degmla

iTrader: (1)

Here is my quick and dirty version. I am talking from memory and might be forgetting important steps. It might almost make this worthless, but here goes. There are lots of normal "safety comments" when working on cars that are assumed understood throughout. However, I will add this one extra comment due to this specific job hazard: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DEFLATE SPRING COMPLETELY BY PUNCTURING! Even a bad, leaking spring will still have a healthy amount of pressure on it. There is an easier way to unload springs.

1. Purchase Arnott A-2466 rear air springs.
2. Lower spare tire and remove it from the vehicle. It will be in your way, and the extra 5 minutes will save you tons later.
3. Jack up rear and remove rear tires. Don't jack up by the rear differential because you will obviously need it unloaded to remove springs.
4. To access the clips above the springs, I simply got some channel locks and bent up the sheet metal on the inner wheel well directly above the chassis. Access was much easier at that point. I have the KDSS option, so there is some hydraulic tubing on the driver's side that made it a little more tricky, but nothing I recall hard.
5. A caulking tube lid, split down one side, can be used to place around the air tubing, push into the fitting to unload internal clips, and pull on the tubing. There is also a special tool. Best to see cut-away pictures to get a vision of what it looks like.
6. IIRC, the passenger side tube was relatively easy to disengage. The driver's side is essentially not accessible from the top.
7. To unload driver's side, I unbolted the compressor. I think it was like 3 bolts, easy to access, easy to do. With it unbolted, I could use my tubing tool to disengage the driver's side tube at the compressor.
8. Once both springs are vented, they should just about fall out. The driver's side will have it's tubing still attached (a good thing), but you'll need to disengage it from a few spring clips. Fish it all out, attach it to the new driver's side spring before re-installing.
9. "Install is reverse of removal."
10. The key to installation is make sure the springs are clipped on their tops and engaged correctly at the bottom before turning the vehicle on (when inflation will begin). I think I achieved that by raising rear axle, putting tires back on, then lowering everything. But, honestly, not sure. I don't think it was anything super-clever.

After all this, everything works great. No discernible loss even after several days.