EAS changeout

[NomadicD3]

HI All,
Has anyone purchased the full replacement suspension assembly? Has anyone changed them out? It seems I may be having to do all mine again as I suspect the Koni's have succumb to their valving issue. I have found the complete assembly in the UK for 170 pound + shipping and thought I may buy the complete assembly and change out rather then rebuild.
Thoughts?
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
thanks
Brian

[Graeme]

I've swapped-out my D4's a couple of times. The last time I removed the front inner guards to get easier access to the top nuts and air lines but the extra time to R&R the liners made it not worthwhile. The rears are easy enough with the liners in place.

If you want firmer shocks than D3s then get D4s although I don't know if D4s are available except through LR. I replaced my D4 orginals with D3s ex LR and when those wore out I fitted D3 Delphi ex UK although I feel that their valving isn't as good as the LR D3s were.

[TerryO]

I've swapped-out my D4's a couple of times. The last time I removed the front inner guards to get easier access to the top nuts and air lines but the extra time to R&R the liners made it not worthwhile. The rears are easy enough with the liners in place.

If you want firmer shocks than D3s then get D4s although I don't know if D4s are available except through LR. I replaced my D4 orginals with D3s ex LR and when those wore out I fitted D3 Delphi ex UK although I feel that their valving isn't as good as the LR D3s were.

Agreed, the Delphi replacements are good, but not as good as the originals in my opinion, but are much better than worn Koni's. The replacement ones aren't as expensive here as they used to be Brian, as we have been playing phone tag I pmed you the boss of Koni's phone number and name so try him on Monday, he is a very reasonable man.

[~Rich~]

More info on this thread, I swapped all of mine over too.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/194810-rear-air-bags.html#post2119758

[NomadicD3]

Hey Rich,
Your a legend mate that's exactly the information I was looking for but couldn't find in the search. You say it's more difficult than a normal spring, do happen to remember what sort of time it took you to do a corner?


Thanks Terry,
Got your message and will talk to him Monday but I have just over 70,000k's on these shocks so I'm not all that optimistic but I thought they had 100k warranty and it's always worth a phone call.

[Graeme]

I have just over 70,000k's on these shocks Did they go suddenly or have you realised of late that they're not doing the job any more? My LR D3 shocks had become very sloppy by 60K, probably mostly in the last 10K.

[~Rich~]

Hey Rich,
Your a legend mate that's exactly the information I was looking for but couldn't find in the search. You say it's more difficult than a normal spring, do happen to remember what sort of time it took you to do a corner?


Thanks Terry,
Got your message and will talk to him Monday but I have just over 70,000k's on these shocks so I'm not all that optimistic but I thought they had 100k warranty and it's always worth a phone call.

I'm not a mechanic, just a tradesman who knows how to do things. ;)
If I can remember rightly, I did it in two easy days for both front and rear. You could do it in one but I prefer to take my time and do it right.

What was experience on this Graeme?

[Epic pooh]

I've never changed over airbags or shocks individually in a D3, but I think that changing the entire strut unit is fairly straightforward. Very roughly it is: corner by corner - jack the corner (under the lower control arm) and support the vehicle on a stand under the chassis, release the airline at the top of the strut, undo the top nuts, undo the bottom bolt and remove the strut. Then, insert new strut (wheel it under on a trolley jack and then jack it upwards), do up top bolts, connect airline, use a trolley jack and a crowbar to line up the bottom bolt. Do each corner the same, when all four are done, start the car (as it will now be completely deflated and very low), cycle the height and you're done. Obviously YMMV, but I think about an hour or so for each corner.

I've got Dunlop (Allmakes PR) branded bags/shocks in mine, they are probably a little firmly damped compared to the originals, but at this point I'm satisfied with them - have done around 15,000km, they feel good on the road, maybe not as supple as the originals, but good/better the corners.

HTH & good luck.

[Graeme]

My 1st lot were done over 2 days mostly because I had other things to do as well. The other times were done in 1 sitting each time. The slowest part was getting the 3 front top nuts undone, with 1 each side partly obscured by brackets that now don't have their 2nd bolt to improve access. The front bolts sloping inwards are easy enough to access with the liner removed but a lot of spanner swapping otherwise. Removing the front liner allows the airline to be unclipped then lowered with the shock a few inches for better access to the airline nut than with the shock in position.

Moving the airsprings to new shocks only added 15 mins to each but having found internal cracks after 90K kms, I was intent on fitting new airsprings with the latest set.