Hi there,

Driving to shop the other day when yellow "Suspension fault" light came on. Then when coming home from shop red warning came on "suspension fault, max speed 30mph". I drove home very carefully ride was very hard. When back on drive restarted engine, suspension went back up again, left it for a couple of days.

Plugged in a code reader I have, no fault codes recorded. Checked round motor still parked level. Started engine took longer than usual to raise to off road position. Stopped engine checked round, could hear hissing from OSF air spring, looks like I have found a leak.

Just a few questions.
Is replacing the air spring an easy DIY job, as I do have some mechanical skills.

Once it is replaced I assume everything should work ok again.

Can any of you recommend a supplier for a decent price.

Any help would be appreciated, as I have not been an owner for long.

Unless you have a workshop I would suggest replacing the entire strut.

I tried bags only and even with a workshop it was 'tricky'

Much easier to do a strut replacement -- I used Island4x4 for all parts, bags and struts.

Also it's suggested to replace in pairs Current: 2011 FFRR Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8
Previous: -
2004 FFRR Vogue 4.4 V8 with LPG
1997 P38 4.0 SE with LPG
1997 P38 4.6 Vogue with LPG

The strut bottom bolts can be very tight, you need a decent breaker bar to crack them off..

Download the workshop manual from the Wiki it tells you what to do...

I’d also change the whole strut and in pairs...

Try Rock Auto as well, sometimes it’s cheaper to import from the US than buy here...! Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

I had exactly the same earlier this year on my 2011 5.0 S/C - the 9-10 year mark seems to be the life of the front bags...

I too asked the same question, and had feedback both ways, but more people seemed to think that replacing the entire strut was far more reliable, so given this is my main car, that's what I went with: https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic54196.html .

Do make sure you get the correct (i.e. expensive) ones though - being a 2011 you have the CVD dampers, which sadly = more £££.

You will need a couple of the sensor clips as well detailed towards the end of the above thread if you are placing an order, as if you try to remove the ones out of the existing struts they will likely snap. Personally I bought new lower knuckle bolts and nuts as well, which given the cost of the dampers made a negligible difference, as similarly to Haylands above, several people warned me they might be completely stuck and need cutting off. In my case thankfully, my biggest breaker bar did the trick easily, and they loosened and came out, no bashing or cutting needed. But as I don't want to touch them for another 10 years now, was happy with the extra £20 or so on new nuts and bolts.

Not a hard job at all if you have a flat, level surface to work on, and a couple of jacks. I think it helps to have an assistant as well when it comes to removing/installing the struts, to help hold things while you deal with the delicate airline connection.

With some trepidation I did mine, if you know how to drive a spanner it's not a hard job. Get some plusgas and soak the relevant nuts and bolts for a couple days prior to starting the job. I bought a gallon of the stuff and a hand spray, gave the area a soaking for a couple of mornings.
I purchased the bags from Island 4x4 and made a start on the offside, it took just under 2 hours to have that one done and reassembled. Changing the bag is easy and doesn't need a workshop, I did mine on my drive.
The nearside I had finished in under 1 hour, everything worked OK but I later discovered I needed to change the air compressor too, I'd cooked it returning from Ireland with a leaking airbag.

Island 4 x 4 - YES
Swap the bags only - YES BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

AJ, I wouldn't overly disagree, apart from both my bags were rusted to the top of the shaft -- now it may have been with soaking, as you say, that they would have eased off better -- if it weren't for that and then the re-seating of the bottom of the bag (which is very easy with a compressed air line) then I would suggest it could be done on a drive!

AJ did you have trouble with the top of your old bags? Current: 2011 FFRR Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8
Previous: -
2004 FFRR Vogue 4.4 V8 with LPG
1997 P38 4.0 SE with LPG
1997 P38 4.6 Vogue with LPG