Sorry that this isn't a post on off roading prowess :-) we have had several discos in a row over the past 10y including 2 used LR3s. Both initially felt nice on the road, but after 40-45K miles both started to ride...for lack of a better word, like crap. Over bumps or your average road irregularities, the front seat experience is average, but the back seat ride is horrible. I've seen my 5 y old kid literally jump off the seat like a pancake being flipped, and I've ridden oxcarts that felt nicer in the back, something we have noticed since the new baby rides in the back seat with one of us... I'm guessing it's a heavy truck, stuff wears out, fair enough. But the dealer says the air suspension is a-ok, and nothing seems out of shape on the truck... I'm baffled.. Anyone else experience that, twice ?

What would you suggest we do to restore the original feel on road?

 

There are rubber bits that control or not, sway arms and the like under the 3. The link below discusses this and replacement of the lower ball joints. About all I can say, is that after replacing rubber bits and installing the new design A arms, my 3 was a lot quieter and I guess seemed to ride better.

Replaced Lower A Arms rather than ball joints.

I note that according to my dealer, the rear anti sway stabilizer bar rubber bushings are the ones that seem to fair the worst. Replacement is no fun, but the rubber parts are cheap. There is a jpg of them per the link.

 

Thanks, that's a thought... However I am somewhat familiar with those issues on lighter cars, and you get all sort of clanking, noises, or vague steering generally... What I am getting now driving over a bump is the front wheel sort of absorbing it (not as well as before), and the rear end of the car being catapulted ;-) Sounds like something more serious, like springs but with this air ride system what do I know.. But I will start there !!!
Thanks !

 

I was amused by your comment re air ride. It is very correct I think as I believe air springs act differently than metal springs. There is also the condition of the shock absorbers but again who knows. What I am certain of is that air springs react and bounce differently than say coil springs.

In the case of the 3, I kind of gather that the front and rear stabilizer bars are needed for something, more so than on normally sprung vehicles. Apparently the rear rubber holding bits get beat up faster than the front ones so one presumes the rear must really be being worked. The dealers do not seem to change the front bits very often but the rear ones, quite often.

I have about a 100,000 miles on my 3 now and have the original air springs and shocks but new front A arms and rubber bits holding the stabilizer bars in place and some bits that join the stabilizer bars to the suspension. The air springs still seem OK, the shocks, not so sure about but when I replace them, it will be as a unit, that is air spring and shock together.

I am going to replace the rear level sensors soon as they are original and not tracking so well. The front sensors, I replaced at about 50,000 miles. Part of the ride bit requires that the vehicle sit near level when in operation; the level sensors are what decides that.

 

Sounds like your shocks are shot. The air springs may be fine but the rebound portion may be trashed. It is possible to retain the springs but replace the strut portion. I have heard that some of the complete replacement units (spring/shock) use an inferior shock.

I think Bilstein makes some for the LR3. If you can find them then this may be the solution to your problems.

 

Yes, it is possible to replace the shocks and not the air springs, but from a money point of view, then you best be doing the replacing.

Dead shocks means the oil within has leaked out into the air spring and then into the air system. Nothing you can do about that, just the way it is.

My thoughts are that one is probably better off to replace the unit complete and with dare I say, OEM. I am not certain that anyone has a better unit than the Delphi that comes OEM. It seems the or equals are missing either the tin can surround or the gaiter, neither of which is really needed I suppose, but again I doubt LR added them just for looks either. Also one guy has the or equal fronts and someone else has the rears.

Re shocks only, it is not clear that any manufacturer has exactly come up with the answer. The Koni FSD shocks seem to be suffering quality control problems; the Bilsteins are I guess OK but not free so ....

NEW Front Air Suspension Shocks (PAIR) for 2005-2009 LR3 / Discovery 3

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