Bent control arms are common? Uhhhh....my *** they are!

 

Somebody, should start an employee drug testing program I think.

 

 

I'm sorry you were expecting common sense? That's almost as crazy as me expecting Alloy+Grit to deliver my subscription without 3-5 emails

 

I know this post is a couple months old, but I couldn't resist...

Couple problems with this statement...

1) Fear and ignorance are not the only problems. As a matter of fact, you literally point out issues further along in your quote (dryer stuff, compressor life, airbag life, etc)... The life expectancy and cost to replace coils/struts are significantly easier and cheaper. And just because EAS is a "simple" system to understand does not mean stuff isn't going to fail unexpectedly, possibly at a terrible time. Lets be real here, anyone who owns an LR/RR knows that stuff sometimes breaks or fails prematurely or seemingly without cause. Removing the EAS could eliminate tons of potential issues now that these vehicles are getting older, mileage is adding up, and they're on their 4th owners.
2) Another problem is price. The parts you mentioned above, if replaced by a shop, aren't "cheap" by any standards, especially not on vehicles now selling for $7-12k.
3) For those of us that like driving on trails, and often travel 3-6 hours to get there in the first place, the thought of a brake light, random switch, or any other random thing causing the suspension to drop to the bump stops while on a trail in some woods without reception 4 hours from any sort of competent shop is not a warming feeling. I know, because I've been there in my RRS. Dropping to the bumpstops with my oversized tires means I'm screwed unless I want to walk 3 hours and flag someone down to come tow me out of there, or find a fix with limited tools out on the trail.
4) I've maintained my EAS because it is a handy feature, but one that I could absolutely 100% live without. Next pricey repair needed and I'm switching to the +2" coil, and I don't care that forum members that I'll never meet are going to think less of me or my vehicle.

A common fallacy is that coils aren't as good off road. Reading reports from owners that ACTUALLY use their coil converted rides would tell a different story. There are some very good write-ups on Expedition Portal from guys running coils with great success, on trails that most of us have never even contemplated traveling on.

Fact is, coils present a cheap option that will do 99% of everything an EAS will do for 99% of drivers. Most LR3 owners don't go off road. Most don't do any serious towing. Most just want to get from A-B and don't leave the city.

 

If you remove your EAS system your Peter will fall off.

It's a fact, proven by science. I read it on the internet.

 

Abran, good one!

Ryan, what you say above is conjecture. We don't know how those coilers would do on those very same trails with the same drivers in EAS vehicles. Doesn't mean you are wrong, it's just not conclusive evidence. Similarly with the 99% claim...how did you establish that? Do you have data? No. Next...the fact that most LR3 owners will never take them out to wherever...is neither here nor there. Moot point

Finally....I agree that EAS fixes are expensive. I think most bump-stop issues can be checked for pre-trip. Sure...**** can still happen but risk can be reduced and for ME, the added capability is worth it.

...but "to each their own," and if you've been on this forum a while you know it's taken a lot for me to get to a point to where I can say that.

 

I've got 99 problems......

but EAS ain't 1. At least not on my 06. I am thinking of switching to heavier duty coils for a bit more lift and load capability. Love my coiler.
(Houm-wa secretly loves it to )


The 07 is going to need a rear valve block I think soon.

 

...got a chuckle out of the Jay-Z reference and the last line.

I have no problem with coilers...I just like EAS better for me. Maybe I can do all the same trails I do with a cooler setup, but I have EAS and I'm not swapping it out.

Likewise if I had a coiler I would not swap it out for EAS.

It snowed last weekend north of Seattle. I've been bombing around in an old 2003 Montero Sport that is stuck in AWD (No 4) due to t-case switch issues, on balding street tires. Not one issue...it doesn't mean the Montero is just as capable as the LR3 on Nokians, it's just foot-talent. That's what I mean about the inconclusiveness of the prior argument.

Of course, ArmyRover having an EAS and a Coiler...can get us some legit data with a well designed test!

 

Having driven both on and off road I have my conclusions. A direct comparison though that is not biased by equipment on the vehicle would be long past possible.