I went through 2 aftermarket Hitachi style units from a reputable Land Rover specific parts house in less than a year in my LR3. They wouldn’t warranty the second one (even though it had a lifetime warranty) because they said I had an underlying issue (I didn’t). I bought a used OE AMK unit off eBay and 4+ years later it’s still going. It used to be there were quality aftermarket parts, but I my experience is that just isn’t the case anymore.
2013 LR4 Suspension Compressor
- Thread starter RoverMike
- Start date
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Typical dealership shena****ns, doesn’t matter what brand it is. A quality independent is always the way to go.
I didn’t realize shena****ns was a word that needed to be bl*cked out, but apparently it was done for me!
I used a Chinese pump and so far, it's been fine. Beware the desiccant, though. It was clay ball trash, which I suspect is responsible for many of the failures, along with the overall poorer design of the seals in the dessicant canister. At least swap the desiccant with good stuff, if not the seals and filters. Changing out the pump isn't bad except for one bolt, which will require a quality swivel.
BigBriDogGuy
Full Access Member
Found a German video on changing out the Hitachi. Good quality and detailed (German). 
They say you need to remove relay R7 and then replace it with a new one after the swap out. Not sure why that would be necessary. I've been able to deactivate the suspension air compression system by simply removing a fuse. Plus, they additionally instruct you to disconnect the car battery.
Here is another one that shows a more "real world" process. The advantage of these less slickly produced videos is they often show the struggles that normal people are likely to face.
Here is another one that shows a more "real world" process. The advantage of these less slickly produced videos is they often show the struggles that normal people are likely to face.
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Found a German video on changing out the Hitachi. Good quality and detailed (German).They say you need to remove relay R7 and then replace it with a new one after the swap out. Not sure why that would be necessary. I've been able to deactivate the suspension air compression system by simply removing a fuse. Plus, they additionally instruct you to disconnect the car battery.
Because the relays eventually go bad, too. So it's just a common maintenance item to do at the same time as you do the compressor.
As others have said, you are not comparing apples to apples. You got an aftermarket compressor and had an indy do it. The only difference between what you did and what an OEM compressor would cost is the difference in the cost of the parts. You can get an OEM Hitachi from one of the UK-based parts suppliers for under $600.
Compressor - Hitachi - Air Suspension | Ds4 - RRS 2010 On
LR023964 - Britpart, Allmakes and Land Rover options for LR023964 Compressor - Hitachi - Air Suspension | Ds4 - RRS 2010 On - EXPRESS Shipping - UK, EU and Worldwide.
So you maybe saved around $300 by going with the Chinese one.
BigBriDogGuy
Full Access Member
I appreciate the fact that it may be a false economy. "Penny wise, pound foolish" and all that. Not suggesting it's for everyone or even a stable long-term solution. It may just be a band-aid to get you back up and running in the short to medium term. Plus, I have been looking at videos on DIY replacement of the compressor unit and it looks like the kind of thing that any generally competent person could manage with a few regular tools and the willingness to struggle a bit through the process. If so, just a guy (like myself) could do the repair if they bought the genuine Hitachi unit and did a self-install for about the same price as it cost me to have an independent install the cheap Chinese one.
Bottom line, it cost me about the same as a couple of oil changes at the indy shop and I paid for 3 of those in the last year, so the risk/reward of going cheap didn't have that big of an impact. I suspect I will always be paying to have something repaired or replaced for as long as I own it. Next time, I'll do as you suggest and go with the genuine Hitachi and install it myself. Mostly because I don't like paying other people for something I can (and should) be doing myself and because I don't want to always be messing with the compressor.
Bottom line, it cost me about the same as a couple of oil changes at the indy shop and I paid for 3 of those in the last year, so the risk/reward of going cheap didn't have that big of an impact. I suspect I will always be paying to have something repaired or replaced for as long as I own it. Next time, I'll do as you suggest and go with the genuine Hitachi and install it myself. Mostly because I don't like paying other people for something I can (and should) be doing myself and because I don't want to always be messing with the compressor.
Rene Zap Murphy
Member
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Unsure if this will help.
