Air Suspension Problems, what else is new?

[Lugi20]

I have all new airbags, front and back. Spider Xtreme and compressor from American Air, and when I crank the car up, the suspension doesn't get filled. I know the compressor is working, it works for a long time before I get the Air Suspension message on my screen, so I really don't know how to go about troubleshooting this.

Any advice from you all would be great, but I really started this thread to say if you have air suspension problems, EVER, dump the air suspension and go with coil overs. If you continue to repair your air suspension, you are Bill Gates or you are an idiot, like me.

 

[unity]

Dumping the air suspension is not the solution, and to think so shows you don't understand how it works or how to work on it.

First of all, American air does not sell new front bags, they are rebuilds. If you leaking air, which you would be if the compressor is running and nothing is going up, then you should have no problem hearing it. Locate the leak and fix it.

Common leaks are the lines, they have to be pushed in ALL the way. Most people push and they seem secure, but if you push harder they go in another quarter inch. Make sure they are in all the way.

Other place is the solenoids, there are rubber o-rings where they hook up to the bags. They can get damaged during install, or left out completely!

A pray bottle with water and dish soap will help you locate the leak.

And on a last not, coil conversion does not cost a whole lot more than a rebuild air suspension system like you have now. New can cost a lot more, but not what you have. You maybe spend an extra $200 over coil.

 

[mespock]

Eddie does sell new air bags - but they are the same ones that Strutmasters and Arnott sell. He specializes in refurbished OEM.

If you need help I'd call Eddie and have him talk you through the problem. He's a great guy and will help you on the spot.

Personally once the air ride starts to give you trouble I feel it better to go to a conversion kit. Although the air ride is nice and it is a trade mark of the Mark VIII, it cost way too much too keep it up.

 

[Lugi20]

Unity, Please don't assume things about me and my knowledge of these cars. I have troubleshot and repaired the air suspension before, I was just venting a little bit on this forum because mysery loves company, and you guys might understand what I'm going through.

I installed these components myself about a year ago, they lasted one winter but this one looks like its going to do the system in. The air ride feels nice but since I've owned the car for about 10 years not I'm pretty fed up with the fuss. I already called Eddie before I posted the first time here, his advice was alright but really didn't help me much. Next step I'm going to take is to get rid of the air ride and go with a lowered kit.

 

[unity]

My apologies Lugi20. I understand the need to vent, but typically when someone says things like you said, its coming out and coils are going in anyway!! Which you are gonna do

You also said new, they are a year old and now leaking? Is that correct. I thought this was a fresh install and you were having problems, my bad. Is the leak fast? Can you hear it? The strut can leak from the top of it too, opening the hood when checking might reveal that. Its not typical for a new system to go bad until they have aged.

Just to clarify, these were new and not rebuilds?

Playing the roll of "ass" I want to add that nothing beats new OEM, there seems to be no cheap way out of trouble free air-ride unless is all new Ford = $$$$ I too have had my fair share of problems, all my bags leak overnight (well all the ones on the driver's) making the car very low, I hate getting in and having to wait for it to pump up. But I have new oem struts ready to go in, just need to pick up some rears and a new compressor.

Good luck with the conversion, you may be able to sell the sir-ride parts and recoup a lot, if not all, of the conversion cost!

 

[American Air-1]

I already called Eddie before I posted the first time here, his advice was alright but really didn't help me much.

Wait a sec. You called me this morning kinda stressed out. You told me what was going on and that you has purchased a compressor, Spider & rear springs from me. From what you described, it sounded like a leak and/or a compressor problem. (usually when this happens, its a leak that pushes the compressor over the edge)

Anyway, I looked up your account and saw that you had not returned the compressor core....which is required to retain your warranty. (I had even let you slide on the $50 core charge) You said I didn't understand why you were calling and that you just didn't want to lose your job because you can't drive the car.
{shift gears to short term fix}
I said to use the Spider Extreme to force feed air into the system to be able to drive the car. I said "you can fill the system up and turn the switch off and unless you have a leak, you can drive the car for weeks this way." More than enough time to diagnose and problem and still keep your job.