Thread: Level rides and Self Leveling Suspension

I will be very interested to hear what others have to say about this as well.

I have SLS on the Disco and have always used level rides when towing dads caravan (probably around 1600kg as well). But I have often wondered if it was necessary or even the right thing to do when using an SLS equiped vehicle.
Last January I managed to jacknife the caravan while going UP a steep windey hill at about 30km/h. The only thing I could think of was that the SLS had made the rear unstable and when the auto kicked back into first, the whole back end slip away.

But until an expert tells me otherwise, I will keep using the level rides.

I have read that it's not recommend to use the load leveling devices on the D2 and D3, for me i don't, and having towed my camper (1.3t) everywhere i had no need to put a leveling device on as i've not had any experiences where i've thought i needed one, even when i've swerved to avoid a drunk driver on the F3 north of Sydney coming home from a weekend away, the trailer and car never even looked or felt like it was unstable or uncontrollable.

It would probably not be a disadvantage putting one on, but i'd take the van and car for a test run first and then decide on whether you need it.

The only disadvantage is ramp over clearence between car and trailer when load levellers are fitted, but if your not going to places where there are erosion humps or rutted tracks then this is not a concern.

Oh i forgot to add mine is all coil suspension not airbag, i have heavy duty rear springs.

Baz.

Thinking about this .... (generally not recommended)

I imagine if you torqued the level rides up enough to place substantial weight onto the nose of the LR, (ie: have the front pointing down)

The rear suspension would try to compensate by softening up the rear trying to level itself ....which of course would be bad

its recommend that you turn off the self leveling while towing

leave it at normal ride height then flick off the switch

well thats what it says in the wife's Rangie manual

hmm, I wonder if there is a touch of confusion over names(or as usual its just me)
SLS is the LR device using rear airbags to bring the rear up to horizontal
"Level rides" and "load leveling devices" are after market devices to being the rear of the vehicle up to level while also providing an anti-sway function.


I thought I read somewhere that the latter should not be used on LR's?

leave it at normal ride height then flick off the switch

The Disco's Self Leveling Suspension cant be turned off, but it can be raised and lowered but will resume its standard ride height above 30km/h

hmm, I wonder if there is a touch of confusion over names(or as usual its just me)
SLS is the LR device using rear airbags to bring the rear up to horizontal
"Level rides" and "load leveling devices" are after market devices to being the rear of the vehicle up to level while also providing an anti-sway function.

Yep thats it exactly

Originally Posted by grumpybastard

The Disco's Self Leveling Suspension cant be turned off, but it can be raised and lowered but will resume its standard ride height above 30km/h

Originally Posted by grumpybastard

Yep thats it exactly

in the HSE Rangie you can turn it off manually

once it gets to normal ride hide switch it off

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

hmm, I wonder if there is a touch of confusion over names(or as usual its just me)
SLS is the LR device using rear airbags to bring the rear up to horizontal
"Level rides" and "load leveling devices" are after market devices to being the rear of the vehicle up to level while also providing an anti-sway function.


I thought I read somewhere that the latter should not be used on LR's?

I think it states it in the manual for the D2 fitted with air bag rear and ACE.

In the D3 it interfers with the self leveling suspension.