RRS front air suspension unit minor leak

[Nomad9]

Hi There,
I have a minor leak in the front air suspension circuit. Prior to me buying the owner had two front air suspension units fitted, somewhere, not local to me, whilst I thought about warranty I suspect not.

I have done the bubble test and found a very minor leak around the front air pipe connection to the drivers side air suspension unit. Is the Voss fitting one that can be tightened or is it like the P38 fitting which is a push the collar and pull the pipe to remove. Looking with a mirror it looks like a hex fitting on top, however I thought I had better check.

As with any Land Rover component easily accessible......... ho ho ho

Is it easier to let the top bolts holding the air suspension unit in place go and drop the unit down a bit to get better access (depressurised of course)?

Thanks for any assistance rendered.

Cheers Marty.

[Nomad9]

Hi People,
What nobody knows? :confused: :confused:

[SBD4]

Does this help in any way?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VQ2kbIKgEw&t=558

[Nomad9]

Hi Sean,
I had a look on YouTube and didn't find anything, obviously looking in the wrong spot. Great thank you.

Cheers Marty.

[Geedublya]

And another one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaOWxVMqH-c

[Graeme]

The valve block can if necessary be released from its mount for better access without releasing any air - just be careful not to kink any of the 3 plastic pipes.

The fittings are screwed so can be tightened although the valve blocks have been known to develop splits which then requires a new valve block to be fitted. Its not normal to undo the pipes at the block to replace front struts.

[Graeme]

This might be useful.
101062

[gghaggis]

The connector into the air bag is a Voss-type screw-in connector. If the connector is leaking around the thread but not damaged, you can unscrew it, apply some Loctite 243 and refit.

If it's leaking around the input of the airline to the connector, then you'll have to replace it if a simple re-tighten doesn't seat it correctly.

Cheers,

Gordon

PS use a stubby 12mm open-ring spanner to remove.

[Graeme]

Hmm, I didn't realise that the leak was at the air-spring!

I would just try to tighten it first as its a PITA to refit once removed. I would not use a thread locker as the joint is not one that works loose and laborious enough to unscrew without thread locker. I R&R'd many and never had a leak so suspect that the nut isn't quite tight.

[Nomad9]

Hi There,
More than enough info now, thanks very much everyone. When I saw the hex I was a bit wary expecting a push collar connection like the old P38. I am assuming that this is a Voss 203 connector. The hex was tight, the air leak was between the pipe and the connector, I couldn't see any leak between the connector and the air spring, saying that it as pretty difficult even with my mirror to see.

I'll get a couple of new connectors and change them out, just hope the pipe hasn't been damaged when whoever it was replaced the air springs. The job of removing the air spring doesn't look that bad. There is a small slot directly above the inner nut, if I "trim" that tab I will be able to get a socket with an extension from the engine bay which will make getting to that a lot easier.

Cheers Marty.

[go-disco4]

Hi All,

On a related airspring matter, how long should they last before the shocker/airspring need replacement?

I have only done 40,000 km in my disco4, ,mostly off road and on the black top on the way there.

I thought the rear springs were a bit "bouncy' lately and my mechanic thought so as well when he took it for a drive. Like a deteriorated shocker.

Maybe it was our imagination.

Is there a formal way to test it?

Anyone with early failure of their hairsprings?

Regards

GD 4

[Graeme]

There were a few failed shocks on early D4s but otherwise should get somewhere between 70K and around 120K.

[Nomad9]

Hi GD 4,
Mine had done 140k before they were (wrongly) replaced, the problem was the lower control arms not the air spring / shock assy, wrongly diagnosed in my favour for when I purchased, fix the air leak I'm ahead......

Cheers Marty.

[rar110]

I'm on 240,000km in my 2008 model L322. AFAIK the air springs are original. The rears at least have the Land Rover name on the air bag. The rear shocks were replaced a couple of years ago.

No sign of any fine cracking on the folding area of the airbags.