Air suspension woes

[Baldbloke]

I'm normally pretty careful fitting parts but made a cock up fitting a replacement air spring on my old Mercedes estate car. Old ones came out no bother and new ones went in ok, I thought. On starting her up to activate the compressor it became apparent that the top of one of the air springs had dropped slightly and misaligned in its recess and come away from the locating peg. The things up to pressure now and pushing against the neighbouring shocker. Nothing for it but to remove it and realign it I thought. Trouble is the one way valve lives under the topmost part of the air spring and has the weight of the car on it. Because of the pressure it wasn't possible to nudge it over to be properly repositioned. Off with the bottom wishbone and lower mount for the air spring. The thing is now twice the length and resembles a horses todger. Partially off with the removable top to ease up the one way valve in order to release the pressure and then removed it.  Now my question is how the f+++ do you roll back the rubber foreskin to ensure it deploys as it should when its repressurized?

I've twice gone through the rigmarole of undoing everything and the last time thought I'd cracked it only for the final pressure to bulge a part of it out to one side. Although I'd managed to roll the lower part of its rubber over the lower mounting to resemble what it looked like out of the box I'd obviously not managed to actually emulate how it came from the factory.

Anyone got experience of these things and got an answer for me?  

[Baldbloke]

[Ratman]

I'm normally pretty careful fitting parts but made a cock up fitting a replacement air spring on my old Mercedes estate car. Old ones came out no bother and new ones went in ok, I thought. On starting her up to activate the compressor it became apparent that the top of one of the air springs had dropped slightly and misaligned in its recess and come away from the locating peg. The things up to pressure now and pushing against the neighbouring shocker. Nothing for it but to remove it and realign it I thought. Trouble is the one way valve lives under the topmost part of the air spring and has the weight of the car on it. Because of the pressure it wasn't possible to nudge it over to be properly repositioned. Off with the bottom wishbone and lower mount for the air spring. The thing is now twice the length and resembles a horses todger. Partially off with the removable top to ease up the one way valve in order to release the pressure and then removed it.  Now my question is how the f+++ do you roll back the rubber foreskin to ensure it deploys as it should when its repressurized?

I've twice gone through the rigmarole of undoing everything and the last time thought I'd cracked it only for the final pressure to bulge a part of it out to one side. Although I'd managed to roll the lower part of its rubber over the lower mounting to resemble what it looked like out of the box I'd obviously not managed to actually emulate how it came from the factory.

Anyone got experience of these things and got an answer for me?  

Remove it fully again with air pipe disconnected, spray some silicone spray (lubricant non harmful to rubber) around the bags plastic base and shove back in to as it was when you bought it. Pain in the ass but sometimes only way to do it. The key to it is having the air pipe disconnected so your not fighting against the residual pressure in the system.

[Baldbloke]

2 minutes ago, Ratman said:

Remove it fully again with air pipe disconnected, spray some silicone spray (lubricant non harmful to rubber) around the bags plastic base and shove back in to as it was when you bought it. Pain in the ass but sometimes only way to do it.

Bloody hell mate that was quick! Cheers for the tip. My first and probably last foray into airbags. ? Do you reckon WD40 would suffice? I can now see having looked at my own pictures that my second attempt (topmost picture) doesn't resemble the picture of the airbag before I f+++++ it up (picture of new unfitted bag alongside the old leaking bag).I'll let you know how I get on.

 

 

[Ratman]

Just read ingredients on back of tin, its only so you dont use anything that will degrade your rubber before its time, anything silicone based is best. [emoji106]

[Baldbloke]

It’s not often something goes right or corrects itself,but after yesterday’s f***up and a bad tempered drive up some bumpy backroads it appears to have come good all by itself[emoji1303][emoji1303][emoji1303]. Took the car to the workshop and removed wheel and voila

[Baldbloke]

Thanks for your input Ratman. At least it got me out with more confidence to try again[emoji1303]