Air Spring replacement questions

[gadgetfreak2024]

Or 2011 50i is now tilting to the drivers side when it had been parked for a while. We have the level control system malfunction. It appears the tilting is both in the front and rear. Two questions:

1. Would you think it is likely the air springs that I should replace with Arnotts from FCP Euro?

2. Are their only rear air springs and the rear controls the whole side of the car? Again both the front and rear driver side appear lowered when the car has sat for a bit.

Thanks!

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by gadgetfreak2024

Or 2011 50i is now tilting to the drivers side when it had been parked for a while. We have the level control system malfunction. It appears the tilting is both in the front and rear. Two questions:

1. Would you think it is likely the air springs that I should replace with Arnotts from FCP Euro?

2. Are their only rear air springs and the rear controls the whole side of the car? Again both the front and rear driver side appear lowered when the car has sat for a bit.

Thanks!

I can't speak to the E70 air system, but on our MB, I used Arnotts on all four corners and they were great. I've heard their lifetime replacement warranty is hard to collect on, but luckily we never needed to.

[gadgetfreak2024]

Thanks. I guess I’m trying to figure out if it’s likely the air springs if the car is listing in both the front and the back on the driver side. It would seem odd for two air springs to go at the same time.

And FCP Euro only seems to sell rear air springs. So are there no separate front ones?

Thanks

[heatmizr]

e70 only has air springs in the rear. If one rear is bad it might make the car look like its leaning on both rear and front.
I had weird symptoms like not always both sides of rear drooping, and was puzzled, but just replaced the two bags and its fine now. I suggest you do the same.

[gadgetfreak2024]

Originally Posted by heatmizr

e70 only has air springs in the rear. If one rear is bad it might make the car look like its leaning on both rear and front.
I had weird symptoms like not always both sides of rear drooping, and was puzzled, but just replaced the two bags and its fine now. I suggest you do the same.

Awesome. Thanks for the feedback. My two Arnott springs are on order from FCP Euro and now I have a weekend project.

Appreciate the answers!

[argento]

FWIW

https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=29578845

[gadgetfreak2024]

Originally Posted by argento

FWIW

https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=29578845

Thanks! Just watched that video coincidentally. What is ISTA by the way?

[argento]

Copied from web: Software for repair, servicing, diagnosis, coding and programming of BMW vehicles.

I mainly use it to reference servicing procedures. I use binmergeeks for coding.

[gadgetfreak2024]

Got it. Thanks. And you would use that to disable the air compressor vs the process of disabling the solenoid?

[argento]

I believe so, I’d have to look at my notes. I can post the ISTA method if you’re interested?

[gadgetfreak2024]

Originally Posted by argento

I believe so, I’d have to look at my notes. I can post the ISTA method if you’re interested?

Only if you have it handy! Would be interested to see that alternative. Thanks!

[argento]

Ok, will post before this weekend.

[argento]

Per request:

[gadgetfreak2024]

Thank you very much for the additional instructions!

One other question before I embark on this. My X5 has both the Active Suspension and the Active Steering. Before I lift the car and take off the wheel and begin the fun, does a car specced my way actually have the same air springs? So the Arnotts I bought should also be applicable?

Thanks!

[argento]

See item (1) below. Active steering is not a prerequisite for air bags on a 11 50iX LCI. Only adaptive drive and self leveling.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=33_1379

[gadgetfreak2024]

Originally Posted by argento

See item (1) below. Active steering is not a prerequisite for air bags on a 11 50iX LCI. Only adaptive drive and self leveling.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=33_1379

I guess my question is the following. Can I assume that with the features that I have (active steering, adaptive drive and self leveling) that I will have those air springs? Just want to make sure that I ordered what works on my car. I got 2 of the Arnott air springs. Thanks

[argento]

I recommend that you get under there and put eyes on your rear axle to confirm you have air bags. If you ordered through arnott they only offer one version, the A-2642, for your vehicle. There aren’t a lot of options to get wrong. I ended up getting a deal on oem air bags so I’m not familiar with arnott’s, but I did appreciate their DIY.

[gadgetfreak2024]

Just to close the loop on this. I made one attempt to complete this repair, but failed in being about to get the wheels off! Also, I had one stuck bolt for the panel under the car that I just could not get removed. It would just spin and spin, but wouldn't fully come out. And I just ran out of time. So, defeated, I put the wheels back on and called the local repair shop to ask if they would do the repair for me using the Arnott springs I had already purchased. They wanted about $900 in labor for this, and wanted to rotate the tires and some other stuff. So I decided NOT to do that.

Last weekend, I tried again -- having watched a buncyh of youtube videos about getting stuck wheels off. I also learned a lot of other things during my first aborted attempt (for instance, how to find the rear jacking point), that made it efficient to get started. I decided -- and I know it's stupid-ish -- that I wouldn't under the air hoses from that panel I couldn't get off. I was pretty confident the driver side bag was already destroyed so at least the problematic one would likely have no pressure. I had, of course, removed the negative terminal from the battery.

That was correct, and I was able to remove it without having to worry about pressurization. It looked like this was the original part, from 2010. After finagling the replacement spring into place -- and glad I saw some video that said you would want to jack up at the control arm to allow you to get close enough to snap the bottom into place -- I felt emboldened.

So I got the wheel off on the passenger side, put on protective goggles, and got out my sharp box cutter. After a few deep breaths, I stabbed the thing and it started to rapidly decompress. Ultimately a few more slashes and it was completely depressurized and I completed the task on the passenger side. It looks like that spring had been replaced as it was not identical to the driver's side one, nor did it have any BMW stickers on it. But as I've read elsewhere, it sounds like it's wise to replace both at the same time... so that's what I did.

All in, a doable project, but lessons learned, as is always the case for me doing these things for the first time. I'd like to figure out what the issue is with the stuck bolt on the access panel. I thought about just taking my oscillating tool and sawing off the head of the bolt, but worried about the unintended consequences of doing so.

Anyway, thanks all for the advice and information. The ol' 2011 lives to fight another day...