MarkTr wrote:

Gilbert- well my intention was to get her back on the road and once I felt no major item was about to break on me- that I would go back to airbags since all of the bits are still in place. I was going to buy bags and then rebuild each part of the system to make sure everything works before I install the bags. Have not figured out the jury-rigged bypass wiring which is a mess of single wires ending in fuses- but when I get to that I will ask the forum what they think is going one with the mess. Too much debate about springs/bags for me to understand the fine points unless I drive one myself. The spring on it right now are pretty floaty-- my 2005 Astro Van is way more precise in turns and way better damped. Could be the current dampers are not well matched to springs that are installed.

Printing out the codes and instructions seem like the path I will need to go. Wonder what the instruction are if you buy a used one- such as the one Billy may sell?

Its heavy, and was designed to be on air springs not coils. Possibly shot dampers won't be helping any, but most of those who've experienced both say there is a noticeable difference between air and coils, with air being far superior ride wise and more stable (after all it can adjust to give the right sort of ride for the conditions its set to/being used in).

Your unlikely to find anyone on here in favour of coils - look at the title banner if you haven't seen it already.

If you buy a used one with the codes already unlocked you wouldn't need to register it as it would be already registered, probabbly worth confirming with the seller if they can give you access to the portal somehow if you need to add codes for any reason, or update the firmware etc. Might be worth checking with blackbox solutions to be on the safe side if your not sure.

The various bodges done to stop the dash filling with warnings when the EAS is removed, have to be seen to be believed. Particularly when the system is so simple that it would be easier to repair it properly. Pull out anything that doesn't look like Land Rover put it there and then fault it when it doesn't work.

If you buy a secondhand Nanocom, all you need do is register it in your name. You can leave it as it is but then you can't get any firmware updates.

If mine was on springs, I’m pretty sure I would of wiped it out by now, as Gilbert knows, the motorway junction ( m25 to m11) near me is a nasty one, a S shape with adverse camber, I’ve been round it at 80mph flashing some boy racer in his bmw to get out the way, on springs I don’t doubt it would be on its side, the ride is so much better, as your overhauling the system you should be pretty much trouble free for a while.
Re second hand nano evo, they do occasionally pop up on eBay, I got mine there, I’ve posted about cheap ones since, they sell quickly, especially if priced under £300. Keep your eyes peeled on both English and USA sites.

Your unlikely to find anyone on here in favour of coils - look at the title banner if you haven't seen it already.

Brian-

Ha--- I missed the fine print-- glad you pointed it out to me.

One P38 owner offered me his take-off Dunlop airbags with 40K on them just for the cost of shipping. He went to springs and was quite adamant that I should not want to go back to bags. Two sides I guess.

I take it that at 40K miles- even original Dunlops are not to be trusted. Is it better to get new Arnotts then install 40K Dunlops? Was hoping to try them out and not spend for new just to try them out. Once installed it looks easy to install new ones. Removing the springs look like more of a problem if I use the cheap spring compressor rods I have. The scissor type looks too expensive for a one time project.

What brand dampers-- I have always installed Bilsteins on my machines.

Arnott s, again another debate, genuine Dunlop’s ( $200 for all four) are so much cheaper, shocks, most people stay with the standard boge or Monroe replacements. You don’t want to stiffen the ride up to much.
I would think you should be able to remove the springs without to much trouble, especially if you release the shocks both sides.

You definitely do not want Terrafirma ones, i can tell you that. The back end of the Disco I've got has those on combined with coil springs, Granted they are better than the original completely knackered shocks that were on there (that were literally doing nothing at all in the way of any damping) but they have made the ride a bit too firm. I'm fairly sure i've seen others make the same remark.

I'd put the air back on the back of mine, but I'm more inclined to look for a p38 instead (Plus I'm not even sure whats left of mine, all i can see is some of the remaining wiring to the height sensors (which aren't there) and a couple of bits of pipe. No compressor or any of the rest of it!)

Go for Dunlops, even ones with 40k on them. I replaced my rears when I got the car and the fronts a couple of years later. So the rears have done about 160k and the fronts about 120k with no problems (and that includes towing big heavy trailers around the place). Boge OE shocks are designed to work with the Dunlop air springs so are properly matched. For me, Arnotts fall into the category of we'll design something that we think is an improvement without knowing why the originals were designed the way they were.