Ah ... the air ride. I have an issue with the front left air ride shock leaking, there's a 'knock' sound as I go over bumps now too. Mine is a 2006 X350 with 95K on the clock.

The mechanic recommends sticking with a genuine Jag replacement but suggests if replacing with non-genuine then do both fronts. Further suggests the right front is likely to go next anyway.

I've researched this a fair bit and have found air ride problems seem to be a real issue which many have or are experiencing.

A genuine Jag air shock is around $2,000 here in Australia and if the compressor goes that's even more. I am aware of a number of less expensive after market alternatives, some of which have been mentioned by others in this thread, but there also seems many alarming instances of these cheaper units failing sometimes in very bad circumstances which ends up costing more time and more money.

The point is I am not a Lotto winner so the idea of what is ahead of me right now and will be ahead of me down the track with this air-ride system is about as appealing as being repeatedly slapped across the face with a dead fish.

I am now seriously considering going the full conversion to coil-over shocks and getting rid of the air ride ECATS all together. I know many will consider this blasphemy and I'm fully aware of what I would be throwing in the bin but it is very appealing that I can delete this issue right now and all future issues, expenses and inconvenience in one easy move costing only a tad more than replacing one single air ride shock with a genuine Jag unit.

I've never felt this Jag was a driver's car, it's more of a passenger's car as it floats and sways over surfaces. A beautiful ride yes, but my previous 1989 XJ was much more sure-footed and responsive and seemed more enjoyable to drive.

If I decide to go the conversion route I will post pictures and let people know how it turns out.


Cheers for now

 

Hi Happy Pappy,

I have moved your post to start your own thread since it has nothing to do with explaining how the air suspension works.

If your X350 is not more responsive and better-handling than your '89 XJ40, have you checked your suspension bushings? I rebuilt the entire suspensions in our '93 and '88 XJ40s, and our '04 X350 handles better than either of them.

Cheers,

Don

 

I converted my 2007 XJR last fall and have no regrets. It doesn't drive like it used to but I don't worry about coming out on a cold morning and finding I can't drive it at all because it's sitting on the pegs. I plan on keeping the car a long time and the peace of mind is worth it. I don't have to worry about it any more.

That's my two cents worth.

 

Your stock ones can be rebuilt, for a lot less, with i believe to be, a lifetime warranty.

 

Yep, I've looked in to this. It involves freighting it/them to the UK and the cost of that alone is not very attractive. Then there is the cost of the rebuild plus freight back to Australia, plus 10% GST.

Your idea is a good one but the cost removes it from being an option for me.

Thanks for your input anyway.

Cheers

 

Try rebuildmastertech.com
Heard they are very good

 

There is no blasphemy involved at all when converting over to coil/springs. Car air suspension systems are simply prone to failure, and the problem is not exclusive to Jaguar by any means. When I acquired my 2005 Jaguar XJ8L in February of 2014, it had a faulty air suspension system right off the bat. In a desperate move to get the car back on the road quickly, I took the vehicle to the local Jaguar dealer. After replacing the air compressor which ran around $1,000 USD, their mechanic fiddled around with the vehicle for an entire weekend before simply giving up. All that the mechanic could say was that the front passenger air bag appeared to have been recently replaced with a new Jaguar OEM air bag which retailed for a whopping $2,300 USD. That was likely why the former owner decided to trade the vehicle in (after her Jag mechanic presumably fiddled with the car as well). In short, a total of at least $3,300 was thrown into the repair of the air suspension system which was mainly all guess work by the dealers, and all for naught.
So, if even the dealers can't figure out what's wrong with the air suspension systems that break down, why on earth have something as unreliable as that? Personally, I want a car that's dependable under all conditions, and not just a fair weather vehicle.

Well, only a few days transpired before I ultimately decided to have that faulty air suspension system converted over to Arnott coil/springs, and I never looked back. In fact, I actually liked the ride with the Arnott coil/springs far better than the previous air suspension system. As you mentioned earlier, when you went over a bump, you could hear and feel a thump, and it likely originated from the rear. Yes, that's what I experienced too during that short time in which my 2005 Jaguar XJ8L still had the air suspension system. In fact, this was even during those brief instances when the air suspension system was actually working. The only advantage that I can see with the air suspension system would be for those who plan on exceeding speeds of 130 MPH down the highway. Other than that, it's just a poorly designed and engineered system that's prone to failure, and with a comparatively poor ride to boot.
Apparently Jaguar concurred as their newer models all have coil/springs in the front while still incorporating air bags in the rear.

 

Hey Rickkk,

Thanks for your message Rickkk.

Yep, after weeks of pondering, researching my brains out and pondering more I've decided to get the conversion done. She goes in for surgery in two days time.

I also decided on the Arnott kit as they seem to have a special relationship with Jaguar and the reviews from those who have had the conversion done using Arnott gear seem to be very positive, you being one of them.

I'm aware I have to leave them to settle for a couple of weeks before I draw any conclusions but can I ask you, should I get a wheel alignment done straight away after conversion or wait until they have settled in for the two week period?

Cheers for now

 

https://www.arnottindustries.com/amf...350-2005-37118

Hi Happy Pappy. My advice is to take your vehicle in to a reputable auto repair service center (not a dealer), and have their manager order the Arnott coil/spring conversion kit. Personally, in the United States, I would have that manager order that kit directly through the Arnott official site (using the above link). The part number for that Arnott coil/spring conversion kit in the United States would be C-2745. The reasoning behind this is that those service center mechanics would inspect the car's front and rear end before anything would be done so as to guarantee a successful conversion (and a satisfied customer). After completing the conversion, their mechanics would then immediately perform a wheel alignment. No settling should be required at all if the conversion was performed correctly.
Hint: After the conversion is complete, disconnect the negative terminal from the battery for 15-20 minutes, and then reconnect the negative terminal. This will give the computer a hard reboot so as to permanently remove any lingering suspension faults on the dashboard. In my case, I took my 2005 Jaguar XJ8L to a local Goodyear auto center to get the conversion done. The Arnott coil/springs conversion kit, and the professional installation cost me around $2800 USD total, but it was well worth it. In fact, after the conversion was done, the service manager told me that he never rode in a vehicle with a better suspension system than I had. Moreover, there was at least one other Jaguar owner at the Goodyear auto service center at the time who was waiting to have his car's air suspension system changed over as well. You made a wise choice. Good luck!

 

I just did the Conversion; all I'll say is, I couldn't be Happier all around...

 

Great news hope things work out well in your conversion. Just like the ride of both the Arnotts air front shocks, as well as the set of Jaguar rebuilt stock air shocks from off of the 04 XJ8, then onto the 07 VDP. Both are very nice and work well. But in the long run, your conversion may be the best, as well as the least expensive choice.

 

My XJR was converted. No big difference in ride quality but one less thing to worry about for sure.

 

The only thing I didn't like with my Arnott's coil spring conversion was the increased body roll. This was resolved when I put in uprated anti-roll bars and the car now handles most excellently with the Arnott's coil spring units and the Korean made anti-roll bars.

 

Fortunately, I have not had to address this issue. I did have the air compressor replaced some years ago.

Should I be faced with a failed air shock/spring, i would be inclined to replace it a conventional spring and shock.

A question to those who have done so, do you get fault codes or lights without the air suspension components in place?

Thanks

 

No, but I have the Arnott coil kit which comes with a Box you hook up to trick the ECU to think the Suspension is the same.

@joeleerj has the same as well with no faults...

 

Hi TheJTMan,

I have installed several of the Arnott Industries coil conversion kits and Arnott can supply an Electronic Bypass Module (EBM) that provides the necessary signals to the Air Suspension Control Module (ASM) so no warning lamps or diagnostic trouble codes are triggered. Reportedly, some model years do not require the EBM.

I do not know if the other companies that sell coil-conversion kits offer a means of preventing warning lamps or DTCs.

There is a ton of information on this topic in the forums - use the Advanced Search function in the drop-down menu of the Search button above.

Cheers,

Don

 

I'm waiting on my fourth air spring to come in this coming Tuesday. To those of you at the fork in the road, I'll say I wish I had done the conversion. Hopefully, with 4 new shocks, bagpipingandy's compressors rebuild kit and some luck, I'll get to enjoy my Jaguar again. Haven't really been driving it since Easter, and I know there's no guarantee the refreshed air ride won't fail in the future

Also: for those of you in the US, Bilstein OEM replacement struts can be had for ~$700 each, and Arnott for ~$450. Ask me how I know 😂

 

HI Happy Pappy,
hope you’re happy pappy with your conversion. GIVE US an update!! My brother has air suspension on his X350, while I have an X358 that I bought with The Arnott conversion kit already installed. The ride feels true to the road, some body roll which I plan on correcting with some bars later this year. But nonetheless, extremely happy I got both the X358 and the conversion all in one. For anyone in doubt, get the conversion and don’t look back. My mechanic loves the ride, as do my passengers. But most importantly, I LOVE DRIVING THIS CLASSY MACHINE. Cheers!!

Indy

 

MY CONVERSION WAS COMPLETED WITH SKP COILS CONVERSION KIT ...BUT, the code bypass module does not clear the dash light code, and I am due inspection .
ANY ADVICE? 2008 XJ8 L

 

Hi warsaw,

Have you double- and triple-checked the connections for the bypass module to the ASM harness? Have you contacted SKP to ask for assistance in troubleshooting the problem?

Cheers,

Don