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Sagging / uneven rear suspension fixed :-)

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:08 pm
by chelsea
Hi all,

I thought I would just let you all know that I spent some of this morning solving my sagging rear suspension problem.
I originally thought it was due to an air bag failure (left hand side) as the car would over time start leaning to the near side on the rear by up to 2 inches sometimes, not always noticed as it was obviously pumping itself back up at a critical point only to then start its slow lean again (over a few days or so).

As the car has now done 130k, I was about to ditch the whole system in favor of the spring conversion to save both cost and possibly much head scratching.

I was asking about the problem on here last week and sussing which conversion to get when a guy (X5D Salisbury) shouted up that maybe the problem wasn't with the airbags and that it could actually be a common problem that the air compressor valve block suffers from. Over time it seems the seals in the block become dry  etc and they allow air to slowly escape.

X5D Salisbury, suggested I try a possible service fix on the valve block that had worked for him before I spent any hard earned! I did as he suggested and approx 1 hour later the problem I had was fixed, not only was it no longer sagging but the suspension now sits nearly a whole inch higher at the back, it really has transformed the ride, it no longer noticeably feels as if it's pulling to the left and the cornering feels more solid.

The fix is easy enough with little spanner knowledge and the only cost is that for some silicon oil, the silicon oil is not anything you are able to buy readily from any car spares and using any old stuff may damage the internal seals.
I am going to write up a run down of exactly what I was told to do by "Salisbury", in step by step procedure for future reference for anyone that wants to try the fix.
Salisbury can advise on the silicon oil as he very kindly supplied me with some.

Thanks again to everyone here and a very "BIG UP" for 'X5D SALISBURY'........thanks dude  ;)

Re: Sagging / uneven rear suspension fixed :-)

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 5:00 pm
by X5Sport
Another Forum success story......well done :D

Re: Sagging / uneven rear suspension fixed :-)

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 8:13 pm
by Insight G40
Well done, always good to hear about clever fixes where the dealer would invariably replace major components at great expense.

Re: Sagging / uneven rear suspension fixed :-)

Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:29 pm
by X5-D-Sport
Well done Chelsea Paul, glad it save you a shed load of money.

Dread to think how much the Valve block comes from the OEM, let alone the diagnostic plug-in costs.....
Bl@@dy expensive me thinks lol...

The Suspension Silicone is available in a syringe with an applicator tip for £20 a time if it helps our members same some hard earned £££$$$£££.

Re: Sagging / uneven rear suspension fixed :-)

Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 11:59 am
by Raj
Excellent news and again great forum help.

Re: Sagging / uneven rear suspension fixed :-)

Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:19 am
by Ubatoid
[quote="X5-D-Sport Salisbury"]
Well done Chelsea Paul, glad it save you a shed load of money.

Dread to think how much the Valve block comes from the OEM, let alone the diagnostic plug-in costs.....
Bl@@dy expensive me thinks lol...

The Suspension Silicone is available in a syringe with an applicator tip for £20 a time if it helps our members same some hard earned £££$$$£££.
[/quote]

I can answer that. If you get a discovery 2 valve block, new they are £110 or on our favourite auction site £30

See my post here http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,9426.0.html

Re: Sagging / uneven rear suspension fixed :-)

Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 10:38 am
by chelsea
[quote="Ubatoid"]
[quote="X5-D-Sport Salisbury"]
Well done Chelsea Paul, glad it save you a shed load of money.

Dread to think how much the Valve block comes from the OEM, let alone the diagnostic plug-in costs.....
Bl@@dy expensive me thinks lol...

The Suspension Silicone is available in a syringe with an applicator tip for £20 a time if it helps our members same some hard earned £££$$$£££.
[/quote]

I can answer that. If you get a discovery 2 valve block, new they are £110 or on our favourite auction site £30

yep got a disco one for a spare for £25, the disco one is approx £65 new I think

See my post here http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,9426.0.html
[/quote]