Thread: Air spring failure while four wheel driving

Bugger!

Sorry I can't answer your question but your theory sounds plausible.

Bugger x2

First I've heard of the plastic D bit breaking off. Glen, you are a pioneer!

Regarding the bellow not sitting properly on the metal base, I seem to recall that there may be a difference between the bellows used in the early model bags with metal bases, and the later models with plastic bases. I think Andy found this a while ago while doing some testing with different bags.

What about just swapping the whole air spring over from your wreck and seeing how that goes?

Cheers, Paul.

I will try that Paul, if I have any further trouble.

Last night I got home and jacked it up and reseated the airbag again. This time I inflated the airbag while it was jacked up to ensure that the bag was positioned correctly, and then I let the jack down very slowed and watched carefully as the airbag folder neatly down over itself on the lower piston.

It drove around fine last night to JuJitsu and back, and then to work this morning, so it seems like it has held. It is worth noting that the bellow in question looks quite new. It is not sagging, discoloured or perished.

Lesson Learned: if you have an airbag or airspring failure, make sure you disable the EAS straight away by opening a door instantly and pulling the EAS delay timer relay from under the passenger seat. If you drive further you will lose the air pressure in the other airbags as it tries to level. Then for some reason, because one airbag isnt taking air, the others wont go up, so I had to drive home yesterday on the bump stops. Along the freeway was pretty funny, but not comfortable or super safe.

Also, if you are pumping up the corners at a gas station using an EAS bypass kit, you wont be able to use the new fancy electronic tyre inflators (the ones that look like tall square bollards with loud beeping buttons) as they wont start pumping until they feel a burst of air as it is attached to a partially inflated tyre (or airbag). If the tyre (or airbag) is completely flat, you have to press the "inflate a completely flat tyre" button to manually crank it up. Additionally they only go up to 60psi, and since the EAS is at 150psi this only gets you the smallest amount of articulation.

If you have tapped into your air tank for tyre inflation there should be no reason why you can't use your own air for emergency inflation of the other 3 bags!!

Originally Posted by Keithy P38

If you have tapped into your air tank for tyre inflation there should be no reason why you can't use your own air for emergency inflation of the other 3 bags!!

I think that you will find in situations like this one, that since the system will have been trying to pump the four corners back up to the requested height while driving out of the situation, that after a short amount of time the main tank is empty. That certainly was the case for me.

Hi Glen
FWIW: Despite what various instructions might say, it's best to ensure the mating surfaces are dry when you replace the bellows...it's a PITA of a job ...I found it marginally easier wearing cotton gardening gloves and manipulating the edge of the bellows a bit at a time. Took quite a while but it's doable and less inclined to detach later...
cheers

First time i have ever heard of a failure like this.
4-5 years is all i have ever had out of my springs.
As soon as i get leak down symptoms on a corner i inspect the spring if they are cracking i replace them.
I would be replacing the other side as well. $300 and you are done.

Originally Posted by RR P38

First time i have ever heard of a failure like this.
4-5 years is all i have ever had out of my springs.
As soon as i get leak down symptoms on a corner i inspect the spring if they are cracking i replace them.
I would be replacing the other side as well. $300 and you are done.

Yeah, the failure of the composite part is lamentable... perhaps that's one reason why Arnotts are using aluminium for their pistons?