L322 airbag issue

Devildog01

Devildog01

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Jan 25, 2010
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your moms bed
I'll try to make this quick. 07 L322 97xxx miles.. Blew a driver side air bag last week. Took it to the somewhat reputable indie shop down the street. Got a new Arnott bag (thanks Erik at Lucky 8) and they installed it. They then told me they were getting a code for a bad valve in the pump and it would air up but then be on the bump stops in the morning. They told me I needed a new pump. (AMK) two days later they said they finally cleared the code and it was staying up. I picked it last Fridaymorning and drove it around last weekend with no issues. I was in lovely Baltimore Monday through Thursday for work so it sat in the garage. This morning it had a serious pimp limp on the drivers side. It seemed low all the way around but definitely on the bump stops on the passenger side. Drove it around this afternoon with no problem. Took my son to see star wars and came out of the theater and it was back on the passenger side bumpstops. I just don't feel like dropping $750 on a new pump if thats not the issue. I'm hoping its something simple that the indie mech just missed.
 
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discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
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Northern Illinois
I bet that strut is junk. No way the compressor is causing one corner to fall. If it was mine I would switch the two struts side to side and I bet money the other side sinks down.

Call it an air spring. The air bags are those things that come out of the dash to keep you comfy while you die.
 
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Devildog01

Devildog01

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Jan 25, 2010
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your moms bed
Yea but it seems to be the whole passenger side front and rear. I can check it again shortly. Is there any reason besides them selling me a bad strut (btw L8 didn't sell me the strut just gave me the info on the best price for the strut) that would cause it to leak down on just one side?
 
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discostew

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Sep 14, 2010
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Its just that I've seen so many aftermarket struts fail right away. I would want to know what codes are in it. I'm not pointing fingers at anybody. I know your just trying to save some money and eventually your gonna get a good one. If you have them switch them from side to side your gonna know for sure your right. The labor to do that should be cheaper than some expensive shit like a compressor. When you call up the manufacturer and tell them it was sinking on one side and the problem went to the other side when you switched them. Your done, no arguing or fighting over anything. I've seen a ton of them leak at the fitting where the air line hooks onto it, and some in other places. If the guy putting it on fucked up the threads then your kinda screwed.
Put the thing in off road height and leave a door open. Then the system won't try to adjust and the one corner will be the only one that falls.
 
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jymmiejamz

jymmiejamz

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Dec 5, 2004
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The struts are sided FYI. Arnott struts often come with the fittings loose, and I've seen a ton of them fail in the first year after installation. I would have kept the original struts and just replaced the bags if it were mine.

Disconnect the battery and let it sit overnight to see what is leaking down.
 
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discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
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Northern Illinois
jymmiejamz said:
The struts are sided FYI. Arnott struts often come with the fittings loose, and I've seen a ton of them fail in the first year after installation. I would have kept the original struts and just replaced the bags if it were mine.

Disconnect the battery and let it sit overnight to see what is leaking down.
Click to expand...

Ya thats true I suppose. I've seen them get cross threaded at the fitting also. I shouldn't post when I'm drinking on the tech boards.
 
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discostew

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Sep 14, 2010
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Devildog01 said:
That's usually the only time I post. Dropping it off at the shop tomorrow so they can work on it while I'm back in filthy Baltimore.
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I lived in the DC area back in the 80's. Used to go to Baltimore to get my baseball fix. I grew up in Chicago and back then did my best drinking at baseball games. My buddy and I made a hobby out of getting tossed out of Wrigley Field. But I always figured that Baltimore would be a great place to hide a body.
 
seventyfive

seventyfive

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2010
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over there
If it sags that much in two or three hours you should be able to soap spray the springs and see air bubbles. If you don't see air bubbles you throw a compressor at it.

of course I'm assuming there were no electrical faults and ride height sensors respond properly.

You should've just got another Tahoe.
 
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discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
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Northern Illinois
Devildog01 said:
Hey stew I heard the amk's in the L322 are pretty bulletproof. Your experience?[/QUOT

Ya I think they do pretty good. But I wouldn't spend my money for one unless I had a failure. Even the old style compressors in the L322 was pretty good. Most times the failure was a venting issue because the dryer and the vent filter get all shitted up. Now those parts are hard to come by because they want us to replace the whole shooting match. So the dryer and that filter are not available if I remember correctly. I take the dryers off some of the LR3 and Sport compressors I replace, and I've cleaned out a couple of those stone filters by soaking them in either brake cleaner or carb cleaner buckets from the way back old days. For that problem you get a fault that says galley pressure stays high while venting or some shit like that.

Galley pressure slow to rise and vehicle lifting slowly on the message center is the death certificate for the compressor. After checking for leaks of course.
Click to expand...
 
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discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,745
1,026
Northern Illinois
seventyfive said:
new spring is at the left front corner and now the right side sinks....how is that a defective left front spring?
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Ya I thought it was the same side. I must have been really messed up last night. This is a good example of why I like to say I will look at it, and not say what I think it is till I have it in my stall. I don't listen well. Ask my wife.
 
Devildog01

Devildog01

1
Jan 25, 2010
3,544
4
your moms bed
discostew said:
Devildog01 said:
Hey stew I heard the amk's in the L322 are pretty bulletproof. Your experience?[/QUOT

Ya I think they do pretty good. But I wouldn't spend my money for one unless I had a failure. Even the old style compressors in the L322 was pretty good. Most times the failure was a venting issue because the dryer and the vent filter get all shitted up. Now those parts are hard to come by because they want us to replace the whole shooting match. So the dryer and that filter are not available if I remember correctly. I take the dryers off some of the LR3 and Sport compressors I replace, and I've cleaned out a couple of those stone filters by soaking them in either brake cleaner or carb cleaner buckets from the way back old days. For that problem you get a fault that says galley pressure stays high while venting or some shit like that.

Galley pressure slow to rise and vehicle lifting slowly on the message center is the death certificate for the compressor. After checking for leaks of course.
Click to expand...

Yea I drilled a hole through the brass vent to help extend the pumps life. Supposedly that helps.
Click to expand...
 
seventyfive

seventyfive

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2010
4,280
100
over there
Devildog01 said:
I'll try to make this quick. 07 L322 97xxx miles.. Blew a driver side air bag last week. Took it to the somewhat reputable indie shop down the street. Got a new Arnott bag (thanks Erik at Lucky 8) and they installed
Click to expand...

this is your first post Brett. I'm pretty sure that's what you said on the phone as well?
 
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