Air Spring Exproded
 

I was installing new air springs. Simply wanted to refresh them.

It has been freezing 10F-15F out here in New Jersey and I work outside. I know I’m crazy. I want to finish the car with all the preventative maintenance because I’m moving.

When I installed the springs which is very straight forward. I lowered the car, compressor kicked in and POP, went one side and the car squatted. I lifted the car back up and one of the air bags cracked on the plastic part. (See pic)

I jacked her up again and placed the original ones on there just switched them L to R. One had already been replaced (Arnott brand) and the other one is BMW.
Lowered the car and as soon I get in to test drive POP goes the Arnott spring again!!!!

I jacked the car and removed the spring. Went home to brainstorm why the F is this happening. Only thing I can explain is 1. The replacement ones I bought off eBay and I suspect the quality wasn’t there but why would the Arnott one go after I returned it back?

Only reason I can think of is the fact that I left the spring outside in the freezing cold. That must have been the contributing factor since both the Arnott and the Cheap eBay managed to “crack under pressure”.

So I went to the junk yard and got myself original off a low mile X6. They look good with no cracks on the rubber.

I will try this on Wednesday when the temperature gets in the high 20s low 30s.

Any similar experience or a theory why the springs pop out her that the extreme cold storage.

Oh and PS. I’m keeping the used replacement OEM in my house so they are room temp when I instal them.

Any input is appreciated.
Regards
Mark

The plastic part where the air line attaches is very fragile to begin with, and the cold weather I'm sure is not helping things. I think you probably overtigntened that fitting, but it is possible just the cold made it so brittle that if could not withstand even the modest torque needed to attach the air lines. It takes VERY low torque.

Skyline

Do you really think the torque of the line has to do with the failure? There is not supposed be any air leak in that fitting. The failure of the spring was on the bottom of the cylinder. Thanks for the input! I will wait for the weather to warm up and make sure the springs are “room temp” lol.

Sorry, I guess I misunderstood your post. The pic you referred to was missing, so I thought you were referring to the air fitting breaking on the bag, (which is VERY fragile.)

Here I think the pic went through

no piques.

Thats very interesting....I have 2 Arnott Bags on my X5 that I replaced as well. I have noticed the X5 has been squatting down a little 1/4-1/2 inch in this arctic tundra....I hear the definite air leak on the drivers side.....Could this be a manufacturing defect?

No problems with my Arnott bags. They're just over a year old I believe.

I have had problems with plastic pieces in the cold before. Put a new rad on my E36 a couple winters ago and the brand new plastic lock down clips broke on install. Both of them. It was cold, but not this cold. Used duck tape until it was warm enough to install new ones :/