So I have located a promising lead on a new D2 it is a 2003 HSE. The air suspension was removed and replaced with a OME 3 inch spring lift. This lift is great for the hard core wheeler but most of the wheeling I do is easy overland type stuff. I would like to actually put the SLS back in and use a 3 inch lift spacer on the rear in order to keep the ride height, but get back the added functions of the SLS. When people remove the SLS what do they leave and what do they remove. I get that things like the bags and compressor, but what about the computer? Do they pull the whole thing? Or just remove a fuse to cut power? How easy is it to hook back up the SLS?

 

I’ll be curious to see what you end up doing. I would think you could go to an aftermarket SLS and avoid messing with the computer. New LR parts are really expensive, and used sensors I would think dodgy.

I’d love to be able to go up and down, +/- 3 or 4 inched. Living in the city it would be nice. That said, the suggestion of this usually gets, “go buy a P38.”

 

I do like the P38 but that BECM scares me...

 

SLS = SLABS Unit so the “brain” is still in the D2. You’ll need original wiring harness to be intact to the SLS Pump, solenoids, air lines, and height sensors. Normally most people just remove a fuse, a relay, and install coils. Then have the SLS feature disabled in the SLABS Unit.

The SLS adapter plates/spacers are custom and $$$. RTE & a few other people sell them for 2inch lifts.

 

Yes I have seen the 2 in spacers. Im coming from a lifted Subaru outback so solid axles are foreign. I would be fine with 2 in but I was trying to keep the lift it has so I don't have to change out the front end. Could I keep the 3 in lift shocks but go down to 2 inch lift springs? Im my head i'm thinking well the shock just wouldn't ever extended to its full length. Am I missing something though? It really will come down too money and stability for me. If its cheaper to get spacers made for 3 in I would do that but if its too much to do with spacers I suppose I could always sell the lift as its less than a thousand miles old.


What is the process to get into the SLABS unit to re enable the EAS after all the wrenching is done? What kind of diagnostic kit is needed?

 

I believe LuckyJayB just did this a couple months ago, you may want to pm him and ask him for advice.

 

Have you considered going with a softer spring and using helper bags inside? This way you wouldnt need to rely on computers and such. Just air up when you need the payload/stability and air down when you want the soft ride.

Plus replacement bags of this sort are cheap, $50 for a pair maybe.

 

I have seen the helper springs but I really want the heigh adjustment of the regular sls. Correct me if i'm wrong but if I wanted too I could make the system completely manual?

What I am getting at is, if I did it straight from something like a ARB compressor to a small tank to the bags with a pressure gauge somewhere and a solenoid to fill and deflate the bags.

I would lose the automatic nature of the system but I don't have to worry abt the wiring harness and heigh sensors being intact. I would just have to make a little cheat card for what PSI is what height and just check it each time before I drive. I already have a habit of letting my car run for a min to 30 seconds before I drive it to let fluids circulate and as long as the compressor is quick enough it wouldn't be that much of a hassle.

This also opens the route to getting a D2 thats not the HSE, which there could possibly be one in better condition.

Can you fit bags on a d2 that cane from the factory without it? Or are the mounts on the axles different.

Thanks!

 

Some of the programmer devices allow you to directly control the height of the standard air springs. You calibrate the springs to the height you want, which is where they will return to when you turn on the key and after you resume normal ride height, but you can also bump each spring individually up or down for an individual trip.

 

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...EaAmDvEALw_wcB

I was thinking something like this.....

ARB comp --> Tank --> That switch --> That switch is rated too 200 PSI and I love that it is manual, as much as I like land rovers for their electric gizmos the air suspension I wouldn't mind being manual.

I was thinking of using the factory air up switch to control the compressor on off.


Yet another question, what are the height options from the factory air springs, As the disco i'm looking at has a 3 inch lift. Could I use 2 inch spacers in the back and leave the air springs aired up a extra inch to level it out? Or should I stop being cheap and just swap to smaller front coil springs and use limiter straps and use the longer shocks that it already has.