Air Suspension

[Trevor Brown]

Mine is on 18” wheels. I have tried it on both sport and standard settings, and while standard is definitely better than sport on broken surfaces, I doubt if there is any significant ride improvement over steel springs.
Just one minor question - the height controller has two blue lights that relate to the axles - should these lights remain on at all times, or do the only illuminate when a setting has been changed or when the engine is first started? Mine aren’t illuminated normally.

 

[briwy]

That's right, lights off normally.
Perhaps the harshness is due then to the 18inch wheels which presumably have lower profile tyres on which won't absorb bumps as well.

 

[Trevor Brown]

I can understand that 18” wheels will be harsher than 17” ....but I can’t understand that there isn’t more of an improvement in ride from steel springs to air spring on the same 18” wheels

 

[B J G]

Mine too but I heard bad reports and didn't like the "you need an annual service".

I have a Discovery D3 on air and the ride is fantastic. If this can be achieved on the T5 / T6 I would do it tomorrow and pay lip service to the annual service requirement.

Annual service includes replacing Cilica Gel crystals in the air dryer. Presume that water would get through to the system lines and bags if not done.

 

[Legin]

I thought the silica gel requirement had been engineered out as advised by the installers. The annual service is now nothing more than fully extending bags and giving them a clean. Thats it.

Still going to give it a miss based on the feedback.

 

[Trevor Brown]

I should update my previous comments on VB Air Suspension, in light of the intervening months.
I had been advised that I needed to give the entire system time to bed down.
Initially I was somewhat sceptical, however this has indeed proved to be the case with my installation.
So in summary, there certainly has been a significant improvement in ride, and it has proved invaluable also in allowing access to multi storey car parks where height is restricted, as well as being simply fabulous for levelling on uneven sites.
I have found the Sport mode to be too harsh for use on anything other than first class unbroken surfaces, at least with 18" wheels - so in effect I never use this setting.
Hope this is of some help if anyone is contemplating purchase, and redresses any negativity that my earlier postings left.

 

[Legin]

Are sure you havent normalised to the ride quality rather than it has softened ?

 

[Trevor Brown]

No I can be confident that it hasn't simply been that, for the simple reason that I have been able to make a direct comparison with a standard suspension California.