Hello,


I am new to this site and hopefully somebody may have some insight into this strange problem that I just started experiencing. The truck started leaning down on the front passenger side while going down road. No low tire pressure, or check suspension, warning. I figured that it was probably a suspension problem. I stopped to check and it turns out the tire was low because of a nail. It was late Saturday so the tire was not repaired and the truck was not lifted or jacked. I filled the tire up and drove about 50 miles no problem. On the return trip a few hours later, the front suspension lost all air on both sides while riding down the highway. I did the soap test and the 3 way air union (tee) near the compressor was leaking badly. I replaced the union and the truck rose up like it should. I started driving it and it slowly lost air in the front again. The brake pedal has also been kind of mushy. While I was trouble shooting, I sat in the car, closed the doors, and put the car in drive to let the suspension fill up, which it did. The compressor is working, the front end came up. To test the brakes, I let the brake slip for just a second and then jammed the pedal down. The car moved only about an inch forward but the whole front end immediately and completely lost air and sank back down to the frame. WTH??? Is the air ride in any way connected to the braking system? I would guess not, but it seems like a very strange coincidence. Thanks in advance for any advice that you can offer.

 

Moving the suspension around during hard braking may have opened a leak. (and it may close as well) That is the only connection I could think of as it happened in a Lincoln Mark VIII I have. The air bag leaked only in a certain position. Twisted O ring. Stretch an air line. Loose fitting ......

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

 

Thanks Action410. I think you are right. I think the weight transfer when braking is squeezing the air out of a leak. I think that I am going to convert the system. Now I just have to decide whether to go with the performance or standard conversion kit. I am looking at the Arnott systems. There are so many varying opinions on the different systems, it's hard to decide!

 

I like the air ride. My '06 has the stock system and when a bag finally does leak I will just replace the bag.

When the weather cools down a bit (like under 100) I will be replacing the shocks on my ride. I have all 4 however it is just too damn hot out. I have done my towing for the summer and I am just driving like a passenger car for now. So the bad shocks (OEM) are not as much of an issue.

>>>>>>>>>>>Action

 

I like the air ride too but with 154k on the original suspension I am leary of dumping $$ into it.

 

There are parts that wear out. With a 154,000 miles some of those parts are at the end of their life expectantcy.

Like my OEM shocks with 115,000 miles on them. They are past their service life. And they aren't cheap at close to a hundred a pop. However I only paid 10K for the truck that was close to 60k when new for some one else. (I thank them every week for ordering my truck!) And it is in very close to new condition now so I don't mind buying stuff to bring it back to new condition.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action