Air Suspension Problems

Air Suspension Problems

I Found A Great Article at AGCOauto.com and Thought I should Share it with All Suncore Industries Blog Readers:

Ford Air Suspension Problems

The Lincoln/Ford air suspension is quite often maligned by those who do not understand it and those that profit by creating undeserved fear. The facts are actually quite different.

• Air suspension has been installed on millions of vehicles and is one of the most dependable systems on vehicles.
• Air suspension rarely gives problems and understanding the system can prevent most of those.
• Air suspension benefits are numerous; Great ride, increase handling, decrease tire wear, the ability to adapt to changing loads.

Air suspension employs rubber bags that fill with air to support the weight of the vehicle. This concept is used the world over in heavy applications such as eighteen wheelers, heavy equipment and even emergency equipment.

The advantage is, with a sensor, vehicle height can be determined. Through an onboard pump and with use of a computer, the pressure can be varied to obtain optimum ride and handling. When the vehicle is loaded, the system simply adapts.



When the height sensor determines a change, this information is sent to the control module. If the vehicle needs to rise, the pump is commanded on and the solenoids in the bags open. If the height needs to drop, the solenoids are opened and air flows out of the bags through the lines and through a control valve in the pump. This is a very simplistic overview as the system also considers a multitude of other factors.

Like any piece of rubber, the suspension bags have a life span. Most will last several years and well over 100,000 miles. When they do eventually wear out, they must be replaced. This is the key to preventing expensive problems.  Most bags fail by developing cracks in the rubber.  Air leaks through the cracks and the vehicle starts to drop after sitting.

A Lincoln Town Car uses two rear bags. Both can be replaced in under an hour and for a relatively low cost. Not replaced, they will leak, cause the pump to overheat and create a very expensive repair. To prevent this, the driver should be aware of the symptoms.

• A vehicle that drops in height over night is a problem. The suspension will not drop unless there is a leak.
• The vehicle returning to normal height after starting does not mean there is not a problem. The pump is being over run to keep the leaking system up.
• A pump that runs more than just a few second is a problem. A good system will take very little pump action to maintain height.  When the pump runs more than a few seconds, it will overheat and be damaged.
• Replace leaking air suspension bags before the pump and other components are damaged. This can save thousands in unneeded repair.

If your vehicle is over five years old, let the professionals at AGCO Automotive inspect the air suspension. A simple inspection can reveal a potential problem and prevent unneeded repair. Preventing problems, that’s the AGCO way.

Make sure to ask AGCO Automotive or Your Favorite Shop about Suncore Industries Suspension Parts.