Does Air suspension need to be in Offroad mode for Hoisting jack?

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manoftaste

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Maybe related, the MY16 handbook states (as a "Warning") that air suspension needs to be in Offroad mode before jacking the truck up for a flat tire change.

The hoisting jack I am talking about is like those two poles ones with one pole on each side and with four extenders lifting the truck on each of the four chassis jack points.
 

Surfrider77

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I would follow the manual. Honestly, mine isn't in English so I never bothered looking it up. I have lifted mine multiple times in normal or raised modes. I think only 1 time the truck went into Extended Access height .. which is honestly a sight to behold at least once when you own the truck! After starting it up, you just select normal height and all is well.

Again, I would do what the manual states.
 

manoftaste

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Thank rider, but since the manual does not mention anything about jacking the vehicle on all four corners on a hoisting jack, what would be your recommendation here? Thanks.

Also, interesting enough, found this in the handbook yesterday: "WARNING: Do not rotate tires around the vehicle."

What does the above really mean? I am going to be rotating tires soon and was thinking of going LR to RR and RF to LR in a cross pattern.
 

ryanjl

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This isn't certain, but an educated guess:

The book recommends off-road height to make jacking easier; the suspension has less to droop before the tire is off the ground. There may also be some issue regarding the vehicle thinking it's high centered and kick-on the extended height, but that seems like it would happen regardless if it was in normal or off-road height.

Regardless, it sounds like you are talking about what's called a 2-post lift, which lifts the vehicle off the ground so far that the above shouldn't be an issue.
 

manoftaste

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Thanks ryanji, yes its a 2-post lift.

Talked to the local dealership' shop foreman, he said that LR recommends off road mode for 2-post/hoisting lifts as well but he also said that he didn't do it at his dealership because the vehicle is smart enough to know that its high-centered so it would protect the airbags.
 

PaulLR3

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I leave one door slightly open when jacking. Pretty sure the suspension reaches down a little less when a door is open.
 

manoftaste

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Also, a service advisor mentioned that if you left the hood popped, the vehicle will know that its in maintenance mode and won' mess with the suspension.

So yesterday I got the wheels rotated and balanced. Tire shop guys were pretty good, they told me they usually lock the suspension in the access mode and open the rear hatch/door and it works for them. I had them raise the suspension in offroad mode anyways (with the rear doors open) before lifting the truck.

Went with the cross rotation pattern. Left the full size spare out of the process as I am planning get rid of these stock contis anyways. But once I get the new set of 5, I plan to include the spare in rotation.
 

umbertob

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In my experience, leaving hoods, doors, tailgates, windows, glove box, fuel door, and anything else in the LR4 open doesn't make an iota of difference. The EAS still drop all the way down when you jack or lift the car up, more so if you lift all 4 corners (such as when replacing all 4 wheels), a little less so if you are just swapping a single flat tire. The car will most likely be in extended off-road height, no big deal as all you need to do is to knock it back down when starting the car - possibly while rolling slowly. Only reason why the manual recommends jacking from offroad height is that the additional clearance makes it easier to maneuver the scissors jack under the jacking point(s), and the car - rather than you - has done some of the heavy lifting.

There are other cars fitted with air suspensions (some Porsche SUVs come to mind) where you can actually lock the suspensions at a certain height for service purposes, but that's not the case with Land Rovers, at least not the ones I know about, Sport and LR3/4. You leave a door (not the tailgate, that won't stop it) open to prevent the car from self leveling DOWN while the suspensions are extended, which can be dangerous if you or other tools are under the car.
 

Alexander

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I doubt you would need to with the hoisting jack since all 4 tires are coming off the ground at the same time, but better do it to be safe. The only reason for putting it in off road mode I believe is so it doesnt adjust the suspension while on the jack. I had to jack up my wifes LR4 to change the endlinks. the air suspension kept adjusting before I put it in offroad mode. Could be kind of dangerous if the movement causes the jack to slip
 

PWD2

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I think setting to off road height might be preferable and may help slightly if your vehicle getting a little older. With engine off pump won't run. Off road height may reduce bag deflation when artificially extended to max extension due to lift. I had problems this year with 2 post lift. We just left it in normal height. When it came down it was on the bump stops It took a couple of cycles to off road to clear it. Afterwards I found suspension would settle overnight. Thought I had air bag problem. After few weeks problem cleared and now no noticeable settling over night. I suspect there may be seating vulnerability if deflated bag and extend strut.
 

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