Friday, February 19, 2010 - 09:51 am, by: Cassie Baxter(Cass_cel)
Hey all,
I know there's probably been a lot of discussion about this but I need it to be put into more laymans terms hehe!
I have a leaking airbag on the rear drivers side. It sags to one side after a few hours then when I turn my car on, the guard is stuck to the tyre and it cracks when it is raised off the tyre.
I really don't have a lot of money to replace the airbags. I was hoping there was a way to fix the airbag that is leaking without replacing. Or if anyone has and airbag that I can replace it with (I know that the airbag wont last long but it'll get me out of trouble for now). Thanks!
Peter Nitschke Junk Filterer South Australia UZZ30 UZZ31
Saturday, February 20, 2010 - 11:10 am, by: David Barnes(Toyota_celsior)
Should of just asked me silly head.
They pop up all the time for sale.
Ebay is basicly your best friend here, unfortunately for you there is none on there atm.
Like you said, you just need something to get you out of trouble for now, so a 2nd hand bag will be fine.
So have you had the car lowered now since you got your rims? lowering stock height celsiors with a few kilometers on the clock is a recipe for leaky bags.
People will suggest getting new aftermarket bags, but stuff that, too expensive for cars with a market value of 6-7grand.
Your budget replacment options consist of,
2nd hand airbags ($50-$200) prices tend to vary a fair bit depending what people think they are worth.
Ls400 shocks and lowered springs, or standard springs if you dont want it low.
Or a cheap set of adjustable coil overs.
Or buy a turbo soarer like I have and forget about all these crappy celsior problems haha.
Don't seem to have much luck with your celsior do you cassie Perhaps you just have bad karma haha
Saturday, February 20, 2010 - 11:18 am, by: David Barnes(Toyota_celsior)
Just came across this,
From a soarer, but I got a feeling the rears are the same, air fitting wise.
I got a feeling the fronts fit aswell but the airfitting are on a differant part of the strut, soarer bags are either left or right hand side, where as with celsiors there is a left and a right.
Its been discused many times, some one else will chime in and let you know or do a bit of a search and you will work it out
Monday, February 22, 2010 - 09:35 am, by: Cassie Baxter(Cass_cel)
Thanks Dave,
I've asked if the strut also fits a Celsior. Just waiting on a reply. Nah haven't lowered the car since the rims....but the airbag just decided to give way just before I put the new wheels on. Still sticking to the bags though, I love the feel so can't do coilovers. Hopefully the strut you linked me to will fit.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 - 06:59 am, by: Rich O'neil(Kiwiinaus)
Seeing as all the second hand airbags are now 20 years old I really don't think they are a cost effective long term solution , you will have to replace them and most probably in the short term , a quick fix in dire emergency if the car has to be mobile but not much more . Brand new genuine units can be had from NZ for $650 each I believe , this is really good value for a long term owner with the advantage that you can replace one at a time , no wholesale replacement of all four like if you go to spring type units or coil overs . Arnott Industries are doing a brand new set of replacement springs and shocks for $649 US at the moment , that also is good value even with the freight cost , probably not the greatest quality but OK and no adjustability in the dampening or ride height unless you change springs . They can be found here http://www.arnottindustries.com/part_LEXUS_Air_Suspension_Parts_yid7_pid46.html Cheap coil overs like D2's or G2's are not made specifically for the Cel and their spring length is about half or the original so it's no wonder they are harsh !! Coil overs like JIC or Tein are made specifically for the Cel/LS and while being shorter in the spring length than standard still way longer than the generic type coil overs and they also come with longer units for the rear like the standard airbags or spring/shock units , while all the generic D2's I have seen have four the same length . Teins or JIC's can be had secondhand from Japan for $1200 to $1500 including freight , most of these have spring height and ride height adjustability as well as adjustable dampening , new sets can be had for about $2000 odd . One more thing to consider if you decide to stick with air [ as I have cos I like the ride and ability to go up and down easily ] is the system is not just the air shocks , all the valving and the pump and everything else is also 20 years old and will need attention eventually !! I really like the air on my car but I'm also tending to think that when my 96 model front air bags go it might be time to go quality coil overs .
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 - 09:02 am, by: Cassie Baxter(Cass_cel)
Hi Rich, thanks for your advice as always
Do you know how the Remanufactured Lexus LS-400 Rear Air Suspension Struts are from Arnott? $350 seems like an OK price for something that has a lifetime warranty.
I'm trying to hold onto the air for as long as possible hehe!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 - 09:24 am, by: Mark Tierney(Mark_t)
Ive got a rear right and both fronts from when I swapped to coilovers. $100 each +shipping or all three for $250 + shipping (They are pretty heavy). Rear left(passenger side) was the one that died. The three survivors were fine when removed with about 120,000k's on them.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 - 05:30 pm, by: Rich O'neil(Kiwiinaus)
Cassie i have two Arnotts front airbags on the shelf , the air bag bit is fine but no dampening !! They lasted about 8 mths and they won't cop the freight for me to send them back , so there they shall stay . Also on the top they have a spud for the outside motor drive and that's all it is , if you pull the top off it has no connection with the shock at all !! No point having that spud at all unless you are trying to trick people and as regards their Bilstein shocks they don't support the TEM's at all . I wouldn't go near their remanufactured shocks if they where the last units in the universe and if it's true that you can get brand new shocks from NZ for $650.00 then $350.00 for a remanufactured unit is too much . I have actually cut one of these shocks open and personally I don't believe they actually reman them , just new oil and that's about it . Cassie I would go for Marks struts in the post above , will give you a bit of breathing space at not much cost . Having now had to play with my air pump it's getting to the stage that unless you can afford to replace most of the hardware in the air suspension system , like the pump , all the struts and the valves as well , then a good quality set of coil overs is looking like the best way to go , at a cost of under $2000.00 for all 4 it's also very cost effective as well .
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Perhaps you just have bad karma haha
