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ak
4th May 2008, 08:27 PM
Any of you D3 owners had to replace your OE air bags yet. They last about 4 years in the rangies and rear of D2's. If so what was the cost for all four?

Desert Traveller
4th May 2008, 08:50 PM
Interesting question?
On the Disco3 forum I haven't seen any reference to any problems with the air bags or anyone replacing them. Lots of D3's have serious kms on them without problems.

I could be wrong.

CaverD3
5th May 2008, 12:36 AM
No known issues seem much more robust and reliable than previous ones.
The only one I know of went after big air and landed nose first. I think it blew a plastic connector that was part of the airbag assembly not the bag itself.

drivesafe
5th May 2008, 03:46 AM
I had one go on my 03 RR but that was at around 18 months and it was because of a hole in one of the front air bags but other than that, I did 180,000 in 5 years and never had another problem and never heard of another MKIII RR having on going problems with their air bags and certainly never heard of any needing to be replaced after 4 years.

ak
5th May 2008, 01:09 PM
Interesting question?
On the Disco3 forum I haven't seen any reference to any problems with the air bags or anyone replacing them. Lots of D3's have serious kms on them without problems.

I could be wrong.

Hi D3 owners, not suggesting they have any know problems, but they will wear out like all air bags question is when. D3's have only been around for 3.5 years so far? So it's maybe a bit early to predict this I surpose. Like rangies and D2's it's more to do with time than distance traveled unless the car does constant dirt roads 95% of the time.

Just wondering that's all, about price of these more than anything. They are a part that will wear out sooner or later and need replacing unlike coils if not abused.

ak
5th May 2008, 01:17 PM
I had one go on my 03 RR but that was at around 18 months and it was because of a hole in one of the front air bags but other than that, I did 180,000 in 5 years and never had another problem and never heard of another MKIII RR having on going problems with their air bags and certainly never heard of any needing to be replaced after 4 years.

Hi Drivesafe

Should have said it's more the D2's that only last for about 4 years, I think this could be to do with only about 20% of newer rangies go off road and I'd guess with disco's that figure might be closer to 50% going off road regularly. However as said I am only guessing with these figures, plus there has to be more new Disc's running around than new Rangies maybe except for RRS.

Jamo
5th May 2008, 03:32 PM
Hello ak,

There's nothing that I could find in the workshop manual or on the maintenance checklist that suggests airbag replacement time.

I was told once by a local mechanic that some other makes all have to replace them at various intervals.

This may not be the case for the D3, RRS, RR etc now. Maybe the materials are better? I don't know. But again, there's nothing in the maintenance schedules that I can find.

(plus, there's a lot more than 4 (11 I think), so it would be costly).

ak
5th May 2008, 03:43 PM
Hello ak,

There's nothing that I could find in the workshop manual or on the maintenance checklist that suggests airbag replacement time.

I was told once by a local mechanic that some other makes all have to replace them at various intervals.

This may not be the case for the D3, RRS, RR etc now. Maybe the materials are better? I don't know. But again, there's nothing in the maintenance schedules that I can find.

(plus, there's a lot more than 4 (11 I think), so it would be costly).

Hi Jamo, firstly sorry guys reading my posts I have not been to clear " air suspension" air bags. Sorry for being so confusing, I knew what I was trying to say just used the wrong terminology.

Jamo
5th May 2008, 04:51 PM
Sorry about the mixup!

Again, there's nothing in the maintenance schedule about replacing the Dynamic Suspension air bags.

Checking the suspension is to be done at every 'B' service which is done every two years or 48000km. I daresay it's just a replace if worn or damaged thing.

They seem very resilient.

sniegy
5th May 2008, 06:21 PM
Hi AK,
We have had a few customers do in excess of 140k km's so far on there D3's & as of yet no problems with Air Springs.
Also note that the D2 & P38 Air Springs are left to hang out dry so to speak as they have no proection from any of the elements, But the D3 Springs are enclosed in one large "Tin" can for better protction.
They still are rubber & in time they will perish & obviously will need replacement, how long well i can only assume will last longer than the D2 & P38's.;)

johnc18
5th May 2008, 08:02 PM
I know this might be a dumb question _
What happens if your driving along , miles from anywhere , and one of your air suspension air bags does pack up .Gets a hole/splits/ or whatever .
Can you limp home , or are you stranded .
Thanks John

Jamo
5th May 2008, 10:00 PM
Good question!

Firstly, the way they're designed, they're very well protected like sneigy says. Unless there was an inherent fault in one of the bags, you are extremely unlikely to have a failure of a D3 airbag.

Secondly, If it did happen, it doesn't stop the car. It would just bounce a bit and things would hit underneath.

I had complete compressor failure over two years ago when my car was quite young (I had the first build compressor which had a few issues). I was at extended height on a beach when it failed and dropped to access height. I drove off the beach. across a coffee rock outcrop, along a bumpy limestone track and home again. I then drove the 400km to Kal to get it fixed. Apart from a few scratched and gouges underneath (and a few seasick occupants), I had no problems driving the car.

I daresay it would be the same with a holed bag. So yes, IMO you could limp home.

johnc18
6th May 2008, 10:53 AM
Jamo
Thanks for saying it was a good question .
Since I don't know the D3s too well yet , I thought it might have sounded a bit stupid .
To extend the question a bit , and rely on your first hand knowledge -
You're on the highway miles from anywhere , but towing a caravan/boat or whatever ,( as I'm sure a lot of D3 owners would ) .
A bag does go .
Could you tow the van ( slowly ) a fair distance to a town/caravan park etc or would having all this extra load on the rear axle do some serious , expensive damage , and so force you to leave the caravan at the side of the road .
I know this might be unlikely , as these bags are so far proving reliable .
However , I'm thinking of retiring this year , and we'll probably start doing the " grey nomad " thing next year . So this is relevant to me ( and maybe a few others ).

Thanks John

CaverD3
6th May 2008, 01:00 PM
Don't woory about the air bags in the D3. Theese have no known problems as such. They are awealk point on some earlier models but so far not on the D3.
Trucks have airbags do a lot more ks in harsher conditions so having air bags is not an issue in itself.
The weak point in the D3 suspension has bbeen compressors and sensors. These were dealt with in the ehnsment program early on and new builds have shown no problems.
The likelihood of failure of an airbag is almost non existant for the D3 ( three years plus now) don't base your wories on previous models.
The ease and joy of towing and touring with a D3 will more than make up for your fears.:D

300+
6th May 2008, 07:01 PM
If the van nose weight is half way correct there shouldn't be a massive load on the bump stops. If you feel it crashing about just drive slower and leave the van at the first safe spot.

What will you do if a coil snaps on a regular 4wd? Doubt many people would carry a spare. Can they be driven safely on the stops?

Steve

johnc18
6th May 2008, 09:47 PM
OK fellas , I guess I'm just being a nervous nelly about something that has a bad reputation from previous times , and something that I haven't had anything to do with . So I'll stop worrying !!
Re the coil springs - If somebody goes serious scrubbashing I guess he might break a spring .
But I've been driving for over 40 yrs ( and when I was a young bloke , they were pretty dodgy cars ) , normal driving , racing with mates , towing , club rallying etc , and I've broken engines , gearboxes , clutches , backaxles , you name it , but I've never broken a spring .
Anyhow thanks for convincing me that I can forget about any air suspension problems !

Cheers John