Hi, just to be clear car is 3.6 TDV8.

I’m about to install new struts (and bags as one unit) to the front of the car. Having read the text in the workshop manual it says to do the following;

Install the air suspension spring.
 Clean the component mating faces.
 Install a new gasket.
 Install the air line but do not tighten the
union fully at this stage.
 Tighten the nuts to 56 Nm (41 lb.ft).
2. Tighten the air line union to 3.5 Nm (2.6 lb.ft).
3. Connect the hub to the air suspension spring.
 Clean the component mating faces.
 Fit bolts and tighten nuts to 250 Nm (184 lb.ft).
4. Connect the stabilizer link.
 Install the special washer.
 Tighten the nut to 100 Nm (74 lb.ft).
5. Secure ABS sensor lead and brake line.
 Secure into the 3 clips.
6. LH side: Secure the brake pad wear sensor lead.
Secure in the clip.
7. Vehicles with high performance brakes: Install
a new damper.
 Clean the component mating faces.
 Apply a 3 mm bead of high strength
retainer STC 50554 to the thread.
 Tighten to 20 Nm (15 lb.ft).
 Install the cap.
8. CAUTION: The air springs must be fully
pressurised before the weight of the vehicle is applied to
them.
Using the Land Rover approved diagnostic system,
pressurize the air suspension.
For additional information, refer to: Air Suspension
System Depressurize and Pressurize (204-05 Vehicle
Dynamic Suspension, General Procedures).
9. Install the road wheel.
 Tighten nuts to 140 Nm (103 lb.ft).


So, I have two questions;

(A) The system was not depressurised as I didn’t have a GAP tool (or similar) and instead the air lines to the front end were disconnected at the front cross link valve - so my plan was to install the road wheels and allow the vehicle to “touch” the ground whilst still supported with a jack to prevent it lowering full down on the un-pressurised bags. This is of course contrary to the above but seemed logical if not using a GAP tool.
(B) Many guidance videos on YouTube (I know!) suggest to fix the road wheels and lower BEFORE tightening the top mount bolts - again this is contrary to the above. I’d normally ignore this advice but one of the tutorial videos was from Rimmer Bros and although on a 4.4 I expect they would do the same on a 3.6 in terms of the sequence of bolt torquing. I have marked the position of the old top mount studs before removal so is this a more reliable guide?

Thoughts?

Jon

Just leave the wheels off and jack the hubs up to normal road height, tighten as required. Job done.

Get it aligned afterwards but shouldn't be too much out.

That seems to refer to installing new bags to an existing strut. When I did mine the only things of note were to lift the whole car at the front to eqalise the tension on the ARB, mark the strut top nuts with some felt tip as they are in slots to trim camber, note the way the ABS wire goes as it's easy to get it on wrong. I torqued everything with the wheels off as there are no bushings under tension so didn't see the point. I also released the air from each bag by carefully loosening the connector on the strut ( which I reused). It's all pretty simple realy. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Jay is correct
Ignore my post, For some reason I assumed you were changing out the control arms.

Speed reading

Doh 🙄

No it’s ok. The procedure described is for replacing the whole strut.

I’m going to work on the assumption that by the time the strut to knuckle bolts are both installed, the drop link is back on and the studs on the top mount align with the marks from the old one that I’m going to be roughly on point.

Accept that it would need an alignment regardless to be fully tuned into the car as obviously the old kit might sit differently.

J

Its also worth noting that for the parts that I sourced through Island 4x4 at least (could be different for other suppliers), that the air fitting on the new parts is PUSH FIT ONLY and the connector should not be removed from the strut or it could invalidate your warranty.

For reference I got these ones https://www.island-4x4.co.uk/spring-strut-...-6698.html

I'm also missing the two hardened washers on the top mounts of the drop links - I've ordered two but is there a reason they would be missing from a technical perspective? The near side was replaced recently and doesn't have one, the drivers side (which I asked them to change at the same time and they insisted it didn't need doing) is totally mullered and is also missing the hardened washer.

Jon

You push the hose in and tighten it down with the brass fitting if you are trimming the hose. Or as I did I just removed the whole fitting from the old strut and screwed it in to the new one. Can't remember encountering any washers on the ARB drop links. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Drop links are meant to have a washer 👍

According to RAVE the washer is a hardened one:
"Fit washer to ball joint, fit anti-roll bar link, fit nuts and tighten to 100 Nm (74 lbf.ft).
CAUTION: The washer is hardened and must be fitted in the correct position."

The correct position is on the inside of the drop link and not,as one would expect, the nut side. John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

Can't remember how I did it when I changed the struts but the ARB and droplinks were replaced last summer by a well known Hampshire specialist so I assume they did it correctly. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Yea that’s the problem, I also used a reputable Land Rover specialist and the washer is absent. It may be the case that the washers were missing when they changed the NS drop link and therefore didn’t fit one as the new drop links do not come with one.

@JayGee - Island 4x4 have been very specific about not removing or trying to tighten the brass fitting that comes with the new strut - you are meant to trim the old pipe so it has a clean end and it simply pushes into the fitting - no tightening of the brass nut at all.

As I said this may be different on other suppliers struts (Dunlop etc) but for the BWI ones they supply this is what they told me to do to avoid a warranty issues.

Everything is now back on the car except the drop link washers which I’ll pick up in the morning from the local LR parts department.

J

Just an update to close this one off.

Reinstallation went a lot more smoothly than taking it all apart. Things that are learning points that might help others;

Removal
- In my case the passenger bag was holed and so fully deflated but I deflated the drivers side by removing the air line from the valve block located behind the OSF wheel behind the arch liner, which I would recommend removing as its much easier with them out the way.
- The bolts that hold the strut to the hub/knuckle are the most difficult part of the removal. In my case they were probably the original bolts, 17 years of grim, dirt and rust - and so took a fair deal of effort to remove. Ended up using a 4ft bar on the bolt to get it rotating, heat, penetrant, 4lb lump hammer and eventually they gave way. The drivers side was noticeably easier than the passenger side, I guess as a result of less road grime etc.

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Excellent tips and write up - in case anyone needs additional collets, I believe they are called Voss connectors (or certainly Voss fittings); I broke one on a former Mercedes I owned with air suspension and they use the same system.

It was actually Arnott in Germany that told me their correct name - the UK dealers didn't have a Scooby-do! 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDv8

Ian Donkin wrote:

I believe they are called Voss connectors

Rear bags seem less leak prone than the fronts so just examine the folding area for age related cracking. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)