Just want to see if there are any truck mechanics who are also Land Rover fans out there (or not!) and throw a slightly curious question at them.
I own a 1st generation Range Rover which is turning into a bit of a project, it has already been much altered in the 40 odd years it has lived so far and little remains of the original drive train, I plan to alter most of what is there over the next year or two and build it into a ‘Restomod’ daily driver: Returning to petrol fuel and fitting a modern auto transmission.
One of the current modifications which I dislike is the deletion of the original Boge self-leveller on the rear axle, and fitting ‘Heavy Duty’ rear springs, this makes the previously supple ride somewhat harsh unless well loaded. Options for restoring the centrally mounted Boge strut are limited and expensive and it would be nice to engineer an alternative, so…
… on a Land Rover forum recently I came across the idea of using a Scania cab suspension unit KABINENFEDERUNG MAGNUM TECHNOLOGY MC129 | eBay operated via an air valve CAB LEVELING VALVE DT 1.22394 | eBay
Unfortunately, even though the lad had the idea 3 years ago and bought the key components nothing further has been done and his project remains stalled.
So I would like to ask the question of people more familiar with the heavy stuff than I am whether this could work or whether the air unit proposed is in some way not suited to the proposed use? How much weight is in a cab unit anway? what sort of stroke length does it have? (doesn’t need to be huge). Obviously I will have to design and fab interfaces for the bracketry but that should be (fairly) straightforward. On the face of it, it is a good idea and the cost of the hardware is so cheap (compared to the alternative) it is worth a stab anyway, but I just thought I would ask if anyone knows more about this sort of gear first, thanks for reading this far … 
If you mean air suspension when I fitted air bags to a sprinter back axle I used a valve with 4 ports from a marble polishing machine ,it had air in air out a gauge and exhaust ,I could set the pressure to get the height with the adjusting knob on the valve then when the suspension moved the valve exhausted the excess air above the set pressure and replenished it after .
Not so much ‘air suspension’ as such, … apologies I realise my post probably assumes a minimum level of familiarity with the Range Rover. The original suspension has coil springs and conventional dampers supplemented by a central ‘sprung’ A-frame. The A-frame/Boge strut assembly allowed the regular suspension to be pliant/soft because it compensated for any additional load (whether in vehicle or on the towbar) by pressurising the central Boge strut (self adjusting hydraulic/high pressure nitrogen) which once the vehicle was under way either pumped up the strut or released pressure to maintain ride height, but at the same time maintaining a good ride quality.
The Scania items referred to above are (potentially) to replace the Boge strut in the A-frame assembly rather than conventional air suspension. I have regular air suspension in a later model, but the attraction of this system is that it is much simpler, and a failure isn’t a showstopper.
Could you not make use of self contained self levelling Boge shockers from Volvo 700/900 series estates, i don’t know if the V70 range of estates continued with this type of self leveller.
Quite likely other large estates had similar independent self levellers, Subaru Outback might be one that rings a bell.
Arguably if seeking used parts (yes i know new Boge self levellers cost a kings ransom) Volvo units are likely to be knackered due to the mileages most cover.
That system of Dan’s sounds the dogs danglers, you’re wasted on bloody lorries Dan you should be designing patenting and manufacturing things.
Juddian:
Could you not make use of self contained self levelling Boge shockers from Volvo 700/900 series estates.
That system of Dan’s sounds the dogs danglers, you’re wasted on bloody lorries Dan you should be designing patenting and manufacturing things.
As you rightly say anything ‘Boge’ in worthwhile nick is expensive. That system of Dan’s sounds great, the electronic part of the later RR systems can be a problem on a DIY level,… but I think? Dan was just supplementing leaf springs?
I just liked the idea of finding a simple enough alternative to the original Boge and was hoping to find out a bit more about how the cab unit works in the intended Scania fitment.
Robbair:
Juddian:
Could you not make use of self contained self levelling Boge shockers from Volvo 700/900 series estates.
That system of Dan’s sounds the dogs danglers, you’re wasted on bloody lorries Dan you should be designing patenting and manufacturing things.
As you rightly say anything ‘Boge’ in worthwhile nick is expensive. That system of Dan’s sounds great, the electronic part of the later RR systems can be a problem on a DIY level,… but I think? Dan was just supplementing leaf springs?
I just liked the idea of finding a simple enough alternative to the original Boge and was hoping to find out a bit more about how the cab unit works in the intended Scania fitment.
As an aside, the P38 Rangie EAS has an excellent free (donations accepted) unlock suite available.
RSW Solutions. Full of useful info.
I’m not associated with it, but have used it.
I assume you’ve found LandyZone too?
Thanks for the thought Franglais,… have and do use EASunlock from RSW, very useful… and rely on Landyzone and LR4x4 a lot as I have lived in France and Ireland for the last 20yrs or so and local knowledge and resources are much thinner on the ground than the UK.
