie]

Satphone & a spare $10,000 usually will suffice

:D oh so true!!!!

[Graeme]

I'm not suggesting that different settings might prevent overheating per se, only that by using a fixed setting the driver will be less insulated from, ie made more aware of, deteriorating shock operation because the valving wont be changed by the ecu trying to accomodate the decreasing damping caused by excessive heat. I've found that most drivers will feel the ride deteriorating well before they get so hot that the pressure gets high enough to blow the seals, unless an ecu keeps adjusting the valving to mask the situation.

[Summiitt]

Why can't shocks in a top end vehicle like this be able to handle any thing thrown at it...I run defenders in the bush for work and they do it, why can't my rangie do the same thing...no it's nothing to do with air suspension, the technology is there..

[Graeme]

In time I suspect they will but at this stage of CVD development it seems that JLR's desire to have "exceptional levels of ride comfort with excellent and posed body control (Land Rover and Range Rover products)" (extract from Active Ride Simulations at Jaguar Land Rover Vehicle Dynamics using SIMPACK and MatSIM by Amir Alemohammed, JLR) that more development is necessary to ensure the shocks don't overheat.

Its has a lot to do with air suspension as the height sensor signals are inputs to the algorithms that set the bypass valve effective aperture.

[goingbush]

Why can't shocks in a top end vehicle like this be able to handle any thing thrown at it...I run defenders in the bush for work and they do it, why can't my rangie do the same thing...no it's nothing to do with air suspension, the technology is there..

I'd suggest that it was hinted at in the opening post, 20" rims . Low Profile tyres have bugger all give - you might as well be running solid rubber . On corrugations at speed the suspension has to do it all, where as on your Defender the tyres are doing most of the work. IMO opinion anything over 17" has no place on a 4x4.

[Dougal]

I'm not suggesting that different settings might prevent overheating per se, only that by using a fixed setting the driver will be less insulated from, ie made more aware of, deteriorating shock operation because the valving wont be changed by the ecu trying to accomodate the decreasing damping caused by excessive heat. I've found that most drivers will feel the ride deteriorating well before they get so hot that the pressure gets high enough to blow the seals, unless an ecu keeps adjusting the valving to mask the situation.

Okay, that makes more sense. But it relies on the driver knowing how the vehicle would normally react on that specific terrain. Otherwise they'll never pickup the fading as the shocks get hot.


Why can't shocks in a top end vehicle like this be able to handle any thing thrown at it...I run defenders in the bush for work and they do it, why can't my rangie do the same thing...no it's nothing to do with air suspension, the technology is there..

I beleive what we've seen is a specific set of circumstances that are the worst possible combination for a shock. Whether or not you blow a shock in those situations can be a very fine call depending on dozens of little factors. But any shock in that situation (heavily laden vehicle, worst speed, using most of the stroke constantly) will overheat.

Whether it overheats to failure or not is almost down to luck. There is only one shock that failed on that vehicle, all four shocks had a similar experience.

[kelvo]

Only just seen this thread, glad things are moving in the right direction for you Greg. A lot better than when I met you at Drysdale Station.


There is a travel speed of death for shock absorbers in rough terrain where they run the hottest and fail the most.
If you go faster the cooling air takes more heat away and they run cooler. If you go slower the heat creation is less and they run cooler.
But there's a band in the middle maybe around 30km/h depending on the terrain that will keep them the hottest.

I experienced this on the Gibb River and Kalumburu Rd where I was able to travel at between 60 & 80Kph the shocks were luke warm. Yet when I went out to Walsh Point from Mitchell Falls, a slow (Very slow in places) speed with large suspension travel I nearly left a layer of skin on the shocks they were that hot :o

Seems odd LR wouldn't/couldn't fly the replacement shocker to you. How do Land Rover UK send parts to Australia, I can't believe they use a ship for shocks. Seems I was lucky in getting four gas nitrogen shocks from the UK to WA in 5 days, no ships involved ;)

[isuzurover]

Sorry to hear of your problems Greg, however carrying spare shocks should be mandatory on those roads...


...
If you drive at the worst speeds on rough tracks then you'll overheat any shock. ...

True, but some shocks are built better than others. Some on here have overheated bilsteins so badly that the paint cooks off, yet they keep working...

Not that they are immune from failure though:
http://www.campingaustralia.org/showthread.php't=997

[GregMilner]

Only just seen this thread, glad things are moving in the right direction for you Greg. A lot better than when I met you at Drysdale Station.

I experienced this on the Gibb River and Kalumburu Rd where I was able to travel at between 60 & 80Kph the shocks were luke warm. Yet when I went out to Walsh Point from Mitchell Falls, a slow (Very slow in places) speed with large suspension travel I nearly left a layer of skin on the shocks they were that hot :o

Seems odd LR wouldn't/couldn't fly the replacement shocker to you. How do Land Rover UK send parts to Australia, I can't believe they use a ship for shocks. Seems I was lucky in getting four gas nitrogen shocks from the UK to WA in 5 days, no ships involved ;)

That was you in the white D4 at Drysdale was it Kelvo?

I presume Land Rover do actually ship such things as shocks to Australia, rather than fly them. I guess if they can't fly domestically they can't fly internationally either. If you got shocks here in 5 days, it's probably because the shipper didn't declare them as dangerous goods.

[AndyG]

That was you in the white D4 at Drysdale was it Kelvo?

I presume Land Rover do actually ship such things as shocks to Australia, rather than fly them. I guess if they can't fly domestically they can't fly internationally either. If you got shocks here in 5 days, it's probably because the shipper didn't declare them as dangerous goods.

I would hate to contemplate what an adequate set of spares would be for a vehicle of this complexity, a bit more than baling twine & duct tape

[GregMilner]

I sent some questions to LRA - not particularly well thought out questions, they were done in a bit of a hurry - and got this response yesterday from their spokesman:

Q: Does LRA view the Range Rover as suitable for Australian off-road conditions?
A: Yes we do

Q: Why are 20 inch wheels the smallest that can be fitted to this model?
A: 20" wheels are fitted to the most powerful versions of the Range Rover to accommodate the larger performance brakes. The least powerful models are fitted with 19" wheels as they do not have the same brake package fitted.

Q: Should owners considering taking their vehicles to remote outback areas seek advice from LRA on driving methods prior to departure?
A: Owners should consider expert tuition from a qualified Land Rover Experience instructor which can be organised through participating dealers or other qualified 4WD instructors.

Q: Is this one of the most difficult, remote and costly recovery operations performed for a Land Rover owner in Australia?
A: We have the occasional recovery from very remote and difficult locations. We have good partners in place to ensure that we get to the most remote location in the quickest possible time.

[kelvo]

That was you in the white D4 at Drysdale was it Kelvo?

I presume Land Rover do actually ship such things as shocks to Australia, rather than fly them. I guess if they can't fly domestically they can't fly internationally either. If you got shocks here in 5 days, it's probably because the shipper didn't declare them as dangerous goods.

Nothing flash like that, a silver D2. I was wearing the Team W4 tee shirt.

The air way bill listed the package as "Car parts, shock absorbers" and came via DHL, maybe they have/use a pressurised compartment on their cargo planes for pressure sensative cargo. Or they fly below 16,000ft all the way ;)

[PhilipA]

I had a look at the IATA regulations on this and gas shocks should be able to be air transported due to teh small amount of nitrogen in them .
However it seems that the freight forwarders have made up teir own rulers to protect their backsides.
Regards Philip A

[Dougal]

I had a look at the IATA regulations on this and gas shocks should be able to be air transported due to teh small amount of nitrogen in them .
However it seems that the freight forwarders have made up teir own rulers to protect their backsides.
Regards Philip A

Few realise that the measured pressure can only increase by 1 atm max. If you had 500psi at STP, then in a perfect vacuum you'd read 514.7psi.

I've had airlines make me deflate 30psi bike tyres before. While not realising the rear shock on the same bike had 300psi of nitrogen in it.:angel:

[isuzurover]

Few realise that the measured pressure can only increase by 1 atm max. If you had 500psi at STP, then in a perfect vacuum you'd read 514.7psi.

I've had airlines make me deflate 30psi bike tyres before. While not realising the rear shock on the same bike had 300psi of nitrogen in it.:angel:

You have to love people who don't understand physics. I am surprised they don't have to deflate the packts of nuts and chips before packing them into the galley - not to ention the champagne and beer!!!

[GregMilner]

Nothing flash like that, a silver D2. I was wearing the Team W4 tee shirt.

The air way bill listed the package as "Car parts, shock absorbers" and came via DHL, maybe they have/use a pressurised compartment on their cargo planes for pressure sensative cargo. Or they fly below 16,000ft all the way ;)


Oh yes Kelvin, I remember. The shockie has actually arrived in Perth now, and so has the car, so hopefully I'll have it back by the weekend...and spend two days cleaning it:-)

[kelvo]

Oh yes Kelvin, I remember. The shockie has actually arrived in Perth now, and so has the car, so hopefully I'll have it back by the weekend...and spend two days cleaning it:-)

Happy days, on the plus side think of all the fuel you saved ;)

[Graeme]

The shockie has actually arrived in Perth nowAnd the one for the other side?

[GregMilner]

And the one for the other side?

Graeme the dealer fitted the RHS today and I asked them to give the whole suspension system a thorough going over. They assure me everything else - bushes, shocks etc - is in good order. I'm a layman, who am I to argue?
(Interesting though - in terms of 'would I have been able to change the shock myself had I had one on hand at the time?' - they said they had to get to the top of the failed shock from INSIDE the car to change it out. What chance any ordinary owner of doing that out in the scrub? Not much, I would think.)

[Graeme]

I hoped for your sake that both shocks would have been replaced. Only time will tell whether or not it should have been replaced at the same time.

Accessing the top of the shock from inside may not be that difficult although I question the reasonableness of carrying 2 spare rear shocks. Your RR is not the first to destroy 1 or both rear CVD shocks on corrugations so hopefully LR will do something to prevent them from failing.

[GregMilner]

I hoped for your sake that both shocks would have been replaced. Only time will tell whether or not it should have been replaced at the same time.

Accessing the top of the shock from inside may not be that difficult although I question the reasonableness of carrying 2 spare rear shocks. Your RR is not the first to destroy 1 or both rear CVD shocks on corrugations so hopefully LR will do something to prevent them from failing.

Yes, carrying two spare rear shocks in the (very) unlikely event of destroying one or both of them seems to be well and truly OTT to me. Particularly at $800 apiece, it'd be wasted money in 99.99% of cases.

The car is under warranty for a long time yet, so if the other shock goes, I'll get it replaced. Thanks Graeme.

[harlie]

...
- they said they had to get to the top of the failed shock from INSIDE the car to change it out. What chance any ordinary owner of doing that out in the scrub? Not much, I would think.)

thats correct, however, it's no harder than changing a normal shock. The top mount is under the back seat.

I have a copy of the workshop manual on the tablet. If you couldn't figure it out, someone would have looked at it and helped you. My experience is others are bloody helpful when you travel in those parts.

[isuzurover]

Yes, carrying two spare rear shocks in the (very) unlikely event of destroying one or both of them seems to be well and truly OTT to me. Particularly at $800 apiece, it'd be wasted money in 99.99% of cases.

The car is under warranty for a long time yet, so if the other shock goes, I'll get it replaced. Thanks Graeme.

Many people who have travelled in remote areas have done deals with parts suppliers to buy back unused spares after the trip. Carrying one front and one rear shock as spares would be a reasonable proposition when travelling roads that have killed many shocks in the past. Also - there are probably many shocks that are less expensive and would have done the job to get you going again.

To be honest, I find the attitude of relying on warranty and dealer roadside assistance somewhat strange. It would be interesting to see how this would have played out if the same had happened in the middle of the canning or the french line (etc).

I understand that you have paid a large amout of money for a vehicle with a warranty and want to get your moneys worth though. But LR could have said the shock is a service item and you are on your own...

Changing a shock is a 10 minute job for a mechanic, and probably still less than 30 mins for someone who has never done it before.

[harlie]

not to mention it's your holiday thats been cut short!! It is like saying I don't want a bullbar because the insurance will cover it if I hit a roo in the middle of nowhere. Pity you are stuck in the middle of nowhere

[AndyG]

And where do you stop with a vehicle of this complexity, shocks are unique for each corner, CV's, ECU, axles, hoses, and so on. I think it is a bit tough dangerous goods, no airfreight are not stocked on both sides of a fairly large island.

[isuzurover]

And where do you stop with a vehicle of this complexity, shocks are unique for each corner, CV's, ECU, axles, hoses, and so on. I think it is a bit tough dangerous goods, no airfreight are not stocked on both sides of a fairly large island.

There are plenty of threads on what to put in your spares kit on here - not sure if there are any L322-specific threads (yet) though.

Shock failures are common, ECU failures extremely rare, many hose failures can be fixed sufficiently with "rescue tape" or similar products. It is all about probabilities of the iitem failing.

[rar110]

And where do you stop with a vehicle of this complexity, shocks are unique for each corner, CV's, ECU, axles, hoses, and so on. I think it is a bit tough dangerous goods, no airfreight are not stocked on both sides of a fairly large island.

Failure in the things mentioned should be rare. Hoses should be checked so failure very unlikely. All landys should be built so a shock can be used on either side, and designed so a shock for another popular off road make can be used in a pinch. Otherwise it's not really designed for Australia off road use.

[Graeme]

If the rear shocks fitted to earlier or non-CVD versions of these vehicles are not handed then perhaps one of those could be carried as an emergency spare. However with JLR's propensity for shutting down systems if 1 component isn't working, having the electrical connector for 1 shock's solenoid disconnected may trigger the shutdown of all CVD operation which would make for an excessively firm ride and increase the overheating risk for the remaining CVD shocks. Hopefully CVD continues to operate even though not all solenoids are functioning, which would be easy to test anyway.

[AndyG]

Failure in the things mentioned should be rare. Hoses should be checked so failure very unlikely. All landys should be built so a shock can be used on either side, and designed so a shock for another popular off road make can be used in a pinch. Otherwise it's not really designed for Australia off road use.

I would think the Australian Off Road market is not high in LR thoughts in designing this vehicle,rather think horsey set, ski/snow, boulevard cruising etc.

It's still an amazing versatile vehicle, but the focus will be where the money comes from

[Dougal]

One failure from an apparent gross overheat and you guys are talking down the design and mandating carrying spares?:eek:

Help, help, the sky is falling.:angel:

[rar110]

I think shock failure is frequent on those roads.

[isuzurover]

One failure from an apparent gross overheat and you guys are talking down the design and mandating carrying spares?:eek:

Help, help, the sky is falling.:angel:

We are talking about remote area travel on heavily corrugated roads that kill hundreds of shocks each year. Carrying a few spares would make sense to most.

[Dougal]

I think shock failure is frequent on those roads.


We are talking about remote area travel on heavily corrugated roads that kill hundreds of shocks each year. Carrying a few spares would make sense to most.

The shock failure appears due to one thing. Overheating.

If you can understand and mitigate the causes of overheating then you'll be perfectly fine.
Otherwise it's like driving with a plugged radiator and carrying a spare cylinder head.

The cause of overheating is travelling at the worst speeds where the shocks are working the hardest but don't have enough cooling airflow. The mitigation involves checking the shocks (IR temp readers are cheap) occasionally and slowing down to reduce the energy input or even stopping to take regular breaks.

You wouldn't keep driving the same way with an engine temp gauge hard into the red. So why do it to your shocks?

[GregMilner]

Is there some kind of RF temperature gauge you can stick to the shocks with a monitor readout you can carry in the cabin? I imagine there would be, somewhere, similar to the Tyredog tyre pressure monitoring system I use.

Maybe that would be a fairly simple and relatively cheap solution.

Just a matter of finding something that'd do the job....

[scarry]

Or one of those infra red temperature guns would probably do,although a bit inconvenieint as you would have to stop.

They are very cheap as well,can get them on ebay

[spudboy]

They've got enough technology on the new Range Rovers to make the bonnet look 'transparent", so surely they can have a temperature monitor built into the shocks. At $800 per shock, it'd be the least you could expect.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/07/1011.jpg

[Graeme]

I wonder what action would be taken if the electronics detected overheating - put the engine into limp mode (the usual action) or not be so pedantic about making the ride so good by increasing the oil flow through the soft valve? I've already established that I can set a user-selectable minimum open time (eg 20%, 40%) for the bypass valve that has the potential to reduce heat build-up in such circumstances.

[rick130]

I wonder what action would be taken if the electronics detected overheating - put the engine into limp mode (the usual action) or not be so pedantic about making the ride so good by increasing the oil flow through the soft valve? I've already established that I can set a user-selectable minimum open time (eg 20%, 40%) for the bypass valve that has the potential to reduce heat build-up in such circumstances.

Bleeds only work at low shaft speeds and the overheating will be caused by medium/high shaft speeds and high displacements. (depending on bleed size)

[Graeme]

So less soft valve open time could be an improvement on the basis that not all the oil can get though the firm valve before its time to change direction. I expected more heat to be generated by the higher volume of high pressure oil but if less total volume passes through then I can see the possibility of a reduction in heat generated.

[Utemad]

The RR is advertised as one of the best if not the best off road passenger vehicle in the world. However I believe that people confuse this to mean that they are the best remote area tourer.
Being able to cross ruts with ease and go up and down the steepest of hills without breaking a sweat is not the same thing as being able to traverse 1000kms of corrugations in the middle of nowhere and be able to be fixed with fencing wire.
Generally driving in the outback doesn't require a 4wd. It just requires a tough simple vehicle and enough available time for you to drive to the prevailing conditions.

This is not directed at the OP. Just my observations of what appears to be a common misconception.

[rick130]

So less soft valve open time could be an improvement on the basis that not all the oil can get though the firm valve before its time to change direction. I expected more heat to be generated by the higher volume of high pressure oil but if less total volume passes through then I can see the possibility of a reduction in heat generated.

You miss how the flow works.

At low shaft speeds the fluid has the time to flow through the low speed valving, in most dampers this is a simple orifice, hence the term 'bleed' as that's precisely what happens with the fluid.

In very simple terms, as the shaft speed rises the fluid can't continue to flow through the bleed fast enough to balance the forces and so packs up in front of the piston (or foot valve in a twin tube when in bump) and then starts to force open the stack, shim or poppet valve.

You won't reduce heat buildup by playing with the valving, and most valving adjustments usually only work on the bleed as low shaft speeds is where most 'comfort' is felt. (low shaft speeds can be thought of as body roll, pitch and squat)


IMO if we could reduce the valving on the main stack it will only lead to more uncontrolled movement (both the chassis and unsprung mass) which means greater displacement and shaft speeds that the damper is experiencing which leads to more heat generated, and on it goes.
You generate the damping equivalent of a thermal runaway.

[rover-56]

True, but some shocks are built better than others. Some on here have overheated bilsteins so badly that the paint cooks off, yet they keep working...

Not that they are immune from failure though:
Bilstein Fail (http://www.campingaustralia.org/showthread.php't=997)

True , I have a set of Bilseins on the '56 S1 that I burnt brown on a fully loaded trip to Dalhousie about 20 years ago. They are still fitted and working today.
Terry

[GregMilner]

Just received notification that not only has LRA picked up the tab for our expensive recovery, they're sending me a cheque (more than $4,000) to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses (charter flight, accommodation etc) we incurred after the shockie failure. (Or rather, as the experts in this thread have gently identified, driver failure:-)
Can't imagine another manufacturer ever going to those lengths.

If LRA don't use me in their marketing, they'd be mad. I'd willingly shout their praises from the rooftops.

[joel0407]

Running 7100 Billies on the D2. We past the grader about 15km north of Drysdale (he was heading north so the road was as bad as it was going to get) and managed the whole way to the Mitchell falls camp ground in 3hrs.

For those that have just come back from there will know how hard we went.

Shocks were only warm to touch.

My only failure was I popped a fog/indicator out of the rear bar when I went bush turning around to go and help a mate change a cooper tyre he blew. A stick poked up and just popped it out. It was still hanging from the wires but I lost the metal clip so I couldn't refit it.

Happy Days.

[ariddell]

We did the Gibb River Rd at the beginning of June and it was pretty nasty, especially just after Mt Barnett, so not surprised a a shocker went bang if it got worse than that up past Drysdale.

It has always been the airbags on our L322 that I have been concerned about popping, so have been reading with interest the risks of overheating too. Although I don't think our 08 S/C has CVD.

We were admittedly doing the Gibb in a $500 1981 2wd Mercedes 280SE sedan as part of a charity rally so didn't really have to worry about popping airbags, but certainly not a trip I'd be brave enough to take our L322 on on its 20" wheels and rubber band tyres.

Shame your trip was cut short and you didn't make it further south, Galvan's Gorge and Tunnel Crk will stay in my memory for a long time, truly stunning.

Incidentally the Merc made the trip without popping a single shock or tyre, and waded the Pentecost without drowning, so perhaps the worlds best off roader is actually a clapped out ****box... :)

Glad LRA sorted you out without a fight, always surprising when it doesn't turn into a legal wrangling match with these things.

[GregMilner]

We did the Gibb River Rd at the beginning of June and it was pretty nasty, especially just after Mt Barnett, so not surprised a a shocker went bang if it got worse than that up past Drysdale.

It has always been the airbags on our L322 that I have been concerned about popping, so have been reading with interest the risks of overheating too. Although I don't think our 08 S/C has CVD.

We were admittedly doing the Gibb in a $500 1981 2wd Mercedes 280SE sedan as part of a charity rally so didn't really have to worry about popping airbags, but certainly not a trip I'd be brave enough to take our L322 on on its 20" wheels and rubber band tyres.

Shame your trip was cut short and you didn't make it further south, Galvan's Gorge and Tunnel Crk will stay in my memory for a long time, truly stunning.

Incidentally the Merc made the trip without popping a single shock or tyre, and waded the Pentecost without drowning, so perhaps the worlds best off roader is actually a clapped out ****box... :)

Glad LRA sorted you out without a fight, always surprising when it doesn't turn into a legal wrangling match with these things.

Not making it further south wasn't such a biggie for us as we've been to all those places during our last trip, and I've spent years going up that way for work, did a lot of fixed wing and choppering over it. We were pretty disappointed not to get to Mitchell Falls though, as we'd only ever choppered over it, on the way to meet our cruise boat three years ago.

As I've said in that article, just about anything will go anywhere up there, as long as you drive to the conditions. We were just unlucky I think, there were plenty of other vehicles of all makes suffering horrendous suspension failures.

[carjunkieanon]

Evening all,

Very informative thread to read. Good to learn from other people's experiences. Great to hear of how Land Rover did support you.

A few questions:

> So….what is the 'best' speed????
> How hot can you let your shocks get? Even if you can check the temp, what's too hot?

I travel with four kids under 6. We stop about every hour. Makes for long journeys, but by the sound of it it gives the car a chance to recover.

[GregMilner]

I'd only been travelling for half an hour when mine overheated and gave up the ghost. It seems 25-30kmh over really bad, constant corrugations is the 'speed of death'.
Knowing what I know now, I'd bee stopping every ten minutes if those conditions persisted, and checking shock temps by hand. I guess if it's hot enough to burn your hand, it's too hot. Let it cool down for a while, have a cuppa, and move on.

[rar110]

Shock failure is not unique to a modern rangie. Mine fell in half and dumped all the oil on the way back from the Mitchell plateau in the County.

[BigF350]

I'm impressed that Land Rover are picking up the (not insignificant) tab. Good on them, and I'm glad to hear that a decent outcome came out of a terrible situation. Your patience and attitude throughout the ordeal is to be admired :)

I can't think of another manufacturer that would do that - least of all for something that they could easily point at the fine print in the owners manual which calls a shock a "serviceable item", or even could state that it failed due to misuse (even if it wasn't, I've seen other car companies do that).


Regarding the failure, I think its all well and good for us to stand on our hypothetical soapbox after the failure and say what should/would/could be done to avoid it, but unless I missed it, we don't know why it failed - heat is a probability, but in those conditions just as easily could have been some sand/small rocks that scored the shaft of the shock making it leak. Either way, I've been through enough shock failures to know that short of spending some very serious money on shock absorbers (and to be frankly honest, they can't be fitted on a Range Rover anyway), it, like a number of other things, can happen, you could spend time worrying about all of those, packing a spare vehicle worth of parts, and trying to find out fixes for every potential problem, or you can enjoy the scenery, deal with the issues when they come up - and maybe one of them will end up being a good story that after its all over you can have a good laugh with some friends about the **** you got in.

This doesn't sound like a trip that will be forgotten soon.

[GregMilner]

I'm impressed that Land Rover are picking up the (not insignificant) tab. Good on them, and I'm glad to hear that a decent outcome came out of a terrible situation. Your patience and attitude throughout the ordeal is to be admired :)

I can't think of another manufacturer that would do that - least of all for something that they could easily point at the fine print in the owners manual which calls a shock a "serviceable item", or even could state that it failed due to misuse (even if it wasn't, I've seen other car companies do that).

Regarding the failure, I think its all well and good for us to stand on our hypothetical soapbox after the failure and say what should/would/could be done to avoid it, but unless I missed it, we don't know why it failed - heat is a probability, but in those conditions just as easily could have been some sand/small rocks that scored the shaft of the shock making it leak. Either way, I've been through enough shock failures to know that short of spending some very serious money on shock absorbers (and to be frankly honest, they can't be fitted on a Range Rover anyway), it, like a number of other things, can happen, you could spend time worrying about all of those, packing a spare vehicle worth of parts, and trying to find out fixes for every potential problem, or you can enjoy the scenery, deal with the issues when they come up - and maybe one of them will end up being a good story that after its all over you can have a good laugh with some friends about the **** you got in.

This doesn't sound like a trip that will be forgotten soon.

No, it certainly won't be forgotten:-) Land Rover were excellent throughout. I've always found that if you ask, instead of jumping up and down and demanding, people tend to want to help you out. They could have stuck to the letter of the roadside assistance agreement, but they went far beyond that, and looked after us to the nth degree.

*Something a bit interesting: I just saw a new Range Rover Sport parked in the street, it had 20inch wheels but shod with 55 profile tyres. Wish I'd been able to fit those to my car:-(

[CSBrisie]

actually you can - Cooper Discoverer AT 275/55/20 will fit the RRV even in MY12 guise.


A member on here in Qld did a big trip on these but DID experience minor rim cracks across the Plenty I recall and has now converted to 18inch wheels (as he owns a 2009 TDV8, which fit the GOE 18's). The 55 series tyres will rub rear drivers wheel well unless minor mods made; and wont fit in the spare wheel well; I ended up with 285/50/20 Cooper Zeon LTZ with no mods at all.

[GregMilner]

actually you can - Cooper Discoverer AT 275/55/20 will fit the RRV even in MY12 guise.


A member on here in Qld did a big trip on these but DID experience minor rim cracks across the Plenty I recall and has now converted to 18inch wheels (as he owns a 2009 TDV8, which fit the GOE 18's). The 55 series tyres will rub rear drivers wheel well unless minor mods made; and wont fit in the spare wheel well; I ended up with 285/50/20 Cooper Zeon LTZ with no mods at all.

Mine are the LTZ 275/45s Chris, so I guess about the same sidewall height as yours, maybe a shade shorter.

[RR44TDV8]

Graeme, I get what you're talking about. I have noticed the CVD canisters attached to the shocks, didn't know what they were for. Now I understand. I learn a little bit more each day.
Either way, this stuff is way more advanced than 99.9% of LR buyers will ever have to consider. Perhaps this exercise is an opportunity for LR to sell a normal 'suburban' full fat and a more detailed, hard-edged 'off-road' full fat?

FOOTNOTE: has any full fat ever been put through the same exercise in Australia as I've just put mine through?
Hi Greg, thanks for this very informative thread! I have not put mine thru exactly what yours has done but mine does go to mine sites as part of it's job and it does travel constantly on rutted mine roads at varying speeds, but mostly higher than the 25-35k's you were doing. My FF TDV8 has never let me down with any mechanical issue other than book servicing and some premature brake pad wear after one particularly dusty red dirt road trip in Qld.
Rgds
Grant

[GregMilner]

Hi Greg, thanks for this very informative thread! I have not put mine thru exactly what yours has done but mine does go to mine sites as part of it's job and it does travel constantly on rutted mine roads at varying speeds, but mostly higher than the 25-35k's you were doing. My FF TDV8 has never let me down with any mechanical issue other than book servicing and some premature brake pad wear after one particularly dusty red dirt road trip in Qld.
Rgds
Grant

We'll Grant I guess you're using yours for its proper purpose....luxury long distance travel on less than perfect roads. Mine has given me no trouble either, except that which I've inflicted upon it:)

[RR44TDV8]

We'll Grant I guess you're using yours for its proper purpose....luxury long distance travel on less than perfect roads. Mine has given me no trouble either, except that which I've inflicted upon it:)
Yes Greg, you're right. Whilst most of my FFRR use is on long haul cruising, it has been to Fraser Island a couple of times and the worst I have done with it was to get caught in torrential rain at a mine site 240 km's nth west of Mt Isa. It had to crawl 96km's from mine back to the highway in deepening red mud and gravel wash outs. This was very sticky mud, on the way out we found a fuel truck around 1km inside the gates that had just gone down to the axles in mud and there was no way they could get anything from the mine to it for extraction. The recovery vehicle would get bogged or just couldn't be brought that far and back again! They were trying to figure out what they could get from Mt Isa that could get in to the truck and yet was big enough to pull it out! Anyway, we managed to crawl the FFRR out but the wheel/tyre diameter was about double normal by the time we got to the road with the sticky mud! Now, when it rains, I still get the occasional red dust bleed from the panel joins!
Grant

[GregMilner]

Yes Greg, you're right. Whilst most of my FFRR use is on long haul cruising, it has been to Fraser Island a couple of times and the worst I have done with it was to get caught in torrential rain at a mine site 240 km's nth west of Mt Isa. It had to crawl 96km's from mine back to the highway in deepening red mud and gravel wash outs. This was very sticky mud, on the way out we found a fuel truck around 1km inside the gates that had just gone down to the axles in mud and there was no way they could get anything from the mine to it for extraction. The recovery vehicle would get bogged or just couldn't be brought that far and back again! They were trying to figure out what they could get from Mt Isa that could get in to the truck and yet was big enough to pull it out! Anyway, we managed to crawl the FFRR out but the wheel/tyre diameter was about double normal by the time we got to the road with the sticky mud! Now, when it rains, I still get the occasional red dust bleed from the panel joins!
Grant

Well get used to it Grant - my previous trip to the Kimberley in the Sport, I was still seeing red dust leaking out two years later:-)
Sounds like your FF is getting more off road use than just about anybody else's in Australia....

[CSBrisie]

Well All, I was suspicious my rear shockies were on the way out and having had the pleasure of meeting RR44TDV8 here in Brisbane who took the car for a spin to compare with his MY12, he agreed - both rears "kaput".

I will report back in due course of cost these days of two "electronic variable dampers".

Incidentally, no signs of leaking - just obvious via the way she handles... :o .not well! (Thanks Grant! ;)):D

Car has done 78K...with a LOT of very heavy towing, and offroad towing, so no surprise really.:angel:
cheers

[GregMilner]

Well All, I was suspicious my rear shockies were on the way out and having had the pleasure of meeting RR44TDV8 here in Brisbane who took the car for a spin to compare with his MY12, he agreed - both rears "kaput".

I will report back in due course of cost these days of two "electronic variable dampers".

Incidentally, no signs of leaking - just obvious via the way she handles... :o .not well! (Thanks Grant! ;)):D

Car has done 78K...with a LOT of very heavy towing, and offroad towing, so no surprise really.:angel:
cheers

Chris when mine died, the dealer told me they were $800 a piece, just for the parts. And each side is a different part number.

[Graeme]

Not good Chris, that's only std shock life. I expected the ecu to compensate to effectively get much more life out of them, albeit not as firm when needed towards the end.

Ex-UK is likely to be cheaper than through local dealers.

Right LR023573 and left LR023580 unless superseded

[Graeme]

Cheaper Bilstein versions are available which might not be any harsher riding being under ecu control if their bypass valves operate identically.

[CSBrisie]

Parts ex Melbourne are $1542 each (retail). Gulp. Sent email to Duckworth Parts in UK to check their price, (maybe BREXIT and pound plunge will help me :)
cheers

[CSBrisie]

These seem to be the correct ones (they sell L & R separately) and only $611 plus shipping. Will email VIN and confirm as I'm worried the electronic variable ones are different?? . Graeme...any comments? Look like I'm on the right track?
cheers


Range Rover L322 2010 2012 Bilstein Left Hand Rear Shock Absorber LR023580 | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RANGE-ROVER-L322-2010-2012-BILSTEIN-LEFT-HAND-REAR-SHOCK-ABSORBER-LR023580-/271994722953?hash=item3f54261a89:g:1rQAAOSwNuxXaYr S)

[Graeme]

SHOCK ABSORBER LR023580 Island 4x4 - Specialists in Land Rover and Range Rover Parts and accessories for all models. UK and worldwide mail order. (http://www.island-4x4.co.uk/shock-absorber-lr023580-p-23661.html)
LR023573 is the same price so one of each.

The non-CVD don't have a reservoir and therefore are not L/R handed.

[Graeme]

Look like I'm on the right track?Yes!

[Graeme]

I wouldn't normally fit Bilsteins after a bad experience with them on a D2 even after they were re-valved softer. However hopefully being CVDs they will be very little different to genuine and perhaps their normally better seals will last longer. At such a price difference and in the absence of reports of harshness I would have to give them a try, especially initially just the rear that will be subjected to more hard work than possibly anticipated by LR.

[CSBrisie]

Thanks Graeme - suspect I won't get much better than that price wise so I will take the plunge tomorrow and order same
Cheers

[Graeme]

I order ex UK at night to save a day.

[CSBrisie]

Good point Graeme.
Quote came back at $1307, for both, delivered to Brisbane. :D
cheers

[Graeme]

From where?

[CSBrisie]

oops. I just realised your link in earlier thread below was to a different vendor - (Island 4x4) - and they are cheaper again at $480 each, so I have emailed them requesting quote incl shipping to BNE.

Thanks Graeme, I was a bit slow on the uptake there! :p
cheers

Chris

[Graeme]

No import duties or GST if goods shipment value when landed converts to less than $1000 at current exchange rates regardless of freight so hopefully the exchange rate is still on your side when they arrive, otherwise import duties and GST on the total.

Even if Island4x4's freight is a little more expensive they might still work out cheaper overall.

[Blade74]

I have a 2009 MY10 Vogue and love it.
I'd say the only two negatives of my car if I'm being picky is the amount of body roll and the transmission being a little harsh on engagement and letting go.
I'm wondering if it would have the electrical equipment and cables in place to change to the electronic front and rear shocks?

[Graeme]

MY10 have different body harness part numbers for with and without CVDs so unlikely the wiring exists. Indeed there's a whole raft of part numbers depending on what other features are fitted but always differentiating between CVDs fitted and not fitted.

[Blade74]

So that would be a no to fitting without a lot of extra required items.
I wonder if new rear shocks would make any difference at all considering it seems reasonably dampened.
It's almost like it needs heavy duty sway bars fitted.
Anyway I won't hijack this thread.

[rar110]

Mine is a MY08, it doesn't have much body roll. Especially compared to the 110. Maybe the EAS is not doing its job.

[Blade74]

It's 3 tonnes of boat like body roll. 😀
The Airbags are pumping up and down ok with the height selector.
It has 95k kms on it in total.
Not sure of the shocks are getting a little worn

[rar110]

According to the service history the shocks on mine were replaced at 195,000 in 2013. I think they are oil shocks so should last longer in time than gas shocks. However, new shocks may help. Someone here will know more.

[Graeme]

Lurching on first turning into a bend is typical of worn-out or inadequately damped shocks. I've never managed more than about 70K from shocks on any of vehicle where I drive before they're obviously not working sufficiently well, but wear is very influenced by road condition and speed.

[Graeme]

Apparently the only right rear replacement shock for a full fat L322 in Australia is in Melbourne.Note that left and right are interchangeable if the top nut is loosened to allow the bracket to be rotated 180 degrees. Just make sure that the rotation angle range matches the one being replaced.