Jacking with Rear Suspension

[shark715]

Both our X5 and Macan have air suspension, although the X5 is only on the rear axle.

The Macan owners manual advises you to turn off the air suspension before jacking the car, and has instructions how to turn it off and on. Unless I've missed something, the X5 owners manual does not mention anything about this.

Should I be turning off the X5 air suspension before jacking, and if yes, how do I do so?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[mleun481]

its automatic. I jack up mine twice a year to swap out the summer / winter wheels with no problems.

[shark715]

Originally Posted by mleun481

its automatic. I jack up mine twice a year to swap out the summer / winter wheels with no problems.

Thanks for responding.

Yeah, I do the same thing with ours twice a year, jacking up one wheel at a time, and each time I hear the suspension adjusting while I have the car up on the jack.

We recently bought the Macan, and based on the warnings in the Macan owner's manual, I started to think that the X5 adjusting the suspension of the wheel(s) still on the ground might cause it to slip off the jack. But the X5 does not seem to adjust the suspension to the extent the Macan does, and again the Macan adjusts all 4 wheels whereas the X5 is only the rear axle.

It's a bit unnerving when the X5 starts to move a little when it's up on the jack, but like you, it's never been enough to cause it to slip off the jack.

Thanks again.

[heatmizr]

Never thought of that, interesting. I wonder if, like you said, its because the X5 doesn't adjust as much; so is it more the worry of it falling off the jack or the suspension damaging itself trying to extend too far perhaps? Maybe tearing a boot?

[Cattivo]

ALWAYS use jack stands(steel not aluminum) when jacking up these heavy slobs

[shark715]

Originally Posted by heatmizr

so is it more the worry of it falling off the jack or the suspension damaging itself trying to extend too far perhaps? Maybe tearing a boot?

I was worried that the automatic load leveler might try to raise the body on the opposite side of where I have the jack, and make the X5 slide off the jack.

Never considered suspension damage. Interesting point.

[mastermayhm]

funny you mention it. i usually have wheels on and off in 10 minutes... but few days ago I jacked the car up for about 30 minutes in the back... when i dropped it... the side that was jacked stayed lower than the opposite side until i drove a few miles before it leveled.. thought it was weird, but was expecting that it would correct itself.

[shark715]

Originally Posted by mastermayhm

i usually have wheels on and off in 10 minutes.

You are better than I am :-)

I have the 20 inch wheels, and the rims (especially with run flat tires, and especially the wider rear ones) are so heavy that I need to use wheel stud pilot pins to position the wheels so I can get the lug bolts started. Ugh!