Replacing Rear Air Spring - Suspension Component X5 e70 - Page 9

rlteee · #81 01-15-2015, 04:12 PM

Just a quick update. I replaced the compressor and the car is back to normal again! My takeaway form all this is if your airbags go out. Dont drive it and fix it asap or you will have to replace both airbags and the compressor.

Total time to replace the compressor was 1hr. To think and indy dealer was charging me 1500 for parts and labor for the compressor. I only spent $595 for the compressor. I am going to have a beer now.!

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rlteee · #82 01-15-2015, 09:15 PM

New update: As i was driving down the street, i hear the left side pop and then the right. All of a sudden my rear began to sag. Apparently both airbags blew, I examined the arnott air bags and it cracked at the bottom round part of the airbag, where the plastic part clips back to the vehicle. One had a hairline crack and the other just straight broke.

I put the old ones back on and i found out that only one airbag was defective and the second had a very slow leak. The good thing is that the company i bought it from will be sending me new arnott air springs tomorrow.

Other than that, the car is fine and the old springs didnt blow up after i put them on. Is this going to happen again tomorrow after i install the new arnott springs?

X5ists · #83 01-15-2015, 10:42 PM

You must be an expert on removing and installing airbags, any tips on how to? I might need mine replace soon.

rlteee · #84 01-15-2015, 11:25 PM

I am no expert. I used the DIY that was provided in this thread and also this one: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...ement-diy.html

Also, i watched this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WXxrI5QFdk

I ordered my airbags from this place: Auto Parts, Buy Car Parts, Automotive Accessories - Buy Auto Parts

Just like they said, its on the same level as changing your oil. I raised the rear of my car and kept it up on jack stands the whole time. The hardest thing was getting the top part of the airbag in because you have to line up the grooves, put it in this hole and twist it. It was more annoying then difficult. After you have everything installed, remove the jack stands and slowly lower it back to the ground. I mean slow... I stop lowering it when the tires were barely touch the ground, but low enough for the compressor to kick in and inflate the bags. I waited until the bags were filled and then i slowly lowered the car.

If you're bags are starting to sag, I would replace them asap. Dont wait like me and have the compressor go out too. Just like everyone said, that compressor will give out trying to constantly pump the bags up.

Good luck!

mart_dev · #85 01-16-2015, 01:17 AM

Both air bags "popped"? It almost sounds as if they were inflated to the point where they were ripped off of the vehicle. I know you wouldn't have been able to hear if the compressor didn't shut off since it's impossible to hear from inside the cabin but before fitting the new springs and driving out the garage door just go over all the steps you've taken thus far. Can't explain how or why the compressor would not have shut off but going purely by your description of what you heard, that's what I would check for first.

rlteee · #86 01-16-2015, 01:45 AM

After I initially installed the air bags, I lowered the car and let it inflate on its own. After, I pulled it out of my garage and let it sit in the driveway running. After a few minutes, I checked the rears and they seemed perfect. I drove the street and then I heard two separate pops.

After the bags popped, I reinstalled the old bags, but this time I lowered the car real slow and lowered just enough to where the tires were touching the ground. I then let airbags inflate before I completely took it off the jack.

Could it be that on my first attempt I lowered the bags too fast and the impact messed something up? Is it bad to let the airbags inflate from the ground up? Or were the bags just defective? If it did over inflate, wouldn't it done that to the old airbags i reinstalled. Man, I'm going to be very cautious tomorrow. I don't think they will send me a 3rd pair of airbags for free if I mess it up.

mart_dev · #87 01-16-2015, 04:28 AM

Generally you should never lower the full weight of the vehicle onto deflated air bags...but having said that, if an air bag develops a leak and you open up your garage in the morning to find it sitting flat on its arse you're not exactly gonna reach for the jack now are you? For whatever reason, both bags tore out of their mounting holes or the plastic anchors were destroyed from what I understood by your last message. Best I can suggest is to lower slowly while allowing to inflate. Once inflated and fully lowered, measure ground to wheel arch or hub to wheel arch, I can't remember which is described in the manual, and check it matches the height in the owner manual. One more thing, I also battled to locate the anchors when fitting the bags but have since read that some guys have lifted the matting in the rear so they can get eyes on it. Not sure if that is for E53 only or if possible with E70. Could be they never seated correctly last time you fitted and that had something to do with the failure? Just throwing random thought at you since more info is better than less I think.
As always, best of luck. I think you'll be fine this time round.

rlteee · #88 01-16-2015, 06:21 PM

Okay, so i installed the replacement airbags today with no problems. This time they sent me the oem airbags and not the arnotts. This time i made sure everything was secured in real good with the springs and i took my time lowering the car until the bags filled. The only hick up i had was that i didnt tighten the valves to the compressor so air was leaking for a little, but i fixed that. I drove it around for a while on the freeway and its good. One thing i did notice was that the oem replacements fit a lot better at the bottom of the airbag. They clicked in when i pushed them down and they were stuck in there real good. It wasnt moving at all. Unlike the arnott airbags, They didnt click in and I had to go underneath and push the clips out so it could lock better. Even after i did that the arnotts seemed a little loose at the bottom. Either way, Its been solved. My next duty will be changing the brakes, but ill wait a month or so...Thanks again for everyones feedback....

rlteee · #89 01-17-2015, 05:29 PM

Today my battery warning came on the display while i was parked with the engine on, but listening to the radio. I nnixed the battery warning came on yesterday after I connected the positive battery back after I replaced the air spring compressor. Is the battery warning tied to me replacing the compressor? Maybe I didn't connect the battery tight enough?

rlteee · #90 02-21-2015, 09:27 PM

So today I was just leaning on the passenger door and then I hear a loud pssssss and both rears dropped. The car was just parked on in my driveway and was not on. My driveway is slightly angled. The new compressor was pumping but wasnt lifting the rear. I could hear a hsssng noise coming from the drivers rear while the compressor was trying to pump it back up couldnt really hear anything from the passenger rear .Could both of my airbags have popped?I just replaced them a month ago and it was fine. It's never ending...

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