Removing / Replacing Air Struts

[Aggmeister2010]

Hey folks,

One of my air struts has noisy valves that I can hear with the windows down, and it drives me nuts. The strut functions fine, but just makes a lot of loud "pfft" air noises over bumps....so I bought a replacement strut to swap in. (I'm aware this is normal, but this particular strut is much much louder than normal).

The swap process is easy, but on all my other air suspension cars I've had the software to depressurize the system before starting work.

Obviously I don't have Toolbox, so what's the safest method for depressurizing a single strut to remove it? Just slowly release the air line fitting and let it bleed out while supported by a jack and in jack mode?

 

[Doanster1]

Too bad the struts aren’t straight outta the Merc parts bin. If they were we could short the connector on each strut to open the valve.
Wonder if you can purge via the disti block under the frunk?

 

[Aggmeister2010]

Too bad the struts aren’t straight outta the Merc parts bin. If they were we could short the connector on each strut to open the valve.
Wonder if you can purge via the disti block under the frunk?

I figured it out today. There’s no purge valve, but the air fitting on the strut can be backed out slowly - when you hear air, just stop and let it bleed down. Only takes about 2 minutes, there’s not much air in there.

 

[BostonBurley]

I’m changing out my 217,000 mile 2012 air suspension next week with a fresh set. Went with strutmasters via eBay bc they’re actually Suncore brand and far cheaper than buying suncore on carid or something. The thing I was curious about was how to depressurize. Being in jack mode, it won’t pressurize, but someone else mentioned pulling the fuse for the air compressor. I don’t think I’d need to do that, replacing struts one by one.

 

[Aggmeister2010]

I’m changing out my 217,000 mile 2012 air suspension next week with a fresh set. Went with strutmasters via eBay bc they’re actually Suncore brand and far cheaper than buying suncore on carid or something. The thing I was curious about was how to depressurize. Being in jack mode, it won’t pressurize, but someone else mentioned pulling the fuse for the air compressor. I don’t think I’d need to do that, replacing struts one by one.

Just loosen the brass air fitting with the car in jack mode. It'll air out over a minute or two. When you're done, slightly support the car with the jack (so it doesn't drop to the ground), turn off jack mode, and it'll air back up.

Can you post a link to the strutmasters?

 

[BostonBurley]

Front & Rear Air Suspension Air Strut Assemblies for 2012-2016 Tesla Model S RWD | eBay

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Shockmasters, they source their air struts from Suncore, and Suncore handles any warranty claims. Suncore on CarID is out of stock but $1600 as a set. Through Shockmasters it’s a great deal at $1140.

 

[Aggmeister2010]

Front & Rear Air Suspension Air Strut Assemblies for 2012-2016 Tesla Model S RWD | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Front & Rear Air Suspension Air Strut Assemblies for 2012-2016 Tesla Model S RWD at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Shockmasters, they source their air struts from Suncore, and Suncore handles any warranty claims. Suncore on CarID is out of stock but $1600 as a set. Through Shockmasters it’s a great deal at $1140.

Very cool. Looks like the design is only for the 2012-2016 version of the air struts, with the air line on the side.....the 2016.5-2021 have the air line at the top on the fronts.

 

[BostonBurley]

Very cool. Looks like the design is only for the 2012-2016 version of the air struts, with the air line on the side.....the 2016.5-2021 have the air line at the top on the fronts.

Yes, I drive number 28 , very 2012.

 

[sorka]

I figured it out today. There’s no purge valve, but the air fitting on the strut can be backed out slowly - when you hear air, just stop and let it bleed down. Only takes about 2 minutes, there’s not much air in there.

To make bleeding faster, lower car to lowest, enter jack mode, you now have the least amount of air in spring. Now jack that side up. Spring air pressure should be really low now.

 

[impastu]

I figured it out today. There’s no purge valve, but the air fitting on the strut can be backed out slowly - when you hear air, just stop and let it bleed down. Only takes about 2 minutes, there’s not much air in there.

I swapped to winter tires without going into jack mode so now I need to drain air from rear struts. Found your helpful post. Thank you.

Would you please describe where I find the fitting to back off? In the Plaid, I can't see any air line entering the rear strut. Must not be looking in the right place.

 

[sorka]

I swapped to winter tires without going into jack mode so now I need to drain air from rear struts. Found your helpful post. Thank you.

Would you please describe where I find the fitting to back off? In the Plaid, I can't see any air line entering the rear strut. Must not be looking in the right place.

Why not let the car do it?

 

[impastu]

Why not let the car do it?

I'm told that the rears over-pressurized and won't auto deflate in their current state. They need to be manually bled down. After texting with a knowledgable mechanic last night I apparently will see the fitting once I remove the wheel liner.

 

[sorka]

I'm told that the rears over-pressurized and won't auto deflate in their current state. They need to be manually bled down. After texting with a knowledgable mechanic last night I apparently will see the fitting once I remove the wheel liner.

Something is not adding up. Forgetting to go into jack mode, when swapping tires, which I've done myself, results in the controller trying to remove air because the sensors think the vehicle height is way higher than it should be for the current setting. The upshot is that when you first let the wheels down without using jack mode is that the car bottoms out briefly before the controller starts to put air back in.

On the other hand, I've also caused just the opposite by installing lowering links in the rear in the backwards configuration resulting in suspension jacking to the maximum possible until it reached the limit mechanically. The result was the rear was up about 4 or 5 inches higher than the maximum setting. However, once I put the links in correctly, the car went back to the correct height on its own.

 

[Aggmeister2010]

To make bleeding faster, lower car to lowest, enter jack mode, you now have the least amount of air in spring. Now jack that side up. Spring air pressure should be really low now.

True, that might save a couple minutes. I don't have a jack that is low profile enough to get under the car with a puck while in "Low"

I'm told that the rears over-pressurized and won't auto deflate in their current state. They need to be manually bled down. After texting with a knowledgable mechanic last night I apparently will see the fitting once I remove the wheel liner.

Correct, you'll see the air line behind the fender liner. Goes up to the side of the air strut, right up by the top.

 

[Doanster1]

Yah, not sure why the car wouldn’t level itself out. Another option is to release air at the valve block. That way you can do both rears in one place.

 

[sorka]

Yah, not sure why the car wouldn’t level itself out. Another option is to release air at the valve block. That way you can do both rears in one place.

The frunk liner only takes about 5 minutes to remove and the 4 valve manifold is in plain site...at least on my P85D it was. Should save a ton of time. I'm not convinced that is the problem though.

 

[Doanster1]

The frunk liner only takes about 5 minutes to remove and the 4 valve manifold is in plain site...at least on my P85D it was. Should save a ton of time. I'm not convinced that is the problem though.

Yup/exactly… on both fronts. Doesn’t make sense that the diagnosis is that the struts overfilled and won’t release automatically.
If anything, I’d disconnect the 12V and force a hard reset before letting air out manually.

 

[impastu]

Something is not adding up. Forgetting to go into jack mode, when swapping tires, which I've done myself, results in the controller trying to remove air because the sensors think the vehicle height is way higher than it should be for the current setting. The upshot is that when you first let the wheels down without using jack mode is that the car bottoms out briefly before the controller starts to put air back in.

On the other hand, I've also caused just the opposite by installing lowering links in the rear in the backwards configuration resulting in suspension jacking to the maximum possible until it reached the limit mechanically. The result was the rear was up about 4 or 5 inches higher than the maximum setting. However, once I put the links in correctly, the car went back to the correct height on its own.

I hadn't added that when changing to the winters I also installed UP's lowering brackets. Perhaps monkeying with the sensors during the bracket swap is what caused the overfill. idk. But I followed the advice to bleed the air off the rear struts (the hard way by removing each wheel and wheel liner...the frunk approach probably would have been much easier). After lowering the rear and coming out of Jack mode, the rears operating normally again.

thanks all for the advice!

 

[Doanster1]

I hadn't added that when changing to the winters I also installed UP's lowering brackets. Perhaps monkeying with the sensors during the bracket swap is what caused the overfill. idk. But I followed the advice to bleed the air off the rear struts (the hard way by removing each wheel and wheel liner...the frunk approach probably would have been much easier). After lowering the rear and coming out of Jack mode, the rears operating normally again.

thanks all for the advice!

Ah hah! Forgot to mention eh?
Glad to hear you’re back to good!

 

[sorka]

I hadn't added that when changing to the winters I also installed UP's lowering brackets. Perhaps monkeying with the sensors during the bracket swap is what caused the overfill. idk. But I followed the advice to bleed the air off the rear struts (the hard way by removing each wheel and wheel liner...the frunk approach probably would have been much easier). After lowering the rear and coming out of Jack mode, the rears operating normally again.

thanks all for the advice!

Are you SURE its operating normally? i.e change from low, look at the height, and then back to maximum height. You might find the rear is WAY too high.