How to Replace Rear Air Strut
 

Hey all,

Helping a friend out with his 1995 Oldsmobile 98. It has the computer command ride air struts and the rear drivers side is completely separated with grease leaking everywhere, the entire knuckle is hanging low causing the wheel to sit with extreme camber.

What is the procedure to do this? Any specifics with dealing with the coil spring? Any info or specifics with the air system? Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks

I'm on my second Oldsmobile, a '95. My firstr one was a '94.

I haven't fiddled with the suspension on the '95 yet but what I did with the '94 was disconnect the airpump. I was afraid (I'd heard stories) of the pump running the battery down when parked on a hill. In some situations like if parked on a steep hill, the pump just keeps pumping because it thinks the rear end is needing to be pumped up. This never happened to me . . . just something I'd read about.

Anyway, I pulled the plug out of the receptacle on the pump under the hood, easy to spot. I ordered two red air bags called Air Lift 1000. They install very easily, don't leak, and are adjustable up to a max of 32 pounds of pressure. If they're at 32, the rear end won't sag even if you load it up with gravel or gold bars. I had them on a Cadillac and I'll be putting them on the '95 once I get caught up with more important issues I've got with this car.

Look on eBay for best prices. Should be about $80 for both bags plus all the hoses, supports, etc, Look on YouTube for an easy way to fold them up and get them into the coil springs. With these you can just disconnect the vehicle's airpump and never worry about that system. These red AIR LIFT bags never leak if you install them correctly *it's very easy to install them correctly.) Use a bicycle pump or low volume electric pump to fill the Air Lift bags because it would be easy to overfill them. They last forever. Air Lift 1000 is the model I use on my Cadillac and the two Oldsmobiles. Anything with coil springs. Great product.

Mike