Self Levelling Suspension?

[alan and lynda j]

Hi Everyone

We have a 21' ATV with a Tare of 2815 and a ball weight of 165, however on most trips (4 adults) our ATM would be around 3500. Our current tow vehicle is a 2003 Discovery V8 with self levelling suspension(SLS). In respect to the SLS we have had a few problems with it since upgrading from our previous 16' XC to the ATV.

During the last 2 years either Landrover &/or ourselves have either replaced &/or repaired 'it'. We have been told by Landrover that it is not possible to upgrade/alter the SLS and therefore we are now considering changing the Disc for a 100 series Landcruiser prior to our next trip.

:question: In respect to the Sahara 'semi-active suspension' will there be a similar issue as we have had with the SLS, or is it possible to 'upgrade' the Sahara, or just buy a GXL and upgrade the standard suspension, or is there other options to consider re our current vehicle?

Look forward to your advice re the above :confused: .

[Guest maca]

I would be trying to chase up some info on:

Australian Land Rover Owners Forum

http://www.aulro.com/

The people there are really helpful and have quite a good community going (Just don't ask them about VM Diesels in RRC's).

Also another place to ask is your local LandRover Repairer (Not Dealership), I have found most of them really helpful, especially in relation to non-standard modifications, as generally they are run by LR nuts who love nothing more than playing with their LandRovers.

Two places that I have dealt with are:

Rockhampton landrover & mechanical (Graham Filer does excellent work and really knows his stuff)

Land Rover Spares (Mackay).

I am sure that there will be a similar shop closer to your home base.

A question about your car. Does it self level with air bags, or does it have a central self leveling bogie? (I suspect it will be airbags).

[alan and lynda j]

Hi Maca

:thumbsup: Thanks for the info/web address etc. Will consider contacting the local 'aftermarket' landrover workshop located at Nambour.

Our SLS is the airbag type and was part of the 7 seater pack.

Cheers,

Alan

[Mark n Deb]

Gday Alan & Lynda, g just what we went through with our 2003 TD5 Disco. The control valve on the compressor died comming home from the Noosa North Shore weekend causing the car to drop on the drivers side. M R Automotive on Anza AVE Redcliffe fixed the problem very nicely by removing the airbags and installing heavey duty coil springs for $432 verse's around $1000 to replace the compressor and control valve. If you would like to contact me not a problem at home 0n 33516949 or my mobile 0408175697 or mcbeyer@bigpond.com

Maca also gave good advice but you would most likely find threads to do with our SLS problem

You have got to love the LR to want to own one with all the costs involved with keeping them on the road, when we come back from our Winton trip at the end of this month we will have to get the ABS modual and engine mounts done, around $2000 then ill be looking at some other mods to boost reliablitiy and power, i hope to end up with 179KW and 545NM, it should pull the van very nice when done

[Guest maca]

You have got to love the LR to want to own one with all the costs involved with keeping them on the road,

[Mark n Deb]

G Maca you do have it bad, LOL, i have a SIII SWB aswell, she is all original and my youngest (Matthew) and i are slowely working on her and will end up back to nearly concourse condition, i have heard of the SIII having perkins motors fitted before, i was entertaining the idea of fitting the Nissan cabstar diesel and 5 speed but thought it was getting to far away from the original setup, i may rebuild to 2.25 petrol to the diesel (got to love that versatility) then fit the Rangy 4:1 diff centers to give the higher ratios for highway running. Have you looked at the towing capacity of the SIII towing, i nearly fell of my chair when i read 4T with brake assited trailer

[alan and lynda j]

Hi Mark n Deb and thank you for the info/options re SLS.

We have also had both the compressor and the control valve replaced by LR 1 and half times, the other half by us. I will try and contact you within the next week to discuss further the option of relpacing the air bags with springs, sounds good.

We are also addicted to LR, and for that matter Kedron vans as well, as this is our second Disco (1999 runout model) and our second Kedron. My wife and I still feel that the MY2003 Disco was and still is the best looking Disco ever built. Maybe Team BMW had something to do with the end result!

With regards to your trip to Winton, lucky devils, if you have not been there before make sure you check out Lark Quarry and the surrounding country. It is just BEAUTIFUL around there. When we drove out to the quarry we came back to Winton on some of the 'back' tracks i.e via Cork, Old Cork, Tulmur etc. The scenery, the 'jump-ups, the colours and drive through this part of QLD in the late afternoon is extremely picturesque.

I'm not 100% sure, however i believe you can stay at 'Carisbrooke' station which is located approx. 70ks ss/w of Winton.

Regards,

Alan

[Mark n Deb]

Its good to get helpfull info especially when it comes to the LR's, i have found AULRO the biggest help so far. We loved the SLS especially when towing, it was so easy to hitchup then just drive away not setting the WDH up.

I go back on shift this Saturday untill Tuesday night, iam home those nights after 7pm. I start annual leave Tuesday night and will be getting a few things ready till 6am Saturday then we are off :biggrin: and can not wait. We will be in Longreach for 4 nights, Winton for 3 nights and charliville for 3 nights and have all the stops planed out, Anthony (our eldest boy 12) is looking forward to Larks Quary and if Matthew finds out about your suggestion to travel back he will be asking is it 4x4 and lowrange needed can we do it please please, i can just see him :laugh: .

We are booked into all the caravan parks there and back, we dont have any amenities in our van, that will be in the next one once we dont have so many bodies living in the van.

[Kiwi]

What is it about you LR owners? We ran into one in a remote camp who was bemoaning the loss of a suspension part along the way. He was pretty good-humoured and philosophical about it, suggesting that rather than go back and look for his lost component, he should press on and keep an eye out for one that had fallen off the last LR to pass that way. :confused:

Michael

[Mark n Deb]

Gday Kiwi, I like that one he had a good sense of humour.

If you have never owner a LR you will never know, Maca was pretty close saying that they have soul. Deb is the one hear that would only have the Disco as i wanted the Defender and even today she will not think about trading it even with the things going wrong.