Victory_Overland
Explorer
To confirm, you are the normal height range as in standard height with the EAS in "normal"? So the plus +2 kit is supposedly off-road height?
Thanks,
E
LR3 / Discovery 3 Coil Conversion +2" Question
- Thread starter JackAttack13
- Start date
To confirm, you are the normal height range as in standard height with the EAS in "normal"? So the plus +2 kit is supposedly off-road height?
Thanks,
E
Ray_G
Explorer
Nope,
OME MD's are what comes with the AB Premium kit, aka the +2, or the off-road height. The OME HD springs give the same lift but have a different spring rate. Will retain my +2 off-road height stance.
R-
R
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Victory_Overland
Explorer
Okay, I misunderstood. I thought the picture you posted below was with the +2 kit installed! lol, I was like, ummmmmmm?????
Look forward to hearing about the ride and set up of springs.
I took roughly 200lbs of seats and hardware out of my rig and I figure I'll add another 100lbs back in with the sleeping platform. Another 15-25lbs with Traxide and ARB compressor. 35lbs for the NL weekender fridge and If I decide to put the water tank in behind the seats I'll be back to factory weight with the seats installed. I figure a good trade off because when I load up for trips in the drawer system and such, I am really getting a 200lb advantage over most people's configurations.
I've been paying attention to you guys playing around with the rear HD set up for ride quality. I do not want a super rough ride when empty but I do not want to sag when loaded either if I go to coils eventually.
I think I have a bit of time left on my air-ride before I need to replace, so until then, I wait and observe!
Colin Hughes
Explorer
So, the swap to coils was done yesterday. Initial observations, not really a big difference in how it handles, slightly firmer over large bumps but nothing I can't live with. The module was wired in and the light isn't on the dash but I am getting the "Susp Fault, slow to 60 kph" message every five minutes or so while driving. It appears the battery wasn't disconnected during the swap so maybe a hard reset will clear this. I purchased the extra spacer per Ray's instructions but my tech didn't install it and the truck sits slightly lower at the rear. He was concerned about rubber on rubber on the top of the spring/shock and it sliding out as the top of the spring/shock had a rubber spacer. Ray, thoughts? He's looking into a metal spacer we can put at the top of the spring/shock to do the job.
Colin Hughes
Explorer
It appears the spacer is now part of the AB coil/shock kit. My friend at the factory sent me a parts breakout of the LR genuine coil/shock used on the LR3 and the spacer is in the drawing and it on the AB spring/shock.
Ray_G
Explorer
My understanding is there are three different spacers that go into the shocks, with the tallest being the 13mm I had put in on mine to level her out. They are basically like shims and at the same time akin to the rubber ring from the top of Dii springs.
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Colin Hughes
Explorer
Yes, according to the pdf I received yesterday: 3mm, 6.5mm, 10mm and 13.5mm spacers. I'm now wondering if the tech installing the kit saw a rubber spacer and it is one of the smaller sized ones. I'll have to check. I wonder of you if you put a metal washer between them if you could have more than one? I've been working crazy hours and haven't had a chance to fully dive into this yet.
Ray_G
Explorer
I will be, but that's b/c I already have the MD (aka the 'Premium' kit) installed but want HD in the back. If I were doing it from scratch I'd just do HD.
Question for Ray!
First off thank you for all the info and testing! Secondly am I making a terrible mistake?
I am buying a 05 SE HD LR3 w 105k miles from an independent LR shop. The suspension light is on(shocking) Since they just took the truck in and haven't serviced it I have the option of either having them replace the air compressor or having them install the Atlantic British HD and paying the difference. The shop owner and the head mechanic both told me the coils where going to "ruin the ride and handling". He even went so far as to guarantee that if I didn't like the air system I could return the compressor for a $500 credit toward coil conversion.
I agreed to try the air suspension but now I'm second guessing myself again. I was really all about simplifying the truck and removing a potentially problematic issue down the road but then they assured me the problem was the old style compressor wasn't designed to handle the LR3 and the new style is. Now I'm thinking how that's only one component of this complex system. What about the blocks and cross lines and sensors yada yada etc etc.
The only benefit of the air system I can think of is running in standard height on the highway prbly gives better mpgs vs being 2" lifted all the time. That and I would run the 30.5" K02s instead of the 31.5" K02s which are 1lb lighter and prbly contribute to slightly better hwy mileage as well.
But hwy mileage doesn't matter if the trucks in the shop for suspension repairs. Lol. I'm so confused!
First off thank you for all the info and testing! Secondly am I making a terrible mistake?
I am buying a 05 SE HD LR3 w 105k miles from an independent LR shop. The suspension light is on(shocking) Since they just took the truck in and haven't serviced it I have the option of either having them replace the air compressor or having them install the Atlantic British HD and paying the difference. The shop owner and the head mechanic both told me the coils where going to "ruin the ride and handling". He even went so far as to guarantee that if I didn't like the air system I could return the compressor for a $500 credit toward coil conversion.
I agreed to try the air suspension but now I'm second guessing myself again. I was really all about simplifying the truck and removing a potentially problematic issue down the road but then they assured me the problem was the old style compressor wasn't designed to handle the LR3 and the new style is. Now I'm thinking how that's only one component of this complex system. What about the blocks and cross lines and sensors yada yada etc etc.
The only benefit of the air system I can think of is running in standard height on the highway prbly gives better mpgs vs being 2" lifted all the time. That and I would run the 30.5" K02s instead of the 31.5" K02s which are 1lb lighter and prbly contribute to slightly better hwy mileage as well.
But hwy mileage doesn't matter if the trucks in the shop for suspension repairs. Lol. I'm so confused!
Ray_G
Explorer
The old 'it will ruin the ride' commentary.
So, let's unpack that a bit. Your truck is over 10yrs old with over 100k miles; the replacement with an AMK compressor will probably last the life of the vehicle in realistic terms (call it another 10yrs, 100k miles-unless you really like these things). That said, are your struts new too? How about the EAS blocks? The EAS on these trucks is very robust and reliable, but does age and will encounter problems over time-sometimes expensive problems (esp if you take them to mechanics). I would submit to you that you are in the beginning of reconditioning your EAS, not the end. Which is fine if you need it b/c you tow, or the type of load out you do requires it, or the cross axling is something you truly value, etc.
That said...
-The coils don't ruin the ride. That's just inane. The first question to ask is 'do you have a coil spring D3/D4 to base that opinion on?'
-The coils don't ruin the handling. (for both ride and handling and argument could be made, subjectively, that they improve it actually-esp compared to a clapped out 100k EAS setup)
-Coils don't really do much to mpg. Tire size may affect it a little, but in the end it will be a rounding error-even at CA costs.
Here's more info (also in my build thread but faster to point here: https://nas-row.com/showthread.php?t=175)
Hope that helps.
r-
Ray
So, let's unpack that a bit. Your truck is over 10yrs old with over 100k miles; the replacement with an AMK compressor will probably last the life of the vehicle in realistic terms (call it another 10yrs, 100k miles-unless you really like these things). That said, are your struts new too? How about the EAS blocks? The EAS on these trucks is very robust and reliable, but does age and will encounter problems over time-sometimes expensive problems (esp if you take them to mechanics). I would submit to you that you are in the beginning of reconditioning your EAS, not the end. Which is fine if you need it b/c you tow, or the type of load out you do requires it, or the cross axling is something you truly value, etc.
That said...
-The coils don't ruin the ride. That's just inane. The first question to ask is 'do you have a coil spring D3/D4 to base that opinion on?'
-The coils don't ruin the handling. (for both ride and handling and argument could be made, subjectively, that they improve it actually-esp compared to a clapped out 100k EAS setup)
-Coils don't really do much to mpg. Tire size may affect it a little, but in the end it will be a rounding error-even at CA costs.
Here's more info (also in my build thread but faster to point here: https://nas-row.com/showthread.php?t=175)
Hope that helps.
r-
Ray
Colin Hughes
Explorer
Just back from a nine hour out and back to Lake Superior towing the TC Teardrop without yet getting the rear spacer to raise the back end a bit. Sat a bit lower in the back due to the weight of the trailer but towed just fine.
Thanks for the reply..
I'm holding off on making a decision until Monday or Tuesday. That's when they mechanics can get in their and see what's what. Part of the reason I went for this one is the extensive dealer service listed on the Carfax. Reads "suspension checked" at 50k in 08 68k in 10 and 81k in 13
Unfortunately with no supporting documentation I have no idea what's actually been done. Tried calling Newport Beach LR to find out and couldn't get a service tech on the phone. Might try stopping by in person tomorrow.
Maybe I get lucky and the shocks were all replaced. Been watching YouTube videos about cleaning/servicing the blocks and installing air struts..seems pretty straight forward but time consuming. Like you mentioned I might be facing reconditioning the whole system.
I'm holding off on making a decision until Monday or Tuesday. That's when they mechanics can get in their and see what's what. Part of the reason I went for this one is the extensive dealer service listed on the Carfax. Reads "suspension checked" at 50k in 08 68k in 10 and 81k in 13
Unfortunately with no supporting documentation I have no idea what's actually been done. Tried calling Newport Beach LR to find out and couldn't get a service tech on the phone. Might try stopping by in person tomorrow.
Maybe I get lucky and the shocks were all replaced. Been watching YouTube videos about cleaning/servicing the blocks and installing air struts..seems pretty straight forward but time consuming. Like you mentioned I might be facing reconditioning the whole system.