Air strut questions

So i fitted the new struts today. They have Dunlop stickers. From memory thats not a great sign...

Weird thing was they had 2 different stickers. One even had 2 different part numbers.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...45c94b1219.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...dec30cea55.jpg

The boxes both had the same part number (note that its not the LR part number).

On first drive they are way stiffer - it does not seem to wallow through the corners anymore - but the ride is much firmer. Having never driven a new D3 I'm not sure if this is right or not, but im hoping they soften up after a few kays.

So far no leaks!

One issue i did have was, when trying to calibrate heights with the IID BT tool, the tool kept either not responding or pressing up would make the car go down and that sort of rubbish. I just updated the firmware before the calibration. Anyone else had the same issue?

Thanks Disco-tastic, useful feedback, interested to know how you go over the next few weeks. Regarding firmness of ride im interested to know your opinion in a few weeks if you grow to like or not.

My gut feel is the struts deteriorate very slowly over a long period to very soft, and new struts suddenly bring the firmness back, feeling strange at first but will you grow to like it???

It will be the dampening of the shocks and not the air bag causing the firmness.

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Originally Posted by BushDisco

Thanks Disco-tastic, useful feedback, interested to know how you go over the next few weeks. Regarding firmness of ride im interested to know your opinion in a few weeks if you grow to like or not.

My gut feel is the struts deteriorate very slowly over a long period to very soft, and new struts suddenly bring the firmness back, feeling strange at first but will you grow to like it???

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by loanrangie

It will be the dampening of the shocks and not the air bag causing the firmness.

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I'm pretty sure you both mean the shocks, but yeah, I'm think the shocks i pulled out had had it. That said, the old airbag did have a leak...

TBH I didnt test the new ones to see how hard they we're to compress.

BushDisco, first impressions aren't great - though its stiff it still feels underdamped to me, maybe its got terrible rebound settings. But I'm no shock absorber expert and it was only a short drive. And I'm probably a little nervous that they actually are crap, which may get the better of me.

It doesn't roll as much through corners, but i can now feel a lot of little bumps i couldnt before.

Like I said. I hope they settle a bit.

Have you changed/checked sway bar bushes? They affect ride comfort almost as much as the shocks. I just changed mine out after having poly back to oem rubber. I reckon if the shocks were buggered the sway bars (plus upper and lower control arm bushes) would have taken a fair bit of the load.

I wonder if these shocks have high pressure gas, considering the warning label which was not found on any of the D3/D4 shocks that I fitted, instead reminiscent of high pressure gas shocks that I fitted to a vehicle many years ago that gave a harsh ride.

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Originally Posted by Graeme;[URL="tel:2931661"

2931661[/URL]]I wonder if these shocks have high pressure gas, considering the warning label which was not found on any of the D3/D4 shocks that I fitted, instead reminiscent of high pressure gas shocks that I fitted to a vehicle many years ago that gave a harsh ride.

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All good quality shocks should have some high preassure gas, I think nitrogen, which is there to stop the oil foaming. But I think it is only a small amount and shouldn’t really be affecting the ride. The ones you had previously might have had a larger amount built in as part of the springing mechanism, causing the ride you felt.

Charlie

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Originally Posted by Charliektm400exc

All good quality shocks should have some high preassure gas, I think nitrogen, which is there to stop the oil foaming. But I think it is only a small amount and shouldn’t really be affecting the ride. The ones you had previously might have had a larger amount built in as part of the springing mechanism, causing the ride you felt.

Charlie

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Not quite correct. Shocks do not need the gas, some have it, some don’t.

The gas is to reduce foaming but some won’t have it as they have a different design. You can often tell simply by if the shock self extends - usually a result of the gas trying to equalise pressure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Graeme

I wonder if these shocks have high pressure gas, considering the warning label which was not found on any of the D3/D4 shocks that I fitted, instead reminiscent of high pressure gas shocks that I fitted to a vehicle many years ago that gave a harsh ride.

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The original shocks had the "don't open/don't heat" label on them. They are stamped "land rover" into the shock body so are genuine.

The Konis that I had on my D2 were low pressure gas but when rebuilt by the Koni-approved workshop no gas was used. The story was that some people think that they need gas so Koni put in a little to not be unduly excluded from the market.