D3/LR3 Dobinson's Coil Conversion Kit

[CPontes]

Greetings,

Anyone have experience w/ Dobinson's suspension kit for a D3/LR3? I've 305km on my Rover, use it frequently off-road, and no longer wish to worry about an air suspension failure.

I'm looking for a suspension kit with approximately 45mm lift (I run 265 / 70 / 18 tires). Any other suspension setup battle-tested and recommended?

Cheers,
Casey

[loanrangie]

Its not a popular conversion as most don't have any issues with the EAS even going remote, whatever kit you get you will need the module to keep the ECU's happy which i don't believe will come from Dobinsons.

[discomatt69]

Its not a popular conversion as most don't have any issues with the EAS even going remote, whatever kit you get you will need the module to keep the ECU's happy which i don't believe will come from Dobinsons.
It's more an issue because heaps of faults can cause the suspension to drop not just a suspension fault, it's a stupid design flaw that has caught out many when 4wding

[DieselLSE]

It's more an issue because heaps of faults can cause the suspension to drop not just a suspension fault, it's a stupid design flaw that has caught out many when 4wding
Only if you're not prepared. Fitting an EAS emergency kit will allow you to inflate each corner manually. Even if one airbag is damaged, inflating the others will still allow the car to be driven (albeit slowly and carefully).

[discomatt69]

Only if you're not prepared. Fitting an EAS emergency kit will allow you to inflate each corner manually. Even if one airbag is damaged, inflating the others will still allow the car to be driven (albeit slowly and carefully).
And where can you buy said kit?

[incisor]

there is this one

https://www.partsrover.com/en/suspension/20-faskit-emergency-kit-for-air-suspension-discovery-3.html

[discomatt69]

there is this one

https://www.partsrover.com/en/suspension/20-faskit-emergency-kit-for-air-suspension-discovery-3.html
At nearly $800 plus shipping it's tad expensive, I wish I had got the kit that used to be available here

[DieselLSE]

I have the Green Oval kit, but I'm pretty sure that once these became unavailable some clever people on here located all the high-pressure parts and connectors needed. A bit of searching should find the threads. I think Tombie contributed, so you could start there.

[cripesamighty]

Don't forget that it snows in Utah, and they will likely salt the roads, which leads to lots of underbody bits rusting leading to failures. It is the usual reason people change from bags to coils in certain locales.

[loanrangie]

Don't forget that it snows in Utah, and they will likely salt the roads, which leads to lots of underbody bits rusting leading to failures. It is the usual reason people change from bags to coils in certain locales.

The arms will rust thru way before it affects any of the EAS components, just need to look on any of the pommy forums or FB groups.

[cripesamighty]

When I was in Detroit many years ago, my cousin had to replace his rear aircon lines (completely rusted through) and also his air suspension reservoir because it was salt encrusted and very, very rusty. That still hadn't perforated though so you are probably right! Mind you, he did treat his cars as disposable, ie. rarely washed or serviced. I certainly wouldn't buy a car off him!

[Redback]

I'm not familiar with the D3s suspetsion setup, but if it's possible I'd go with Lovell springs and bilstein shocks, IMHO, do not put Dobinsons on your Land Rover.:no2:

[loanrangie]

I'm not familiar with the D3s suspetsion setup, but if it's possible I'd go with Lovell springs and bilstein shocks, IMHO, do not put Dobinsons on your Land Rover.:no2:

Its exactly the same as on your D4 and coils are the worst thing you can do to these vehicles.

[discomatt69]

Its exactly the same as on your D4 and coils are the worst thing you can do to these vehicles.
Why is that? I have never driven a D3 on coils so have no experience with it.
I was wondering if that would accommodate a GVM upgrade

[Redback]

Its exactly the same as on your D4 and coils are the worst thing you can do to these vehicles.

I was talking about the early D3 that came with coils, not the air suspension models, I love our air suspension and would never go coils.

[PerthDisco]

Why is that? I have never driven a D3 on coils so have no experience with it.
I was wondering if that would accommodate a GVM upgrade

You are stuck at a sub optimal lower height and any attempt to add permanent lift will put your CVs at an angle that will shorten their life dramatically driving at highway speeds.

[Redback]

Greetings,

Anyone have experience w/ Dobinson's suspension kit for a D3/LR3? I've 305km on my Rover, use it frequently off-road, and no longer wish to worry about an air suspension failure.

I'm looking for a suspension kit with approximately 45mm lift (I run 265 / 70 / 18 tires). Any other suspension setup battle-tested and recommended?

Cheers,
Casey
Never had a suspension failure in our D4, it now has just over 300,000ks.

The car has done, GOOGS Track, the entire length of the Old Gunbarrel Hwy to Carnegie Station, the Canning to Georgia Bore, Talawana Tr, Gibb River Road, Drisdale Station to Michell Falls and return, then on to Kunnanurra, Tanami Tr out to Wolf Creek, VIC and NSW High Country numerous times, Flinders numerous times, all towing a camper trailer, the car has had a hard life.

My advice, IMHO, leave it the way it is.

[Arapiles]

This question comes up periodically, but by all accounts the EAS is reliable and it's not a new technology since heavy vehicles have been using it for decades, I seem to recall pre-WW2.

[TerryO]

Why is that? I have never driven a D3 on coils so have no experience with it.
I was wondering if that would accommodate a GVM upgrade


I remember driving an early D3 with coils and it was very ordinary to drive and ride in compared to one with air suspension. Another thing to consider, all be it chances are you would not do enough miles to have this happen, but a old ex Aulro member who had one with coils and did lots of serious off roading eventually had the top of the front suspension towers crack on his D3 out in the middle of no where and had issues getting back to civilisation if I remember correctly.

Would that have happened if his D3 had air suspension?