Hey gang.

I wanted to know, if anybody used BPOUtah with a positive outcome before, as I see they have a air struts on sale for a LR3.It is hard to see what type of strut it is , although is states that is OEM product, but picture does not show and stickers on them.Could be Delphi or goodyear shock , or goodyear bladder.I don't know , I have never felt with this company before and have heard stories about some used items shipped out instead of a new product to a costumer.
I realized, that I will need a new set of air shocks pretty soon, as at 150 000 miles I feel like I am riding on the hay wagon lately.My struts are done so to speak and I am looking for a good priced new air compete towers.I was thinking about re building them , but seriously at this mileage,it would be a wise thing to replace it all.I don't really want to go with Arnott, as I heard about them leaking after a 2 -3 years.
prices at dealerships are outrageous and I don't want to even con side them as a source.
Also thinking about changing a whole set of arms , front and back with a RRS parts, new links and tie rods as well.Here came the time that I feel my ride to be too harsh and undoable on even the smallest bumps and I can feel every one of them, even those tiny cracks on the pavement.As an added bonus to this arduous task , I will be changing a brake hoses , near each caliper, as they have to be taken down anyway, if I consider to change a rear upper arm replacement.

I looked across the pond for a alternatives, but shipping will probably kill the deal.

I am also aware of BA aftermarket shocks, but rather go with a genuine product .
Anybody gets anything shipped from England via container lately or has resources to do so?

 

I get most of my bits from my local Land Rover dealer, however when I do order non emergency planned do it myself activities, I order from BP Utah.

I usually include an email along with my order saying what I am trying to do. I would say a real person reads it and also replies in a day or so, often with a suggestion or just a comment that some of the stuff is on the way and some other item will be following.

In other words, yes, you will be fine.

As to the air springs, my view is that when I replace, I will do the complete assembly. The rears in particularly will be very unfun to change out so the less trouble the better. Also I think you should order new bolts at the bottom as I expect the existing will be miserable to both get out and then get back in. You can experiment right now just by trying to loosen the nut on each of the four - also as a head start, start squirting thread unlock on the top 3 nuts of each air spring and on the air line connector.

Email BP Utah and ask them exactly who the manufacturer is of the air springs you would get from them. If it is Delphi, that should be OK; Dunlop also makes them and I guess they are OK as well. You could also ask for a price on genuine Land Rover which are also Delphi but one wonders sometimes if both are really similar - supposed to be but ....

Regardless, you are best to remain with either the Delphi or the genuine as it seems all the other alternatives have their challenges.

 

Just give them a call, they've been around a long time. I redid my air springs and put in Koni FSD's in them. The ride is a little softer, which equals a smoother ride off road, but a little softer on cornering on road. Happy so far..

 

...curious, why change arms to RRS versions?

 

Some people say they are heavier duty. The stock ones have been updated, ball joint improved, etc. I ordered stock ones, not really much different.

 

by "stock ones" you mean the LR3 OE arms? I've heard the RRS have a harder hydro-bushing, but my LR Service Manager friend says he's changed out just as many of those...and I'd be concerned with a stiffer more "sport tuned" suspension messing up the electronics; like TC or DSC kicking in unneccessarily.

 

Yes, I mean the stock LR3 OE arms, not the cheap knock offs. I would think if LR could avoid making two different ones, they would, so there is most likely a very specific reason they did it that way.

 

Land Rover introduced the D3 into the UK market in 2004; in 2006, the Range Rover Sport appeared. In that 2 year period, LR figured out that the lower front A arm design needed a bit more "wobble" in the lower ball joint - more angle movement so to speak.

As such, the RRS was introduced with the newer A arm design with the greater degree of movement in the ball portion and also with different bushing characteristics as well.

About that time, the B6 armoured version of the D3 was also introduced with the newer A arm design re the ball portion; as to the revised bushings, I do not know. It was about this time that guys began installing either the RRS lower arms or more rarely, the B6 lower arms.

It was this development that led to the discovery that it was good economics to replace the whole assembly, including bolts, rather just a ball joint. One got the new ball joint design, new bushings and bolts and it took less time and effort to change all out than just to replace the ball joint.

By 2008, the newer ball design related lower A arm was in all D3/LR3 production.

I think however the revised bushing design of the RRS remained with the RRS and the 3's kept their original bushing design.

I also gather the D4's still have the same part number lower A arm as the 3's now have.

 

[QUOTE=houm_wa;470871]...curious, why change arms to RRS versions?[/QU

My apologies for not responding earlier, but I sort of gave up with this thread for not getting any responses at the beginning .Anyway..the reason I wanted to go for RRS arms is because they are stiffer and provide more stability, but my main reason is , while they are installed on RRS vehicles, they also provide a solid ride for much more heavier B 6 class armored LR 3, .Weight was always mine concern as I keep adding it to my truck.Even the RS sliders, that I have, change the ride enough to feel the difference , let alone Mantec sump guard,Rasta Tranny plate, Rasta rear diff cage( this one is heavy) an,bunch of heave tools that I always carry with me.Now that I think heavily about rear steel bumper and maybe the front one as well, regular bushings sound and look to me more like a marshmallows , then car parts.
A lot of guys over Disco forum had changed to RRS arms and they say that the" Magic Carpet "
feel is back and overall ride has changer for better, meaning more control and no roll on the corners.
I am still debating on that , but as I changed lower arms at 73 000 and now at 150 000 , they are basically garbage,I don't want to throw my money away again on something , that in 10 000 miles will give the same insecurity on the road.
Some people just change the rear most bushing for a much stiffer POLIBUSH, but I rather go for a full new arms, as I wanted to do a complete overhaul on four corners.

 

I understand what Bruce is saying, I still wonder if I have a newer, improved version installed, as I changed lowers in 2008 or 09.
Regardless of that , many guys went for a complete air shock overhaul and this is the part , that transformed their rides completely , not the arms, as gas struts inside are really responsible for comfy drive and have bump absorbing properties.So , air strut is the part that I wanted to change as well as arms, but eighteen way , I am looking at two grands in parts for all arms and such or struts .Tough cookie this time around...
I know , that nothing is permanent I everybody will have to replace all parts eventually,but if there is room for an improved part I am all for it, as I want to keep LR3 forever ,you know..