Thread: Preparing my L320 Sport for a big trip ..

Just ordered my emergency inflation kit and get it installed next week.... Just to be sure

Hi guys,
On the GOE emergency inflation kit.
It's a great piece of gear to ensure you are not stranded sitting on your bump stops away somewhere in the sticks.

I'm not going against the kit just expressing my experience with it.
I fitted the kit prior to my Simpson trip, no leaks and did not have a problem until we got into the really rough stuff going cross country.I developed a leak in one of the connectors front left. if I had not fitted the kit and had just taken it with me I would not have had any issues at all with my car. I had to remove the front left wheel arch liner and replace the joiner with a new one, simple but a pain out in the desert.

The rear ones are difficult to fit and would of been an even bigger problem if it was one of them that had leaked.
Next vehicle I'll just take the kit.

Was going to fit the GOE kit but instead made up 4 quikfit connectors and valves which i will carry as insurance , will tie into the air line at the airspring and inflate if i have a problem . Also thought of moving the valve blocks somewhere more convenient to get at and fit new airlines to each spring but thought better of that idea !! .

Going to have the car serviced ready the trip but hypothetically - if the light comes on, then what actually happens and how many kms can I drive and at what recommended speed? Does the EAS have a neutral setting? or does the suspension lower to an emergency setting?

any input appreciated
cheers

Originally Posted by ~Rich~

Hi guys,
On the GOE emergency inflation kit.
It's a great piece of gear to ensure you are not stranded sitting on your bump stops away somewhere in the sticks.

I'm not going against the kit just expressing my experience with it.
I fitted the kit prior to my Simpson trip, no leaks and did not have a problem until we got into the really rough stuff going cross country.I developed a leak in one of the connectors front left. if I had not fitted the kit and had just taken it with me I would not have had any issues at all with my car. I had to remove the front left wheel arch liner and replace the joiner with a new one, simple but a pain out in the desert.

The rear ones are difficult to fit and would of been an even bigger problem if it was one of them that had leaked.
Next vehicle I'll just take the kit.

thanks for that makes sense , don't play around with something if it ain't broken, will not get my one installed and just take it as an insurance

I've had mine installed for over 2 years, as have all the vehicles we prepared for the 2011 Canning Stock Route and Gibb River tours. Never had a leak and Rich is only the second one I've heard of (I wish he'd told me, I might have been able to help out). The first one led to us changing the connectors we used.

The idea of just carrying it as "insurance" may have some merit, as there would be no arguments with your service agent, but one problem with that approach is that when the EAS fails, it may be impossible to get to the valve block and/or air springs, depending on the terrain. Trying to splice into an airline in 3 foot of mud without getting any dirt into the system is another concern.

Cheers,

Gordon

Originally Posted by gghaggis

I've had mine installed for over 2 years, as have all the vehicles we prepared for the 2011 Canning Stock Route and Gibb River tours. Never had a leak and Rich is only the second one I've heard of (I wish he'd told me, I might have been able to help out). The first one led to us changing the connectors we used.

The idea of just carrying it as "insurance" may have some merit, as there would be no arguments with your service agent, but one problem with that approach is that when the EAS fails, it may be impossible to get to the valve block and/or air springs, depending on the terrain. Trying to splice into an airline in 3 foot of mud without getting any dirt into the system is another concern.

Cheers,

Gordon

No problem Gordon, where I was was 300k from anywhere! I did have spare connectors and the hose cutter with me. The connector had been leaking slowly over the most difficult part of the trip for about 5 days. It was not enough to worry about until it became a much faster leak and we found the front had dropped to it's bump stops whilst driving over the mogully country. It became a necessicity to fix during a days driving unfortunately as it dropped very quickly at that point.



Looks like major work! But really it is quite straight forward to pull the front end apart like this. I would of taken about 50min to be up and running again.

However having the experience of fitting the kit I understood the steps required to locate the leak and fixing it.
As you can see the weather was fine so yes I can understand your point about mud as clean is important when fitting the connectors.
But I still stand by my choice that next car I will not fit the kit unless I need to, as Steve mentioned "If it ain't broke don't fix it" Yes it may take a few hours but it could be done after a camp was set and cover erected if required. I carry a spray bottle to put out spot fires under the car, this would be used to assist cleaning the airlines where required.

I do believe it is essential kit for remote travel

Does the kit require the front and rear valve blocks to retain pressure between them and the airsprings?