Anybody done this to their airbags?

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Hi all I have a spare set of shocks for my 04 Allroad and thought I would give them some tlc before I swapped them over on to my car. There's nothing really wrong with my current ones but I do hear the compressor run more than it used to although still not that often.

So I thought I would strip the bags from the shocks clean them thoroughly and check them over and reseal the seals. I stretched out the bags and scrubbed the dirt off and made sure the metal part was 100% smooth so it didn't trap any crap but now I can't seem to roll them back into themselves!
I did give them a rub with baby oil ( I read that on here once someone massages their spares and wrapped them in blankets)
They seem to want to fold rather than roll down and I can't think how to get around this so any ideas most welcome!

I have also bought some blanking plugs for the rear dampers to blank the air outlet on the bag and inlet on the shock my plan is to to this on level 2 or 3 and then when I lower it back to 1 hopefully it will stiffen my rear shocks as they are pretty crappy with it lowered. I'll let you know how I get on.






Cut 60mm out of my shock forks and rewelded them so I can run the car at the same height but with the pressure and dampening of level 2/3 so it should be a lot stiffer, also bought a pair of RS6 anti roll bars to go on.

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Updated, will wait for the questions lol

[glennda5id]

You are not adjusting anything off the shock in the rear?

You plan to run no air in the rear? Are you going for a static height?

I like the idea of shortening the shock in teh front, but if you cant do something similar in the rear (which I don't think you can) this is going to be a mess.

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Well... I'm trying to determine if I can run rs6 lower wishbones which I think have more of a kick up to them do the shock sits lower, either that or modify a standard set. I will also raise the rears to full height then install the blanking plugs into the towing adjustment ports to keep them stiffer at level 1 -40ish mm that I 402'd. The fronts was easy and I had a spare set so I could do it without taking my car off the road. The rears will be harder.
Btw I am a nuclear Tig welder and have been for 15 years in case anyone is wondering about the welding! 3runs of Tig, Cold Front Compoubd, lower body wrapped in wet rag and cooled between every run with the shock upside down and fully extended. I did this on my old A8 that was static 28mm off the floor!

[glennda5id]

If I understand your plan, you will have virtually no air pressure in the rear even if you raise it up.

[bagpipingandy]

it is very hard to invert them without filling with some air 1st, I have done rears this way, block the ends and a little air and it folds back as you push it down

fit onto shock at the bottom tape up the top with anything (even a rubber glove) and put a little air in through the normal airline connection and push down as you do all this, it will fold back into place

regards

Andy

[NuGGet_PuFFer]

it is very hard to invert them without filling with some air 1st, I have done rears this way, block the ends and a little air and it folds back as you push it down

fit onto shock at the bottom tape up the top with anything (even a rubber glove) and put a little air in through the normal airline connection and push down as you do all this, it will fold back into place

regards

Andy

Perfect guy to chime, props for ingenuity gents.

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Thanks Andy, I didn't think to text you and ask! I've managed to do them now exactly as you said here just ran an air line in set to 1/lt/min through a flow meter at work and had plenty of time to manipulate them! Put some nice clean seals in and also some liquid gasket in a small bead just to be sure. My big brake conversion turned up last night so I've been blasting a be overhauling the calipers and carriers. Hoping to get it all fitted over a weekend.



The rears aren't too bad as they are on level 1 but it would be nice if they were stiffer, the plugs will hopefully just raise the damping rate and will still have the single airline going in to use normally so I can still raise and lower it. I would like to see about rs6 lower arms and see if they do as I hope and lower the shock mounting point giving me more pressure for same height.

[NuGGet_PuFFer]

Etnies!!!!! Haven't seen a pair of those in quite some time, I used to live in etnies back in the day lol

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Haha yeah they're getting on a bit now! I have been buying DC's for the last 3/4 years but they're nowhere near as well made and they wear out pretty quick.
I love skate shoes and always have so supportive and make my size 10's look a reasonable size!

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Shortened shocks and calipers ready to go on....

[4rings2turbos]

This is really cool and I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do with it!

[NuGGet_PuFFer]

Props for skate shoes and awesome work!

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Right blanking plugs fitted to rear shock pdc valves at level 4 then lowered back to 1 and it's better.


Also modified the rear arms, ordered RS6 ones but they're exactly the same as the originals so I cut out the bottom and added lower extension cups so the rear shock body will run 30mm lower (level 2ish) so hopefully stiffer.

[C5S6]

good lookin welds

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Not as nice as I wanted but ok I suppose, all Tig welded 👍🏻

[4rings2turbos]

How much better when you say better with the blanking plugs? Quite interested in this.

Way to keep pushing the factory suspension, I love it.

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

It seems stiffer and corners flatter, it may be me but I think it was a worthy £6! So easy to do just have to do the bag ones first as it empties the air out, small amount of sealant like liquid gaskets or ptfe and wind in, then jack up to level 4 and fit the damper ones.

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

New discs arrived and had the MOT done so no time restrictions now. Got myself an RS6 exhaust to go on but I'm making a 3" turbo down decat pipe into it so remove all restrictions and bore increase to 65mm front to back.
RS6 Anti roll bars and rear wishbones going on next week, gone for a set of braided hoses all round.
A few new pics

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

New discs


360mm A8 D3 4.0tdi calipers and A6 C7 3.0tdi discs

[Royal769sr]

I need this

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[Audibot]

Oh lordy!

[JTown77]

How is the ride with the plugs in?

[JTown77]

Shortened shocks and calipers ready to go on....

I am so doing this! Has this adversely effected ride characteristics?

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

I'd didn't on my old A8 as you still get the same damping and travel. I still haven't fitted the shocks or the rear wishbones but I have a few things going on with work and new job opportunities. Will be later in the week or early next week, I can't wait to fit the exhaust but need to make the down pipe and Y piece to remove the cats.
The plugs have made it better but I think I need to fit the wishbones asap as I'm almost on the bumpstops now I've 402'd it again.
Custom spacers almost finished so going to 9.5"x 19 all round and selling the 8.5" fronts I had. Will keep you all informed of what's going on and how it goes.

[4rings2turbos]

I'm buying some OEM rear struts here pretty soon and I would LOVE to have them shortened before I even put them on.

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

There's no way to shorten the rears that's why my solution was to cup the wishbones and lower the bolting point as this was reversible. I wish it was as easy as the fronts but unfortunately not.

[allroadmark]

Correct me if i am wrong, but isn't the spring weight or pressure in the spring the same on any level?

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Once you 402 it down it drastically reduces the air pressure in the bag and it seems more reliant on the actual damper. The ride is certainly a lot softer on level 1 402'd about -45mm

[allroadmark]

Once you 402 it down it drastically reduces the air pressure in the bag and it seems more reliant on the actual damper. The ride is certainly a lot softer on level 1 402'd about -45mm

But thats my point, if the car is suspended by the spring then regardless of the height the pressure would be the same. think of an adjustable coil spring, regardless of the ride height of the vehicle the installed height and spring tension remain the same and ony raise when compressed.
has anyone ever fitted a gauge to the system? i would assume the pressure would be the same on level 1 as level 4 402'd or not.

[das_boosthead]

My understanding is that the effective spring rate changes with the amount of air in the spring. With less air, the rate is lower. With more air, the rate is higher.

[4rings2turbos]

There's no way to shorten the rears that's why my solution was to cup the wishbones and lower the bolting point as this was reversible. I wish it was as easy as the fronts but unfortunately not.

Ahh, bummer. Makes sense now though. Also I would go for a pair of those..

Wink wink.

Let me know how well it works for you. I'm serious about keeping factory air and OEM components and I like being as low as I am. I can tell things aren't as fresh as they were when I bought the car at 80k though so I want to set up the fresh components for success.

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

The idea behind this is that I will be on level 2/3 shock length and pressure but end up with a ride height comparible to level 1 with a little 402.
The damping rate seems to rise with the rise in height. This should also allow me more travel before the bumpstops which I get now.

[allroadmark]

My understanding is that the effective spring rate changes with the amount of air in the spring. With less air, the rate is lower. With more air, the rate is higher.

the spring rate only rises when you compress the spring, adding air increases volume inside the spring lifting the vehicle.

[allroadmark]

does anyone actually know the rate of the oem springs vs the arnott gen2?

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Right super busy weekend while the wife was away managed 11 hours at home in total!!
Fitted the front brakes (nightmare) had to machine a bit of the back of the carriers to accommodate the taller disc being bolted to the hub, fitted the RS6 front and rear anti roll bars with new rear end links, took off rear shocks cleaned up inside and out quick coat of paint and added 75ml of Stans No Tubes inner tube sealant with a syringe to coat the inside of the bags- I know shoot me now but just an idea!
Fitted the shortened front shock and rear wishbones.

Cut off my RS6 exhaust tips as I wasn't keen on the only bit you see! I just wanted the performance increase really, got a scrap S2000 stainless exhaust from a mate and cut the 4" tips off polished them and welded them on but not fitted it yet as starting the downpipe is going to be a nightmare.
Got some new 40mm spacers made up at work and trial fitted them and with a bit of camber on my rears they give it the look I wanted, bought another set of LM's from a mate so I can have the rear 9.5's from that set and run 9.5 all round.

It drives so much better now with the shocks and bits fitted it's a lot smoother and more composed over bumps, it doesn't hit the bump stops after 5-10mm like it used to!
The brakes are good but still bedding in and haven't done the VCDS abs pump bleed yet.
Ordered some power flex poly bushes for the rear arms and both anti roll bars so hoping it gets even better yet.
Will update with more photos at the weekend once I get a chance to take some with the wheels fitted and set up how I want it. Here's some for now.

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

All the bits are fitted and car runs well, fitted poly bushes to anti roll bars and rear track control arms. RS6 exhaust is still unfitted due to loosing my ramp facilities.
19x9.5 LM's are powder coated high gloss anthracite and have all new bolts to fit the lips.
I'm now thinking about moving this on as I want a van. We still have the wife's 2.5tdi Auto silver/silver/factory tint/ RS6 peeler 19".
Hate to say it I like driving hers but I'm bored of mine and need to get rid before I end up letting it go downhill!
Thing is do I transfer big brakes/hoses and anti roll bars to hers or sell mine as is.

[CHRISTOPHÉ]

Well it’s over 2 years since this thread and I still have the car! It’s been great and put so many miles on between us. We ended up getting a T5 which I converted to a camper and the silver Allroad went in December 2017. I’ve kept the car as it was but this week have just purchased 310mm rear brake kit and a W12 master cylinder and brake booster to improve braking further. Otherwise it’s had an occasional wash and the yearly MOT and that’s about it, except drivers window mechs as it seems to eat these!

[chris86vw]

oooh hadn't seen this thread before.

I'm running with the body spacers removed and A6 uprights so my shocks are super compressed and I have no up travel and everything is pretty soft. Actually with the spacers out I still have to 402 it back up to stock height or its simply undrivable.

I did shim and plug the rear shocks but noticed no difference. I may have to shorten my front shocks and try this dropped rear trick until I sell some spare brembos I have to justify buying airlift stuff.

Believe I replied to a thread you had posted in ages ago about some modifications to the valve block, haven't done any further testing or modifying to mine but plan to get back on that soon.

[rgtorque]

Interested in the w12. Master cylinder swap!