SELF LEVELLING KAPUT AT REAR - ANY POINTERS ON REPLACING WITH 'NORMAL COILS SPRINGS?'
 

Hi all well, i have air suspension at rear alone and once side sagged a little while ago, but then rose as if my miracle, last week both sides sagged at rear but then raise up on turning key.

Today both sides are down accompanied by a hissing sound from the right hand side, safe to say they are kaput? is there some miracle tube that may have cracked that can be replace? or do they just go at the mileage I have 100k miles and neary 19 years with last 13 spent it a very hot place.

Is is 'ok' to replace them with could springs if needed? and what should the installer be aware of? ANY pointer much appreciated

PS if it has sagged by the same amount on both sides at rear both bags are buggered so to speak yes?

It's one of the more simple jobs to replace the air springs. It's 10x more difficult to convert to coil. Only reason to convert is if the control hardware is shot. Get two new branded springs from FCP euro in case they every fail lifetime warranty find a YouTube video how to install.

Hi andrewwynn alas as mentioned before am not stateside and in europe on a tiny island that inflates the price of EVERYTHING citing the fact that it costs 'us' more to get products here.

Ok so you believe it is a more simple job....?i will give mechanic(s) a ring and see what they say, in meantime the tires are nearly touching the upper rear arch, can i drive it this way?

You can drive but take it slow.

All the more bad idea to convert if parts are hard to get. Air springs are about the least expensive and lightest parts on e53.

The models on e53 are crazy reliable. I had to replace on e70 at 1/3 the odometer vs. e53. (but e70 even easier to repair)

Hmm thanks again calling round for parts (stealer of course not) i got 2 options arnott at about 200euros per side or Dunlop slightly cheaper...they told me to change the side that is leaking but al posts says change both sides anyway...is there any dily dallying with ride height etc after these are replaced or will it just rise to the level it is supposed to do so?

PS what are the posts i read about injecting airbag with some tire gunk stuff?

The height sensor is unrelated to three part but can be damaged any time the car is lifted though that is more common on the front axle.

In the rear, the arm to the height sensor will rust to self destruction if you live where things rust. It can be pulled apart and cleaned and lubricated and at the very least get some penetrating oil in the ball joints of the level sensor arm.

Okay good to know, hmm rust is not an issue here , pretty bone dry place, mechanic said we replace just the leaking one but I guess they go in pairs like the cv boots etc?

Where in Europe are you about? I’ve got a full set left over

More middle east but we pretend to be part of the EU, cyprus....

Oh crap yeah that’s an expensive one for shipping and such XD
I’m about to throw a full set away but not sure if it makes sense for you even if you got it for free…