Air Ride Suspension
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,465
Likes: 725
From: Calgary Canada
With 120 responses, even if the OP is long gone, there are plenty of people who are interested in this topic who are still around. Also, if a new thread is started, then you have to re-post any helpful info from the original thread, or it'll get missed out on by the new poster.
Old threads rule!
Old threads rule!
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,584
Likes: 3
From: Chesapeake, Va.
Threads this long and old should be archived under a descriptive term so everyone can find it. There should also be an age limit on any thread of say, 6 months and then archive it. Some threads are so old that the main subject gets skewed into another topic and to figure out what is being said and it's relationship with the rest of the thread you have to read through the whole thing.
Administrators, are you listening?
Administrators, are you listening?
New User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
So I've been reading through this thread for a couple of hours. My '99 EB's rear suspension is shot! Went out of town, left it parked in the driveway...sitting on the wheels when I returned. Figured out the pump was shot...it actually came on...sputtered for a few seconds and died... We replaced it with a new one from Arnott, Inc. Jumped directly from the battery to test the new one and the old one. New one works, old one is shot (confirmed). Plugged it back up...nothing. Disconnected the battery for 5-10 minutes, reconnected it...nothing. Any helpful hints out there. I'm sure this has been addressed in this post somewhere...I'm just missing it. HELP....MY BACK IS KILLING ME NOW...AND I THINK I MIGHT HAVE WHIPLASH!
New User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
air ride suspension help please
I have a 1999 Ford Expedition with 4 wheel air ride suspension and the rear suspension is completely flat and I have taken it to two garages and paid the $70.00 each to tell me what was wrong and so it appears they just want to throw parts at it because I replaced the compressor and drier per first garage then the rear flow sensor per the second place. so front air shocks are a year old and rear air bags are a few years old per previous owner so all that is left to replace is two more flow sensors, air lines and the relay. I am seeing things in this thread about a relay and a air suspension electrical variable orifice (evo) out of range where are these located and are there ways to test them.
rear ride height sensor is attached and when I move it the compressor does kick on.
I do know all about how you can replace the air ride with struts so please don't post letting me know about this option I am going to beat this thing and then when I go to the garages to get my money back I can tell them what was wrong since they couldn't figure it out.
rear ride height sensor is attached and when I move it the compressor does kick on.
I do know all about how you can replace the air ride with struts so please don't post letting me know about this option I am going to beat this thing and then when I go to the garages to get my money back I can tell them what was wrong since they couldn't figure it out.
New User
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Need Shocks, How do I know if I have an Air Ride Suspension
I currently have an 1998 Expedition XLT 4x4... I was wondering if anyone knew what I should look for to identify if I had an Air Ride Suspension... I am not sure if I do now after replacing the tires and looking at it. Is there any tell tale parts that would say absolutely for sure if I had one?
I originally thought I might have had one because I saw a large canister (looked like an air tank) in the back corner of the my Expedition, behind the rear tires. I thought this might be a tank for the air-ride but when I went and had the brakes and tires replaced I did not see any air-bags in the back and the shocks in the front looked like regular shocks.
A friend of mine said the tank in the back might be for the A/C because of the rear climate controls... I am at a loss as to what I need to purchase to fix my suspension. Any help would be appreciated
I originally thought I might have had one because I saw a large canister (looked like an air tank) in the back corner of the my Expedition, behind the rear tires. I thought this might be a tank for the air-ride but when I went and had the brakes and tires replaced I did not see any air-bags in the back and the shocks in the front looked like regular shocks.
A friend of mine said the tank in the back might be for the A/C because of the rear climate controls... I am at a loss as to what I need to purchase to fix my suspension. Any help would be appreciated
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,740
Likes: 37
From: Central NYS
Bingo! No LLS (Load Leveling System).
New User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
2008 expedition
Hi Guys!
Being a self proclaimed Air Bag Specialists (due to lifting my truck and taking apart the air bag assembly), the airbags can be adjusted easily by crawling underneath the back of the truck. The sensor is connected to the middle of the track bar (not the rear diff as was noted earlier). The senser is vertical and connects to the undercarriage. By taking two 14mm wrenches (I think it is a 14) you can adjust the sensor on the track bar all the way to the top and 'trick' the truck into thinking it is loaded, therefore inflating itself to a higher level. Do not worry about over inflating the airbags because the adjustment range is not large enough to put the airbags in any kind of danger. E-mail me and I will send you the appropriate pictures if you are curious. If the height that you are looking for is not acheived by this then let me know, as I have an Extra Fabtech rear lift for the Air bags that will give it the height you will desire. I know the forum is not for selling but I am just trying to help you out.
BTW. The only way to reset the compressor is to disconnect the battery for 6-7 minutes.
Being a self proclaimed Air Bag Specialists (due to lifting my truck and taking apart the air bag assembly), the airbags can be adjusted easily by crawling underneath the back of the truck. The sensor is connected to the middle of the track bar (not the rear diff as was noted earlier). The senser is vertical and connects to the undercarriage. By taking two 14mm wrenches (I think it is a 14) you can adjust the sensor on the track bar all the way to the top and 'trick' the truck into thinking it is loaded, therefore inflating itself to a higher level. Do not worry about over inflating the airbags because the adjustment range is not large enough to put the airbags in any kind of danger. E-mail me and I will send you the appropriate pictures if you are curious. If the height that you are looking for is not acheived by this then let me know, as I have an Extra Fabtech rear lift for the Air bags that will give it the height you will desire. I know the forum is not for selling but I am just trying to help you out.
BTW. The only way to reset the compressor is to disconnect the battery for 6-7 minutes.
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New User
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Crystal Lake, IL
New User
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Crystal Lake, IL
This thread is still newer than my truck...!
My truck is 17 years old. Old does not mean useless. If you don't like old threads, my thought is, don't read them.
New User
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Can I have some help please?
I have a 2005 Lincoln Navigator. I feel I have a sensor or control module problem with my air suspension. Every time you turn it off it lets air out of the front - and it is supposed to - but it lets way too much out I feel in the front. The wheels typically touch the wheel well. So after you turn on the vehicle the pump has to work extra hard to fill the bags with air. I also feel it takes its time to work its way to having the front height at the proper level.
There is no leak and the pump works fine. You can hear the solenoids clicking when the valves are opened and closed and both left and right work in usison. There never seems to be a problem in the rear suspension.
Is this a sensor problem? The front is always level so I doubt both sensors are gone in the same manner. Is this a control module problem? Does the system simply need calibration? Is only a dealer equipped to calibrate?
Thanks.
Cary
I have a 2005 Lincoln Navigator. I feel I have a sensor or control module problem with my air suspension. Every time you turn it off it lets air out of the front - and it is supposed to - but it lets way too much out I feel in the front. The wheels typically touch the wheel well. So after you turn on the vehicle the pump has to work extra hard to fill the bags with air. I also feel it takes its time to work its way to having the front height at the proper level.
There is no leak and the pump works fine. You can hear the solenoids clicking when the valves are opened and closed and both left and right work in usison. There never seems to be a problem in the rear suspension.
Is this a sensor problem? The front is always level so I doubt both sensors are gone in the same manner. Is this a control module problem? Does the system simply need calibration? Is only a dealer equipped to calibrate?
Thanks.
Cary
Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 24,318
Likes: 5,128
From: 0,0,1
Take a measurement from a point on the front of the truck to the ground, both with it deflated and again after it's pumped all the way up. What are the two measurements?
New User
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
This problem seems intermittent. When the suspension fails it will let air out to the point that the fender to ground height goes down to 31 inches on the driver's sider and 30.5 on the passenger.
Seriously, when the system fails, as an example, I can sit at a red light and the system lets the air out - while the pump is running and then pump it all back up again. Tonight I got into the vehicle and it was working fine and the heights were good. Once I began driving it let all the air out to the very low values I quoted above driving flat on no suspension and the wheels rubbing the wheel well. - Yet an hour earlier it was working as designed.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 24,318
Likes: 5,128
From: 0,0,1
As to the dropping down to the frame, based on your last description it sounds like the air release solenoid is intermittently leaking.