DIY Air Spring Replacement FAQ
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Greensboro NC
Ok so its all done! This is how I did it, anybody that want to add any corrections please do so below.
First I drove the car around for a bit then turned it off and jacked it up, removed both front wheels and supported the wheel hubs with jack stands.
I disconnected the battery within 30 mins of turning the car off.
Then...
Then remove the air spring.
Install is the reverse of the removal.
When you are done connect the battery and start the car. Should raise right up!
If anybody is doing the job and want the full size pics just send me a message with your email.
First I drove the car around for a bit then turned it off and jacked it up, removed both front wheels and supported the wheel hubs with jack stands.
I disconnected the battery within 30 mins of turning the car off.
Then...
Then remove the air spring.
Install is the reverse of the removal.
When you are done connect the battery and start the car. Should raise right up!
If anybody is doing the job and want the full size pics just send me a message with your email.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Hi could you send the pictures to me as I cannot access image shack my address is carol.walsh_@ntlworld.com thank you regards tony
Veteran Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 8,937
Likes: 4,745
From: USA
I would appreciate the pics as well. Not sure what image shack is but it's just playing commercials. I don't do Facebook. Sorry, can't seem to view any pics in this thread. Anyway you could upload all vs posting somewhere else off site?
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 386
Likes: 91
From: texas
Same here! I have gotten a lot out of this thread, but it would be great if the pictures were available.
I think my car likes me...instead of the usual diagnostic procedure for detecting a faulty strut, the bad strut failed with a "whistle". That made it very easy to tell both that it failed and which one it was. The new Arnott struts are due tomorrow.
I think my car likes me...instead of the usual diagnostic procedure for detecting a faulty strut, the bad strut failed with a "whistle". That made it very easy to tell both that it failed and which one it was. The new Arnott struts are due tomorrow.
Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 59
Likes: 7
From: Southern New England
What behavior/warning indicators if this isn't done right.
This past weekend I R&Red both rear shocks and the passenger side upper and lower control arms on our 2004. I had to power the system back up briefly to get the parking brake undone/caliper off.
Anyhow, the system powered up as it should, initially ride height was too low bust just idling for 4 or 5 minutes and the Suspension Low warning went out.
However, the rear suspension now seems stiff. I was careful to torque both upper and lower control arms with the suspension lifted to ride height as determined by the 373mm spec (bolts were left just a tad loose so that the bushings would rotate to position properly). However, in the factory manual it said nothing about needing to do this for the air shocks so those got torqued in the fully down position. This might have created a little wind up in the lower shock bushings so will correct tonight.
Just what behavior or warning signs would one expect if they didn't get this just right? Its possible I may have bumped the bracket holding the ride height sensor in place, but don't think so. No obvious error messages on the dash (I did have to reset the parking brake upon power up).
Anyhow, the system powered up as it should, initially ride height was too low bust just idling for 4 or 5 minutes and the Suspension Low warning went out.
However, the rear suspension now seems stiff. I was careful to torque both upper and lower control arms with the suspension lifted to ride height as determined by the 373mm spec (bolts were left just a tad loose so that the bushings would rotate to position properly). However, in the factory manual it said nothing about needing to do this for the air shocks so those got torqued in the fully down position. This might have created a little wind up in the lower shock bushings so will correct tonight.
Just what behavior or warning signs would one expect if they didn't get this just right? Its possible I may have bumped the bracket holding the ride height sensor in place, but don't think so. No obvious error messages on the dash (I did have to reset the parking brake upon power up).
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 349
Likes: 12
From: FL
Ok so its all done! This is how I did it, anybody that want to add any corrections please do so below.
First I drove the car around for a bit then turned it off and jacked it up, removed both front wheels and supported the wheel hubs with jack stands.
I disconnected the battery within 30 mins of turning the car off.
Then...
Then remove the air spring.
Install is the reverse of the removal.
When you are done connect the battery and start the car. Should raise right up!
If anybody is doing the job and want the full size pics just send me a message with your email.
First I drove the car around for a bit then turned it off and jacked it up, removed both front wheels and supported the wheel hubs with jack stands.
I disconnected the battery within 30 mins of turning the car off.
Then...
Then remove the air spring.
Install is the reverse of the removal.
When you are done connect the battery and start the car. Should raise right up!
If anybody is doing the job and want the full size pics just send me a message with your email.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 167
Likes: 32
From: Phoenix
Wow, this is old. Canoe!
Anyway, this may or may not help, but this past weekend I replaced both upper A arms in the front suspension. (the rear nuts are pretty awful to get to, but the rest isn't too bad)
I didn't do anything fancy to work with the shocks and computers.
I drove into my garage, disconnected the battery, bound the leads together (why not)
Then jacked the car up and got to work. I didn't do anything fancy, just let the air out of both shocks.
On the drivers side (passenger side doesn't have one), I disconnected the level sensor as I had to use quite a bit of force to get the lower control arms down enough to get the shock to come out, I didn't want to damage it (don't forget to put that little guy back on when done!). I have aftermarket poly bushings on the front lower control arm, which may interfere with how much it droops.
After I got the upper arms in place, I put the shocks back in, followed by the new sway bar end links. I torqued the shock in fully while it was in the air, but left the upper control arm mounting nuts and sway bar hardware a little loose until it was on its feet again.
After it was on its feet and I finished doing a few other odds and ends, I hooked the battery back up. It immediately started airing up the front via the tank in the trunk.
By the time I had started the car and backed out a few feet down the driveway, it was back to normal height.
This procedure worked for me, YMMV.
Unfortunately, I still have the high speed wheel shake and a small clunk from the front end that was 'supposed' to be fixed with the new A arms, so this didn't actually help me in any tangible way, but both arms and both sway bar ends were about $100 on ebay, so I wasted very little money and not too much time, and I've got a few less things to worry about, and narrowed down the problem a little.
Anyway, this may or may not help, but this past weekend I replaced both upper A arms in the front suspension. (the rear nuts are pretty awful to get to, but the rest isn't too bad)
I didn't do anything fancy to work with the shocks and computers.
I drove into my garage, disconnected the battery, bound the leads together (why not)
Then jacked the car up and got to work. I didn't do anything fancy, just let the air out of both shocks.
On the drivers side (passenger side doesn't have one), I disconnected the level sensor as I had to use quite a bit of force to get the lower control arms down enough to get the shock to come out, I didn't want to damage it (don't forget to put that little guy back on when done!). I have aftermarket poly bushings on the front lower control arm, which may interfere with how much it droops.
After I got the upper arms in place, I put the shocks back in, followed by the new sway bar end links. I torqued the shock in fully while it was in the air, but left the upper control arm mounting nuts and sway bar hardware a little loose until it was on its feet again.
After it was on its feet and I finished doing a few other odds and ends, I hooked the battery back up. It immediately started airing up the front via the tank in the trunk.
By the time I had started the car and backed out a few feet down the driveway, it was back to normal height.
This procedure worked for me, YMMV.
Unfortunately, I still have the high speed wheel shake and a small clunk from the front end that was 'supposed' to be fixed with the new A arms, so this didn't actually help me in any tangible way, but both arms and both sway bar ends were about $100 on ebay, so I wasted very little money and not too much time, and I've got a few less things to worry about, and narrowed down the problem a little.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 349
Likes: 12
From: FL
Ok so its all done! This is how I did it, anybody that want to add any corrections please do so below.
First I drove the car around for a bit then turned it off and jacked it up, removed both front wheels and supported the wheel hubs with jack stands.
I disconnected the battery within 30 mins of turning the car off.
Then...
Then remove the air spring.
Install is the reverse of the removal.
When you are done connect the battery and start the car. Should raise right up!
If anybody is doing the job and want the full size pics just send me a message with your email.
First I drove the car around for a bit then turned it off and jacked it up, removed both front wheels and supported the wheel hubs with jack stands.
I disconnected the battery within 30 mins of turning the car off.
Then...
Then remove the air spring.
Install is the reverse of the removal.
When you are done connect the battery and start the car. Should raise right up!
If anybody is doing the job and want the full size pics just send me a message with your email.
rodolfofdez.rf@gmail.com
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 147
Likes: 63
From: Virginia
Perhaps a dumb question on an old thread
Tarheal,
So, you don't want to do any of these, even though JTIS says to remove the height sensor. The ASM is using non-volatile memory to "remember" the inputs of all sensors when it is in certain modes, or when the battery is disconnected. So, you need to outsmart it and create that situation while you are R/Ring the air spring and when the ASM wakes back up.
Basically, you want to catch the system before sleep mode. You're going to do that by positioning the vehicle where you will work on it, get it raised off the ground and suspended, then disconnect the battery before sleep mode (sooner than 30 minutes after shutting the engine down). By doing this, the ASM will store its inputs from the height sensors with the suspension fully extended. In essence, you're going to perform the surgery on the air springs while the ASM is anesthetized thinking the suspension is in the full extended position. That is what it is going to remember when it wakes up. If it doesn't see that, you'll need to recalibrate the ASM.
Follow most of the JTIS steps now - depressurize the springs, you can use a floor jack to take weight off the airspring, etc., not removing the height sensors. Replace the air springs, make all connections, make sure the suspension is sitting precisely the way it was before disconnecting the battery. Put the wheels back on so you are ready to sit the car back down on its suspension. Connect the battery, lower the car back on its tires. Start the engine so the ASM moves from preliminary mode to stance mode.
So, you don't want to do any of these, even though JTIS says to remove the height sensor. The ASM is using non-volatile memory to "remember" the inputs of all sensors when it is in certain modes, or when the battery is disconnected. So, you need to outsmart it and create that situation while you are R/Ring the air spring and when the ASM wakes back up.
Basically, you want to catch the system before sleep mode. You're going to do that by positioning the vehicle where you will work on it, get it raised off the ground and suspended, then disconnect the battery before sleep mode (sooner than 30 minutes after shutting the engine down). By doing this, the ASM will store its inputs from the height sensors with the suspension fully extended. In essence, you're going to perform the surgery on the air springs while the ASM is anesthetized thinking the suspension is in the full extended position. That is what it is going to remember when it wakes up. If it doesn't see that, you'll need to recalibrate the ASM.
Follow most of the JTIS steps now - depressurize the springs, you can use a floor jack to take weight off the airspring, etc., not removing the height sensors. Replace the air springs, make all connections, make sure the suspension is sitting precisely the way it was before disconnecting the battery. Put the wheels back on so you are ready to sit the car back down on its suspension. Connect the battery, lower the car back on its tires. Start the engine so the ASM moves from preliminary mode to stance mode.
So, since the passenger side has no sensor, isn't it irrelevant to the system if the spring is removed and the lower control arm hyperextended?
And, if while the car is up on stands a measurement is taken and a correctly sized support for the lower control arm on the drivers side is made to reproduce the extended height of the spring, does it any longer matter if the height sensor is disconnected as it will be reconnected in the same position and at the same height extension as it was previously?
This way the spring can be easily remove by lowering the control arm further?
Will it matter since nothing will be sensed by the processor until all things are returned to normal and then the battery is re-connected.
Thanks for your sharing this information with us and I look forward to what ever your thoughts are on these questions.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 349
Likes: 12
From: FL
I've read yours and Tarheals statements here and have a couple of questions. First of all, I'm forced into the removal of the air-springs in order to do an upper control arm replacement on both front corners.
So, since the passenger side has no sensor, isn't it irrelevant to the system if the spring is removed and the lower control arm hyperextended?
And, if while the car is up on stands a measurement is taken and a correctly sized support for the lower control arm on the drivers side is made to reproduce the extended height of the spring, does it any longer matter if the height sensor is disconnected as it will be reconnected in the same position and at the same height extension as it was previously?
This way the spring can be easily remove by lowering the control arm further?
Will it matter since nothing will be sensed by the processor until all things are returned to normal and then the battery is re-connected.
Thanks for your sharing this information with us and I look forward to what ever your thoughts are on these questions.
So, since the passenger side has no sensor, isn't it irrelevant to the system if the spring is removed and the lower control arm hyperextended?
And, if while the car is up on stands a measurement is taken and a correctly sized support for the lower control arm on the drivers side is made to reproduce the extended height of the spring, does it any longer matter if the height sensor is disconnected as it will be reconnected in the same position and at the same height extension as it was previously?
This way the spring can be easily remove by lowering the control arm further?
Will it matter since nothing will be sensed by the processor until all things are returned to normal and then the battery is re-connected.
Thanks for your sharing this information with us and I look forward to what ever your thoughts are on these questions.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 147
Likes: 63
From: Virginia
I replaced the front air shocks like a month ago and all was fine after diving for several hours in a 10 degree cold weather I parked it for a week in this clinic I'm in and when I came out the suspension is to high front and back. It says also CATS System Fault. I guess if it is up that's ok but I have never seen it up high like that. I'm wondering if it will go back to normal high or I need to recalibrate the ASM.
Replacing the arms seemed to get rid of most or all of the steering wheel shimmy that I used to randomly get. We'll see how it goes though, we know how these cars are!
Thread Starter
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Banned
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,922
Likes: 258
It's hard to believe I started this thread 8 years ago and did an air shock R&R soon thereafter with the help of Steve11. My God, I was 70 years old then. 
Steve11 got fed up with XJ Jags and left the Forum after helping a lot of folks with their service issues across the board. He was a Jag service tech, in the mid West I believe. Maybe still is? I would have kept my XJR a lot longer had it not been for the great air shock/air ride screw up. We didn't have the suspension retrofit kits when I sold out and went to an XK. That 05 XJR remains the most satisfactory car I ever owned.
Anyway, to my point. It's gratifying this thread is still helpful and productive after 8 years.
Steve11 got fed up with XJ Jags and left the Forum after helping a lot of folks with their service issues across the board. He was a Jag service tech, in the mid West I believe. Maybe still is? I would have kept my XJR a lot longer had it not been for the great air shock/air ride screw up. We didn't have the suspension retrofit kits when I sold out and went to an XK. That 05 XJR remains the most satisfactory car I ever owned.
Anyway, to my point. It's gratifying this thread is still helpful and productive after 8 years.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Suffolk
I know this is an old thread but I need to replace the NS front upper wishbone and know that I need to drop the air strut in order that is enough clearance to get the wishbone bolts out. Question: Do I need to raise the front of the car both sides or can I just raise the NS to avoid any issues with the ride height sensors.
Veteran Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 6,264
Likes: 1,764
With an Aluminum body you are not supposed to raise a single corner to such an extent that body warp could occur.
Raising it just enough to change a tire is ok.
So raise the front, or rear, both wheels at a time.
I do mine a corner at a time in small increments.
Raising it just enough to change a tire is ok.
So raise the front, or rear, both wheels at a time.
I do mine a corner at a time in small increments.
Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 59
Likes: 7
From: Southern New England
jackra's point is valid. I have replaced both front upper control arms (wishbones) and to my knowledge the strut has to come completely out. If you have a 04/05, be prepared for the lower shock bolt to put up a fight, this is due to the copiious red threadlocker that was used. Go to the hobby store and ask them for a bottle of stuff that will undo superglue and similar adhesives, use it both before loosening, and as you are loosening, in the gap between the shock flange and the control arm bushing.
I think this thread has info on how to put the air suspension to sleep (jack up onto jackstands, then disconnect the battery within 20 minutes or so of shutting the car off). Be sure to do this first.
I think this thread has info on how to put the air suspension to sleep (jack up onto jackstands, then disconnect the battery within 20 minutes or so of shutting the car off). Be sure to do this first.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Suffolk
Thanks for the heads up guys. I brought a torx T60 socket today and with an extra long breaker bar loosened the lower strut bolt but run out of time to change the wishbone. All bolts have been cracked loose so hopefully should be straightforward from here on. Will go for it next weekend.
Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 65
Likes: 56
From: Chicago
Ghost 'Clunking' front right 04 XJR was a Broken Arnott Strut
Thanks to this great forum of experts I decided to take on the front end of my 2004 XJR with sport suspension. You see, when I originally purchased this car a year prior, it had this 'clunk' that would appear somewhere in the front right wheel well; only at slower speeds would it be noticeable. I had the car on lifts three times at different shops to check the bushings and all suspension connections,......, each time, all was stated as good. So why, I asked myself, does the front end seem to feel like it wants to 'explode in a million pieces' when I travel over bumps at lower speed?
A broken Arnott shock, that's why. (video enclosure)
My protocol:
1. Position car
2. elevate front end
3. disconnect battery
4. remove caliper/rotor
5. Follow Arnott's youtube video re strut R&R
6. change rotor and pads/bleed brakes appropriately during the procedure in order to avoid air getting into the brake line
7. replace tires
8. reconnect battery
9. lower vehicle
10 cycle motor
I had a parking brake fault appear (?) and then disappear after engaging/disengaging. No other faults.
Problem solved! I can't believe how smooth and comfortable the ride is now,....., like brand new!! I absolutely love it,...., what an unbelievable car,...., I feel spoiled:-).
Sports suspension shocks from Arnott: $1100/pair
Rotors and pads: $250
Labor: 6 hours
Massage of shoulders and back: $50.00
Total: $1400.00
Bye the way, Arnott has made the air connection to the struts a 'Push and Pull' protocol for easy connection; pretty cool.
Luckily the strut mount bolt had anti-seize on it and it came out with relative ease. I am thankful for that.
I still can't get over the power, comfort, and ride in this car,......, next up, my radar is searching for a 2007 Jaguar XKR coupe:-)))
Thanks again for this forum and all the Jag experts and enthusiasts.
Robert
A broken Arnott shock, that's why. (video enclosure)
My protocol:
1. Position car
2. elevate front end
3. disconnect battery
4. remove caliper/rotor
5. Follow Arnott's youtube video re strut R&R
6. change rotor and pads/bleed brakes appropriately during the procedure in order to avoid air getting into the brake line
7. replace tires
8. reconnect battery
9. lower vehicle
10 cycle motor
I had a parking brake fault appear (?) and then disappear after engaging/disengaging. No other faults.
Problem solved! I can't believe how smooth and comfortable the ride is now,....., like brand new!! I absolutely love it,...., what an unbelievable car,...., I feel spoiled:-).
Sports suspension shocks from Arnott: $1100/pair
Rotors and pads: $250
Labor: 6 hours
Massage of shoulders and back: $50.00
Total: $1400.00
Bye the way, Arnott has made the air connection to the struts a 'Push and Pull' protocol for easy connection; pretty cool.
Luckily the strut mount bolt had anti-seize on it and it came out with relative ease. I am thankful for that.
I still can't get over the power, comfort, and ride in this car,......, next up, my radar is searching for a 2007 Jaguar XKR coupe:-)))
Thanks again for this forum and all the Jag experts and enthusiasts.
Robert