DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - Suspension Emergency Kit

Set Me Free

Member Since: 17 Feb 2009
Location: Liege
Posts: 41

2009 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Atacama Sand

Suspension Emergency Kit

Hi everyone,

http://www.totain4x4.fr/index.php?cas=cata...7fam%B5825

This kit helps inflate independantly all four suspensions if there is an electronic breakdown or compressor default.
It is said to be simple to use with quick connectors without any specific tool.
As this kit can be removed it allows us to fix the problem, keeping the OEM system operational so the LR Warranty stays available.

Does anyone know this Emergency Kit ?
Does anyone have already used this kit ?
Is it easy to use ?
Thanks for your advice.

6th May 2010 1:10 pm

bbyer

Member Since: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 702

Where does it connect to?

I looked at the picture and all I could see was a metre of so of probably 6 mm air line, four push-in air line to air line connectors, and what appears to be four short lengths of air line with I assume Schrader air valves and caps attached as well as maybe additional push-in unions at the other end.

Two questions are where or how do those pieces connect to the 3, and do they remain connected when not in use?

In my gallery, (under FASKIT), I have a few pictures of a possible alternative to the above that I am in the process of installing. I have not completed the install as there is still snow on the ground and I am a fair weather type so I do not know when it will be operational.

What I do know is for me, cutting into the air system is not really my idea of fun; it can be dangerous, not only from the high pressure air, but that the 3 can drop on you if you do not have it properly supported.

Also to have an effective bypass of the air system computer, I think the air springs have to be isolated from the air suspension computer system, another challenge. I wonder how or if that is done? My thoughts are that the Discovery 3/4 air system is a lot different in philosophy from the system on the P38, and the higher pressure is only one element of that.

I guess I would also like to know more. 2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.

7th May 2010 1:22 am

KOOS BEST

Member Since: 14 Feb 2010
Location: Mtunzini
Posts: 122

2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 S Auto Alaska White

Hi has any member not made a DIY system like this that he can share with us in layman terms.
All I want is to get home or to the nearest dealer when on a Safari and to have the suspension pumped up by an auxillary compressor.
Surely someone has made his own, pse share with us.
I have seen lot of post , but it only debates the systems , not really the nitty gritty stuff of how to make this yourself.

Thx bbyer some of your post are really informative, and I have learned a lot .

16th May 2011 7:38 pm

KOOS BEST

Member Since: 14 Feb 2010
Location: Mtunzini
Posts: 122

Re: Suspension Emergency Kit

Set Me Free wrote:

Does anyone know this Emergency Kit ?
Does anyone have already used this kit ?
Is it easy to use ?
Thanks for your advice.

HOW DOES IT WORK? SOMEONE PSE TELL US .

16th May 2011 7:42 pm

DaveT

Member Since: 01 Aug 2005
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 2573

2016 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 Landmark LE Auto Indus Silver

6mm air line is cheap and readily available
6mm push fit connectors are also cheap enough
Same with 8mm line & connectors.
I carry these in the car as emergency repair kit.

A quick bit of googling reveals schraeder valve with 6mm push fit on the other end at Â£7.82 each.

The logic is that if you rip a line, just piece it back together with line / couplings.
If the entire system fails, cut the line into each suspension airbag, and fit a valve, enabling each bag to be inflated to provide 'get you home' suspension. Long succession of Disco's since 2001...
SIII Lightweight - neglected & rusting. Bulkhead, A panels, vent panel & outriggers now disintegrated - Next years project!

16th May 2011 8:01 pm

bbyer

Member Since: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 702

Schrader Valve installed in Suspension Air Tank

KOOS BEST wrote:
Hi has any member not made a DIY system like this that he can share with us in layman terms. All I want is to get home or to the nearest dealer when on a Safari and to have the suspension pumped up by an axillary compressor. Surely someone has made his own, please share with us.
I have seen lot of post , but it only debates the systems , not really the nitty gritty stuff of how to make this yourself. Thx bbyer some of your post are really informative, and I have learned a lot .

I appreciate the kind words. Per the link following into my disco3 gallery, there is a mod described that I would regard as an attempt at a get back home system. http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4176

This mod is part of my ongoing quest to reduce the probability of going down to the stops and remaining there until I can get the 3 to a Dealer. Like Africa, the distances here can be in the hundreds of kilometres â€“ even thousands if you are going the wrong direction â€“ in my case north, as the nearest dealer north of Edmonton is in either in Iceland or Greenland.

I removed the bung, (shown in the fuzzy picture in my gallery section of the Schrader valve mod), from the front of the air tank and installed a Schrader valve. This was possible as my 3 is a 2005 model where the air tank has an unused outlet at the front of the tank which is located just above and behind the left front wheel well. The unused bung is also on tanks in the 2006 models and some 2007 units.

The exploded view jpg and the description with the jpg shows and describes the components I needed for the mod. The significance of the air valve is that the valve is the type used in aircraft struts, (oleos). The valve is rated at 2000 psig, (140 bar), whereas a normal vehicle valve is rated at 200 psig, (14 bar), with peaks to 300 psig, (20 bar). In reality, I suppose a normal readily available 200 psig rated "tank valve" would be OK.

My reason for the AN/MIL spec valve is that the air tank has a normal working pressure of about 244 psig, (16.8 bar), and the relief/exhaust valve is set at about 350 psig, (25 bar).

My intent is to use the Schrader valve as a fill only, (not air off), as I regard the normal +200 psig working pressure of the tank as too dangerous for routine use. Also, even if the pressure was reduced with a regulator, the air is I regard too â€œhigh classâ€ for filling say tyres. The OEM compressor air is both dry and dust free, the job of the dryer and filter within the unit â€“ not something I wish to tax any more than necessary. I might add that others disagree.

I note that I had a recent compressor only, failure. The air suspension computer still wanted to lift the 3 as usual, however since there was no air available in the tank, there was no lift. What this meant was that while the electronics controlling the system did not require air in the tank for them to still operate, no air available meant no upward movement even if the electronics were still functional.

The Schrader valve into the air tank is hence one of my approaches to be able to inject air into the system â€“ in other words, do the job of the compressor. What I also discovered is that once the 3 is up at normal height, if one does not play with the suspension control, the 3 will stay at normal driving elevation and not self lower â€“ except maybe at night, (auto level wakeup), and the solution there is to either disconnect the battery or better yet, remove F26E from the engine compartment fuse box. In fact if you have trouble, once you have got the 3 back up, remove the F26E fuse. That will disable the exhaust valve and pretty much everything else air system related and hence assuming no mechanical leaks, you will get home OK. This link talks about the F26E fuse and a couple of others, but F26E is the one that matters. http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=3778

Note that with normal shop compressor, (or portable), the most one will get into the tank is air at about 150 psig, (10 bar), enough to lift the 3, but leaving nothing to play around with. That is OK as under normal loads, none of the air springs operates at greater than 150 psig, (10 bar), hence you will again look like the best 4x4 by far instead of a low rider.

The link below is to an Australian site where one of the guys has developed a kind of T setup specifically for the D3 that effectively solves either a compressor or wiring/electronics problem. Basically the kit Tees into each of the four air spring lines between each air spring and the front and rear block valves. This is your answer to the "surely someone has"... http://www.greenovalexperience.com/eas_inflation_kit.html 2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.

16th May 2011 10:07 pm

KOOS BEST

Member Since: 14 Feb 2010
Location: Mtunzini
Posts: 122

THANK YOU THANK YOU bbyer

I will definately do this mod, I dont want to be stuck somewhere in darkest Africa.

Just for info , if you follow this post I see this guy here in SA , has taken out his dryer and microwave the little pellets to there original blue colour

http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=84067

17th May 2011 6:55 am

bbyer

Member Since: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 702

pulling fuse F26E is also required after lifting

KOOS BEST wrote:
THANK YOU THANK YOU bbyerr
I will definitely do this mod, I don't want to be stuck somewhere in darkest Africa.

Probably the most important item re the mod is that if you have a compressor failure, once you have your 3 back up, to remove the 20 amp F26E fuse from the engine compartment fuse box. You first have to leave the fuse inserted as you need power to the front and rear block valves to get air from the tank back into the springs, but once enough air is in the springs, you do not want the valves opening again and releasing it, hence the fuse is removed after the vehicle is back up.

Pulling that depowers the Air Suspension Control Module and that pretty much shuts down all the air release valves. Only the main engine bay suspension fuse, (26E), needs to be removed to cut-off power to the suspension ECU and it can be removed even with the engine running if needed to stop the vehicle lowering. There is an argument to say that once back up, the 3 will stay there and no air will release when the engine is running, hence the fuse does not have to be pulled. That is probably correct, however, once the engine is stopped, then the sleep mode auto level function goes into action and that means that a few hours later, the vehicle could be back on the stops. This could happen is there was also a mechanical leak or the 3 was parked on bumpy ground.

I used to think the Air Suspension Control Module was a delicate computer that needed to go to sleep first before it could be depowered. It was however pointed out to me that the computer is alive all the time as it is always powered 7/24/365- there may be a sleep mode, but like a TV set, power is always to it.

The link to the wiring diagrams shows how all the fuses and switches etc are connected.
http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/albums/use...10_p11.pdf 2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.

17th May 2011 3:07 pm

Set Me Free

Member Since: 17 Feb 2009
Location: Liege
Posts: 41

My personnal experience of using the emergency kit

Hi everyone,

I started this post one year ago and finally bought the emergency kit in July 2010 hoping never to use it...
Unfortunately, while travelling offroad in Sardegna in may this year, I had a problem with my suspension.
It started with messages such us "suspension lift up slowly", then "operating when cooled down".
Afterwards, I had the yellow light on the dash board and finally the red one.
At that moment, the car was totally down...
The local LR Dealer changed my compressor and afterwards also found that height sensor(s) was/were also affected.
I always thought that one (or more) height sensor was not sending a good information to Central Unit that asked the compressor to work nonstop till it died.
As he had no sensors on stock and in order to take the boat on time back to the continent, I finally asked him to install the emergency kit.
Installing the kit didn't seem to be technicaly difficult but not easy even with all tools, pneumatic tools, jacks, compressor and a flat floor.
I don't imagine what I should have done in the middle of the desert.
Anyway, this helped me to come back home (1000 Km) without any problem using the highway just as usual.
If I ever have to use it again, the only issue will be to inflate the suspension at the correct pressure. A portable compressor may be too small (generally max 6 bar). And you need at least 8-9 bar... even while lifting each corner of the vehicule with a jack.

15th Jun 2011 1:38 pm

bbyer

Member Since: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 702

Great news the emergency kit worked.

Unnecessary quote removed

It is nice to hear a story where ones prior preparation resolved a problem before it really became one. I very much appreciate the update.

I can believe that installing the air fitting is not a laying in the sand kind of task. The air lines are hard to get at and the 3 bottoms out when the air spring lines are cut.

I assume that your 3 was fully loaded as I would have thought that the air pressure in the air springs would have been no more than 6 to 7 bar. That is very interesting as I had figured a normal ARB or VIAIR compressor would get the 3 back up. It sounds like one needs one of the higher pressure models good to near 13 bar. 2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.

15th Jun 2011 3:39 pm

Set Me Free

Member Since: 17 Feb 2009
Location: Liege
Posts: 41

Re: Great news the emergency kit worked.

bbyer wrote:

I assume that your 3 was fully loaded as I would have thought that the air pressure in the air springs would have been no more than 6 to 7 bar. That is very interesting as I had figured a normal ARB or VIAIR compressor would get the 3 back up. It sounds like one needs one of the higher pressure models good to near 13 bar.

That's correct.
I think (but maybe I'm wrong) that the onboard original compressor goes up to 11 bar.

16th Jun 2011 11:11 am

bbyer

Member Since: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 702

Air System Pressures

Set Me Free wrote:
I think (but maybe I'm wrong) that the onboard original compressor goes up to 11 bar.

I have numbers as below that are a bit different. I note that the air springs normally run a bit less than 10 bar so the 11 bar number is a minimum that is required of the compressor.

For the Front air springs, normal pressures are usually from 8 to 10 bar.
For the Rear air springs, somewhat less, from 5 to 8 bar.

Burst pressure of the air springs is about 35 bar and max pressure at full compression, about 27 bar.

The air compressor is limited to about 16.8 bar so the air tank pressure does not usually exceed that number either. 2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.

16th Jun 2011 3:23 pm