Peculiarities of air suspension design and repair
Air suspension – is a type of suspension that allows the driver to adjust the ground clearance independently. Some cars come factory fitted, some are self-installed.
Pneumatic suspension – it is a type of suspension that allows the driver to adjust the ground clearance independently.
Today it has become fashionable and justified to install pneumatics even on minibuses. It means the driver doesn't have to worry about overloading, even with a load equal to the maximum payload, and concentrates solely on driving the vehicle.
Some people are simply tuning their cars with comfortable and up-to-date pneumatics.
Causes and Characteristics of Air Suspension Failure
Repair of pneumatics – is the restoration of its performance against the background of the maximum possible approximation of the current characteristics to the original factory parameters.
This procedure affects the condition of the chassis system as a whole and may be required due to:
- broken or short-circuited wiring due to normal wear of the insulation layer;
- air leakage (depressurisation);
- failure of valves, pneumatic compressor or body height sensor;
- knocking of the shock absorber hydraulics;
- other mechanical faults.
These repairs may include repairing:
- pneumatic cylinders;
- pneumatic struts;
- compressors;
- suspension control units;
- valve systems;
- electrical wiring;
- height sensors and other elements thereof.
Pneumatic cylinders are the fastest to wear out their service life. They are subjected to the pressure of compressed air from the inside and the impact of the weight of car parts, outside. In some cases they can be repaired, in others only replacement will save them.
Balloon is a constituent element of the air strut. Thanks to them, the car is able to accept and maintain the required level of landing in relation to the relief of the roadway. Over time, these components are subject to fatigue wear and need to be repaired or replaced.
Balloon is a component of the air strut.
If you ignore the failure of pneumatic struts and continue to drive such a car, the most expensive mechanism of pneumatics – pneumocompressor will fail next. This type of repair is the most rare, as it is caused by delaying the repair of other elements of the pneumatic element. It consists of a metal cylinder and a piston that moves inside it. The safety ring, designed to protect the rubbing surfaces from overheating, wears out over time. This contributes to frequent overheating and compressor failure.
The same thing happens when a cylinder is depressurised. If there is an air leak, the pressure in the cylinder drops faster than in a serviceable cylinder, so the compressor starts up more often than usual and the safety ring wears out quite quickly.
Safety ring wears out quickly.
Where to perform?
It is important that repairs are carried out by a specialised, reliable workshop, otherwise there is a risk of:
Repairs should be carried out in a specialised, reliable workshop.
- buy and install defective parts or low quality working elements (this is fraught not only with reinstallation of the pneumatics itself, but also with broken mountings and bodywork);
- not to take into account all the features of your car model (different cars have different pneumatic element with individual features of functioning).
Can I drive a car with a faulty air suspension? Yes, you can. If the cylinder has failed, switch off the compressor so that it does not try to pressurise the cylinder.
Preventive measures
To prevent pneumatics from failing, it is important to regularly clean the adhered tar layer and abrasives.
Minimise movement on fresh asphalt. Regularly inspect the integrity of the mechanism components.
Modern technical possibilities of car repair shops allow installing rubber dust covers and steel protective cylinders on the struts, which will also significantly extend the service life of the unit.
Recommend reading the full list of workshop equipment.
