First test fit of V2. I'm going to be tilting the wheel forward a little more to give the jack at the bottom a bit more space but other than that I'm happy with it.
The next complicated bit is to cut the bumper skin in the right places so that it clears everything but doesn't leave big gaping holes everywhere. Oh, and it still needs paint.

The frustrating thing is that it has no hesitation and full confidence in it's absolutely bullshit responses. When corrected it just apologizes and answers the next question with the same confidence in it's answer. Absolutely not the right way to implement AI.

Mine did this also a few years ago, it got worse during a trip to Lesotho driving on bad corrugated dirt roads.
Resoldering the main supply terminals on the main fusebox sorted the problem. The cracks in the previous solder joints were quite obvious upon visual inspection. The issue has been solved since.

I am very pleased with the driver pack design, it came out good. To be honest it isn't much more than an Arduino with some fancier solenoid drivers that handle the PWM part themselves, all packaged in a pretty box.

Did some range of motion testing on the front height sensor arms this evening.

Full droop (shock disconnected):

Full compression (bumpstop compressed):

I think we'll adjust the twist of the arm in relation to its mounts a little and retest.

The joint to the trailing arm is just a little assembly with a bolt through the middle. I never liked just forcing the existing arm through the rubber mount so this is a little more elegant:

Sadly the sensors of the type we have chosen are quite new, so not all potential variants are currently available. It means that we needed to design some interface electronics that will intercept the height sensor readouts, adjust them to make the EAS controller happy, and then send them on. This sensor interface board will be mounted between the EAS and Gearbox controllers. It does add flexibility in that if the Piher sensors we have chosen to base this design on are for some reason not available, then we can just adjust the software for whatever sensor is available.

I do quite like the sensors we have chosen, their IP69K rating and contactless operation makes them ideal for this application.
This is the sensor we are using for the first proto set: https://www.digikey.co.za/en/products/detail/amphenol-piher-sensing-systems/HRPS-F-180S-05-A/18739029?s=N4IgTCBcDaIBICUAKBlAtAMTQRgBwAZ18BWNAQRAF0BfIA

Version 1 of the wheel carrier is being retired soon after many years of good service.

Version 2 is in development :D

Version 2 will follow the vehicle lines better (closer and angled more along the curves of the tailgate), will incorporate a maglock for locking, a gas strut to keep the carrier open or closed as required and a relocated high lift jack mounting so that it stops catching trees as we move along. Nice!

Time for an update. The system has been running flawlessly since March, done some trips in the vehicle including hot dry conditions and also some wet and cold too. Other than some leaking fittings initially there are no problems to report.

The compressor is mounted on the left chassis rail, just below the MAF sensor (unplugged in the pic below).
It's mounting bolts onto the chassis using existing mounting holes, and it incorporates an aluminium heatshield to "protect" it from the exhaust manifold.

This CAD image shows the setup in isolation quite nicely:

And here, fitted in the engine bay:

The compressor itself is surprisingly quiet. If it is running I can only hear it inside the vehicle at idle with the windows open. While driving I can't hear if it is running at all. It has enough oomph in conjunction with the standard air tank that it can, and has, reseated a debeaded tire.

To control the compressor, and set my mind at ease w.r.t. failing driver packs (I've replaced 2 with 2nd hand units), I decided to redesign the valve driver pack.
The scope here was to:

1. Control the new compressor intelligently, ie, only run when needed
2. Perform the standard valve driver pack functions of being an interface between the EAS Controller and the valveblock valves
3. Offer valve state (on/off) and system pressure information via CAN (J1939 based protocol)
4. Report valve or driver faults (open circuit, short circuit, driver overheat) faults via CAN
5. CAN control that allows me to override the valves, ignoring the EAS controller if desired. More on this later
6. Fit in the standard location between the valveblock and the standard compressor

Test fitting the PCB into it's 3D printed housing:

In its final location:

The new driver uses two connectors, instead of the single connector on the standard driverpack. One connector interfaces to the valveblock only and is in the standard connector location. The 2nd connector is under the compressor motor housing (unplugged in the image above) and this connector interfaces with the vehicle (power supply, EAS controller interface etc). This approach allows you to unplug the single connector and remove the valveblock assembly including the new driver pack as one part.
There is also a small circular connector visible in the image above, just below the 2nd valve from the right. This is a programming connector to flash the microcontroller in the new driver pack. It is now redundant as we have developed a CAN bootloader and we can now update the valve driver pack software via CAN.

Here you can barely see the new driverpack hiding between the valveblock and the compressor. Tight!

Currently the new valve driver pack has 3 operating modes.

Standard operation:
The valve driver interfaces between the EAS controller and valveblock as the standard unit does, with the 2nd compressor "helping" the standard compressor on occasion.
The standard compressor runs and is controlled by the EAS controller as it usually would. The 2nd compressor only runs if the EAS controller requests the standard compressor to run and the system pressure is below a set threshold and the vehicle is moving (ie. not stationary at a traffic light).
In reality in this means that the 2nd compressor only runs after a large drop in system pressure like you would have if moving from access height to standard height twice in succession. In a normal use case like highway to standard height the 2nd compressor will not be required to run and the standard compressor will do the work. The vehicle speed interlock which only allows the 2nd compressor to run if the vehicle is actually moving also means the system is as silent as it would normally be, nice!

Tire Pump Mode:
Selected via a switch in the EAS valveblock housing, near a new air supply port.
In this mode the 2nd compressor is used to maintain system pressure to allow the user to pump tyres from the standard air tank. If the engine is running while in this mode, the EAS controller will still have full control of the valveblock and the standard compressor and the standard compressor will run as required to maintain the system pressure and the 2nd compressor will supplement this, thus lightening the load on the standard compressor. If the engine is not running in this mode, then the 2nd compressor will run on it's own, doing all the work and keeping the standard air tank full.

Override Mode:
Selected via a CAN message.
In this mode the EAS controller is ignored and all valve and compressor control is done via CAN messages. Any of the valves can be switched on or off as requested, and the controller remains in this mode, thus ignoring any levelling requests from the EAS controller, until the vehicle starts to move.
I use this mode to level the vehicle when we are camping and sleeping in the rooftop tent. It is worth noting that, as standard, the EAS controller does not actually level the vehicle. What it does is ensure that each corner of the vehicle is the same height off the ground, so that if the vehicle is, for example, standing on a sideway slope with one set of doors high off the ground and the other side low to the ground it will lower the higher side until both sides are at the same height, thus allowing easier ingress into the vehicle on the high side. This leans the vehicle body over even more.
This mode works really well for our overlanding trips. We can stop, not caring how level the surface is, level the vehicle electronically, sleep well in the rooftop tent, and the next morning just drive off with the valve driver reverting back to Standard Operation as soon as the vehicle starts to move.

Offroad Mode:
No implemented, in planning.
The basics of this mode is to balance the pressure in the suspension air bags, from left to right (front to back remain isolated) while driving over uneven terrain. This will act almost like a swaybar disconnect, relieving suspension load from the side that is articulating up, and applying more downward pressure to the side articulating down, This is the theory anyway, testing will determine whether it works this way in practice. I need to develop a control interface for this mode that makes sense and is easy to use while not interfering with the drivers concentration. Time needed...

We did some articulation testing over the weekend to check that we got the appropriate range of motion out of the new sensors and arms with no binding etc.

This version worked well.

PaulD4 wrote:

That would be awesome. Please update us on here.

New, 3D printed arm in development:

The plan is to fully 3D print the arm from an engineering filament with good wear resistance, mechanical strength and temperature resistance. This will make the arms cheap enough that you can have a spare set kicking around in the car for when an errant branch rips one off. No need to replace the expensive sensor in that case, only the damaged arm.

My brother and I are in the process of designing replacement height sensors based on modern, contactless potentiometers. So no more mechanical wipers to wear out internal to the height sensor.
We should have the proto set fitted to a P38 in the next few weeks.

Rachel is taking us on a trip through the north of the Kruger National Park. Towing beautifully even in 40degC heat past herds of elephant.

Perfect, mail sent.

I checked out your site, some interesting content there. I'll browse more at a later stage.
I don't do social media, so sadly no way for me to check out your page.

Cheers,
Justus

stefan63 wrote:

Would you mid sharing your CAD files (I'm using fusion360 but .stp .step files could also work).

Kind regards/Stefan @stockholmviews.com

I tried sending you the CAD files, but it seems your email address is blocking it?
This is the response I got:
Message blocked
Your message to Stefan@stockholmviews.com has been blocked. See technical details below for more information.
The response from the remote server was:
550 5.1.1 Unknown recipient

Cheers,
Justus

Hi Stefan,

Nope, not mounted yet, the compressor is still in it's box in the corner of my office, but the project isn't dead yet either.
So the current direction is to retain the stock compressor in it's stock location, and rather mount the VIAIR nearby. This allows me to use the stock compressor (quiet) to operate from say 8-10bar and only have the VIAIR (loud) come on if the pressure drops below 8bar (values will be finalised when I start testing). I'm thinking this will give me a best of both world's scenario where in traffic, around town etc the stock compressor will handle low volume air duties like cycling between standard and highway height, and it will do so quietly. Large volume air duties like pumping tyres, lifting from access to standard will be handled by the VIAIR.

The idea above necessitates some changes to the driver pack, which I am busy redesigning anyway. I'll add control for the 2nd compressor, a pressure sensor (not just a switch, so that I can use software to adjust the limits) as well as a way to manually control the valves.
The manual valve control is something I want to add so that I can manually adjust the suspension height and lock it in that height for camping (rooftop tent).

The new VIAIR location is still being discussed, but currently it looks like it will live on the left chassis rail, forward of the left from airspring mount. Basically under the steering fluid reservoir. It'll have some heat and mud shielding around it and should be easily removable if I am any good at bracket design.

I'll email you the CAD models shortly.

PS: I have a bit of a deadline for this project now, so hopefully it'll actually get done. We are doing a desert river exploration trip early in next year, and the pneumatic system needs to be done by then so that the air lockers and vehicle levelling works as I want it.

Have you checked that the silencer on the valve body is flowing air?
Mine would also lift itself to extended height occasionally and not lower, it turned out to be a clogged silencer. This does not explain all your symptoms but might be a good starting point?

My first instinct says driver pack or ECU but you've replaced both. Did you replace both at the same time or one and then the other?
I'm wondering if a faulty ECU might damage the driver pack or vice-versa.

Can you use the Nanocom to actuate the individual valves in the valvebody? When attempting to find why mine would lift itself to extended height I used my Faultmate to actuate individual valves, and I could hear them switching, but the exhaust valve seemed to have no effect which lead me to the clogged silencer. Perhaps a similar test on yours might show where your issue lies, or give more clues.

I've recently replaced the standard dual cone subwoofer with a more "modern" compact subwoofer.
Reasoning was twofold. Firstly I wanted the packing space being taken up by the standard sub and secondly the standard units speakers were torn anyway, so it was just taking up space and not contributing anyway.

I decided to go for a Phillips unit. It is nice and compact and seemed to get some good reviews. It's power requirements also fell within the cars limits, so no need to change out fuses or uprate wiring to supply the sub.
https://www.pioneer-car.eu/eur/products/ts-wx130ea

The new subwoofer fits nicely inside the space between the outer skin of the vehicle above and just behind the left rear wheel arch. This means that the full space previously occupied by the standard sub is now available for packing more beer. Perfect.

I first set about fabricating a mounting bracket for the sub that wraps around the back of the sub tying into the standard mounting holes of the sub:

The idea was to support weight of the sub from the top and bottom with a tight fitting bracket. The sub is supplied with some self tapping fasteners that screw into the sub itself, but I needed the fasteners to be flatter so I used some countersunk M6 fasteners. I tapped the holes in the back of the sub to M6 which worked nicely.

To mount the sub to the car I enlarged two of the standard cable handling clip holes above the proposed mounting location and fitted two rivnuts. Now I had nice threaded holes for the top of the sub mounting bracket to attach to:

For the bottom mounting I welded a nut to the sub mounting bracket (which can be seen in the 2nd image above) and drilled a hole in the body for another fastener to screw into the sub mounting bracket:

The wiring was very simple with the sub only needing a Battery Supply, an Ignition Signal (from the radio to make the unit power up), a Ground Return and an Audio Signal (so 4 wires). These happen to be exactly what the standard subwoofer uses, so I just cut off the standard connector, fitted a DT connector that I had lying around to the vehicle wiring and the sub wiring and tested the unit. Worked well.

The electrical connector I cabletied to the top of the sub mounting bracket like so:

As can be seen from the images above I also stuck some sound insulating/damping material to all the body panels in the area. Without this insulation all the vibrating body panels absorbed the energy making the sub not sound great and diminishing its power quite a bit.

The standard rear wing inner "cover", or whatever it is called, is filled with gaping holes for the mounting hardware and wiring of the standard sub to move through and attach. These holes now needed to be covered up.

I decided to 3d print covers for these holes, in thin semi flexible material so that it could bend and conform to the shape of the wheelarch lines cover thingy. I heated these up, shaped them as required and then fitted them. I didn't take any pictures of this part, but I'll post some picture later. It worked quite well, and I even printed a mount for the subwoofer remote, with a clip in cover, that fits inside one of the gaping holes. Some of the clips holding the covers in place broke off during fitment (layer line breaks) but all in all the covers worked well and look decently good for what they are. Pics of this to follow.

Yes, no problem, I'll start a thread for it and post some more pictures and info there.

I'm quite happy with it!

edit:
https://rangerovers.pub/topic/3523

Replaced the subwoofer with a more compact and less broken replacement. Audio sounds superb again.

I didn't do a good job of updating this thread at all!

The wheel carrier has been on the car for 2 and a half years now. It's done many trips and is holding up well!
I'll post a detailed update soon.
We're in the bush for a getaway weekend:

Lubricating the balls with some light penetrating oil makes levering them out much much easier.