Please help....rear airbag suspension has just popped and trying to avoid 800km tow!

[Chris23]

Hi everyone,

Im after some advice please?

We are on our big lap of australia and after pulling out of a caravan park in exmouth we heard what sounded like a gunshot and saw that our rear air bag had blown (2015 RRS). We are towing a caravan and also had a fair bit of water containers in the boot, so must have been too much weigh on the axle.

Anyway, we are in Exmouth (WA), and no one wants to touch a Range Rover here...and NRMA had told me i need to find someone to fix it. The guys in town have told me about a range rover specialist 800kms away in Geraldton (NRMA only cover 100km of towing), so im trying to work out whether im forced to get it towed there...or whether the fix isnt as hard as it seems, and whether i can convince someone locally to do it - but wait two weeks for it to get done.

Any quick advice appreciated! Im in the car waiting and trying to work out what to do!

Thanks,

Chris

[DieselLSE]

Chris, your best bet would be to order two new rear airbags and have them delivered to Exmouth. They are quite easy to remove/refit. You don't need to be a mechanic, so any workshop there should be able to follow the instructions in the workshop manual. Someone on here will be able to pdf you the relevant pages.
Personally, I'd go through a dealer and buy genuine. In any event, give the dealer your VIN so you get the correct parts.

[eddy]

X

[eddy]

Check out Whyatts under Land Rover Dealers WA,they are the closest in Geraldton.Otherwise independents in Perth worth a try are Rovertch 93505633, Dovers 94099901,Rovacraft 93770080.If any of them can get the airbag delivered to Emouth any decent mechanic should be able to change it out. Good luck!

[Blknight.aus]

Its not a super difficult repair, get the airbag flown in and get it changed like any other toyo... wait, they havent figured out airbag suspension yet... Try a truck place...they shouldnt be scared of airbags.

MR automotive on 0732846688 will be able to get you the parts

heres a vid of the process

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0RuhCWuZb8&ab_channel=ArnottAirSuspension
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaOWxVMqH-c&ab_channel=AtlanticBritish

From the phone call I just made, it seems you found exmouth 4x4x service and repairs, They helped out a freeloader on the last trip I did through there.

[Blknight.aus]

Shameless plug on behalf of exmouth 4x4 service and repairs

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipPG81_QHv6zlxUC68m1ZcsRmRuJjIIU0qPO3e58=s4266-w4266-h2042-rw

[loanrangie]

Order the struts from LR parts or Advanced Factors out of the UK, they will be delivered before any oz based supplier can rub their money grabbing hands together and half the price.

[Chris23]

Thanks everyone for the input - greatly appreciated and has given the confidence to stay put!

Have managed to get some accomodation, and yes, Exmouth 4x4 service and repairs are super busy, but have thankfully agreed to take a look (the bag literally blew up opposite them). I think parts may take a while..but will just have to wait it out. We assumed this day would come at some point doing the lap!

Thanks all for your time and speedy responses!

Chris

[POD]

Bad memories of needing emergency repairs on a broken chassis in that part of the world; 'yeah mate we can fit you in in 8 weeks' etc. Do you not have the confidence to change an air spring yourself? Have some basic tools on board? See this video from 2:25 to 5:10, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_epSyy-qyk you won't need to release any pressure so the first bit is irrelevant. I don't know if that's your exact model but the principles are the same. Agree you will get one quicker from the UK than from any Australian supplier. Unless you can source one in Perth and make your own arrangement with a courier who does the trip regularly.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

While your waiting arrange a ball weight device from canarvon repco etc.., dump the water or put in the van over the axle.
I've never heard of a RRS bag going bang...


I think I posted what my ball weight was... will look back..

[PerthDisco]

I can’t remember ever hearing of a bag exploding. The overloading would need to be extreme. Leaking, yes in much older units.

Maybe just an air hose has let go as rare and unusual that would be also.

Is it on its bump stops now? Just down on one corner or all four?

There’s always a chance something simple has happened if you can get on a two post hoist and start the motor to run the compressor to study the leak a bit further. Alternatively carefully jack up the collapsed corner with the LR jack that’s made to get under the lowered vehicle. Enough to get some visibility around the affected wheel. Brick it up on chassis once up as that jack is dodgy to rely on.

Run the comp and shut off engine and listen for air or spray some soapy water.

Much easier to repair an air hose.

[PerthDisco]

What happened here keen to know?