Air Suspension Strut - Damage Assessment

Information

Accidents and running over obstacles or potholes at a higher speed can damage the air-spring strut .
The following information is used to raise awareness and avoid injuries during the removal of the component .
The pressure in the spring damper is about 25 bar .
Drill only in case of a defective air-spring strut .
Please note this and the following information!
View of front air-spring strut, removed:

Fig 1: Front Air-Spring Strut Components Location

Courtesy of PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Front air-spring strut

1	Air spring module
2	Spring-strut mount
3	Shock absorber with shock absorber fork

WARNING: High pressure can cause the shock absorber pipe to become detached from the air springs .

Risk of injury or bruising
→ Do not reach into the area of the shock absorber pipe

→ Dispose of the air-spring strut immediately

Prerequisite/features that make it necessary to drill the spring damper when it is already installed:

Air-spring strut leaking → yellow on-board computer (OBC) message in the instrument cluster, leakage, different vehicle level on the front axle.

If one of the test points in the following list applies to the defective air-spring strut, the spring damper must be drilled in the installed state and the air-spring strut must then be replaced!

Steering wheel crooked
Strong deformation of the front axle rim
Tyre damage on the front axle
Damage to the spring strut dome
Trailing arm bent or broken

Push air spring pot -1- (Air-spring strut installed) upwards -Arrow- . The air spring pot is secured only with an O-ring -2- .

Courtesy of PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Move air spring pot (view with air-spring strut removed)
1. 1.1 Remove O-ring -2- .
WARNING:
Working with compressed air
- Risk of eye injuries
- Risk of damaging and dirtying components
  → Wear protective goggles with side eye protection.
  
  → Protect the point at which the compressed air emerges with suitable material.
  
  → Place the point at which the compressed air emerges on suitable surfaces.
Slowly drill the installed air-spring strut on the shock absorber pipe -1- directly after the air spring holder -Arrow- with a 4 mm steel drill -2- .

Courtesy of PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Drilling damper on air-spring strut

2.1 Always wear protective goggles!