Servicing Airsprings

[Houm_WA]

I'm convinced that one (or both) of my airsprings are dirty and that is causing a squeaky noise when I go over bumps (both big and small). Even when I lower the suspension (or it self-levels) I can hear this squeaking sound. Anyone have or know of a good way to clean these springs? Maybe with a compressed air canister or something? I believe there is dirt between the air sleeve and the aluminum housing.

Is there any other servicing that can be done with these?

Thanks.

 

[Team Jeff]

Not sure what the best way to clean the air bags are, but have you checked the sway bar bushings as a suspect for the creaking? I greased the front bushings & successfully cured the noise I had months ago. Now the rear has started to make a bit of noise & the first place I'll look is the sway bar.

 

[Houm_WA]

Yeah I hit all the front bushings (except for the rearward bushes on the upper control arm) with lithium grease last weekend. I watched the LR3 self-level this morning after I got out of it. As it lowered and I was listening to the noise it really sounded like it was coming directly from the airsprings.

 

[Team Jeff]

I'm interested to hear how you solve the issue. Can you expose the bag enough to clean it by jacking at the frame & letting the suspension hang? I looked back at some photos of mine on a lift & it looks like the bag is exposed enough to get in there.

 

[Houm_WA]

That is my plan for the weekend. Whether I clean that sucker with a toothbrush or compressed air is yet to be determined. Maybe a combo of both.

 

[ryan-in-oregon]

The only way you will effectivily clean the air bladder is to completely deflate it otherwise you can only get at about 10% of it!!! When you greased the swaybar bushes did you remove them and grease inside the center portion or did you just spray as much as you could from the outside?? On these I find you really need to remove the clamp. As far as the airsprings go I have one sitting on my garage floor your welcome to look at!!! You could spray a little grease on them deflated too although that might attract more dust/dirt!!

 

[Trynian]

Did you inject some real grease in the swaybar bushing yet? Not spray stuff it can not get in deep enough. The sway bar will move in its bushing when the car lowers or raises and it will squeak if dry.

 

[Houm_WA]

@Trynian, I tried the spray stuff on all the bushings and didn't inject into the swaybar bushings. When I looked at my "injection options" the only thing close to what you described looked literally like a needle. If that is what you mean, won't that puncture the rubber bushings? I know that only the rear lower control arm bush is the hydro kind so the swaybar bush won't ooze out any oil or anything if punctured....but it sort of makes me wary.

The other thing is that just looking at the rig while the sound was happening convinced me that it's the airsprings. It helped to be outside of it and just watching it while it was groaning (as opposed to being inside the rig).

The plot thickens: Now I'm hearing an occasional dull thud from that same area. The sound is just like the one that corresponds to the rear swaybar bushing(s) being shot, but from the front now. ...but I'm not sure if it's that or the little nutplate thing that goes behind the cross-member when bolting the Rasta skid plate at that location. I say this because that particular nut plate is loose and can rattle sometimes. I'd tighten it but the damn bolt (Allen head) is stripped out! Not a trivial enough solution for a weeknight quick repair.

So...I'm just going to sit on it for now until I can really figure out the problem. If it's the bushing, time will tell and when they go I'm going to probably switch to Polybushes anyway...so I don't care much.

@Ryan: thanks for the offer. I'm not sure when I'll be in Oregon next; probably not until football season, so it would be too late by then. Honestly, getting to 10% of the air sleeve might be enough, and if the compressed air cannister is <$10 that's not such a bad gamble.

 

[Trynian]

@Trynian, I tried the spray stuff on all the bushings and didn't inject into the swaybar bushings. When I looked at my "injection options" the only thing close to what you described looked literally like a needle. If that is what you mean, won't that puncture the rubber bushings? I know that only the rear lower control arm bush is the hydro kind so the swaybar bush won't ooze out any oil or anything if punctured....but it sort of makes me wary.

yes it is a needle looking thing. The swaybar bushings are just rubber nothing nothing that you can damage or that would cause any problem even if you did stick the bushing a little. just slip the needle between the bar and the rubber as far as you can and pump some grease in.

Raise the vehicle up first so that when you lower it will spread the grease.