I've been contemplating changing front struts for a while due to poor ride quality of what I think are the original air bags / dampers (2006 3.6 TDV8). Having driven my brothers 4.4 TDV8 yesterday, I've decided mine is not good at all.

Knowing the significant difference in ride quality between different damper manufacturers, I'm not willing to spend the £500+ without some confidence that the ride will be better.

Has anyone in the West Midlands changed their front struts to BWI (Delphi) in the last 12 months or so & would be willing to let me sit in for a brief ride to confirm ride quality ?

I'd possibly have more confidence in genuine LR supplied parts (even if they're made by the same suppliers) - but the £600 + premium is a bit excessive  Paul,
2001 Discovery 2 TD5, 211,000 miles & climbing
2006 FFRR TDV8 Vogue 145,000 miles & climbing
Member of Midland (Land) Rover Owners Club, www.mroc.co.uk

Your brothers 4.4 will have adaptive suspension which, when working correctly, will be significantly nicer than the earlier setup...

I think Delphi are OE for struts, I know that the Dunlop ones weren't considered well made..!!

When I changed mine on my 2002 the rears made a massive difference to ride and comfort, not so much the fronts......!! Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Pete,
thanks for the response.

Yes, the brother's car has got adaptive dynamics.
I'm assuming it is working well, the ride appeared a lot softer than our 3.6, but well damped after some initial travel.
I imagine it stiffens up when cornering etc.
It inspires a lot more confidence in the way it deals with bumps & undulations than ours,

Your comment about changing the dampers on yours is interesting.
I changed the rear dampers on ours due to "excessive misting" maybe 2 years ago - to the Bilstein option Island4x4 had got.
I didn't think the ride changed much at all compared to previously, still relatively firm.

Your comment about the front's is what concerns me ref changing mine & makes me want to try someone's who's changed to the BWI units.
The current ride isn't anywhere near what I would consider good or "limousine" like.
I'd say the front spring rate appears too high & the initial damping as you hit a bump too stiff - neither of which are what I'd normally expect from old / worn units - despite their age.

When I bought the car it was the same & I'd factored in replacing the struts as I initially thought they might even be siezing up due to being unused for a while.
After changing the suspension height between Off-road & Access height a few times I discarded the idea of them being siezed as it changed height quickly & smoothly.

From what I've seen elsewhere BWI have bought & owned the old Delphi suspension division since 2009.
People who've fitted their aftermarket units to Discovery 3s & 4s seem to think the ride is OK & back to original.
On various non Land Rover forums, various owners believe the damper designs have been changed & cheapened - often saying the ride is worse than original. Paul,
2001 Discovery 2 TD5, 211,000 miles & climbing
2006 FFRR TDV8 Vogue 145,000 miles & climbing
Member of Midland (Land) Rover Owners Club, www.mroc.co.uk

Lots of other suspension and steering components that can wreck ride and handling...

Worth getting the whole lot checked before guessing...  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Pete,
I've been over the rest - all in good condition.
It's definitely an air bag / damper "issue" Paul,
2001 Discovery 2 TD5, 211,000 miles & climbing
2006 FFRR TDV8 Vogue 145,000 miles & climbing
Member of Midland (Land) Rover Owners Club, www.mroc.co.uk

Maybe it is insufficient damping that is causing the suspension to "slap" over irregularities, which could feel like it's too stiff....

Airbag pressure is linked to height so if height is OK then the pressure will be correct, or maybe a tad more with failing shocks....!!

If everything else is Ok then it's only them left unless anyone else has some thoughts..... Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Pete,
I'm wondering if the stiff ride could be down to air bags getting stiff with age.
I've got no comparison, but I was expecting to be able to push my fingers into the bags locally as an indication of flexibility of the rubber.
On ours you can't do that at all. Paul,
2001 Discovery 2 TD5, 211,000 miles & climbing
2006 FFRR TDV8 Vogue 145,000 miles & climbing
Member of Midland (Land) Rover Owners Club, www.mroc.co.uk

Last edited by Pawl on 1st Sep 2021 6:02pm. Edited 1 time in total

They are very thin rubber, thinner than a bicycle tyre but the pressure they run means they have no give in them that your hand will feel, don't think they would ever get hard enough to compromise ride quality...

They are fabric reinforced rubber to stand the pressure....  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

I’ve got some bwi I’m about to fit on my 2007 s/c my problem though differs you yours I think as my ride is too bouncy Current stable:
2006 BMW M6
2007 4.2 V8 S/C FF
Gone:
2002 4.4 V8 FF