Hi all,

We went out today to look for a waterfall off the beaten track in Cameroon but were unsuccessful. During the trip, so of the roads were decidedly rough and I had raised the suspension for limited times before returning it back to normal mode. There was one track that looked bad but when I tried to raise the suspension the lights were flashing but the front didn't seem to rise and when I flicked the switch to return it to normal height it reacted immediately, suggesting that the suspension hadn't altered at all. Deciding to go home, the only way out was over roughshod roads with some potholes and other places where the road seemed to have disappeared and I had to come to an almost standstill before crossing them.

Over the next 30 kms or hour or so, the ride from the front suspension was getting worse and worse with it seeming to "bang or thump" whenever we went over the slightest pothole and when their were highs in the middle of the road, that vehicle seemed to be bottoming out. There are no laybies on these tracks and they are barely wide enough to drive down so it took some times to find somewhere to stop and investigate. When I finally stopped and got out, I noticed that the front of the car was much lower than the rear. There was also a hissing from the front left wheel area and at first I suspected a flat. The hissing stopped. When I started the engine, it sounded like the suspension was trying to raise but the car was not lifting. Turning off, I could hear the hissing and wondered if a pipe connected to the air suspension had split or had snagged on something. The suspension did not change and I had to drive very until we reached the main Tarmac road. The car is sitting very low at the front and very high at the back. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Steve

There is a thread on it here http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic15626.html

Sounds like you have a leak on the pipe to the front airbag. Can be repaired with a push fit connector.

One idea at least  There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

air leak in the left air bag. Regards
Mark

2012 Westminster
GONE - 2007 Java Black FF Vogue, with Ivory interior

There is no Land Rover dealership in Cameroon despite there being lots of Land Rover products being driven here. In Yaounde we are fortunate to have a garage that has a French bloke who was trained by Land Rover in Paris. I took the car to them this morning and after suspending the car in mid-air it was evident that the left hand air bag on the strut had failed and was deflated whereas the right hand one was hard and the rear ones very hard.

I told the garage that I will order the parts from UK and have them fitted by their garage. They told me that they could get the two struts for FCFA 750,000 (approx £850!) but I saw on the internet that they are around the £200-235 mark so I will get some quotes and get a them couriered to me. Sadly the vehicle will be off the road for a fortnight but hopefully after that time, we'll be back travelling around the country.

Thank you for both of the answers - at least one of you was right.....

Cheers,

Steve

Think Island 4x4 are the cheapest at the moment and AFAIK they will ship to you.... buy the Delphi ones, they are OE  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Thanks Pete.

I've looked already and they are just under £200 each. I will call them tomorrow to see what else might be useful such as nuts and bolts given that my car is 12 years old and they might not have been undone until now.

Would you (or anyone else reading this) consider the suspension on the L322 to be its Achilles Heel? This the second suspension repair I have carried out in 8 months that I have owned it and 3 months of that ownership, the car was in a container on board a ship from UK to Cameroon.

Cheers,

Steve

Not specifically, no.

If yours had the original struts on it then it is probable that the rubber had hardened and degraded over the 13 years since they were fitted so if you fit OEM then you should get a similar life out of the new ones.

the compressors fail too, but these are replaceable with out too much difficulty, again they wear out. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

been reading a few posts on height issues. Mine is still slowly dropping at the rear. Equal drop each side which makes me suspect a pipe linking the two rear bags - is there such thing ? Is this where I put the car details and a bit about myself ?........

@ nick

It shouldn't happen (awaits correction ) because there is a valve to each corner and at each corner, so logic would say that they both have to be leaking? You should be able to disconnect the reservoir and the compressor and the thing should stay "afloat" with the engine/ignition off.

More likely it is the car "levelling" itself, or taking "correction" from the height sensors, so maybe it wants calibration. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

A few months back it hit the deck at the rear and I got it back up after a few hours of praying and telling the old girl she's my only car - happened the same day I looked at a 4.4 tdv8. It's been good since but if I leave it for a few days it'll drop gradually, just at the rear. If I'm 100% honest I think it's the rear offside that has failed as it seems to be lower than the near. I'm going to get it all measured first. Then queue the music......I am borrowing a mates ramp while he is closed over xmas/NYE and seeing if I can isolate the issue. Is this where I put the car details and a bit about myself ?........

Steve If it isn't too late I would suggest you order new bolts for the bottom of the struts. There are four and I found they were a bit of a pig to remove. The danger is damaging them and, being at such a distance, for the extra cost even if you end up not having to use them. John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

All fixed now. The next thing to break? The bonnet release wire has snapped where it meets the plastic connector under the bonnet. I now have to use a pair of pliers to pull on the wire but because it is too short, I have had to do without my clutch foot rest plate. I'm back in the UK in February for just over a week, so another item to add to my list.

We're off to the beach for the weekend today - about 4 hours away so I am looking forward to that journey. Last week I drove 850 kms with 320 kms of that being off road on forestry roads with a few hairy tail slides thrown in. 80 kmh is fine for the straights but 60 kmh is plenty for bends especially when the top surface has grit like marbles to help logging trucks keep to time.

Regards,

Steve