Front air suspension - bag change... or not...

[Boltondrew]

Hi - on my 2004 4.4 I have all four corners air suspension. The front right air bag gave way last week - was quite an impressive bang! The wife said she’d thought I’d been shot... but didn’t come and check...

Anyway - was hoping to save a bit by buying a replacement bag rather than a whole new strut.  Problem is the strut on the car now is a Delphi one - so I’m guessing that it had been replaced once already.  I have followed the instructions on the Arnott site for removing the bladder but even after removing the big lock nut I can’t pull it off the strut.  There seems to be an extra inner flange preventing it from coming off. There is a hex socket in the end of the spindle - but I’ve already sheared two sockets trying to undo it....

Any ideas? Anyone seen anything similar before? Am I missing something? I will probably have to order a whole new strut and send the replacement air bladder back - but that is another few more days with no car...

Cheers

[tsinc]

Whatever you do, stay clear of Aerosus. I've just fitted 4 new bags all round, 1 was faulty from the start and another has lasted 100 miles. I know quite a few people recommend them but I'm buying Arnott ones now and hoping they're better quality.