Happened Sunday afternoon I was taking mum back from my brother's birthday party he commented comented the car seemed to move without ignition on

I thought must be like the hydraulic self leveling Citroen that I owned years ago it was always leveling and doing things like that

Dropped mum of and noticed a light on the dash on closer inspection my heart sank it read suspension too low

I rememberd Mike (my indie) saying the back shocks felt a bit floaty when i picked it up end April.
I thought ok next project turns out it's the front left strut thought to myself typical

I've read all the previous posts on air suspension and no I'm not convering it to coil overs thats why I bought the X350!

I'd had enough bone jarring suspension with low profile tyres on my XJR6

I'd thought about getting them reconditioned by RMT regardless of the horror stories of warranty

The exchange rate and having to send my struts over for repair while my car is off the road for who knows how long with covid stretching timeframes

I then found these guys in Germany
https://www.air-suspension-shop.com/

they list this item bellow

https://www.air-suspension-shop.com/Remanufactured-Air-Strut-Jaguar-Vanden-Plas-rear-C2C41341-C2C41343

Again timeframes and exchange rates

I'd also looked at Arnott suspension units they are available here in Brisbane $1000 per unit no exchange apparently they don't have the adjustable section and use resitors to give the C.A.T.S system the signal it needs not to throw codes

IF I was replacing a pair I'd use them but thats $2000 no labour or fitting

The case for coilovers started growing but being a stubborn so and so I began searching for someone here in Australia that could refurbish them as I've been able to source all the parts for a rebuild of the bellows again no luck

So upon rereading the air suspension posts noticed the availability of dare I say it Chinese struts

Back to the drawing board and in comunication with suppliers in china

Most of the article's related to the Chinese struts are a few years old and no follow ups and couldn't find any negative write-ups

So I took the gamble myself $1547.32 for 4 struts with the electronic controls for the c.a.t.s system deliverd to my door

They have a 12 month warranty all I've got to do is send them a video of the faulty components and they'll refund me

This seems fair as if one goes I've got my 3 remaining working struts to use while I replace the warrantied items

I've also ordered the bagpipe Andy kit for my compressor

I'll follow up with my results and opinions once fitted as it seems follow ups of the Chinese struts are non existant only for the remanufactured units or Arnott items

The units I've sourced are brand new oem style units wish me luck

 

Best of luck to you, keep us informed

 

Wish you luck. (I'm with you on keeping air suspension)(but then it hasn't cost me...yet)

"the car seemed to move without ignition on"
The air suspension will "might" pump up just on unlock, no engine no compressor. Not sure if you meant that. As far as I'm concerned that sort of thing is a slow leak not a catastrophe *as long as it does pump up eventually*
A light on the dash after driving is not nice, but it could be just the compressor karked it for all I know.

 

I'll be following you closely on this one Doc. I wish you all the best to get a good result. I have 121,000 kms on the original air shocks so it cannot be too far away to replace them.
Bob

 

the chinese struts are using resistors to make the cats warning shut up. so does arnott

 

I gather the only semi economical way to go is either arnott or factory rebuilt i am in the usa does anyone have good things to say about factory rebuilds

 

I actually have some good connections in China product sourcing been doing it since late 90's

The struts I've ordered are similar to the mercedes airmatic suspension

I actually know that some of the struts are rebuilds and others have no ability to even plug in the c.a.t.s system some use resitors as well

I can't guarantee mine won't be fitted with resitors either
​​​​​​
All the previous posts on Chinese struts where from 2018 time moves on and I'd like to think they have

I'm buying mine from the manufacturer who's supplying OEM manufacturers many big name manufacturers have factories in china as its the largest car market in the world

Only time will tell I'm a pretty good product tester as my dad said years ago LoL 😉

 

I'm in Australia had I been in the states I would have had them rebuilt easy

RMA seems to have warranty issues but if you phone them and be reasonable their warranty seems reasonable when you read between the lines
There's a few issues if you pay someone to remove your broken strut send it away whats the repair timeframe then if it has a problem there's a warranty but that does not cover removal and reinstallation time frames and costs

I just had my car sit for 3 months while I had the abs module repaired that proved sometimes repairing items might be cheaper but 3 months! at least I had time to save up
Again in the states you've got a few of these cars being wrecked and parted out

Here in Aussie the last X350 that was parted out was 5 years ago I bought quite a few item's so second hand parts are non existent it's ebay from the UK or US and pot luck

Arnotts with exchange rates GST and time frames with shipping who knows
They're available here $1000 per corner and as previously stated use resitors with normal gas strut inserts great

My logic is a pair either front or rear makes sense but one Arnotts strut with the 3 remaing worn struts using C.A.T.S system?

I might not actually feel the difference but my mind will and being a perfectionist I'd never be happy if it was another car maybe nah even then I'd want matching item's

This wouldn't be my first foray into sourcing or even making parts after all I did make and sell the only headers for X300 aj16 engined cars for many years

You guy's in the states have an easier choice and had covid not kicked us who knows how I'd have repaierd the struts i just know I'm not going coil overs lol

 

Just received notification today from DHL that my shocks have arrived (ordered 27/7/2021) very excited but also nervous watch this space

 

Sorry all for the delay in replying about my air suspension Covid's still wreaking havoc here in Australia

I finally picked up the car today and am suitably impressed with the new air struts I sourced from China

My independent Jag guy was also impressed with the quality and the fact that they had the plugs for the C.A.T.S system

I was guaranteed by the supplier that these unit's are C.A.T.S system equipped and of course the only way really to check if they are C.A.T.S system equipped is to do some consitant speeds not likely around here at the moment or cut them open also something that is not going to happen unless one of them fails after the years warranty

My first impressions on driving the car this afternoon WOW it's a different car I ordered comfort but compared to the old ones they feel like sport suspension lol
I also fitted the bagpipe Andy compressor kit at the same time

So total cost $2600au including import duties , freight taxes and labour not the cheapest suspension job I've ever done but the car is from 2005 done a 145.000 ks and sat for 3 year's on the bump stops

I'd also like to say if anyone's interested in these struts PM me happy to help

I'm also going to put my old struts up for sale if anyone's interested the left front was the only failed unit also just PM me

I thought they'd be great for exchange if someone wanted to take the punt on RMA remanufactured units

 

Excellent write up Doc. I'll be following closely for any developments from you.
Bob

 

Thanks Bob
I drove her again today and for the life of me thought if I wanted a jaguar with coil springs I wouldn't have sold my XJR6 after spending so much on it

The X350 is such an advanced car when you consider when it first came out never ceases to amaze me

Love all over again