Discovery suspension "down grade"?

I posted the following April last year re the airbags.

"I replaced the airbags on all corners of my D4 at around the 215k mark. Nothing to do with the airbag condition but everything to do with stuffed shocks! Replaced the fronts first then about a month later did the rears not for any other reason than spreading the cost. When the fronts were done the improvement in the ride was very noticeable. When the backs were done there was further noticeable improvement."

In my travels with the D4 (which has close enough to 300,000km on the clock) I don't hesitate to take it anywhere I want to go. That said I do have a 'considered approach' to preventative maintenance, at least as much as my budget will allow.

Thinking about the suspension downgrade....when I make the direct comparison with SWMBO's D3 (base model coil sprung) and my D4 HSE there is no way I would want to forego the air suspension.

Just Sayin![bighmmm]

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Originally Posted by INter674

Okay..anyone know how long truck air bags last..as a matter of comparison?

I would be happy with 10 years...

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Im sure not as long, but then the D4 is not loaded like a truck, the eas air suspension units are working well within their design limits on a D3/D4

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Originally Posted by INter674

Okay..anyone know how long truck air bags last..as a matter of comparison?

I would be happy with 10 years...

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Depends on trucks.
I have various experiences.

1. Mack rigid. The Euro type Renault Mack. Dunno what year it was, one of my old work colleagues at a transport Co I worked at. Very nice truck to drive compared to Jap rigids(Fuso/Isuzus). This truck was approx mid 200's model, 400+ K klms on it.
I worked there for a good 5-6yrs, and for the most part zero air bag failures. Then towards the end of my employment there I remember two airbag failures in quick succession. As this one was a tandem (one lazy) he could bypass it to keep going even with a load, just to get him back.

2. Brothers two prime movers. 2010 Iveco no problems so far. > 1 million klms on it. Only suspension issues have been 1 worn shock bush. Mechanic and us have checked airbags, all good so far. No issues with any air lines. Recently it had a major issue with a main air line where the main 3/4" pipe union wore out a compression olive and left us stranded with zero air .. not a suspension air line issue as such. Truck is old, but still goes really well.
His old Vovlo(now gone), had 1.7 million klms. For it's RWC he had to replace two of the 6 airbags due to 'cracking'. RWC guy must have had much better vision than either of us, very hard to see them. All 6 looked in similar condition.
As I'm a bit of a magpie I decided to keep the old ones, want to make a raising platform with them.

Over the past 10 or so years I reckon I've pulled about 50 or so different trailers, never had any issues with airbags on trailers.
At Woolies, where we swapped trailers every day we didn't have them long enough to see problems develop on air bags. I used to see air leaks, and they had to be reported(ie. pre check), and from what I remember all air leaks were a valve/union issue, never airbags.

3. recently driving buses, These buses are in the 10 year 200-400k klms range now. I had a major air leak on one job first thing I thought was airbag? Luckily had enough air to drop off passengers before it lost it all and I HAD to stop.
While I waited for recovery, I checked all air bags and they were fine, all inflated, but still no air in the system(no brakes, no door). Turned out to be a 1/2 plastic pipe from compressor to ... wherever it went from there.

As a casual observer, I'd say it's not a major issue, and even at 10 years all you'd need to do is just be sure they're in decent condition.

I'd love to get a D3 one day too, but all this chatter of air suspension issues, and the cost of airbags can be 'off putting' to a slight degree.
But I'm wondering if anyone knows about materials. Is there some sort of product that could keep the rubber of the air bag in better condition.
Now with the two truck air bags out and sitting in my shed, I can see the microscopic cracks that the RWC mech noted, and failed. Something like an 'Armourall' for rubber to keep them from hardening and cracking up?

Fantastic info Arthur☺

I guess like you that differences in air bag materials and no doubt construction is important to how long they last. Trucks are amazing with regard to kilometers travelled and overall durability compared to cars which is I guess what the industry demands.

You don't hear of too many major issue although I recall our local cattle carter had a European built Mack which had endless chassis cracks and steering gear problems too 🤤

It was traded on an used Iveco which ran up over a million ks...

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Originally Posted by LGM

I posted the following April last year re the airbags.

"I replaced the airbags on all corners of my D4 at around the 215k mark. Nothing to do with the airbag condition but everything to do with stuffed shocks! Replaced the fronts first then about a month later did the rears not for any other reason than spreading the cost. When the fronts were done the improvement in the ride was very noticeable. When the backs were done there was further noticeable improvement."

In my travels with the D4 (which has close enough to 300,000km on the clock) I don't hesitate to take it anywhere I want to go. That said I do have a 'considered approach' to preventative maintenance, at least as much as my budget will allow.

Thinking about the suspension downgrade....when I make the direct comparison with SWMBO's D3 (base model coil sprung) and my D4 HSE there is no way I would want to forego the air suspension.

Just Sayin![bighmmm]

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Yup i agree..air suspension is brilliant...i use it for hooking up trailers for example and on the farm just a flick of a switch to raise and it clears gutters and drains etc. Lowered it makes the perfect car to transport our 90 y old MIL who with buggered hips really appreciates the ride quality.

Tows brilliantly too..so I would never go back to leaf springs or coils...

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Originally Posted by PhilipA

Even the bloke from LRO who toured Australia in a D4 had the suspension let him down somewhere out back. The article was pretty recent and about the new Defender with him doubting the decision to only have coils available on 90 using his Australian experience as an example..

Almost every trip I went on with the Range Rover Club of NSW one or another variety of air suspended car had a problem.

One trip they had to abort part of it when an L322 went down and the only dealer with test equipment was in Adelaide and they were in AFAIR Broken Hill.

The last big trip I went on had a RR Sport with it at Geehi Walls and the suspension went down. Luckily by then the club had bought a Test Book and was able to find and ID the problem and fix it. It was a missing bolt holding the air pipe on the LH front airbag.

I wouldn't go outback with a L322 D3 D4 RRS without a diagnostic tool and maybe spare airbag, pump, and make sure the dessicant is clean, yada yada spend spend.

I bought my D2 because it had coil springs and again I met a bloke out side of Mildura with a D2 whose ACE pump had died and he was stopping every kilometer to refill with fluid. Not air suspension but similar unnecessary complexity for the bush.

Although it can happen I have never seen a Land Rover in the bush with a failed coil spring.

My experience is that I can easily keep up with a D3 on a twisty road. A D3 may be ultimately better when lower rounding curves but by then my arm is being squeezed and SWMBO feet are hitting brakes. If buying a D3 I would probably go for the S with coils and just fit a lift kit. After all you can usually only do 100Kmh in the bush. And of course you can then have 17 inch rims if it doesn't already have them. That is of course another thing. On that same trip to Geehi 2 cars lost 19 inch tyres on good dirt roads, one into the Geehi overflow reservoir and one on the Mt Pinnibar track.( probably not so good)

Regards PhilipA

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Ive been on trips where a Coil spring, a spring perch, and leaf springs, have all suffered failures. I've also been on trips where Airbag equipped vehicles have had problems. Almost always was a maintenance issue with SLS and fatigue failure on springs - not necessarily old springs either, just point fatigue.

ACE pumps - fit the shorter belt and keep going - no problems [smilebigeye] inherently reliable system - if maintained (they are now at minimum 15 years old)

Comparing an L322 with its older than D4 tech suspension wise is like comparing the D2 to a D4. A D3 with coils would be (and is) pretty useless. Been out with one, was limited in capability and made things look a lot harder than a D4.

Plenty of vehicles running 18s and 19s without issues.. Including the new Toyotas [bigwhistle] some drivers will be unlucky, some drive in a manner that they need all the sidewall they can get, others go years without problems.

What is a constant - D4s make rough fast tracks seem so much smoother that the operator often goes far harder than someone in a SAS eg D2 will find comfort driving. This places significantly more strain on the suspension and rubber. Drive rear of pack, with the SAS vehicle setting the pace and often nothing happens!

Has anyone been on a group trip and had NO issues with any of the vehicles??

I haven't 🙄

Here’s a crazy idea.

As vehicles age and wear... replace the ****ing parts [emoji48]
People seem to be surprised when a vehicle used off-road (or even on road) needs upkeep to keep it working as it should.

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Originally Posted by INter674

Has anyone been on a group trip and had NO issues with any of the vehicles??

I haven't [emoji849]

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No. But I have been on plenty of trips where the LR was the only vehicle not to have a problem.

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Originally Posted by Tombie

No. But I have been on plenty of trips where the LR was the only vehicle not to have a problem.

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Ha ha.. I've had similar experiences myself ☺

..but having issues is parts of the fun I reckon..just love the challenge of eg recovering an 80 series with a broken TC from the Vic high country in snow..and changing a Patrol CV on top of Mr Skene in winter too. Busted Patrol steering box with no balls...mmmm...interesting.