Leaking air struts: repair with tire sealant?

[schspeedster]

Considering purchase of a 2nd Subaru, decided against looking at a $1000 '92 Legacy due to a leaking air suspension. Researching alternatives to switching to conventional struts, came across a message board where someone claimed they used motorcycle tire sealant a year ago and it still held up. I assume this is the sticky goop normally sprayed into tires, sound like it would work or just gum up the works?

[SevenSisters]

If I had a leaking suspension and nothing to lose, I might try that route, but I wouldn't buy one to try it out on. Of course, you could always convert if it doesn't work. I can tell you're itching to by that car.

 

Never buy a new car with air suspension!

[Hondasucks]

If I had a leaking suspension and nothing to lose, I might try that route, but I wouldn't buy one to try it out on. Of course, you could always convert if it doesn't work. I can tell you're itching to by that car.

 

Never buy a new car with air suspension!

 

the problem with the Subaru air suspension, is that the platform the bag rides on, the paint wears off of it, causing it to rust, which in turn rubs through the bag, Solution is to clean the rust off so the surface is smooth again, and coat it with some silicone grease, repeat once or twice a year and it should be fine. Air suspension DOES wear out though eventually, just like tires do :-) But the technology has come a LONG way since the 80s-early 90s!

[SevenSisters]

Good advice for those with air suspensions. Yea, I'm thinking of the '90s. Would still like to be able to buy a car without any frills to wrong.

[schspeedster]

the problem with the Subaru air suspension, is that the platform the bag rides on, the paint wears off of it, causing it to rust, which in turn rubs through the bag, Solution is to clean the rust off so the surface is smooth again, and coat it with some silicone grease, repeat once or twice a year and it should be fine. Air suspension DOES wear out though eventually, just like tires do :-) But the technology has come a LONG way since the 80s-early 90s!

 

Too bad the rubber part isn't designed to be replaceable like tires! Can't even find a source of rebuilt Subaru air struts, so they must be truly non-repairable. Have yet to look at the car, if it leaks, are the bad rubber parts usually visible?

 

BTW just finished replacing rear struts on my W-body Cutlass Supreme, instead of metal or air springs there is a single transverse composite fiberglass leaf spring (like a bow used to shoot arrows) and two tiny elastomer auxilary springs. Pretty high-tech for the 80's, handles decent if the struts are in good shape, not too difficult to replace struts.

[idosubaru]

it is very possible that the leaking air suspension could just be old, leaky orings that cost about 7 cents each.

 

and properly taken care of the struts will last a long time. sand the rust down on the metal bottom part like mentioned earlier. the rust wears the crap out of the bags, they will last a very long time if you keep the rust off. paint it with a few coats of black enamel and then put some silicone over it. you could also try some rubber compounds or something on the air bag to protect them, haven't really needed to do that yet but i'd like to.

 

i know a guy that owned an XT6 (that i now own) who was an aircraft mechanic. he used some kind of aircraft grade sealant to coat the entire air bag with that would work on very small leaks.

 

and yes i've heard of people using tire sealant before as well. last resort, who care, tear it up. be sure to replace those orings first, this might be a much easier fix than you think. bad air suspension does not mean bad air bags at all. it might, but there are plenty of others things that can go wrong as well.