P38 Airsprings on D2

[andyrover]

I want to fit my D2 with RR air suspension. Any helpful suggestions? (besides "Don't"!)

OK, stop laughing, I've sized up the components and they look like a reasonable fit, except the front shocks will need relocating... Air controls are from the happy-hopping aftermarket bunch: tank, compressor, valves and switches would seem to work hopefully without RR EAS woes?

Has anybody done this? OK, maybe not!

[Slunnie]

Sounds good. How would you relocate the front shocks?

[andyrover]

Haven't quite worked that out yet! I notice the P38 has a bridge affair over the spring tower which may be useful, or not...

[harlie]

I know this doesn’t help much but… during 1998 I fitted RRC EAS to my 300tdi Disco 1. Front shocks had to be relocated, we fabricated new brackets top and bottom.
I Sent in the transport dept forms stating "change of spring medium and front shock relocation" – got a reply saying all cool. Admittedly the D1 was available in UK with full EAS in a limited option…


I’m interested to see how you go – I’ve thought about it but can’t see a good way to incorporate the front with the factory D2 rear air suspension (electronically), I then stopped thinking about it. It would be nice to be able to raise the car at times.

[Slunnie]

I would have the SLABS computer reset to coil springs and then run the 4 airbags with an independant aftermarket controller. Wooders Garage in Sydney sell various versions of these.

[andyrover]

My thinking exactly. I found all the gear at Boss Suspension in Qld, including the replacement bags for the P38 (originals too expensive) and the controls for independent fitment, tank, valves, gauges and switches. Getting fitted up next week at a local garage specialising in this stuff. Stay tuned.

[Slunnie]

Very nice! I'm really keen to hear how it all goes. I've never gotten past thinking about it, and I'm sure Buggerlugs was talking about doing the same a while ago.

[andyrover]

New Year's update: all the air system installed, complete with tank, compressors, valves, gauges, switches and leaks. Rear springs removed and replaced with Arnott's airsprings for the D2 (P38 bags don't fit!). Front bags to go. Off to Wollongong next week to see if Probag can help. So far, I like the ride height adjustment, especially in the bush, and comfort of the air springs, so looking forward to getting it up on all four. Cost will probably be about double the retrofit of D2 rear bags alone (approx $2k) but then there will be twice as many axles done...

[Pedro_The_Swift]

what?
you can do all that and you cant operate a camera??:o
:p

[mcrover]

I know this doesn’t help much but… during 1998 I fitted RRC EAS to my 300tdi Disco 1. Front shocks had to be relocated, we fabricated new brackets top and bottom.
I Sent in the transport dept forms stating "change of spring medium and front shock relocation" – got a reply saying all cool. Admittedly the D1 was available in UK with full EAS in a limited option…


I’m interested to see how you go – I’ve thought about it but can’t see a good way to incorporate the front with the factory D2 rear air suspension (electronically), I then stopped thinking about it. It would be nice to be able to raise the car at times.

More information is required along with some photo's please :D

I love the idea of air suspention but hate the idea of all the electronic controls.

Passive suspention control would be preferable but a separate computer would be a close second:o

[Jezzaol]

G'day
I'm fitting one of my D1's with full air suspension at the moment, almost finished the rear, and will be getting onto the front shortly ! I got around the front shock issue by buying after market quad shock turrets and not run the center shock ! Im using 4 x front 80 series landcruiser air bag man springs !
I also running tank, twin Thomas compressors and toggle switches / gauges in cab for full user control !

ANY PIC'S Andyrover ?

[Slunnie]

G'day
I'm fitting one of my D1's with full air suspension at the moment, almost finished the rear, and will be getting onto the front shortly ! I got around the front shock issue by buying after market quad shock turrets and not run the center shock ! Im using 4 x front 80 series landcruiser air bag man springs !
I also running tank, twin Thomas compressors and toggle switches / gauges in cab for full user control !

ANY PIC'S Andyrover ?
Do you know what the open/closed lengths on the springs are?

[andyrover]

Hi, sounds like the system I bought (except for the twin front shock mounts) and I hope your airbags give you the travel you want, I went for Rangie airbags thinking they would slot right in - well the rears didn't but the fronts might. My new best friend in Wollongong, the Probag man, says no probs with relocating the shocks aft of the springs with an extension bracket above and a lower mounting taken from the radius arm bush.
We'll see...
As for pikkies, there isn't much to show (and difficult to photo, too) but the locations of the various components are: boot space for compressors and valves, central glovebox for switches and gauges, and right hand sill space for the tank. Airbags fit into standard spring pockets.
More to come at month-end...

[harlie]

More information is required along with some photo's please :D

I love the idea of air suspention but hate the idea of all the electronic controls.

Passive suspention control would be preferable but a separate computer would be a close second:o

Pics are hard to locate, I’ve looked for them but this was 10 years ago I did my (then) D1.


At the time AirBag man had a Dunlop bellows assembly the fitted perfectly, it was the part they had listed for RRC and at the time Richard wasn’t absolutely sure it would fit the D1, so he was very supportive throughout and happy when it did.. I used the mechanical valves that you find on busses and trucks. The valve assembly was mounted to the chassis with an extendable control arm to the suspension to monitor height – fully self levelling with no computers. Compressor went under the bonnet with an outlet for tyre inflation and large tank inside chassis rail below drivers seat. I also cross-linked the rear two with an electrically operated valve between them and when opened gave obscene wheel travel while maintaining weight on both wheels. (I smiled when D3 was released some 5 years after I did it)


Parts cost me about $1200 but I was in the industry getting an industry discount on everything.

[harlie]

Hi, sounds like the system I bought (except for the twin front shock mounts) and I hope your airbags give you the travel you want, I went for Rangie airbags thinking they would slot right in - well the rears didn't but the fronts might. My new best friend in Wollongong, the Probag man, says no probs with relocating the shocks aft of the springs with an extension bracket above and a lower mounting taken from the radius arm bush.
We'll see...
As for pikkies, there isn't much to show (and difficult to photo, too) but the locations of the various components are: boot space for compressors and valves, central glovebox for switches and gauges, and right hand sill space for the tank. Airbags fit into standard spring pockets.
More to come at month-end...

Hi Andy

are you leaving the front shocks in place with Coil-over style bags (like D3) or have you moved them?

[Jezzaol]

Do you know what the open/closed lengths on the springs are?

I'll measure for you and let you know !

[andyrover]

I'm moving the shocks behind the springs in order to take full advantage of the travel and volume of the Rangie front bags, which look like slotting straight in. My understanding of D3, L322 and Sport struts is that they are stiffer than the old P38 bags, and in theory that sounds right. Although much easier to fit a Shockwave airspring and shock unit, I was advised by Probag that this was "only for hotrods" and not for land roving... Makes sense when you consider Shockwave travel is mostly oriented toward scraping along the ground (they like to do this at Summernats for some reason!), not very useful for the fire trails we like to travel :-)

[andyrover]

All done and working well. The travel is better than expected and the front end rises some 6 inches at full hoist now! Some fiddling with pressures gives 60 psi front and 70 psi rear for best ride, mid-point in bag travel. Tried a bit of off-road yesterday and very pleased with the clearance, comfort and road isolation, cross-articulation and traction seems to be unaffected, CDF and ETC still required to pull through gullies, wheel in the air stuff, just like a Toureg! Probag charged me $800 for front end install, Boss supplied P38 bags at $150 ea. Total cost (with Arnotts rear bags, Boss tank, compressors, valves and switches: $4500. Shocks replaced by Gabriel 4x4 type (red!) and relocated forward by mounting on plates welded to frame and lower stabiliser mounts. Great result but would I do it again? Probably rather get original equipment on RR Sport when I can afford one :-)

[andyrover]

I managed some pikkies after all:

[igor]

Hi , my name is Igor and i'm french ! :D

I try to put Air lift bag in front spring to my Disco2.


Is that you can make a photo of your fixations lower front shock absorber and a turret shock ?

Thanks

Igor