Assembling Rear Spring Strut

Information 

When replacing the air spring, always replace the boot/bellows.

After removing gaskets, examine the contact surfaces on housings for burrs and damage.

Always loosen and tighten screws or nuts crosswise for mounting covers and housings.

• When sliding in the rolling piston, the convoluted air bellows must lie evenly between the outer guide and rolling piston (roll fold).

Information 

If you are not replacing the shock absorber, the sealing rings and safety catch must be replaced.

• Make sure that everything remains absolutely clean. The smallest impurities can cause leakages. 
• Clean the contact surfaces of the sealing rings with a lint-free cloth. 
• Lightly grease sealing rings and safety catch with Kluber Syntheso Glep 1 (Part No. 000.043.204.68). 

Information 

The pictures shown in this document may differ from the original.

Information 

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Lifting wheel bearing housing (example)

• Spring strut screws are under tension. Use a suitable lift with rubber base. 
• Do not damage the brake cover plate. 

Installation is performed in reverse order.

The next sections describe the spring struts with and without PASM.

1. Replace the large ring (O-ring) in the groove on the adapter ring (welded ring). -arrow- 

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   Adapter ring (welded ring) with large ring (O-ring) (shown as an example)

2. Always replace the safety catch and slide it on as far as the adapter ring (welded ring). -arrow- 

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   Always replace safety catch and slide it on as far as the adapter ring (welded ring) (shown as an example)

3. For replacing air spring 

   Information 

   Additional spring defective

   • If the additional spring is defective, the complete air spring must be replaced. 
   1. 3.1 Check that the additional spring is fitted at the correct position -arrow-  . See also illustration under Component overview "Spring strut, cut-out view", item 7  .

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      Installation position of additional spring

      1	Additional spring
      2	Air spring
      Pfeil	Centering device

   2. 3.2 Slide the additional spring into the centering device for installation. -arrow- 
4. For PASM: Before fitting the air spring on the shock absorber 

   Slide a piece of hose (shop-made) onto the hexagon on the piston rod (air spring shown fitted on front axle!). Then fit the air spring.  > Hose (shop-made) (front axle shown as an example) 

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   Hose (shop-made) (front axle shown as an example)

5. Remove the hose (shop-made). -arrow- 

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   Replacing small ring (O-ring) (front axle shown as an example)

   1. 5.1 To protect the O-ring, mask the thread of the shock absorber. Fit small ring (O-ring) on the piston rod. -arrow- 

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   Masking thread of piston rod when fitting small ring (O-ring) (front axle shown as an example)

6. Final alignment of air spring/shock absorber mounting 
   1. 6.1 Right spring strut: Turn the concave support 16° +/-1° clockwise  . In other words: imagine a clock, for example, and turn the concave support clockwise for 2 - 3 minutes on an imaginary line from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock. -arrow- 

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      Aligning right air spring

   2. 6.2 Left spring strut: Turn the concave support 16° +/-1° anti-clockwise  . In other words: imagine a clock, for example, and turn the concave support anti-clockwise for 2 - 3 minutes on an imaginary line from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock. -arrow- 

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      Aligning left air spring

   3. 6.3 Fit the relevant shock absorber mounting and cover. Check installation position of cover (cable guide).
7. If the air spring was rolled up by mistake, check that the roll fold is even all around the rolling piston. -arrows-  Do not fit the boot/bellows yet!

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   Roll folds (front axle shown as an example)

8. Use a Seeger circlip ring pliers for fitting the grommets. > Opening grommet slightly using Seeger circlip ring pliers (front axle shown as an example) 

   Fit the cables at the same position according to the cable routing you noted earlier.

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   Opening grommet slightly using Seeger circlip ring pliers (front axle shown as an example)

   Information 

   • Make sure that everything remains absolutely clean. The smallest impurities can cause leakages. 
   • Clean the contact surfaces of the sealing rings with a lint-free cloth. 
9. Fit the air-spring strut and fit the boot/bellows loosely on the air spring!
   1. 9.1 Insert the upper air-spring strut into the vehicle and fit it (boot/bellows only fitted loosely on the air spring!).

   Check that the air line and cables are not trapped.

   >432519 REMOVING AND INSTALLING REAR SPRING STRUT (AIR SPRINGS) 

10. Raise the rear wheel bearing housing. Do not damage the brake cover plate.

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    Raising rear wheel bearing housing (shown as an example)

11. Raise the axle until the lower spring strut -1-  with the wheel bearing housing -2-  and connecting link -4-  can be fitted.

    To do this, insert the fastening screw -3-  through the components from behind and fit it.

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    Spring strut screw (air springs)

12. Then raise the axle further.
    1. 12.1 With the axle raised further, jiggle it continuously at the rolling piston and turn it back and forth slightly.

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       Air-spring strut rolling piston

       1	Rolling piston
       2	Air spring

    2. 12.2 The safety catch is touching the air-spring rolling piston. Raise it further and press the safety catch into the rolling piston using a plastic wedge if necessary. -safety catch- 

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       Raising shock absorber with safety catch in air-spring rolling piston (front axle shown as an example)

    3. 12.3 Raise the axle further until the safety catch in the rolling piston is no longer visible. -arrow- 

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       Raising shock absorber with safety catch in air-spring rolling piston, adapter ring (welded ring) with large ring (O-ring) is visible (front axle shown as an example)

    4. 12.4 Raise the axle further until the adapter ring (welded ring) with the large ring (O-ring) on the shock absorber pipe disappears by about 3 mm into the rolling piston. -rolling piston- 

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    Raising shock absorber until adapter ring (welded ring) with large ring (O-ring) disappears by about 3 mm (front axle shown as an example)

13. Push the pressure control valve open using a 5-mm Allen key and keep it open. Then carefully lower the axle until it is suspended freely. This allows air to flow in and prevents folds from developing in the air spring.
14. Fit the air line and fill the air-spring strut to about 2 bar overpressure using the filling routine on the Porsche System Tester.
15. Check that roll folds are formed evenly in the rolling piston. -arrows- 

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    Roll folds (front axle shown as an example)

16. Finally fit the boot/bellows and spring strut.

    >433019 REMOVING AND INSTALLING FRONT SPRING STRUT (AIR SPRINGS)