S212 rear ride height.

[milleplod]

I've noticed over the last couple of weeks that the nearside is definitely sitting a tad lower than the offside (or, of course, the offside's a tad higher.....) and wondered what might be causing it. Airbags were new a few months ago, as were the valve block and (now adjustable) sensor arms. Sensors are still the original ones though - I've got a pair of spare ones in the garage.

When I start the car the pump always runs for a few seconds, never any more.

Is it likely to be a sensor issue? Or something else?

Pete

 

[Londonscottish]

With mine it was an airbag. On a reccomendation from here I bought 2 x Arnott replacements from Autodoc. Sorted.

 

[ChrisHGTV]

If you have new airbags i would suspect the lines unless these were changed with the airbags. There is a particular spot on the nearside about a foot in front of the compressor where the lines can rub. That's where mine went. Really difficult to diagnose though even with proper leak spray (at least mine was) If you see a brass connector at this point i believe this suggests that section has been repaired before, as the replacement sections use this connector. I think when new the line was one long piece.

 

[Londonscottish]

If you have new airbags i would suspect the lines unless these were changed with the airbags. There is a particular spot on the nearside about a foot in front of the compressor where the lines can rub. That's where mine went. Really difficult to diagnose though even with proper leak spray (at least mine was) If you see a brass connector at this point i believe this suggests that section has been repaired before, as the replacement sections use this connector. I think when new the line was one long piece.

Apologies to the OP - didn't spot the new air bags.

 

[milleplod]

Thanks for the replies chaps.

Thinking about it, the nearside doesn't lift as high as the offside in the first place, if that makes sense. So, if it was actually a leak, wouldn't it raise equally both sides and then sink on the nearside?

Pete

 

[ChrisHGTV]

Ah ok, so it's not actually dropping over time it's just a different height each side and it stays that way? Are you parking in the same place when you measure - could it be just the self-levelling doing it's thing? If the nearside is always lower regardless, and you have adjustable links fitted i guess it could be that - one of the links is adjusted a bit too long/short? I have one adjustable link on mine to replace a broken one and when i fitted it i made sure it was the same length as the original. Im not sure how much difference to ride height a small difference in link length would make but that would be my first check to make sure they're identical.

 

[milleplod]

Ah ok, so it's not actually dropping over time it's just a different height each side and it stays that way? Are you parking in the same place when you measure - could it be just the self-levelling doing it's thing? If the nearside is always lower regardless, and you have adjustable links fitted i guess it could be that - one of the links is adjusted a bit too long/short? I have one adjustable link on mine to replace a broken one and when i fitted it i made sure it was the same length as the original. Im not sure how much difference to ride height a small difference in link length would make but that would be my first check to make sure they're identical.

That's it....my explanation wasn't very good was it!

Yep, I checked it on the same perfectly level drive.

The links came at exactly the same length, but I'm going to pop up to the garage that fitted them and ask them to check. I wondered if it might be worth swapping the sensors as well while they're under there.

Pete