Thread: L322 EAS change lockout with trailer

Guys Steve from Gap Diagnostics did get straight back to me....I'm the slack one! Been a bit busy since we're expecting our 2nd child any day now!
Steve advised me that the IIDTool doesn't have the function to change the Trailer height lock, but I can change the standard height as Harlie said so that the height will be locked, but at a higher than normal "standard" setting. I gather this could be anywhere in the vicinity of 20 to 40mm depending on individual vehicle height sensor calibrations.
Because the IIDTool has this function, as well as fault code reading and clearing, it's the obvious choice for me since I also needed a fault resetter. I've contacted Rovacraft and waiting for them to get back to me so I can order one....

You can set it pretty much anywhere, once you set it the original zero (standard) point is gone, make sure you “Save original settings” first. Go up 70-80 and she will drive like crap (I’ve tried +50 and it feels like a yacht on the freeway) but hey, you can look like the Nissan boys too! If you give lift to a steel sprung car the new springs are stiffer which will help with body roll – air won’t stiffen up, its spring rate is maintained.


Just remember when you change the standard height all other heights change too - they use "Standard" as a zero point, so if you change standard to a higher number the EAS ECU safety zone (+90) will now be compromised. Try and explain – the ECU goes into a freeze state if height is detected at +90 to prevent damage (over extension) to the airsprings. Once the Standard height is changed to a + value, that safety point also moves to a limit beyond what the designers specified, and it (safety point) cannot be changed. The IID won’t allow you to set the programmable values (highway / standard / offroad) beyond reasonable limits (and that’s debatable) but it is very possible to set “Standard” to a + value and pop and bag because that built-in safety point is now higher by the value that Standard was changed. Remember when safety point is reached the EAS stops adjusting, it doesn’t reduce pressure, so it is likely the height of individual wheels will continue to increase as other tyres come over obstacles and this theoretical upper limit of +90 will extend to and beyond the length of what a bag / strut will hold onto (the real upper limit)….. The logic is if this point is reached the car must be hung up. More important than length limits of suspension components, the system will pressurise the bag to a higher pressure to maintain the extra height, while this won’t be a problem while operating at a sane height, when the suspension gets up past the original safety point the bag pressures will be significantly higher than originally designed, at this point the only thing stopping everything from going crap shaped is the strut / shock absorber which is now subject to significantly higher extension strains than designed for. Note: if using the rods these issues apply as well.

The calibration abilities of the EAS ECU were not intended for use in this manner, this is why Fault Mate & Testbook can’t do it. So my advice is to carefully think everything through before you go giving it a 3 inch lift because it will look tough…

Where are you going that you need a lift while towing??? Change the tow bar and I’d be very surprised if height was a problem.

Hi, I got a reply from Steve from GAP Diagnostics regarding beta testers - there are still a limited number available.

He also asked me to post the following on his behalf regarding the original topic of this thread. He tried to register to post it himself, but had issues with the server.

Response for Aulro:

Hi Guys,
As I can't post in the forum, here are my answers by Gav-proxy :-p

As Gary mentioned, you can't alter the lockout for the towing module but you can alter the standard height setting using the IIDTool or EASControl. Both have the same functionality for programming the EAS - the IIDTool has greater diagnostic capabilities and also has diagnostic functions on other vehicle systems as well. Both also have 3 memory slots for personal settings as well as a restore function to go back to the original height settings. This way you can go from an 'off road towing' profile back to normal in a few clicks.

As Gary also mentioned, you can do this with a Faultmate as well (good product, btw!) or any of the other proper diagnostic systems made for Land Rovers. The difference between these (aside from the portability) and the IIDTool or EASControl is that for the 2002-06 L322, the IIDTool or EASControl allow changing each height setting individually: off road +15mm, standard +25mm, motorway -20mm, etc. All other diagnostic systems including the OEM T4/IDS only allow a recalibration of the baseline which moves all height settings as a batch. If standard were recalibrated to off road height, off road would be somewhere near the limit of suspension travel - and you'd need to hook up to a computer to go back. We will be adding this feature for the other models (late L322, RRS, LR3) later this year as well.

Regards,
Steve

Big warning on giving a lift and driving around like Harlie said.

When I had It lifted +40 I think, I stuffed 2 airbags - which were on their last legs anyway, and chewed out my lower wishbone bushes.

I currently have it set at standard (with -20 lower on the bumpstop setting) and won't be lifting again by re-calibrating.

I think if I make up a spacer, like we have done for the p38, it will not overinflate the bags and ride better than just resetting the top height.

Andy

Thanks Andrew,
when you say you were driving around at +40, are you meaning +40 on offroad height or +40 from standard height?
Im not sure how much higher than standard offroad height actually is, but i dont intend going higher than offroad height, id just like to obtain offroad height, but with a trailer on. Im not sure if i'll ever need it but id like to be able to come up to offroad height crossing a river etc, so probably not for extended distances....although I do think the 50km/hr limitation in the past has also been a bit restrictive. I dont want to break anything either though. I guess the main limitation is the point Harlie raised about the limitation of +90mm from standard which I need to find more out about....ie does this limit regularly get reached etc?

Originally Posted by andrew e

I think if I make up a spacer, like we have done for the p38, it will not overinflate the bags and ride better than just resetting the top height.

Andy

Hi Andrew, do you mean a spacer between the top of the stut and the body? If so, does this put any extra stresses on lower suspension components? If you put say a 25mm spacer in, then recalibrated the EAS as discussed earlier to a standard ride hieght, this would then give you an instant 1" lift when you took it up to its normal offroad hieght -yes? or am I missing something? Does anyone make spacers for the L322, or am I going to be spending some time at my mates lathe?

Cheers - Gav

Server worked better and I managed to register this eve.
Hi everyone!

I just thought I'd pop in and join the fray. And try to help a bit. Andrew's problems weren't caused by over inflation. This is actually a bit of a common misperception when it comes to the EAS: when the suspension raises it actually doesn't raise the pressure in the air bags, it simply increases the volume of air in the bags.
It may sound counter-intuitive at first, but there are 2 things to consider that make it less so.
1. the air bag isn't a balloon that expands more and more the further it's blown up. Its more like a rubber hose that is attached to the strut or lower piston, depending on front or rear on an L322. As the suspension drops, the strut or piston raise up inside the middle of the bag, and this 'hose' rolls over the strut or piston and drops around the outside. As more air is pumped in, the strut or piston is pushed back out and the 'hose' unrolls more and more. So there is virtually no resistance from rubber having to be expanded.
2. x psi is needed to hold xy lbs up. This doesn't change through a larger airbag - only through more or less weight. More air volume is neede to inflate the larger bag, though.

As Andrew said, his bags were knackered. And lifting shifted the roll over point of the bags to a spot where they were straight - which the othrewise normally weren't. And the dry rotted rubber probably didn't take too well to this. Especially if they were being hammered off road. In a vehicle with good bags, the compressor does not put out enough pressure to pop the bags (tried it numerous times on different RRs )

One problem that the L322 does have when lifted is that you quickly run out of suspension travel on the front. A spacer would def help here if the vehicle is to be left lifted for long periods of time.

Standard height raised 40mm is 10mm over oem off road height IIRC (too tired to go check). Driving like this should actually be fine - but def not at high speed or as a permanent solution. And off road +40 would be 70mm over standard. If there is any droop left in the suspension at all at that point, it is not enough for safe driving.

HTH

Gav, If you are happy with the standard height, you can use the IID to set "Offroad" to +75 for example. This will give you an extra inch on the offroad mode while maintaining the safety limit point. Importantly most of the miles (wear) will be done at the height that bags, bushes, struts, wishbones ect ect were designed for.

On another thought, I played with the idea of making a new module to replace the trailer ECU, originally to get around the whole LED trailer light issue. Might put some more reading & effort into this, new module could handle the original Q as well. Essentially the signal that the Trailer ECU sends to the LCM via the KBus just needs to be stopped. Report back if anyone's interested - may even be able to put a switch on the KBus wire. This would kill the lock out of height changes, I just need to check what else the KBus delivers to the Trailer ECU.