Question about 90 LS400 front Air Strut Removal
#1
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I have been doing some searching of the forum over the past two days and haven't really found exactly what I'm looking for so I'm posting it here. I'm sure this can be answered relatively quickly by anyone who has replaced their Air Suspension.
I am going through the process of installing new Daizen Bushings in my upper and lower control arms. This is very involved and I am using the tutorials on LexLS.com (props to the owner of that site, it's helped me out considerably).
I am at the stage where I need to remove the strut assembly to finish disassembling the lower control arm. I will need to remove the strut assembly to get the upper control arm off as well. The tutorial on LexLS doesn't show the process to remove the air struts, since the car used in the tutorial is a standard coil/shock suspension setup. I have removed the lower shock mounting bolt and have removed the upper shock tower mounting bolts and actuator as well. The shock is free and I can move it around and it looks like I can take it out without any issue. The question I have is, do I need to bleed air out of the system somehow prior to removing the strut? If so, how is that done? I know there is an air inlet going through the side of the shock tower in the engine bay, but there is a grommet over it and I can't really get down there to remove anything. the air inlet to the strut bag is behind the strut and I can't get access to it without removing the strut first. Will this cause any damage (tearing the inlet out, etc)?
Without continuing to write a novel, guess I just need to know the steps necessary to remove the strut properly. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I am going through the process of installing new Daizen Bushings in my upper and lower control arms. This is very involved and I am using the tutorials on LexLS.com (props to the owner of that site, it's helped me out considerably).
I am at the stage where I need to remove the strut assembly to finish disassembling the lower control arm. I will need to remove the strut assembly to get the upper control arm off as well. The tutorial on LexLS doesn't show the process to remove the air struts, since the car used in the tutorial is a standard coil/shock suspension setup. I have removed the lower shock mounting bolt and have removed the upper shock tower mounting bolts and actuator as well. The shock is free and I can move it around and it looks like I can take it out without any issue. The question I have is, do I need to bleed air out of the system somehow prior to removing the strut? If so, how is that done? I know there is an air inlet going through the side of the shock tower in the engine bay, but there is a grommet over it and I can't really get down there to remove anything. the air inlet to the strut bag is behind the strut and I can't get access to it without removing the strut first. Will this cause any damage (tearing the inlet out, etc)?
Without continuing to write a novel, guess I just need to know the steps necessary to remove the strut properly. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
#3
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I figured as much...I've done more searching and finally found a link to a site that covers the process in a little more detail. Although not much . It looks like I will have to pull out the valve that runs into the shock tower from inside the engine bay. It's really just a small brass needle valve and supposedly isn't that hard to remove. The biggest problem is clearance, I may end up having to take out the intake in order to reach it.
If anyone else has any suggestions I'm all ears, otherwise I will go that route and hopefully I don't break anything.
If anyone else has any suggestions I'm all ears, otherwise I will go that route and hopefully I don't break anything.
#4
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![Default](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I figured as much...I've done more searching and finally found a link to a site that covers the process in a little more detail. Although not much . It looks like I will have to pull out the valve that runs into the shock tower from inside the engine bay. It's really just a small brass needle valve and supposedly isn't that hard to remove. The biggest problem is clearance, I may end up having to take out the intake in order to reach it.
If anyone else has any suggestions I'm all ears, otherwise I will go that route and hopefully I don't break anything.
If anyone else has any suggestions I'm all ears, otherwise I will go that route and hopefully I don't break anything.
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