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How To Replace Land Rover Shocks

Is it time to replace your shocks? If you've got hydraulic shocks, that is a pretty easy job. It's so easy that we are not going to cover it here. If your air shocks have failed, this article is for you.

The good news is that replacing the air shocks on your Land Rover is a pretty straightforward process that requires only a few basic tools and about a couple hours of your time. This tutorial has all the information you need to tackle this job like a pro.

Ordering OEM Shocks

Land rover shocks

First things first. Before you can start anything, you need replacement shocks in front of you. Quality matters a lot when it comes to shocks, so we always recommend getting OEM shocks instead of aftermarket ones for the reasons listed here.

OEM shocks don’t necessarily have to cost a lot of money. You can find a set of genuine OEM shocks at deeply discounted prices if you visit our catalog. If you look up your Land Rover model, you’ll find the right part numbers in a matter of seconds. It can’t get any easier than this.

Tools You Will Need

If you want to do this job quickly and efficiently, you need to gather together all the necessary tools first. Here’s what you will need:

  • Floor jack
  • Jack stands
  • Impact gun
  • Penetrating oil
  • 15mm wrench
  • 11mm wrench
  • Phillips head screwdriver
  • Breaker bar (optional)
  • Hammer (optional)

The Step-by-Step Replacement Process

Land rover air shocks

Once you have everything you need, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and follow these steps:

(Disclaimer: This set of steps is based on the Land Rover LR3. If you have a different Land Rover model, you may have to find your way around a bit.)

  1. Park your Land Rover on a flat, even surface.
  2. Disable the air suspension. The easy way to do this is to pull the air suspension fuse. It is very important to make sure you disable the suspension before going further.
  3. With a floor jack and jack stands, lift your car.
  4. Remove the wheel at one of the shocks you're going to be replacing.
  5. There's a bolt connecting the lower control arm to the bottom end of the shock, and two more bolts holding the top end of the shock in place. Apply penetrating oil to the bolts.
  6. Repeat the above steps on all the other shocks you are planning on replacing.
  7. While letting the penetrating oil do its magic according to the instructions on the spray can, go under the passenger side and then remove the plastic guard behind the bumper.
  8. Behind the plastic guard are a couple of air lines connected to an air distribution manifold. The green one is attached to the driver's side, and the black one is connected to the passenger's side. We recommend double checking, though, because the colors might not be the same on all Land Rover models.
  9. Loosen the air lines to empty out the air. Wait about 5 minutes for all of the air to leave the system, and then tighten the air lines again.
  10. Remove the bolts from the top end of each shock, and then remove the air line connected to the top of the shock.
  11. Remove the bolts from the bottom end of each shock, and then pull out the shock. You might need to hammer the bolt loose.
  12. Install the new shocks in the reverse order of removal. Be sure to connect the air lines securely.
  13. Put the wheels back on.
  14. Replace the fuse you removed earlier.
  15. Let the suspension air back up.
  16. Listen for leaking.
  17. Cycle the suspension through a couple of settings to make sure it is operating properly.