Alko air assist bag change

[SandraL]

I have to replace a split air bag, dont ever run them without pressure!
The picture shows the old and new side by side. The old is fully extended, as it was when van jacked up and suspension hanging.
The new is folded as supplied and as it will be in working position.
As you can see when an uninflated bag is squashed it folds, not into the neat fold the new one has.
To install the new bag it will need to be fully extended.

The big question,. If I inflate the bag before lowering the van will it fold neatly as it should do?

I believe min pressure should be 1bar, max pressure 7 bar. Assume on installation I should go to 7bar, once lowered then reset to my 3 bar normal pressure.
The original bag is a Firestone 9000 bag.

 

[gus-lopez]

I'd put at least the minimum in then gently lower it slowly to see how it folds up.Once happy then you can increase pressure.

 

[Phill D]

The instructions with my air bags states not to exceed the min pressure if you jack up under the chassis. Runni g pressures should only be left in the bag if it's jacked under the axle.
I would agree with gus-lopez replace bag and minimum pressure.
I would then lower it slowly until there is some pressure on the tyre and add more pressure a couple of times until the full weight is on the bag.
That should encourage the bag to fold evenly.

 

[SandraL]

Am waiting for new fixing bolts to arrive, will install bag, fill to 1 bar and lower gently as suggested.
Update next week when done, thanks.

 

[SandraL]

New bags arrived. They are Sabo equivalent of the Firestone 9000 originals.
Identical apart from top fixing blind hols are 1/8" shorter.
New bolts obtained, note they are unc threads not metric.

Fitted in place with just top mounting, then put pressure in until bag fully expanded, about 1 bar.
Then deflated and bolted up bottom mounting.
Increased pressure to 2 bar and slowly lowered onto wheel, bag folded neatly as hoped.
Pressure increased to 3 bar for normal working pressure.

Thanks for the advice, turned out to be straight forward apart from change of top mounting bolt length.

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