Hi, Guys has anyone had any views on changing from air to coil suspension on a 2011 ffRR as it seems to me that more people sell their cars with the problems that are associated with the air suspension? I know that you can not change the height at the press of a button but if you need to go off-road a lot then perhaps a lift kit? What's it ride like on the black stuff?
It seems that the weakness of the model is the suspension is over sensitive and has poor electrical components and it is known rubber deteriorates over a short time?

Any thoughts?

There is really 2 parts to this question:-

1/ Ripping out the air system and going over to coils and shocks.

I quickly looked at the MOT requirements for testing suspension, apart from the obvious ie rejecting for air leaks, excessive rust and worn moving components I cant see any mention about converting the type of suspension as a cause for MOT failure.
However I suspect a tester could reject it saying that "The vehicle has been excessively modified and is not as it was when it left the factory", also would the insurance company refuse to insure it?. Don't get me wrong I prefer springs/coils +beam axles, not the cr*** pressed steel suspension arms with loads of pivot points.

2/ When I got my Classic RR the first thing I did was replace the tired coils and shocks with standard parts. If you liked sailing a boat then the body roll in fast corners wasn't a problem and I soon got used to it. After getting numerous complaints from the boss, I then stiffened it up by getting a complete polyurethane bushing kit and replaced all suspension bushes. This reduced body roll by a good 50% and together with 2 heavy solid beam axles kept it on the road. We went to Devon in it and I found it behaved very well on the black stuff with no complaints.

I joined the Lee Valley off road club for 20 years and did a lot of off-road trials "Gilbert" never let me down once, even when bogged in deep mud up to the wheel centres (no lift kit fitted).
The RR targeted market has moved from a rugged go anywhere no frills to a middle ground with compromises along the way.
NB: I do though, love the heated seats and a heater that works.

Good Luck

I get where you're coming from with 2/ I bought my 1st range rover manual back in the 80s and the kids and Her indoors hated them for rolling around at roundabouts, country lanes.
Then bought 3 more in the 90s still had the same moans but they were autos.
As you say it`s what we buy them for? when they work nothing can compare I've had Patrol x2 Landcruisers VX x3 4 years ago Merc ML350 and VW Touareg now an FFRR all different in their own way except none have the lovely V8 burble.
I would like to not worry every time I get in it will I get a Bong and have to get it fixed?

I think by the time you have paid to do the conversion you would have been able to fix an airbag or 2.

The air suspension faults aren’t that prevalent in the great scheme of things. Yes they fail every now and then, but so do springs. The shock part will be a similar item, so there’s not a real gain there. The air springs possibly won’t last as long as a steel, but I’ve drive. Well over 100,000 miles in a combo of air sprung LR cars and I’ve had one strut bag fail on my 12 322. Which was a freak low mileage event. My D4 has air and it’s on 110k and still works. Not sure on the ride quality, but it’s unlikely to be as comfy as air with steels.

The ability to raise and lower the suspension for hitching trailer, getting in and out of the garage, getting in car parks, and the bit of off reading, while still having a standard height for road driving would out weigh the benefit of having a slightly more robust system. It’s all fixable in the end. 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

I’m pretty sure coil springs aren’t type approved for the L322, so I’m again pretty sure your insurance would be invalid.

Folks had the same issue with the Discovery 2, 5 seat models could have coil or air, but 7 seaters only available with air springs, not coils, so not type approved even though you could buy the parts and fit them on.

 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

my concern is not the bags it`s the sensors and electrics if only they kept working it`s not as though they are a moving part like brake pads, engines, gearbox. Easten car companys can give 7 years warranty

Not generally a problem with the ride height sensors. The main failure on the 2010> cars is the adaptive dynamics wiring, which is an easy fix with an updated LR part, plug and play. The AD sensors don’t break it’s the wires, which once you know how to mend it it’s not a big deal. certainly not worth junking the whole suspension set up for.

The height sensors obviously do on occasion fail, but it’s not something you hear about on here a great deal.  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

I am not a fan of getting away from the standard, JLR spent a lot of money and time creating the car that`s very interesting about the update as a plug and play? Is it something that I can get from Duckworths? I have replaced the wires from the adaptive suspension under the bonnet with parts from LR Duckworths.
I have been able to clear an intermittent fault that has been showing yellow and red warnings when checking it seems to be a problem with comms for venting I have taken out the filter on the compressor and cleaned but that's, not a comms fault as said it`s intermittent. I know it will come back in a few day`s so it`s booked into JLR so will see what they say about an uodate?

Thanks for the comments and Happy new year to One and All

Have you drilled out the sintered cone filter on the compressor? 2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE Buckingham Blue with Ivory and clear glass = "Rory"
New Defender D300 90 on order so "Rory" will be going to a new home....!
1974 Series 3 Lightweight = "Millie"
My preferred specialist: www.glenrands.co.uk
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I run it without the filter in and still had the fault come back?

Correct me if I’m wrong but the l322 headlights don’t have automatic headlight levelling as we have air suspension which ensures this. By removing this your lights don’t technically level and you are opening up mot failure.

I see this on the IS forums a lot but the reason is cost of bags as nobody makes them over there so it’s always a shipping from UK job. I never see anyone saying how much better they are... Current stable:
2006 BMW M6
2007 4.2 V8 S/C FF
Gone:
2002 4.4 V8 FF