Interesting! I guess that could be a cause, and would definitely align with my symptoms. With the front struts, oil loss isn't noticeable externally like with the rears is it? Sam's Motor & Machine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgNSRjY0I9FCzsi9ku3ccbw

Home of the 'Cheapest 4.4 TDV8 Range Rover"

lets not forget these items never get serviced and the oil will degrade over time! we are talking about 10+ year old cars here. front shocks are a serviceable item. 2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8 - Current
2014 Navara V6 - Gone
2004 Vogue TD6 - Gone
Grand Cherokee - Gone
Discovery V8 (LPG) - Gone
Discovery TD5 - Gone

Mine are BWI units and have a date on them from 2017. The car has probably done 60k miles since they were replaced... I'd hope you'd get more miles than that out of them, considering the cost - but we'll soon see! Sam's Motor & Machine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgNSRjY0I9FCzsi9ku3ccbw

Home of the 'Cheapest 4.4 TDV8 Range Rover"

No, oil loss on the front struts is completely hidden.

When I had the rear of my SC jacked up in November last year the front NS airbag burst so I replaced both front struts and air bags as complete assemblies.

After I'd finished I put a knife through the airbag out of curiosity to see if it was dry inside it. My passengers side one was bone dry, the drivers side air bag was full of oil from the strut.

Click image to enlarge

My front BWI struts are dated 2011 (when the car was made) and they still appear to be operating perfectly well. Christian.


Current Cars
2011 Range Rover Vogue SE
2020 BMW M4 Competition
2019 BMW X4

My RR Blog: www.facebook.com/L322Project
or
https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic61540.html

How many miles on yours Christian? Sam's Motor & Machine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgNSRjY0I9FCzsi9ku3ccbw

Home of the 'Cheapest 4.4 TDV8 Range Rover"

144k Sam Christian.


Current Cars
2011 Range Rover Vogue SE
2020 BMW M4 Competition
2019 BMW X4

My RR Blog: www.facebook.com/L322Project
or
https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic61540.html

Mine’s on original struts at 140k and the ride is pretty good for that mileage and no indication from the handling they are worn. Maybe it could be better but not sure it’s going to be £1000 better on 4 new struts, 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Sam i am looking forward to your video be interesting to see as yours seem to have been replaced what kind of condition they are in, and how they still rebound when compressed verses new ones.
If this does not solve your issue i am really struggling to think what other component could cause your issue.
Mine is at 135K both rears have been replaced with Bilstein units, i am now planning to replace the rear airbags (preventative) and the front struts (Preventative) i think they are original as i cannot see anything printed on the labels. And lastly the ball joint that sits in the hub on the front, this i am dreading as i know they are a real pain to get out!! 2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8 - Current
2014 Navara V6 - Gone
2004 Vogue TD6 - Gone
Grand Cherokee - Gone
Discovery V8 (LPG) - Gone
Discovery TD5 - Gone

Has anyone made any further progress with this at all?

Mines being strange these days. Sometimes it'll ride ok for a bit, once in a Blue moon it'll be really nice and then the next day it's back to being solid!

Does adding items to my island4x4 basket count as progress?

I need new control arms so have a bill of about £1,600, but that’s being hampered with birthdays again. Three kids, with birthdays within the same two months… and none of them want new struts for my car as gifts. Currently driving: 2012 L322 SE Overfinch 4.4 tdv8

Past rides:
2014 Audi Q7 3.0d (good riddance)
2010 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged
2011 L320 HSE 3.0 sdv6
2014 Jaguar XF-RS 5.0 supercharged
2007 BMW 535D
2005 Mini Cooper S

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic59478.html

I am not so sure the shocks are the issue anymore.

I have replaced 3 with new, one is only 4 years old so I am going to boldly assume everything is good with them.

I believe current is being sent to the dampers to put them into 'soft' mode as unplugging the adaptive damping module makes the car completely undriveable.

I am starting to think the issue is in the air suspension side, my suspicions also backed up by Landymansam replacing all 4 dampers with non CVD and it not being a cure.

I have read on a Discovery 3/4 forum of a bad air suspension 'cross link valve' causing a hard ride.

Looking at the workshop manual our cars have 2 of these valves, 1 in each of the front and rear valve block.

I wonder if SDD can be used to force them to the open position in the datalogger?

It is my belief that the function of these valves is to allow air to pass from one side of the car to the other (I.e from front LH side shock to front RH side shock) and the same at the rear.

I can't imagine any other purpose of this function except for ride quality and suspension articulation.

Curious as to your thoughts!

That is frustrating news MarinaWestminster. I think we were all hoping to hear some good news about finding the cure…

Its frustrating that you have spent the money on new shocks to get no further forward… but please take some comfort in that you have saved others from doing the same. Hopefully you can recoup some money by selling your old ones?

I am curious about the suspect cross link valves and have looked over the RAVE manual for anything about it. I cannot find a specific cross link valve and suspect, from what i have seen and from your comment, that the cross link valve is part of the valve block. I assume that the repair is a replacement of the entire block or blocks?
I am open to hear good news from someone that this is the magic fix, but fail to see how this could cause these issues. The main reason for me is that the narrow air pipes do not allow for rapid air movement between sides so would limit their ability to react to sudden suspension movements - such as bumps. I don’t mind being wrong…

However, I do recall a comment from someone about they disconnected the stabiliser bar links from the struts and that seemed to improve their comfort… although i am not suggesting that anyone does this or considers it a fix.
What does come to mind is the stabiliser bar itself. Could that be something causing problems? I.e. are the rubber moulds (?) degraded and become stiff reducing the movement of the bar? Or come loose and allows the bar to move too freely?

I believe there were some posts somewhere recently too for their replacement and although a bit of a ball ache, its a doable job. I’ll try to find those posts to see what the symptoms were to cause their replacement.

Yet more food for thought… Currently driving: 2012 L322 SE Overfinch 4.4 tdv8

Past rides:
2014 Audi Q7 3.0d (good riddance)
2010 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged
2011 L320 HSE 3.0 sdv6
2014 Jaguar XF-RS 5.0 supercharged
2007 BMW 535D
2005 Mini Cooper S

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic59478.html

The front & rear valve blocks, although physically similar and electrically the same, are not interchangeable. the front one has larger airways to allow a greater volume of air to move to the air springs due to the greater preload (engine etc.). The 'crosslink' valve closes off the air supply from the compressor / reservoir, both the LH and RH airspring valves are opened to allow the pressure to equalise side-to-side. That is the 'crosslink' function. Rarely used whilst the vehicle is in motion.

The cross-link valves are only opened at very slow speeds trying to improve the ride over uneven terrain such as ruts.