Level rides and Self Leveling Suspension

[grumpybastard]

Gday All,

Is the general concensus that if you have self leveling suspension in the Disco II you should'nt use Level Rides?

I refer to this thread (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/showthread.php't=26190&highlight=level+ride)

My Dad has a 1600kg Caravan that im planning on taking away at Xmas

[walker]

I will be very interested to hear what others have to say about this as well.

I have SLS on the Disco and have always used level rides when towing dads caravan (probably around 1600kg as well). But I have often wondered if it was necessary or even the right thing to do when using an SLS equiped vehicle.
Last January I managed to jacknife the caravan while going UP a steep windey hill at about 30km/h. The only thing I could think of was that the SLS had made the rear unstable and when the auto kicked back into first, the whole back end slip away.

But until an expert tells me otherwise, I will keep using the level rides.

[Redback]

I have read that it's not recommend to use the load leveling devices on the D2 and D3, for me i don't, and having towed my camper (1.3t) everywhere i had no need to put a leveling device on as i've not had any experiences where i've thought i needed one, even when i've swerved to avoid a drunk driver on the F3 north of Sydney coming home from a weekend away, the trailer and car never even looked or felt like it was unstable or uncontrollable.

It would probably not be a disadvantage putting one on, but i'd take the van and car for a test run first and then decide on whether you need it.

The only disadvantage is ramp over clearence between car and trailer when load levellers are fitted, but if your not going to places where there are erosion humps or rutted tracks then this is not a concern.

Oh i forgot to add mine is all coil suspension not airbag, i have heavy duty rear springs.

Baz.

[grumpybastard]

Thinking about this .... (generally not recommended)

I imagine if you torqued the level rides up enough to place substantial weight onto the nose of the LR, (ie: have the front pointing down)

The rear suspension would try to compensate by softening up the rear trying to level itself ....which of course would be bad

[hiline]

its recommend that you turn off the self leveling while towing

leave it at normal ride height then flick off the switch ;)

well thats what it says in the wife's Rangie manual

[Pedro_The_Swift]

hmm, I wonder if there is a touch of confusion over names(or as usual its just me)
SLS is the LR device using rear airbags to bring the rear up to horizontal
"Level rides" and "load leveling devices" are after market devices to being the rear of the vehicle up to level while also providing an anti-sway function.


I thought I read somewhere that the latter should not be used on LR's?

[grumpybastard]

leave it at normal ride height then flick off the switch

The Disco's Self Leveling Suspension cant be turned off, but it can be raised and lowered but will resume its standard ride height above 30km/h


hmm, I wonder if there is a touch of confusion over names(or as usual its just me)
SLS is the LR device using rear airbags to bring the rear up to horizontal
"Level rides" and "load leveling devices" are after market devices to being the rear of the vehicle up to level while also providing an anti-sway function.

Yep thats it exactly

[hiline]

The Disco's Self Leveling Suspension cant be turned off, but it can be raised and lowered but will resume its standard ride height above 30km/h



Yep thats it exactly


in the HSE Rangie you can turn it off manually

once it gets to normal ride hide switch it off ;)

[Redback]

hmm, I wonder if there is a touch of confusion over names(or as usual its just me)
SLS is the LR device using rear airbags to bring the rear up to horizontal
"Level rides" and "load leveling devices" are after market devices to being the rear of the vehicle up to level while also providing an anti-sway function.


I thought I read somewhere that the latter should not be used on LR's?

I think it states it in the manual for the D2 fitted with air bag rear and ACE.

In the D3 it interfers with the self leveling suspension.

[walker]

I think it states it in the manual for the D2 fitted with air bag rear and ACE.

In the D3 it interfers with the self leveling suspension.

I think I better read my manual before I take the caravan away this weekend.:o I just always feels afer with level rides, they not only put weight back on the front wheels, but they also stop any bouncing effect and stiffen everything up laterally as well. BUT if it is not safe with ACE and SLS then I better not do it anymore.


I like the Rangies system better where you can lock the SLS into a certain position. Mind you, I can't really see in theory how the level rides can have any bad effect on the D2 SLS. Once the level rides are in position then they don't move and the SLS just compensates for the change in rear ride height. You are still towing but just with a bit less weight on the rear bar than you would if you didn't use them.

[grumpybastard]

think I better read my manual before I take the caravan away this weekend.

Curious to know what the outcome is towing with/without level rides.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I think I better read my manual before I take the caravan away this weekend.:o I just always feels afer with level rides, they not only put weight back on the front wheels, but they also stop any bouncing effect and stiffen everything up laterally as well. BUT if it is not safe with ACE and SLS then I better not do it anymore.


I like the Rangies system better where you can lock the SLS into a certain position. Mind you, I can't really see in theory how the level rides can have any bad effect on the D2 SLS. Once the level rides are in position then they don't move and the SLS just compensates for the change in rear ride height. You are still towing but just with a bit less weight on the rear bar than you would if you didn't use them.

the trouble with the "load leveling devices" is that they never give up,,
no matter what or how or why they are still trying to rip your tow bar upwards, have seen heaps of towbars bent from no other reason than these bars,,,

I'm not a fan of heavy-draw-bar-weight and I've towed a few kays with a LR,, (coincidence???;)) but I'd much rather tow(and have done on a few occasions) with a saggy rear end,, than use LLD's on landrovers,,,

towing is one of those things that WILL bite you,,

[MarknDeb]

Boy mate you have asked for an answer to the question i have been chasing since we got the car in 2003, in the end i got the answer before our trip to Cairns with the van just over 2000kgs. The answer from Landrover Australia was i didnt need the leveling device as the car does its self, and the trip went great with out any problems. We sat on around 100 to 110klms (where the car was more happy), if you have any questions give me an email on mcbeyer@bigpond.net.au. When we travel there is me and the wife with 3 rug rats so i wouldnt endanger them for anything.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Goodaye MarknDeb,, just the kind of answer we were looking for---


but!

where are the

PICS!!!


:D

and then someone will want to know weights, fuel economy, camping spots,, etc etc,,;)

[MarknDeb]

Gday Pedro :D well mate i have all the pics on a yahoo album and this link should get you there
http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

[MarknDeb]

Well Pedro here is my trip report for the Cairns trip and it has the fuel figures at the bottom of the page, hope you find it interesting as it was my first trip report.

http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/caravaning_in_aus/Tripreport.htm


Mark&Deb
;)

[grumpybastard]

Jeez you've answered all my follow up questions :)

The fuel economy looks good, i wonder how opposite the v8 will be in comparison? Im budgeting 40L/100kms? Surely it couldnt be worse than that?

[MarknDeb]

Mate some friends came with us to Cairns and they traveled in a 100 series Cruiser running on LPG and towning a camper trailer, all they could get was 300ks a tank so i would say the v8 Disco could poss run about the same with a lite van behind, where are you goind to head

Mark & Deb
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/caravaning_in_aus/
http://www.users.bigpond.com/mcbeyer/

[p38arover]

Mate some friends came with us to Cairns and they traveled in a 100 series Cruiser running on LPG and towning a camper trailer, all they could get was 300ks a tank

That info is meaningless with an idea of the tank size. :)

I get 300 km out of my LPG tank when not towing. How big is my tank?

See what I mean?

Ron

[Pedro_The_Swift]

http://f3.yahoofs.com/users/428a7885z9ad32efc/efd9/__sr_/744d.jpg?phIFqTFBmZz9cYtH

nice Rig!!