Damn the air bags

[Trippen Out]

So went for a nice little drive last night. on the way home maybe about a mile out. i start hearing a hiss. I notice the compressor kicking every couple minutes as well. I was like god damn it.

When i got home i turned off the air ride because i didnt want the pump going all night and what not. I first thought it was a rear air bag. Nope it was the drivers side. When i woke up this morning the it was slammed. I turned the air ride on and all it did was gush air. So we get the wheel off and have a look and at first it appears like one of the lines is broke. a little more feeling and the clip that holds the solenoid on was half unclipped.

Thinking score easy fix. Pulled the solenoid gave it a quick grease and while trying to put back in. the clip decides to fall in the little crack that goes no where. adfter 3 hours of trying like hell the clip is gone into the abyss.

so after giving up for the night. we take the air bag and have a look and notice this

what a good way to ruin a perfectly fine bag. No i dont think it goes all tehe way through and maybe some rtv could help it live a little longer. but my friend things it goes all the way through. so either way i think its time to bite the bullet. Most know i LOVE my air ride system. but as most know every 6 months ive got a new air ride f-my life thread. so maybe its time to coil it up.

any opinions on the cut in the bag ?


Also if i convert just the fronts. what needs to be done so the back still gets air but the compressor doesnt go nuts pumping for the fronts. thanks.

 

[chris2523]

its toast...

 

[UltimateSVT]

That used to be what my life was like. Col it up & that 4-6 month headache will be long gone. On my 3rd coiled Mark, No regrets! Why? MAINTENANCE FREE!!!

 

[Trippen Out]

Upon closer looking. it appears that it does go all the way throug. so i will be doing the conversion after all. this really pisses me off as i was getting ready to do the gears and a posi but now that will be pushed back.

im looking at 2 kits. one is the same that keviiin used. the tokico 1.25 inch lowering coil over kit. the total cost with getting the perches from dlf would run about 8-850 after everything is said and done.

or possible the the one from supercoupe which is a 1.5 which has everything needed execpt the rear shocks. which i just installed monroe sensa-tracs in them like 3 weeks ago if that. the cost for this kit would be be roughly 5-550 and it includes what looks like cheap ass perches.
http://www.supercoupeperformance.com/partBrowser.aspx?partId=869

i myself am leaning toward the first kit. and just doing the first half of the car as i cant really afford to shell out the 800 all at once. figured i could run on a half and half. and then come back in a couple weeks and finish it off the right way.



edit: nice a couple replies snuck in while i was posting
looking for some suggestions on the kits and possible alternatives. thanks.

 

[thaywood]

Same thing happened to my d/s Arnott last year. Thankfully, I got a new one under warranty before they quit carrying them. The replacement is doing fine so far. Sorry to hear you're going coil-over. That sucks. But that's the way it goes.

 

[kaha]

I will re-hash the obvious that I have learned at LVC in my time here concerning air-rides.

Arnott sucks.

Go OEM or go coils.

 

[Trippen Out]

yea i know. and these are just out of warranty too all well life goes on

 

[Right on the Mark]

I have an extra rear bag I can let you have for shipping.

 

[Trippen Out]

I have an extra rear bag I can let you have for shipping.

thanks but its not the rears. its the front drivers side.

 

[beerdog]

Arnotts suck.

 

[keVIIIn]

Sorry in my thread last week about converting to coils I didn't add the cost up right..I don't know how I forgot DLFs perches were $300 total..I was thinking of the individual cost for some reason..I bought the stuff several months ago so it kinda slipped my mind..but as for trying to save a little $$ if you do go this route you can buy cheaper front shock mounts..the kyb's probably weren't necessary, pep boys sold the house brand ones for half that..and as far as the prothane isolators are concerned..I'm not sure that they are totally necessary, DLFs perches alone will hold the spring in just fine..eitherway it would be better than American airs kit that comes with cheap ass steel plates with the corners bent over. You may be able to get away without the isolators..and if you're concerned about the spring rubbing on the plastic material you could probably put some kind of thin rubber in between..but don't quote me on this..ask DLFs opinion.

 

[Right on the Mark]

thanks but its not the rears. its the front drivers side.

Oh man bummer!

 

[DLF]

Sorry in my thread last week about converting to coils I didn't add the cost up right..I don't know how I forgot DLFs perches were $300 total..I was thinking of the individual cost for some reason..I bought the stuff several months ago so it kinda slipped my mind..but as for trying to save a little $$ if you do go this route you can buy cheaper front shock mounts..the kyb's probably weren't necessary, pep boys sold the house brand ones for half that..and as far as the prothane isolators are concerned..I'm not sure that they are totally necessary, DLFs perches alone will hold the spring in just fine..eitherway it would be better than American airs kit that comes with cheap ass steel plates with the corners bent over. You may be able to get away without the isolators..and if you're concerned about the spring rubbing on the plastic material you could probably put some kind of thin rubber in between..but don't quote me on this..ask DLFs opinion.

My perches are designed to use the Prothane isolators. A set of them is only $40, which is a very small part of the overall cost, and I would not recommend using my perches without them. The springs might slide around a bit and wear through the UHMW.

There are always less expensive ways to do just about anything. However, when I make a part, I choose to use the best materials and the best design that I can think of, regardless of the cost. Everything that I sell I originally made for myself, and then others asked if they could purchase them from me.

 

[NoLimit95]

Just spend $304 and worry about it 15 years from now. Get the other one ASAP and know you have two new real Motorcraft front air shocks.

[url]http://www.sarad.com/productinfo.aspx?p=135154[/URL]

 

[keVIIIn]

My perches are designed to use the Prothane isolators. A set of them is only $40, which is a very small part of the overall cost, and I would not recommend using my perches without them. The springs might slide around a bit and wear through the UHMW.

There are always less expensive ways to do just about anything. However, when I make a part, I choose to use the best materials and the best design that I can think of, regardless of the cost. Everything that I sell I originally made for myself, and then others asked if they could purchase them from me.

There ya go, listen to dlf..he knows his sh*t. I wanted to buy the best parts that were of quality for the swap so either spend the money on the front air struts or buy the kit with the right parts..just remember the approximate $800 is for a WHOLE kit with everything and not just two struts.

 

[Trippen Out]

There ya go, listen to dlf..he knows his sh*t. I wanted to buy the best parts that were of quality for the swap so either spend the money on the front air struts or buy the kit with the right parts..just remember the approximate $800 is for a WHOLE kit with everything and not just two struts.

Yea ive been speaking with DLF via message. He has been very informative.