Hello. Always wanted one, now I got one, now what do I do??

I have a couple questions about my new best friend/worst nightmare.

1) When I park and turn the car off, the back of the car goes down. After reading a post or two hear, I'm guessing it's a self leveling suspension airbag/bladder problem. (I wish I studied up more on the leveling system before I bought this car!). Should I get new bags? Where? or go to springs? Where? How much installed? The compressor (I'm guessing behind dash in engine) is starting to make some noise when I start up ("rrrrrrr chug rrrr") and stops when the car is fully lifted.

2) the old key question. Have one key "fob" and would like to get another. Dealer the ONLY way? If so, and it's going to cost $500! I'll skip that and hope I can just get a copy?

anyone know a good mechanic in the seattle (or eastside) WA?

Thanks!
Great Site.

 

A spring conversion, from what I have read, is not a bad option. You don't lose that much in the way of ground clearance, and it's a pretty straightforward conversion. If you want to keep the airbags though, that's a pretty straightforward repair, because you're pretty much doing the same thing, just replacing the bags instead of changing to springs.

I don't know about the key.

The biggest tip I can give you though, since you bought a Series II is to check your from driveshaft. Due to really dumb assed oversight, there were no grease fittings put into the rear cardon joint of the front driveshaft. The u-joints wear out, and the front driveshaft has a tendency to break off and knock a hole in the transmission. Here is an example:



For some reason, my photobucket account is acting up, but that ^^^^ is a gaping hole in the side of my transmission. I bought the truck this way, because the guy didn't want to fix it. Turns out I'm having other issues, but I digress...

If your driveshaft does not have the grease fittings, you can either have it rebuilt with greasable u-joints, or buy one already assembled, and swap it out.

Checking that front shaft should be done first thing though. Saves a whole lot of headaches later.

 

Thats a good point on the springs vs airbags. I'll look into price differences. I'd like to get rid if the air just to minimize on failure in the future.

Will also check on the driveshaft. Thanks a lot for your thoughts.

I'm sure I'll have more.

cheers

 

If you haven't already done it, change the coolant today, then yearly. This may save your head gasket.

 

You can get a coil spring conversion/lift kit from OME pretty reasonably. I have heard good and bad about the air suspension. Disco Mike really like his. I talked to a guy at my LR club meeting that said he went through 9 airbags in 3 months. Guess it all depends on what you plan to use the truck for. If the airbags drop right away I would suspect a cracked hose or a bad fitting.

As long as the airbags are coming back up when you restart the truck I would put that on the back burner until you get your front driveshaft rebuilt with greaseable u-joint in the double-cardon joint at the transfer case.

You also need to go through Disco Mike's 60k service list so that you now all your maintenance is current.

The key can be cut anywhere that makes keys and it will start the car and operate the locks. The remote has to be programmed using a dealer computer.

 

I had a 99 DII with the air suspension and it went out while I was driving, not a pleasant experience. When the system is working properly its great, but when mine went out I hit a bump in the road at about 40mph and nearly bounced off the road. I would go with the spring conversion. It will be well worth the time and money. There are too many variables in the air suspension system for my liking (pump, lines, air bags etc.).

 

Last month I had a guy on another forum tell me his Disco got nearly 26 MPG, he was full of it and swore I didn't know what I was talking about.
I mention this because, there3 is no way someone can go thru 9 air new air bags in 3 months, I say there was something else wrong and he didn't know how to determine what was wrong.
The SLS is far easier to figure out the the ABS and only by rummors, is it too expensive to repair.
If you want to have a great ride with a truck that can handle more weight stay with the SLS and get it fixed right. If you want a completely different ride do what most of the others recommend, even though most never had SLS, and switch to coils.

 

Now I will give you some helpful information.
Take a spray bottle filled with soapy water and with the truck running and the doors shut (the compressor shuts off when you open a door) spray all around the air bags and look for leaks, if there are any the soapy water will bubble.
The SLS compressor is under the passenger side of the truck in a black box.
The secondary air injection pump is under the hood, passenger side close to the firewall, that is what you are hearing when you start the truck. There is a air filter to it, clean it.

You can buy a key blank online, www.atlanticbritish.com and then have it cut anywhere.
The remote you need to buy at the dealer.

As for a good mechanic, www.cartalk.com, find the "mechanix files" link and enter your zip code.

As for keeping or getting rid of the SLS, it is all personal preference, many love it and just as many hate it.