Need some air suspension help, again.
 

Sup boyz, been a while. Life keeps one busy.

I have a new problem. My car was parked for a few days. I saw it every day, but did not drive it, or even open the doors.

I was working in the garage, and heard a crazy hiss. Like hsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss , and saw my rear end slam to the floor. I was like, WTF mate. Open the trunk, the compressor kicked in, and car normal. Like 30 min later, hsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss ssssssssssssssssssssssss, and it is on the floor again.

I said whatever. Probably just the spring is done, and needs a new one. I am at 90K now. But today, I get to the car, and both pass side springs are flat. The car looks funny as hell tilted like that.

I suspect something is making the pass side deflate on purpose, but stay normal when being used. Like a switch, or a sensor not functioning. Or maybe it is a leak, and somehow deflates the front too.

Scanned it with INPA, no error codes. Need some help understanding what to look for. maybe sensors, wires. Is it even that? Maybe the pump is too quiet and I don't hear it run, then car goes to sleep, and boom, slammed. Why does the front slam the next day? Is the car leveling itself and deflating the front? Thanks in advance.

Damn, I'm stumped since its flattening the front side as well.

How many friggin potholes you hit lately in Brooklyn to give these Arnotts a beating lol!

Man, it is funny you ask. A shit load. Winter tore up the belt like a mofo. The city is one continuous pothole. Right after winter, there was a section of belt, that felt I was driving through some suspension endurance testing track. I swear my car feels a bit loose after that.

Jesus mary and joseph, maybe you need to do a leak test. If its bags, thank god for Arnott's lifetime warranty.

Yup popped rear bag for sure. Just confirmed. Made a vid of it blowing bubbles.

Gonna call Arnott. Never did the rears before, ordering new. Gonna park and he beast for a week and use the 4 runner.

Anyone got a procedure for swapping out rear bags by any chance?

Also which fuse to pull? Pulled 87 and 79. Seems to have stopped pumping. So just checking.

Yeah 87 and 79 will keep the pump from coming on, I guess you don't need to disconnect the battery then. The rears are easy, just held in by a clip on bottom, and up top I think maybe 3 bolts once you remove those side panels hiding it. The air reservoir quick connects pop off, you loosen the banjo bolts up top and deflate the bags manually before disconnecting up top and unclipping from bottom. Then just reverse the removal.

After doing both, if you pop the fuses in, lower the vehicle to where the wheels touch, but not full weight as the bags will be deflated. If the fuses are in and you turn key to position 2, or even start the X, the compressor should start pumping them (you'll hear it if the music is off and the spare tire compartment is open). If the compressor doesn't kick on, you'll have to run a DIS function to pump the bags manually from Control Module Functions.

Ok slight update.

Pulling fuses 87 and 79 does not do shit as far as making the compressor stop pumping. Pulling all the relays in the trunk does nothing either. But, using the quick power disconnect that we all purchased a while back, makes everything stop working, good enough for me.

So took it all apart. It honestly took me longer to get the car up on jack stands than to take it all out. About 15 min a side really. Just keep in mind I do have a compressor and tools for it.

I reviewed this DIY by our fellow xoutposter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmQ8XqPy4B8

One thing I would say is that he sort of butchers the clips that hold the springs in the trunk. All you need to do is pull up the top tab, with a screwdriver, I used a clip remover, and it slides off.

I was traveling and forgot to order the new springs, so I should have them today, and hopefully it will all go back together like it should.

I've for bags - still on my spring chores list, LOL.

I've seen blurbs about this but I have not found a general definitive answer.
Does it need to be recalibrated afterwards or not ?

Short answer yes mine was off by half inch after initial inflate and drive. Easy breezy with inpa.

Grrr...Guess I'm going to have to schedule the bag swap when I have a reason to bring it to the shop.

I figuered I'd just swap the bags which I have on hand already, when I dive in the rear to swap batteries. Might as well order a replacement sensor since the shop will be doing some computer hookup.....I suspect I have a sensor that works well somedays and somedays not. Everything is all level, just get the SLS error on cold days

Stop by my place any evening and I will level them for you. I'm available after I put kids to bed, so around 10pm in BK. I'm in the city, or Passaic NJ almost daily, so maybe I can do this during work. And if you have SLS error, could be a lot of things, but I can read codes before you buy things.

Mine was leaking, so maybe that is why it was all crooked, but it adjusted just fine.

More notes on the subject.

I can now do a bag in 15 min lol. Why? Well because I noobed it a bit and forgot to remove the paper gasket from the pass side OE spring and transfer it to the Arnott one. Realized this as I pulled out the driver side, and said dagnamit, I just bolted the pass side wheel on.

Also everyone must make sure to use bubble water to check connections. Everything sounded well when the springs inflated. No leaks. But I decided to spray down the connections, and the screwed on one that you release pressure with, was blowing bubbles. Boy was I happy I checked.

I used my 12" offset needle nose pliers to remove the bottom clip on the spring. The one under the car. Just sit by the hub, reach in and grab with pliers. Then push to back of car. Takes zero effort this way.

When installing spring, do the top retaining clips first. Get it lined up, and jam something under the spring. I used same pliers. Took no effort to slide top retaining clips back in. Bottom clip is a bit tougher, but you pull spring down, presuming you have enough man sauce, you hold it down one hand, and use the other to insert clip. Wiggle it with the hand holding it down. The retaining clip goes in fairly easy.

Oh and I used the diff to jack up the car, and then on Jack stands. Just make sure you don't jack against the cover.

All in all. Took me around 2 hours total for the job. Plus some cleanup time, and height calibration.

^Nice to hear Slick so Arnott warrantied a new bag or bags for you?

New bags for rear. I did the fronts a while ago. I found the leak in the front, and it is that brass fitting. Arnott sent me a new pair free of charge. So that was nice of them. The rear is a bit stiffer now, but it could be in the head.

Bumpity bump. I think I'm got some time to deal with the bags this weekend.

So what's the consensus. Will the fuse stop the compressor or not ? I recall reading various threads and they all suggest the fuse does. Slicks post seems to be the opposite. It's not that much more to disconnect the battery since I will have the load floor open to release the air in the bags.

Hey Slick, you sure you aren't "rounding down" a bit on that time WAG?

I saw your 2012 post about doing all 8 spark plugs in a half hour. Lemme see, 3 min per plug, and 3 min for other stuff.

Cough, cough.....

I must be gettin' old and slow 'cause I prolly took 90 min to do mine.

Figured I'd give you a pass on that time guess, but 2 hours to fidget with replacing bags and ......

Hmmmmm. M:confused:

Not if you have dual axle EHCII air.

:iagree:

There's a 50 amp fuse n a connection block under a cover back there. It's not the same fuse block that's just inside the hatch in the passenger side body panel.

Bumpity Bump....
Did not complete as planned this weekend.

Taking the wheels off is something I hesitate always. Luckily these are the rears. There is only a hairs clearance on the fronts calipers/innerds with my setup. I never did like using those wheel hangers.

Anyhow, do you guys think I can wrap this up in about 2 hrs ?.....only obstacle I see is how hard or now getting the bottom clip. I'm thinking I may just wake up a bit earlier than normal to get it done..

Maybe longer on the plugs. But it was easy as hell. I don't know why I may have said that. Either way, the bags is fairly easy once you do it. The longest time for me was lifting the car by the pumpkin front, and getting shit out. Maybe a few bears were involved. But it is a really easy job.

Some notes.

Ok the bottom clip is easy to do. You will need long needle nose pliers.
I have ones like this.
http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Tool-L...le+nose+pliers

You sit by the wheel, as in facing the rotor. Reach under where the clip is, feed the pliers under the control arm, and grab the clip ring, now just push towards the diff. Hold on to the ring with pliers, and hand so it doesn't fly away.

Like i said the hardest was lining up a 1x6 wood plank over my jack, and lifting up by the front of the rear diff. Everything else went smooth as hell. Again, I have a huge arsenal of tools and air tools.

I ended up just disconnecting the battery with the disconnect.

Pull the plastic shit out of trunk. Pop the rubber covers for the bags. loosen air hose at the canister by the bags. Wait for air to come out.

Use same needle nose pliers to compress the air line connector to bag.

Pop 2 metal clips off for the bags on top. Wiggle bag out from under car.

When you assemble do not lower car all the way. Just get wheels and get it to a low position. Start car let it inflate. check with soap water on all connections you touched. Bubbles means you has a leak

To get bottom clip in, you will need to grab back and push down while wiggling it slightly. Use other hand, an get the clip in.

Thx Slick.
Did my earlier on this week.

Measured ride height, it was all good post.