petrolhead63 Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I left a post the other day saying I thought my air spring on drivers side rear was knackered. However I pumped it up by running/using rear lift button and it has stayed fine since for over a week. This morning it was fine, drove out for a short run came back and after about 2hr parked it had collapsed. currently pumped up again and fine, holding full lift height. Is this likely to be a self sealing small hole on the spring which can seal over by the folds in the rubber or are there other things like a one way valve sticking etc I should be aware of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Is this likely to be a self sealing small hole on the spring which can seal over by the folds in the rubber Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAttrill Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Throw them away and fit steel springs. The conversion costs about the same as 1 air spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 If it's a 7 seat you'll have to put new air springs on as it wasn't type approved for coils, and when it comes round to MOT time it may be noticed, but if its a 5 seat the world's you lobster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Depends on where in the world you are - but you are right for the UK market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveA Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 I left a post the other day saying I thought my air spring on drivers side rear was knackered. However I pumped it up by running/using rear lift button and it has stayed fine since for over a week. This morning it was fine, drove out for a short run came back and after about 2hr parked it had collapsed. currently pumped up again and fine, holding full lift height.Is this likely to be a self sealing small hole on the spring which can seal over by the folds in the rubber or are there other things like a one way valve sticking etc I should be aware of? I'm not an air suspension expert, but I believe there is a valve block by the compressor. If this has a valve sticking, then the air will leak out, dropping the suspension. It might not be sticking every time, which explains why sometimes it will hold. Seems more likely than a hole in the actual rubber ? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben_J85JTY Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 I had the same problem with mine. My advice would be to change the bag as soon as possible, the times in which the bag fails will become more frequent until eventually it may well collapse when you are on the move (try 75mph on the M40) The actual job of changing the bag is a piece of P155. From memory, a screwdriver and a 10mm spanner will have it done in 1/2 hour. Britpart sell the bags for about £80ish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous doug Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 is it the sensor arms? we had that problem on ours. we also converted it to coil so if you need airbags pm me just want to say though there is nothing wrong with the air suspention, it is more flexable offroad and you can jack it up a further 2inches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dooroy Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Would agree with ben - I had exactly the same problem on my 2001 Td5 . When I bought it last Aug the offside airbag had just been replaced . After a few months the other one began to go down at random - once a day , then OK for a week but it did become more frequent until almost every time I parked . I changed the airbag 3 weeks ago ( got it from Paddocks ) and it has been fine since - so obviously there was a leak which was sealing itself depending on the position of the bag etc . Also the compressor may suffer if the leak causes it to be working more or less constantly. And having moved the Disco a short distance on a few occasions with the bag down made up my mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAttrill Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Terry, if you remove the compressor and the pipes, is the average MOT tester going to worry about type testing? Do they know that much? Oh, and by the way, if you do remove the air springs you need a computer to tell the ECU that is does not have air springs otherwise you will have to put up with all sorts of bonging noises. Here cars are only tested on change of owner. My 1987 Audi was tested back in about 1992! We do have some awful wrecks cluttering up the roads, though. And the things they look for are a bit strange, like a ripped seat will fail, until you put a seat cover over it. I had a Volvo fail for a cracked steering wheel, put one of those awful covers on it and it passed. Then I took it off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I don't know about the average MOT guy knowing that it should be air but with the new computerised system we have I couldn't hazared a guess what it tells them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrolhead63 Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 I don't know about the average MOT guy knowing that it should be air but with the new computerised system we have I couldn't hazared a guess what it tells them that new computer link mot is a hoot......I took one of my relics in for a ticket when the computer link was not long since in force at my mot station. It was actually a mint 45000 mile Bluebird! the mot took little time, it was so good to be honest and I was offered a cuppa! I expected to get the ticket whilst we chatted as usual but I got told they could not log off for a while yet because the previous week they received a call from the "big brother" saying they had not spent long enough doing the MOT on the car just done! so they have to spend the allotted time......all a farce, a genuine good car can with an experienced tester be done in a lesser time whereas a shed of a heap may need more time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddstanton Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 I had that on both sides of mine, and it iturned out to be a knackared airbag both times. To be honest, i think i left it too long to fix the first one and the extra strain wrecked the second. However, as it was only a small leak in the second, it depended on what angle you parked the car on as it if it went down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dooroy Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 When I changed one of the air springs ( other had been changed just before I got it ) I couldn't get the pipe out of the fitting on the old spring . So I removed the fitting from the old spring with pipe attached and fitted it to the new one . Reading a LR mag a few weeks ago I discovered the proper way to do it is to cut the pipe and then push the end of the pipe into the fitting on the new spring . What I did was a common mistake apparently and sometimes resulted in a leak as the fitting that comes already fitted to the new spring is pressure tested and should not be disturbed . I wonder could you run short of pipe if the bag has been changed a few times ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.