Member Since: 29 May 2023
Location: Dagestan
Posts: 5
Hello English Land Rover lovers, I am from Russia, excuse my English, I will use Google translator. So, I am the owner of LR D3 4.4 V8, since then, I have owned the car for 4 years, since I bought the car, I began to notice that the suspension is very stiff, I could not understand where is the much-praised comfortable and soft LR suspension), I began to study the forums, it turned out that I was not the only one, the problem is widespread, and mainly such a problem is with LR D3. I have been struggling with this problem for 4 years, I changed all the silent blocks, changed the front air bags, changed the front and rear valve blocks, there are no errors on the air, but the car is still just as stiff and wooden. We are LR lovers in Russia, trying to solve this problem, there are LR owners who have changed the entire suspension to the original, the problem did not go away, so the problem is in the electronics in the software, one owner was helped by replacing the suspension control unit, and the car became soft as before, it helps someone. Let's solve this problem together, I created a chat in Telegram dedicated to this problem, I will leave a link https://t.me/NiiLRD3, whoever wants can join the conversation, together we will solve this problem. Thank you all.
15th Nov 2024 8:34 am
Zalimkhan
Member Since: 29 May 2023
Location: Dagestan
Posts: 5
alex0264 wrote:
For anybody still reading (I don't blame you if you've tuned out!).
After I don't know how long I have finally identified the 'trigger' for this problem. One word, speed.
Effectively the ride in my car is fine after starting it up, until you go over either 10 or 15 MPH. I've tested this numerous times parking near a speed hump, stopping and starting the car, going over it at around 10 MPH and noting that there is a good amount of 'bounce' or travel in the suspension. If I then drive away and exceed 10/15 MPH and come back and drive over the same road hump at the same speed as before, there is barely any give in the suspension at all.
This I'm hoping will really make sense to someone. I also find that sometimes when driving away I hear the ABS pump doing something. I honestly feel like I might be cornering the culprit now, just need to identify why speed has an direct effect on it. The car is booked in again in a couple of weeks (it's genuinely embarrassing now), so I will mention it to them as well.
the topic is not dead yet))
15th Nov 2024 8:39 am
alex0264
Member Since: 16 Apr 2012
Location: Taunton
Posts: 139
Hello Zalimkhan, welcome to the fun house!
This is indeed still ongoing - you are correct with the ride level module, I've spoken to a few specialists who have seen these get corrupted, although it's not a particularly common occurrence, but not unheard of.
As it happens I've got a couple of things that may hold the key to fixing this issue, but at this stage I am not going to divulge, as testing is yet to commence and do not wish to disappoint. Once that is complete I will come back with the results. We will succeed with this, it's just proving to be a bloody difficult one to pinpoint without fault codes. Just a shame that whilst the vehicles drive like this everything else, steering included is getting absolutely trashed, so the repair bill is only getting bigger!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016 - D4 HSE Luxury Scotia Grey - Pending...
2014 - D4 HSE Indus Silver - A total mystery
2011 - D4 HSE Stornoway Grey - Legendary car
2006 - D3 HSE Buckingham Blue - Moneypit v1
15th Nov 2024 8:57 am
Zalimkhan
Member Since: 29 May 2023
Location: Dagestan
Posts: 5
Thank you for your reply, we will share the results, there are many Land Rover owners in Russia who have encountered this problem, we have been trying to find the true cause of the LR's stiff suspension for many years, but there is no single solution to this problem yet. But we will definitely find the true cause.
15th Nov 2024 1:01 pm
HairyFool
Member Since: 04 Jan 2023
Location: North Essex
Posts: 725
I am curious about the suspension going "hard" on an airbag system.
A hard ride would be the equivalent of sitting on the stops, upper or lower. Try squashing a kids balloon, the only way it could feel hard is if you completely flatten it.
Click image to enlarge
In the picture the airbag is the upper yellow "U" shaped line.
The balloon is very bouncy as well so in the middle of each air strut is a damper, much the same as is used on spring suspension so it might be that has failed. Although more than one failing at the same time is unlikely, if one has a problem the jarring would shake the whole car so it might not be entirely obvious which one needs replacing.
The picture comes from a write up in Land Rover Monthly.
Read the section near the bottom headed Transformation, gives an idea of the effect achieved by replacement of the air springs.A visitor from the dark side, my other vehicle is an is still an EV. Strictly speaking its SWMBO.
15th Nov 2024 5:49 pm
itsaguything
Member Since: 20 Dec 2023
Location: Manotick, On
Posts: 305
Precisely why I’m sticking to the exceptional air suspension system.2015 LR4 HSE Lux Aintree Green
2013 LR2 HSE Radiance Red
2007 XKR Jaguar Racing Green
2005 XJR Jaguar Racing Green
2002 S-Type R British Racing Green
19th Nov 2024 3:57 pm
CharlieMT2018
Member Since: 12 Jan 2025
Location: Lockerbie
Posts: 3
Hard Suspension as well
Hi everyone,
I have also found the suspension to be hard and feel every bit of uneven surface going, a coupe of times it has been a delight and has wafted over bumps and other times it has shaken my bones to dust. I am very early in my Discovery 4 ownership, which can be measured in weeks not months.
I noticed one time that my car suspension was amazing with a full tank of fuel, I have then done this again and it was hard again so who knows.
My suspension heights are as follows when it is at normal height:
OSR 495 mm
OSF 471 mm
NSR 508 mm
NSF 471 mm
Any help on this matter is greatly appreciated, or if there is any update on other posters experiences.
3rd Feb 2025 4:29 pm
HairyFool
Member Since: 04 Jan 2023
Location: North Essex
Posts: 725
Air suspension can only be hard if it is against the stops which would be fairly obvious, otherwise it is a balloon. The pressure differences between hieghts is relatively small.
The only bit that can go hard is the damper that is in the middle of the strut. It will probably need new suspension struts. In between the upper and lower parts of the damper there is a shuttle valve that can block, then it becomes a virtually incompressible tube of of oil.A visitor from the dark side, my other vehicle is an is still an EV. Strictly speaking its SWMBO.
3rd Feb 2025 5:38 pm
itsaguything
Member Since: 20 Dec 2023
Location: Manotick, On
Posts: 305
Agreed. Could there be a inaccurate assessment that the air suspension is "hard", if rolling on overinflated (higher pressure than scoped) and/or LT tires as opposed to the XL tires that are spec'd?
Many choose LT tires. Not quite sure why.
It may bee like rolling on train wheels...2015 LR4 HSE Lux Aintree Green
2013 LR2 HSE Radiance Red
2007 XKR Jaguar Racing Green
2005 XJR Jaguar Racing Green
2002 S-Type R British Racing Green
3rd Feb 2025 7:16 pm
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5180
It does not need to be on the bump stops to experience "hard" suspension.
If the crossover valves on either axel sets are inadvertently open when they shouldn't be the ride will be absolutely dreadful, even though the ride level is correct and the terrain response is set to road use.
When the crossover valve is open it allows the pressure between the air bags on that axel set to be shared. This is fine at very slow speeds with the height raised to "off road". However, for road use it will play hell with the car's ride and handling if the crossover valve is in the open position. Pressure is allowed to equalise directly between the two air bags and severely restricts normal independent compliance of both air struts. In my own experience there are three primary possibilities as why this might occur. 1. Grit from degraded desiccant in the compressor has made it past the filters and has become stuck in the crossover valve sleeve jamming it open. 2. A wiring fault causing unintentional energising of the crossover valve solenoid. 3. A corrupted RLM or Terrain response switch pack.
The thing is, if there's grit or some other fault causing the valve to be jammed in the open position there is no way for the RLM to know this, and therefore cannot generate a fault code to signal a problem. There is no telemetry signal linked between the solenoid and the RLM to monitor it's position, essentially it's an "as commanded" open or closed request, that's it.
So if a valve is stuck open or closed there is no way for the RLM to know this, unlike for example the ride level sensors which are monitored. yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
4th Feb 2025 12:21 pm
CharlieMT2018
Member Since: 12 Jan 2025
Location: Lockerbie
Posts: 3
Hi everyone,
Thank you for your replies.
The car has slightly underinflated tyres so isn't the fact the tyres are over inflated and they are on Pirelli Scorpions which are XL tyres so it isn't that either. It could be that it is riding on 20' alloys, which a lot of people say the 19' are much better.
I will need to have a look at the crossover valves and see if there is anything there, or possibly just overhaul the suspension and see if that helps and new crossovers.
5th Feb 2025 12:50 pm
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5180
I have two D3's, one on 19's and the other on 20's. I can tell you I prefer the 20's over the 19's so it's definitely not that. yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
5th Feb 2025 12:54 pm
1784
Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Almunge
Posts: 183
PROFSR G wrote:
If the crossover valves on either axel sets are inadvertently open when they shouldn't be the ride will be absolutely dreadful, even though the ride level is correct and the terrain response is set to road use.
Have you experienced this dreadful ride caused you crossover valves yourself?
I find it hard to understand the physics behind that the same air volume and pressure will suddenly become much harder to compress when going over a bump just because it's connected to another identical volume of compressed air?
I agree on all other points such as that the handling could/would be affected and the possible causes of blocked valves.Defender 110 SE 2021, Tasman Blue
Discovery 1 V8 ES 1997, Epsom green
Discovery 3 V8 HSE 2006, Bonatti Grey
Range Rover V8 1983, Sierra Silver
5th Feb 2025 5:19 pm
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5180
I have, and you're not the first to express their disbelief.
It seems the compliance of either air bag is compromised if the valve is stuck open causing the compressed air to try to move between both air springs instead of its normal passage via the corner valves.
This has been my personal experience with at least 3 D3's, and normal handling and ride quality was restored once the valve issued was rectified. yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
5th Feb 2025 6:01 pm
F355GTS
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: North Hampshire
Posts: 850
I'm sure i'm experiencing this (as in variable ride quality) on my D4
can I ask where the crossover valves are located please thanksMark
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