The client had a problem - the air bags of the middle axle were constantly being lowered. The driver found an interesting solution ... He fed the air suspension of the middle axle from the air springs of the rear axle cross to cross.The problem was solved for a while, but ...
Recently, an Isuzu Giga truck arrived at our Pervy car service. The cab airbags did not work on the tractor.
Isuzu Giga. Car service "First" Vladivostok. Truck repair seven days a week.
Our auto electrician examined the cab carefully, then made diagnostics of the Isuzu Giga truck electrician.
Isuzu Giga cabin air springs. Car service "First" Vladivostok.
It turned out that the pillows were not inflated with air. constantly play off
Japanese truck air suspension not working? Are the sensors and computer burned out?
Usually there are no such spare parts in car dealerships. Must be ordered from Japan. A set of spare parts for a truck's air suspension costs from 25 to 120 thousand rubles.
Plus, you will need to wait for the delivery of spare parts from Japan from two to four weeks ... 🙁
VIDEO
Really, there are no other options?
Yes, you can save time and money. For instance,
Refrigerated van 2005 Isuzu Forward. It has a rear axle air suspension, i.e. on the rear axle, instead of springs, air bags are installed.
Isuzu Forward Air suspension repair Car service "First" Vladivostok
On the Vladivostok - Khabarovsk highway, a tube supplying air from the compressor to the air bags came off ...
One pillow immediately lowered, a little later, and the second also lowered due to a strong air leak. To Vladivostok to go more than 700 km. How to be?
Thought, thought the driver. There is nothing to do, you have to go ... 🙁
The loaded truck Isuzu Forward had to continue to run. True, not on air cushions, but on their aluminum cups. So a refrigerator with a deflated air suspension drove from Khabarovsk to Vladivostok (more than 700 km) ...
He arrived, unloaded, and then went straight to our car service "First" to repair the air suspension.
We removed the air bags in half a day. It turned out that the air bags needed to be replaced. They chewed hard.
Isuzu Forward Repair of pneumatic cushions Car service "First" Vladivostok
But the cups of the pillows are also badly damaged. There are no new or contract pillows in auto dealerships and auto dismantling sites. It is possible to order from Japan, but it will need to wait 2-3 weeks.
A refrigerator Isuzu Forward should work, earn money, and not stand and wait for spare parts!
We thought, consulted and decided to restore the cups. First they welded on, then grinded. Then they welded on and grinded again. Etc…
- Hello. We have a one-legged Isuzu Giga tractor with air suspension. So, the pillows are not lowered, which are instead of springs.
- It's clear. Pull up, we'll figure it out!
Isuzu Giga truck repair seven days a week Car service "First" Vladivostok
We didn’t figure it out right away with the air travel cushions ... We suffered, thought, tested, but coped.
The Isuzu Giga has a series of solenoids in the back that control the inflation and deflation of the cushions under different conditions.
Diagnostics of solenoids Isuzu Giga Auto electrician 12 - 24V Car service First Vladivostok
So, one of them, simply, got clogged with mud and soured. It was not possible to repair it
Paying tribute to fashion, air suspension is becoming one of the attributes of the car. The direction of stance is becoming more and more developed, in which, not having an air suspension, but letting you use a helical suspension, using a car in everyday mode becomes more difficult and uncomfortable.
Air suspension is installed not only by connoisseurs of new tuning directions, it can also be very useful in the everyday life of an ordinary average driver.
Let's take a look at the main ones. pros air suspension:
The ability to adjust the ground clearance (you can improve the permeability of your car despite its lower class)
Controllability and roll (it is worth noting that despite the smoothness of the ride, unlike springs, you can change the behavior of your car in a matter of seconds by regulating the pressure)
Drawdown when loaded (you can adjust the height of the car regardless of its load)
The pluses include many more factors that satisfy the needs of the car owner.
To the main cons can be attributed:
The cost of the initial installation (since your car was not previously equipped with this function, you will need to spend on the purchase of all units)
The service life of the air suspension due to external factors (frost, reagents, etc.) is significantly less than that of the springs.
Basic types air suspension:
Dual-circuit - the ability to separately adjust the height of the front and rear of the car.
Four-circuit - control of each airbag separately, while they are connected to each other through an electronic controller for dynamic and static control (which is a more expensive option).
As for the airbags, they also exist. several types :
A more expensive option is bagel type pillows as they are the most resistant to loads and provide better handling (suspension travel is stiffer) The most common ones consist of two and three links. The three links have a correspondingly longer stroke, which will allow the vehicle to be lifted higher.
The "sleeve" type is the cheapest option, the suspension travel is softer, less resistant to loads and the environment.
Air bags (bagels or sleeves)
Receiver (optimal is 12 liters)
Compressor (based on many reviews, the Berkut r20 model is considered optimal today)
Remote Control - a device with which you can raise and lower the vehicle's ground clearance, in other words, this is a head unit that is responsible for the functions of distributing signals to the valves. Today, there are many choices of ready-made consoles for both two and four-circuit suspension, with various functions from the simplest to the more complex wireless
Valve block - is responsible for the supply and release of pressure in the system. You can make it yourself or buy a ready-made kit.
Pressure gauges - are necessary to regulate the pressure in the system. There are one-arrow and two-arrow ones, there are also electronic ones.
Dehumidifier - is necessary so that additional moisture in the system is not collected.
Pressure switch
Connectors and fittings
Check valve
Connecting tubes +Reinforced hose (for compressor) - there are 6, 8 and 10 mm. The larger the tube diameter, the faster the inflation of the pillows is. The optimal tube is 0.8mm.
Before making pneumatic struts, it is necessary to decide on the choice of pillows based on the weight of the vehicle and the diameter of the springs.
It is also necessary take into account the location of the spring (separate from the shock absorber, or the shock absorber in the springs).
For passenger car The most common and universal are Rubena airbags 114x2, 114x3, 130x2 and 130x3.
For heavier vehicles, the Dunlop 152x2, 152x3 and Rubena 170x2, 170x3 models are suitable.
For the manufacture of pneumatic struts, we need turned flanges and braces, for fastening the pneumatic cushion.
Welding flange (for strut, shock absorber).
On sale on the sites there are ready-made flanges for the diameter of the air bag, as well as ready-made semi-sets. Flanges for the diameter of your pillow and stand can be ordered from the dealer.
The bracket can be of a deaf type (photo # 1) (if the shock absorber is located separately from the air cushion), or with a hole in the center (photo # 2) for the shock absorber shank (if the shock absorber is inside the cushion).
photo # 1
photo # 2
A platform for the spring is cut off from the rack and a flange is welded on for fastening the pillow.
A brace is put on the pillow. And it is tightened to the welded flange on the rack using bolts. From the top to the pillow, a bracket is also put on and bolted to the flange, from the top, a rubber seal is put on the stem. Ready air suspension.
If the rear shock absorbers are fitted with springs, the manufacturing process is the same.
If the rear shock absorber is separate from the spring, the manufacturing process becomes easier. You won't have to weld anything.
Ready-made rear airbag (provided the shock absorber is located separately).
Once the air struts have been manufactured, they must be checked for air leaks prior to installation. After checking, it remains to remove the old suspension and install a new one, stretch the hoses, wires, and connect to the control unit.
Installing an air suspension in specialized centers will not cost you a small amount of money, ready-made pneumatic kits or accessories, and installing it yourself will save you at least half of your budget.
VIDEO
Replacing the air bag with a Mercedes is best done in a car service. But if you still decide to do it yourself, keep in mind, that difficulties may arise due to the difficult accessibility to this part of the car .
The first thing to do is to loosen the bottom brackets and clean them of debris.
Next, you need to release air and zero the pressure.
The easiest way will be to unscrew the cylinder without an additional receiver, otherwise you will additionally have to remove the subframe.
Place the airbag in an upright position and lubricate with silicone solution.
Fix it with two clamps and a special bolt at the bottom.
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When replacing the air bags with a Mazda, it will still be necessary to remove the subframe, otherwise it will be impossible to get close to them.
The fasteners are loosened at the top and bottom.
Release the pressure to zero.
Remove the old air bag and replace with the new one.
Fix the airbag in a vertical position with the fixing bolt.
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Air bags on the Gazelle are not located separately under each wheel, but are connected by an iron crossbar in two. They are attached to the front and rear wheels. This greatly simplifies the process of replacing them. Just loosen the mounting screws and remove the bar. Unscrew the pillow from it and replace it with a new one.
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When replacing the air bag, the first step is to turn off the air supply. Do not forget that the left and right are usually different from each other and are marked in different colors.
Raise the bearing with a jack. This makes it easier to reach the airbag. Unscrew the sealing screw.
After relieving the pressure, carefully pull it out and put a new one in its place.
Secure the air bag with the screw. Make sure it fits snugly.
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When replacing the air bag with a Ford, you may need to remove the muffler. In some models, it is located so that it interferes with replacing the air bag.
Jack up the vehicle. The cushions are detached by unscrewing the special screw and removing the connecting pipes.
The pillow can be removed easily enough. In this case, do not forget to wipe the connecting parts, otherwise the structure will subsequently be leaking.
Install a new cushion and secure with the appropriate parts.
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Replacing the air bag on a Volvo is similar to the same procedure on a Mercedes.
Loosen the bottom fasteners and clean them of debris.
Then release the air and zero the pressure.
Unscrew the cylinder without an additional receiver, otherwise the subframe will have to be removed additionally.
Place the airbag in an upright position and lubricate the fasteners with silicone solution.
Secure it with two clamps and a special bolt at the bottom.
VIDEO
Not all vehicles are equipped with air springs as standard. They can be installed independently, if the design allows. The process of their replacement and installation depends on the make and model of the car. The main thing is to make sure that the structure is airtight and fits snugly in its proper place. To do this, pay special attention to the fittings with which the air bag will be attached.
It is possible to install an airbag not separately under each wheel, but attach it two at a time to the base, which will be attached either in the area of the front wheels or the rear ones. This can simplify the process of replacing them in the future, since unscrewing the base itself will be easier than pulling out the pillow separately. But again, it all depends on the design features of the car. This installation method is not advisable on all brands.
The same attention should be paid to the lubrication of the parts. In order to prevent the parts from rusting ahead of time, in some cases it will be correct to apply silicone grease. This will avoid early corrosion. You only need to fasten screws and other similar elements with keys; you cannot tighten them tightly by hand.
Calculation of the load on the air bag allows you to determine the correct size before purchasing. It is quite easy to find the required value: the maximum vehicle weight indicated in the Title must be divided by 4 and added about 25%. We warn you right away that these results will be approximate, as the documentary and actual weight of the machine may differ. However, such a calculation will allow you to at least roughly navigate what kind of airbag you need to purchase.
If you decide to save money on buying an air bag in a store or simply don’t trust the manufacturing firms, you can do it yourself. In this case, focus on purchasing parts, the quality of which needs to be given special attention.
For the manufacture of air bags you will need:
pressure gauge (for pressure control);
pneumatic valve (for air circulation);
air line (for connecting pillows to each other);
pressure sensor (installed on the line and regulates pressure).
Video (click to play).
As a rule, the air bags are located in place of the old shock absorbers. To do this, you will first need to dismantle them and only then install the structure. Before direct installation, it is necessary to prepare the fastening structures. Next, connect the air bags with a line to each other and proceed with the installation of the pressure gauge and sensor. If desired, you can install a sensor sensor in the car interior to monitor the process without leaving the car.